With his signature blend of dry wit, pop culture acuity and storytelling savvy, Colby Elliott serves up something original in Geekery and Wine: The First Case, an immersive audiobook, where memoir meets fandom and every bottle tells a story. ‘The audiobook as a whole ended up being this tapestry of stories,’ he says. ‘Mostly, I think we all belong in each other’s stories, collaborating and trying to make the world a little better.’
A self-described ‘old-school nerd’, Elliott takes listeners on a journey through the many roles he’s played – father, friend, narrator, gamer, wine geek – and the stories that connect them. Along the way, he explores how a shared love of fantasy, science fiction and fermented grapes can bring people together in surprising and joyful ways.
‘The microphones I used on Geekery & Wine were a CAD e100, Telefunken CU-29 Copperhead, MJE 990 Hulk and the Austrian Audio OC18 large-diaphragm condensers,’ Elliott reveals of its recording. ‘The gear chain leading up to the mics were a Furman AC-215A power conditioner and Grace Designs m101 preamp, feeding into Focusrite Scarlet Solo desktop audio interface. I do my recording and editing in Sony Sound Forge Audio Studio.’
The bulk of the recording took place in the pump room in the basement in his former New England home in Massachusetts. The room had been furnished with double, super-thick curtains by way of sound treatment, with carpeted floor and ‘egg carton foam’ on the ceiling. ‘Some finishing touches were recorded in my Vocalbooth Diamond series,’ he adds.
Geekery and Wine: The First Case features an eclectic blend of Gen-X nostalgia and geek culture deep-dives paired with wine recommendations and behind-the-scenes commentary, occasionally accompanied by a celebrity name-drop. The audiobook should appeal to anyone who loves video games and graphic novels, as well as amateur sommeliers and those curious about audiobook production and narration.
‘The current world is tense and unpredictable,’ he says. ‘Geekery and Wine is about finding joy and sharing it with others. This is something different, something subtle and happy. Consume responsibly!’
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