As I mentioned previously, this week is the NAMM show in Anaheim, California. For those of you who aren’t audio gear geeks, musicians, or also working in the music instrument (MI) industry or press, that might not mean much. But if one of the above fits you, you know that NAMM is where MI and affiliated retailers display their wares for music store buyers, distributors, and press. Technically, it’s not open to the public, it’s a true “trade show” only open to the industry. However, when you see groups of tweens in spikes running by, you can be pretty sure they managed to snag tickets from some guy who knows some guy.
Truth be told, I think the first time I ever went to NAMM I was a tween (although we weren’t called “tweens” yet back in the stone age) who was there because my mom got NAMM badges from some guy who knew some guy. But the next time I went, I think 13 years ago or so, I was the singer-guitarist in Darkling Thrush, and a guitar company (Fernandes) gave out passes to groups that they endorsed (like us). And it was truly the kid-in-the-candy-store experience, looking at all the sparkly, expensive musical instruments used by our musical heroes, imagining ourselves part of that world.
Flash forward to now. I am a part of that world, as a pro audio writer/editor. Of course, these days I’m not a bystander, but I go with the rest of my music tech department to meetings with our music trade distributors, partners, and authors. Wondering around in wide-eyed wonder has been replaced by looking at my watch to make sure I’m not late for the next appointment.
Also, I can’t pretend that 13 years worth of being around pro audio gear hasn’t dampened some of my wide-eyed wonder. I’ve used it to make my own music, I’ve seen behind the curtain. And some of the magic is gone. Not only that, but these days, you can usually get a better sense of a given item on the Internet than you can on the crowded and noisy show floor.
But what I’m still enthusiastic about is the people I’ve met and friends I’ve made at these various pro audio and music instrument companies. I always enjoy meeting them at trade shows, which especially for the international companies, are some of the few times we meet. Same for my co-workers; I’ve mentioned in other blogs how much I enjoy spending time with them, both when I fly into trade shows and company meetings and they fly here for NAMM. And I get to have meals with authors which is always fun.
So I’m going to be quite busy from Wednesday through Sunday night, and when my voice gives out and my feet are sore, I’ll be complaining like I always do. But I’ll also enjoy some aspects of it, like I always do. And it’s tucked further down these days, but the wide-eyed boy who is excited to be one of “those guys” going to NAMM is still alive in me.
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