Imagine having Treefort inside and out, and adding a huge convention convention center filled with around a thousand booths of instruments on 3 different floors, software, stage lighting, DJ equipment, workshops, and performers. Last time it was 4 floors, but there still wasn’t enough time to see everything there. Imagine different sounds every 10 feet, where you can play your favorite guitar, drums, keyboards, ukuleles, and new inventions you haven’t even seen yet. This is NAMM.
A broadcaster’s grant helped me make this journey possible, and I’m very thankful to the Publicists who gave me media credentials for press coverage. It’s been a rough year with health stuff, and I really needed this bit of doing my favorite thing.
I know it’s silly, but I love this fog bubble machine. I saw it during the 2020 NAMM Show, and fell in love. I’d love to see a club here get one of these. Kids love this machine.
I hit the ground running with a Women of NAMM after-party at a hotel. It was a great networking event, we were given a free beverage and fancy appetizers, while hearing music and speakers. Hotel Row is filled with many extra performances and events during the convention. NAMM is full of crazy cool tech. The workshops and seminars are really informative. I attended events like Sound Advice From Women Visionaries, hands-on immersive audio, and a double session on how to make effective videos for Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. This one was so interesting, breaking down what elements are needed at what time to keep your audience, and the importance of the first 3 seconds.
These were creepy and cool, full human-sized robots. No one else was with them, and there was a strange quietness compared to the surrounding cacophony all around.
I was inside a hotel, when I heard a sound that drew me outside. I was lucky to catch part of a sound check with Preservation Hall Jazz Band, from New Orleans. There is every style of music you can imagine, performing somewhere at NAMM.
Electronic, organic, and everything in between can be heard in the convention center. This guys doesn’t work in the booth, but makes this suitcase drum sound amazing.
Some of my favorite things over the weekend, included meeting Neil Preston, author of this delightful Queen coffee table photo book. I will be reviewing this very soon, with much more information including the suicide prevention non-profit he is associated with.
Saturday night I attended the NAMM TEC Awards. This is nerdness to the nth degree .It honors brand new tech, some of it isn’t even in stores yet. Last NAMM I saw Joni Mitchell at this award show. I wrote a separate blog about this, products, software, mics and preamps that are the BEST of the best. Let your nerd/freak flag fly by reading the blog HERE.
My absolute favorite event was the industry drum circle. The founders of REMO drums were an incognito part of the 300+ people circled around between hotels. I grabbed a seat and small djembe, and found myself playing for an hour until I had to run to get my TEC Award credentials. I’ve done drum jams and circles for years, but never one this large. I can’t describe to you the power of this event. All instruments were provided. Everyone of any age or background was encouraged to play, reminded to breathe. We made up rhythms that would change in speed and intensity as the group felt it together. It was impossible to think about anything but drumming, and the people smiling all around you.
If you write, play, produce, film, DJ, dance, or even just listen to music, you will absolutely love The NAMM Show. Plan ahead for next year’s show, April 13-15 2023. Your entire family will love this, plus it’s near Disneyland. I really hope to be there next year, and so should you!
Have questions or comments? Email me.
