The 2018 winter, National Association of Music Merchants, kicked off on Tuesday, January 23nd, with the NAMM Foundations’ Day of Service, at the Anaheim Convention Center, in always sunny, southern California. It started to gather speed on Wednesday, with a small series of educational events, a tech summit, several live performances, a special event for attending media and off-campus, at 5:00 pm the red carpet rolled out for The Hall of Heavy Metal History Induction Ceremony and Gala commenced at the Wyndam Garden Grove Hotel.
Thursday morning the center and surrounding hotels were abuzz with close to 7,000 brands and 2,000 exhibitors, both national and international, merchants and vendors marketing to over 115,000 registered visitors, special guests and musical artists from every genre possible. NAMM 2018 was gearing up and becoming a veritable playground for everyone and everything related to the music industry.
Global to boutique and custom designers and manufacturers filled the aisles, spanning three levels, vending to and educating all walks of the music industry. While the exhibit halls closed every night at 6 pm, educational sessions, special events and live performances were scheduled well into the late evening hours.
The NAMM education center hosted over 500 educational sessions, the new Anaheim Convention Center North showcased some of the biggest names in pro-audio equipment, instruments and electronics. The bordering, Hilton and Marriott Hotels were busy with guests, live performances, with inside and outdoor stages, seminars, breakfast events, award shows, after parties and happy hours. It was not uncommon site, while sipping a cocktail or coffee, in the lobbies and get a glance of one of your favorite artists strolling by.
The outdoor Arena Stage was alive with music throughout the event, featuring local and national touring artists, flanked by a wide variety of food trucks and a cocktail and beer garden, table seating and immediate access to the front of the stage. It was a fan and photographer’s dream setting and an easy and convenient way to enjoy some of the many live performances that ran everyday from open to closing.
The Yamaha Grand Center Stage, located outdoors, in courtyard between the Anaheim Marriott and Anaheim Hilton,also played host to a myriad of local and national touring musicians and bands throughout the weekend.
Thursday evening’s festivities at the Grand Stage started with a, first time, in memoriam tribute to those who passed in the industry in 2017 and early 2018 and the NAMM Foundation donation reception. This was immediately followed by an opening welcome and statement from the NAMM Board of Directors and staff and introduction of the NAMM Foundation Celebration for Music Education Concert featuring Chicago based, indie rockers, OK Go.
By Friday morning, the insanity and controlled chaos that is NAMM was in full throttle. The concourses and meeting rooms were filled with business advancement and marketing seminars, exhibit halls aisles were crowded with visitors, guests and vendors, all wandering from one booth to another, eager to educate themselves and/or demonstrate new instruments and accessories, pro-audio equipment, electronics and software, industry services, in-booth demonstrations, and the always favorite, artist appearances and signings.
The outdoor courtyards, concourses, and conference center balconies were filled with music lovers, talking shop, trading ideas, maybe even a secret or two, conference calling, taking a break with a cocktail or lunch, buskers, hundreds of conference employees and executives, Grand and Arena Stage concerts and performance attendees and fans and reunions, all enjoying the land of the golden sun and discussing the language that transcends all barriers and brings us to together in peace and harmony.
Friday night’s performers at the Yamaha sponsored concert on the Grand Stage were lead by musical director, Nathan East. The show included performances by violinist Lindsay Sterling, vocalist, soul and R&B artist, Marc Broussard, rock guitarist and vocalist, Butch Walker, blues-rock and country-rock, singer-songwriter, Melissa Etheridge, R&B artist, Shelèa, singer-songwriter, Michael McDonald and R&B vocalist, Sam Moore!
The evening concluded with Michael McDonald, seated behind the keyboards with Butch Walker, Melissa Etheridge, Sheléa, and Marc Broussard all coming together in a gorgeous rendition of The Doobie Brothers, “Takin’ It to The Streets”.
Saturday is known to be NAMM’s busiest day and is usually a parking, personal service, bathroom break, food, drink and cocktail obtaining nightmare, as vendors and employees try their best to accommodate as quickly as possible. However, we arrived at almost exactly “go” time and waited in line for nothing the entire day! Entrance into the center and parking was simple and quick. Bathrooms were readily available and constantly being cleaned throughout the center and adjacent hotels, food and drink lines were short and food trucks were accessible all over the center, the courtyards and surrounding the stage areas.
While the exhibit halls, walkways and meeting rooms were crowded, with education and marketing sessions, demonstrations, artist appearances and signing, there seemed to be flow about it all. A rhythm as it were! Our day ended with a couple hour break in the lobby of the Hilton, people watching and waiting for our entrance into the RCF Pro Audio sponsored, “Ultimate NAMM Night”, in the California Ballroom of the hotel.
This 3-hour grand performance garnered so many “A” list artists and music, that we have dedicated space to it in a separate article. Please find our write-up on this event by searching, “Ultimate NAMM Night 2018”.
Historically, Sunday is the quietest day as crowded have thinned and exhibitors prepare for their exit, but the calendar is still filled with activities, workshops, demos and live performances up until the curtain finally goes down on another successful year and another successful show! Looking forward to next year, NAMM!
For more information on this year’s convention, related shows, calendar of events, how to join NAMM and donate, please visit their official website at: www.namm.org.
By: Siege / BackStage360
MORE IMAGES FROM THE NAMM SHOW 2018