Page 19 - ION Indie Magazine MarchApril 2018 Issue

Winter NAMM 2018 has come and gone, and ION Indie Magazine was on the scene to
soak in the latest and greatest new gear from every corner of the industry. From big to
small, boutique and major, every mover and shaker in the gear world was there to show
off their sounds and generate big buzz for what's in store. And as expected, their
respected artists were there to help rep their products. All told, this year’s NAMM
offered up 500 educational sessions, 115,085 registrants, 7,000 brands and nearly 2,000
exhibiting companies on The NAMM Show Campus…and all with engaging stories to tell!

Founded in 1901, NAMM Show is one of the largest music product trade shows in the
world. It is held every January in Anaheim, California at the Anaheim Convention Center.
A smaller show, Summer NAMM, takes place each July in Nashville, Tennessee.

This is my 8th year in attendance and the show attendance was up compared to the previous years, with many music
vendors that had stopped exhibiting at NAMM, returning for the 2018 gathering. Aside from being a photographer, I am
a musician as well, making this a great place to see my old friends and meet new ones. I’ve had the supreme pleasure of
seeing, meeting, hanging out, having lunch with many celebrities, artists, and musicians throughout my NAMM years,
some being Stevie Wonder, Billy Bob Thornton, and Kerry King, to name a few. 2018 was no different. Jennifer Batton,
Monte Pittman, Bootsy Collins and many more were in attendance. Some remembered me by name. Imagine that?

DAY 1, THURSDAY: After a short
OK GO 6-hour ride from Phoenix via
www.okgo.net Tucson, we arrived in the early
evening to a small mob at the
check in-tent in front of the Hilton
Hotel. The weather was not a
repeat of last year’s NAMM visit –
this time, it was sunny and warm.
After checking in, we went
straight to the NAMM Hilton
Stage to see our first of many
shows. This year’s opening NAMM
concert was the group OK GO, an
American rock band originally
from Chicago, Illinois, now based
in Los Angeles. Then it was off to
check into our room.

DAY 2, FRIDAY: Early wake-up means early media breakfast at the Hilton. Each morning after breakfast, there was a guest
speaker announcing the day’s events, new products, and short presentations with music company reps. A short walk from
the hotel to the conference, NAMM doors opened at 10 sharp.

Attending NAMM is by invitation only and a pass is required to gain entrance. Security was squeaky tight. We got the
“airport treatment”, IOW, just short of being probed. As you first enter the great halls of the Anaheim Convention Center,
it is hard not to smile and absorb the beautiful colors and sounds that greet every person attending.