NAMM 2008
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By RonG

Each year, Late Nite Sinners waits for one particular event with giddiness and eager anticipation. This cause for celebration is the NAMM convention held in Anaheim, California. NAMM is an association of music equipment sellers and manufacturers whose noble and profitable mission is to get as many people involved in music as possible, regardless of age or ability. Perhaps you've seen their dollars at work with TV ads supporting a return to music programs in schools. This international convention is held yearly for association members and the press to schmooze and push the new toys coming soon to a town near you.

This event is colossal. It draws together a small city of people when it sets up at the Anaheim exposition center. This massive space accommodates mile after mile of vendor booths showcasing music gear flown in from the farthest reaches of the globe. Weaving in and about these booths is a swarming throng of over 88,000 individual buyers, musicians, exhibitors and family members, along with the press corps.

Scheduled appearances by band members and entertainers draw massive lines of fans eager for autographs and photos. Musicians will also drop by a booth to demonstrate equipment (and hope the amp on display doesn't blow out). In addition to the anticipated visits, celebrities and mega-stars will often pop up in far corners at unexpected times. By being alert, the sharp-eyed fan can quickly grab a hand-shake and picture with someone of significant fame. If you really know your music, both past and present (Jsin), you'll see picture opportunities all day long. Who knows? Perhaps that older gentleman with the mullet perm and dark shades was a legend twenty years ago!

Music is everywhere in the convention. Many of the booths are manned by talented yet unsung heroes jamming away to demonstrate the musical wares. As you wander the convention hall, you'll suddenly find yourself planted to the floor, hypnotized by the sheer skill on display. Music is not limited to one particular genre. In ten minutes you might hear some of the best bluegrass you've ever heard, followed by a blistering guitar solo, and then on to an amazing display of turntablism.

Bring a handkerchief for drool if you are a connoisseur of fine instruments. Every imaginable type of gear is presented, from accordions to professional club lighting. Gorgeous drum kits, guitars and keyboards meet you at every turn. Seriously, anything and everything related to music can be found here. Strings, brass, woodwinds, software, recording equipment, music instructional books and DVDs, toilets… anything you can imagine, and then some! Since there are usually no price tags to be seen (only authorized buyers can purchase stuff), your admiration is pleasantly free from feelings of financial inadequacy.

After the halls clear out in the evening, hotel bars around the convention center will pack in the LA glitterati. In the VIP rooms, super-groups will jam together exclusively for the occasion. These dimly lit lounges loudly bustle wall-to-wall with an intriguing mix of rich old guys, plastic Barbie dolls, and tattooed entertainers. As you might envision, a TV or movie star is not an uncommon sight in the lobby of the Hilton or Sheraton. After-parties will rock until the bar shuts down, but if you know someone with a room and a record deal it could last a lot longer.

The NAMM event is a mind-blowing experience for anyone with a love for music. Sore feet, tired backs, and sleepy eyes are no match for the desire to soak up as much of the sights and sounds as you are physically able to. Bottom line; these four days of music, gear, and people are easily some of the most amazing times you can possibly have. It is no wonder why, each year, Late Nite Sinners becomes giddy with anticipation.

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