The NAMM show is an annual event held at the Anaheim Convention Center. NAMM stands for National Association of Musical Merchants. According to Wikipedia, it’s ”the world’s largest trade-only event for the music products, pro audio and event tech industry.”
And according to NAMM’s own website, this year it hosted “more than 115,000 registrants from 130 countries and regions commanding $11+ billion in buying power.” I’d known about NAMM, but it was my first time to actually be there in any capacity. I went as a Shigeru Kawai artist, performing on their top-of-the-line concert grand, SK-EX.
Frankly, I was weary of its sound environment (aka noise level) and who my listeners were going to be. However, surprising even the Kawai staff, everyone who stopped by stayed for my entire 20-min mini-concert. People kept streaming in as I played on, but no one seemed to leave. By the end, I think I was I was surrounded by an audience of about 40~50, all having shared a musical experience. I felt reassured of the power of music as a medium of communication, transferring good will.
Anaheim Convention Center is very close to Disneyland, and Angel’s Stadium. It’s large with four stories, and a distance that easily takes ten minutes walking from one end to the other.
And that large convention center could not contain this massive show. Sharaton, Hilton and Marriot are all within 5-min walking distance from the convention center. All three hotels were completely taken over by NAMM. Every lobby space, banquet halls and even the hallways were occupied by booth, presenters or concerts. The outside spaces were taken over by tents for concerts, and booth. From early morning to the closing time, countless number of concerts are being performed at the same time, in different parts of the campus. I was overwhelmed by its scale, and noise level.
