NAMM: Anaheim Convention Center: 1/17/08
January 19th, 2008
This week I attended the first day of the NAMM music products trade show at the Anaheim Convention Center. The show featured close to 2,000 exhibitors displaying the latest instruments, recording equipment, speakers, pedals, plugs, cables, jacks and every music related product under the sun. I even saw a company that specialized in flavored reeds for woodwinds!
There were thousands of instruments to see, from bassoons to ukuleles, from saxophones to guitars (lots of guitars). If there is a company on Earth that makes guitars, it was represented somewhere in a booth at NAMM. I never knew there were so many. Acoustic and electric styles with wooden, plastic or composite materials.
A diverse set of artists were also featured throughout the convention space, as well as the surrounding hotel stages after hours. Dick Dale, Kenny G, Billy Corgan and countless others were scheduled to make appearances over the long weekend.
Despite the blinding array of gear supersaturating my musical appetite, the highlight of the day for me was when I stumbled upon the Warrior Guitar booth. None other than Tommy “Tiny” Lister was stationed there signing autographs. That’s right, Zeus from No Holds Barred, who otherwise made a splash as Deebo in the Friday movie series. I was so psyched! He was super generous and friendly to his fans. God bless you too, Tiny!
