Best Ever NAMM?

[The Piano Man]

Well I think it’s safe to say that NAMM 2023 is not necessarily going to go down in history as a classic.

 

So, what year or years would you say were great? Any memories of certain years when a lot of great things were were released? Or maybe it was something else that made a particular show memorable.

[Doerfler]

January 2020. MPN had finally been officially transferred to dB after years and years of ownership by various companies who did not give a crap.  The MPN celebration dinner was fantastic, well attended by people who care. 

 

Covid 19 was creeping in but we did not yet know it. 2 months later the whole world came to a standstill

[The Real MC]

NAMM 2000 was really good.  Lots of cool new keyboards and modules, and I met a lot of new friends.  I helped set up the Audities display of vintage synths, which got a LOT of attention.

The other shows I attended were 2001, 2005, 2009, and 2016.  They were all exciting but not like 2000.

Yes 2023 show is not going down as a classic.

[Radagast]

My first show, June 1983., in Chicago.  The DX7 and DX-9 were shown for the first time.  I got to see several members of Toto demonstrating the DXs.  I found out later that the Kurzweil K250 was also shown, with less fanfare, in a hotel room close by.  It was magical going to the show.  Ironically, a few years later it was in my home town of Indianapolis.

[Nathanael_I]

Trade shows are declining in every industry. The people who AREN’T there have more purchasing power than those there. Modern marketing budgets reflect this. The value for money is often declining every year. And there’s no downside for not going. Oberheim will do probably the exact same business.
 

I get the social hang. But it’s subsidized by companies that need a return.
 

its likely to always be some date before pandemic.  

[MathOfInsects]

I’m pretty sure the last time I went was the year I met Aspen and ended up buying an SS3 from his warehouse before they even shipped, if that gives an idea of time frame. I stopped going because not only was it the same every year, but I just couldn’t take the ordeal. All those people…The only good part was all the swag I could score for the kids.

 

So for me, this NAMM-lite was the best one. It’s the only reason I went back. But ironically…no swag this year!

[The Real MC]

Anymore there are two reasons I enjoy NAMM shows 1) meeting new and old friends 2) seeing really talented kids.  I loved how this one started out simple but when he rolled up his sleeve watch out!

 

 

[Bobadohshe]

On a personal and forum note, the '08 NAMM was special because we had the Bucca dinner and we also had a forum outing to Steamers (RIP) in Fullerton to watch Joey D play, and we were shocked/delighted to see his guitar player was George Benson. Had a great time hanging with some of the KC brethren that night.

[UnderGroundGr]

I believe 2023 Namm show is the worst concerning keyboards world...

[Reezekeys]

I've only been to a few but will definitely remember being in the Roland room and hearing Herbie messing around on the new (at the time) MKS-20 (or it could have been the keyboard version, RD-1000). So I'm guessing around 1987? This was not any official performance, he was just walking around checking things out and happened to stroll into the Roland room while I was there. I still have my MKS-20!

 

The later ones I went to were notable only for some of the hangs - running into people I hadn't seen in a long time, and also catching some cool performances in the evenings. The shows themselves were kind of a noise-fest, understandable of course. We have to remember these are trade shows; those mfrs are paying money to display their wares so that MI dealers will pull out their checkbooks. With the internet I can definitely see how these events are becoming less relevant.

 

I do remember being upstairs in the "acoustic piano" area with several companies' models displayed pretty close to each other. It was pretty noisy there with everyone playing - not near as loud as the main floor of course.

[Dave Bryce]

2003 was probably my favorite, because of the Yamaha sponsored Elton John concert at the Duck Pond.  

 

dB

[ElmerJFudd]

2010 was a good year, probably because I made it to that one.  

 

But also because participation was outstanding - all the major MI players but also the startups - many from China but all over really as well.  Stuff of interest to keyboard players on every floor, all things Yamaha across the street, Matching bands on the street, a full schedule of acts on the lobby stage, drum jams on the sidewalk at night.  The weather was great. 
 

 

[Docbop]

Seeing all the Sweetwater NAMM videos in my feed I notice it only Nick and Mitch in all the videos and mainly Nick even for horns and other non-drum products.      Makes you wonder if vendors clued Sweetwater in that this NAMM isn't getting a lot of industry support.   

 

Coming from working in computer since early days of personal computer and remember the COMDEX computer show.   COMDEX was in Las Vegas once a year and took over most of the city.  Comdex was in the main convention center but also spread out to many of the big hotels from additional space for booths.   It was the biggest event of the year in Las Vegas and whole city was making money from cabs, hotel/motels, rental cars, shows,  even hookers from all the Western US came in to fill the need.     It seemed weird that after years of COMDEX to people that owned it sold the show to I think a Japanese company.   After that the show started to shrink not because new owners did anything different just companies not seeing the return on investment from what it cost to have a booth at COMDEX then a couple years later COMDEX was no more.   The CES took over as the big show in Vegas, but never as big as COMDEX.   

 

I'm wonder if the same fate is coming to NAMM in this internet world and Youtube for Marketing is a NAMM show really needed any more and again based on return on investment.   Look at Yamaha releasing the new CK board and how much word of mouth is being generated for the cost of making video and sending out review units.   Could NAMM go back to basically just a dealer show with store owners and salespeople or just die completely.   A pandemic and now bad economy bring NAMM to an end? 

[MathOfInsects]

For me, it's mostly a chance to get to play a bunch of keyboards in one place, which doesn't happen in retail stores anymore. Maybe scope out some stands, for ditto reasons. I've played it and usually have friends playing there and manning booths. If I don't have keyboards I want to check out and am not playing there, I'm way more happy to stay the F away from that loud, crowded, fake-rock-star cluster-f. It's all my social nightmares in one place.

I did have fun this year. Parking was easy, I rolled with friends through most of it, I got to play just about anything I had questions about, and got to leave before I wished I'd already left. #winning

[elsongs]

My favorite NAMM show was the one in 2001. It was my first NAMM show, so I might be biased personally, but it was the first NAMM show at the Anaheim Convention Center after its massive expansion (where it took place at the Los Angeles Convention Center for a couple years while Anaheim was under construction). I only had one day to take in the show due to a busy schedule (and leaving for an overseas trip the next week), but it was like sensory overload and my mind was blown at every corner.