Going to NAMM Next Week

[oddmetersam]

Due to the generosity of a good Samaritan, I'll be at the NAMM show in Anaheim next week along with a bandmate from SIZEMO.
 
Anyone else planning on attending? We'll be at the show Thursday through Saturday, just hanging out, trying stuff out and taking a ton of pictures.  I've already picked out my wardrobe for each day and will be sporting my special Stanley Clark/Alembic shirt on Friday and my official Alembic shirt on Saturday.
 
On Wednesday evening we'll be jamming with an extraordinary drummer from my childhood, Paul Costa, at Downtown Rehearsal Studios near downtown L.A. Aside from his 5 or 6 unreal drum sets (at last count), he already has a killer Mark Bass STACK(!) already set up....
 
My email is legionkondor@hotmail.com and you can text me at 510-435-7075. I'm putting this out there just in case, as I haven't been to NAMM in 4 years and I want to maximize the experience.

[rustyg61]

JEALOUS!!! Have a great time & post some pics when you get home!

[oddmetersam]

Thanks, Rusty! Will do.

[lbpesq]

Sounds like BIG fun!  Enjoy!  (I'm jealous)
 
Bill, tgo

[oddmetersam]

Thanks, Bill! I'll do my best to represent (but of course defer to Stanley and other KILLER guys....).

[bigredbass]

Don't know about Anaheim, but in Nashville for the last several years at Summer NAMM, on Sunday, the public (civilians, for God's sake!), can buy a ticket and walk in.  So far, I've resisted this. . . . .
 
J o e y

[oddmetersam]

Hey, Joey! Yeah, out here it's not open to the public on any day. You have to be affiliated with a NAMM member company's show booth as either an employee or somehow score one of the limited number of visitor badges allocated to them. Except for once, I've gone as a member of the latter category over the years.
 
I can't speak for Nashville, but if it's anything like the one out here in So. Cal., I'd recommend going at least once. Just be prepared for musical sensory overload as far as gear candy and killer musicians trying out or demo-ing stuff goes. Since it's closed to the public, mind-boggling musicians of all stripes are comfortably wandering the halls and getting socially caught up with each other, so you get to see a lot of your heroes -- no matter where your musical tastes lie.
 
One downside to attending the last day of the show is that many companies will be in a hurry to get an early start home, so some will already be in the process of tearing down or dismantling their displays. But several bonuses include last minute heavily discounted sale items, freebie display props (some exclusive to the NAMM show or otherwise one-of-a-kind) and other stuff that could be categorized as swag but previously withheld from show attendees.
 
As a sidebar, I collect black T-shirts and have scored much one-pf-a-kind swag in that regard over the years. It might not be as bountiful this time around, since I haven't been in awhile and the participation numbers and economic realities are different. But I fully intend to take advantage of what may still be available...
 
(Message edited by oddmetersam on January 20, 2013)

[sonsofalembic]

Stop by the Ken Smith booth and say hello.  I have attended NAMM for 33 years, twenty one of which was as a player for Alembic.  I had some great opportunities to hang and play with the creme of the crop in the Alembic booth.  I wish they still had time to do the show, but Alembic is well established, and the shows are grueling work.  Now I just do the same kind of thing for Smith by default. Be prepared for a parking nightmare, to stand in line forever to get your pass, and for sensory overload.  Make sure you have photo ID and I suggest trying to get your pass in the Hilton instead of in Hall E.  Do not bring an instrument with you.  They won't let you in with it, and since Alembic is not showing there, you will never be able to get it out since a rep. and paperwork from the company that made your instrument is required for any instrument removal.

[bigredbass]

I went to NAMM in Anaheim in the early 80's, was still across the street from Disneyland back then.  Stargazing by the pound:
 
-Toto performing a set at a Yamaha-dealers only show, the original lineup with Jeff and Hungate on bass.
 
-The infamous Holdsworth demo with Ed VanH sitting in, I believe it was an Ibanez function.  I'm sitting there and this guy in front of me is just freaking out, shifting constantly in his chair, and really, really getting an earful.  When it's over, we all get up to leave, this guy turns to me and says, 'did'ja believe THAT?':  Al DiMeola.
 
-I'm walking down one of the back aisles, thru all the little booths for sax reeds, penny whistles, music stands, and down the way I hear a guy just KILLING an upright:  I keep walking and eventually get to the PolyTone booth, empty, nobody around but me, and Ray Brown, complete in a gorgeous tuxedo, just walking the hell out of this upright, eyes closed !
 
-Saw this tall fellow walking around in head-to-toe, just back from the cleaners Dickies khaki work clothes, complete with a loaded pocket protector:  Leo Fender, surrounded by adoring people, with this 'who, ME?' look on his face.
 
I suppose I don't go to NAMM here as I could never top all that . . . .
 
J o e y

[oddmetersam]

Trevor, I'll definitely make it a point to stop by the KS booth. In 1982 or '84 I stopped by his shop in NYC. Really nice guy. That was in the day of the original body shapes, which I consider classic.
 
Joey, great stories! Your point is well taken that in addition to seeing a lot of the greats in clinics, demos and jams; you can wander into a deserted area and lo and behold there's someone who's legendary just blowing like there's no tomorrow. And you're the only one to witness it....

[xlrogue6]

Here's my NAMM story: Went to see Holdsworth at one of the evening shows (forget who sponsored it). Following Holdsworth was Danny Gatton, who I'd never heard before. He not only played incredibly, he also did all his cool stage stuff (full beer bottle slide, spills beer on guitar, wipes off guitar with towel, plays with towel still between left hand and fretboard, and that was just for starters). Buddy Guy closed the show, and was good, but looked like he was a bit miffed at having to follow Gatton. I would have been too...

[oddmetersam]

One year I was down there and one of the offsite shows was Alan Holdsworth at a small bar in Huntington Beach. I wanted to make sure I could get in so I arrived really early and his band was just running through some of their trickier things basically in front of just the bartender and myself.  
 
Of course I was open-mouthed the entire time and when they were done drummer Chad Wackerman says to me, How'd it sound?. All I could do was open and close my mouth like a giant grouper, but I'm sure the expression on my face said it all.
 
The other thing I remember is that at one point during the real show, Alan did a solo piece where he'd have his volume pedal full off, then strum a chord and gradually bring in these lush swells. Only problem was the pedal squeaked really loudly each time before the music was loud enough to drown it out. It was a fairly long piece and even Alan had a sheepish grin after awhile.

[oddmetersam]

Wanna see the pics from my NAMM trip?
 
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.4144454610041.2142001.1244010328&type=3
 
Here are 2 shots from my public album on facebook.
 
An Alembic Spoiler


 
 
Sam and Trevor


 
It was great meeting you, Trevor!

[rustyg61]

I just checked out your whole album, very nice! Thanks for sharing Sam!

[jzstephan]