Canadian Music Trade - December/January 2018 | Page 25

Every year, we begin our Focus on The NAMM Show preview by saying that the organizers have strived to make that year’s
show bigger and better than ever before. And, really, they always have, but if ever The NAMM Show team has outdone itself,
it’s now.
Taking full advantage of the newly expanded Anaheim Convention Center and rethinking the campus layout and market
reach, this promises to be unlike any NAMM Show we’ve seen. Of course MI remains at the forefront, both in terms of exhibi-
tors and education, but new this year is a greatly expanded pro audio and live event component. This now makes The NAMM
Show, happening from Jan. 25-28, 2018, a one-stop-shop for all music-based entertainment professionals.
A WORD WITH
NAMM President & CEO
Joe Lamond
CMT: For The 2018 NAMM Show, why bring in significantly
more pro audio and event production components? And how
does this serve NAMM’s core membership of MI retailers,
manufacturers, and distributors?
Joe Lamond: In many ways, The NAMM Show is the crossroads of
the industry, and a real-time reflection of what is happening in our
member businesses. The general stability of the music instrument
industry alongside the growing use of technology in making, re-
cording, and performing music have led us quite naturally into this
direction. The partnerships with other like-minded organizations
like AES and ESTA, especially when it came to offering additional
educational opportunities to our members, made sense to support
the continued diversification of products and services offered by
many of our members.
CMT: Are you and your team noticing any new trends in the
industry, whether they be emerging or diminishing product
categories, business trends, etc.?
JL: The NAMM Show floor might be the very best indicator of all
the new trends. Looking at the show and seeing who’s in, who’s out,
who’s growing, who’s shrinking, what areas seem like they’re booming
… It’s a direct reflection of where the industry is headed.
NAMM CEO JOE LAMOND (LEFT) & ROBBIE ROBERTSON
One of the trends I’m personally most excited about is the one that
will ultimately make me irrelevant: there are more and more talent-
ed young people coming into this industry and they are gathering
at The NAMM Show. It is exciting to see the energy they are bring-
ing to retail as well as the great new start-up exhibitors. While I am
not sure what the next big thing is, I suspect it will more likely come
from their generation than from mine!
CMT: What’s your best advice for attendees as far as how they
can best maximize their time at the show and get the most
value out of it?
JL: Be organized, get the NAMM Show app, and make your
schedule carefully. Leave time for all three of those essential parts
of a show: the exhibits, the education, and the evening fun. Stay as
healthy as one can with the travel to Anaheim, long days with little
sleep, and walking 16 kilometers each day! Finally, make a list of the
people you absolutely must see before you leave – important con-
tacts, vendors, new leads, industry friends and peers, and especially
the most treasured relationships that often go back decades. Make
the most of each opportunity to connect.
Anaheim Convention Center | 800 West Katella Ave. | Anaheim, CA 92802
CONVENTION CENTRE EXPANSION
The Anaheim Convention Center has opened the brand new
ACC North Hall in time for The 2018 NAMM Show. This area offers two
additional levels of exhibition space, expanding the show’s footprint
by 20 per cent. The new building integrates into The NAMM Campus
and two levels will be connected by escalators. The second level is
joined to the main convention centre by a sky bridge connection.
There are also 1,350 additional parking spots and an expansive balcony
overlooking Katella Avenue and Disneyland.
NAMM U EDUCATION CENTER
The majority of The NAMM Show’s expanded education pro-
gram will be found in the new NAMM U Education Center, which is a
five-story campus in the Anaheim Hilton next door to the convention
centre. The NAMM U Idea Center will remain in the main lobby of the
convention centre. The new NAMM U Education Center will host the
A3E Summit, AES@NAMM, TEC Tracks, NAMM U Breakfast Sessions,
and Audinate’s Dante Certification training. It will also host training
and sessions on lighting, lighting networking, safety, and rigging.
CANADIAN MUSIC TRADE • 25