Best & Worst of Show, Summer NAMM 2013!

Best Free Stuff

Look, it’s been included before, but that doesn’t diminish the relevance: as part of D’Addario’s annual pre-show bash, the company hosts a giveaway area that is generously stocked with accessories. Partygoers flock to the tables and walk away with smiles on their greedy faces and goodies in their bags. D’Addario, my hat is – once again – off to you.

Best ‘Finally!’ Moment

Anyone who’s read MMR’s Summer NAMM “Best & Worst” roundup for the past few years is familiar with my affinity for the Springwater Supper Club in Nashville. That rock dive bar can do no wrong in my book – except that for the past five years I’ve been trying to score a t-shirt from the joint and they never have been able to remember who has the key to the office, where the shirts are kept, et cetera… 2013 marks the calendar date of my ultimate acquisition of this article of clothing. Wooo!

Worst Oversight

(apparently…)

While I personally didn’t notice (who would’ve thought?), I repeatedly heard from Summer NAMM attendees who voiced disappointment about the relative lack of “booze stations” at Music City Center. Note to NAMM: Most of the people at the Show are musicians. Not Amish.

Worst Scheduling Impediment

The Renaissance Hotel is now no longer the closest, geographically, to our annual Summer NAMM gathering. The minor annoyance of a five or 10-minute walk to Music City Center would likely be overlooked by longtime Show attendees who feel “at home” at the hotel, but… when three of the six Renaissance elevators are out of service, causing wait-times in the neighborhood of 10 minutes just to get down to the lobby, that might discourage repeat business, come 2014…

Best Upgrade

This one’s a no-brainer: Rarely (pretty much never, now that I think of it) are folks moved to describe a convention center as “gorgeous” or “stunning,” but those were among the praises being sung by seemingly everyone about the new Music City Center this summer. With elegant lines, tons of natural light, and a comfortably modern aesthetic, the new facility certainly presents a contrast to the old Convention Center, where one wound up feeling as if an entire day had been spent in a dark basement. Mostly because the prior Hall was/is… a big, dark basement. (Pictured: the super high ceilings with the nifty light fixtures I sort of want for my practice space).

Best Branded Shirt

Dean Markley skipped the pleasantries when it came to their spot-on (and pretty damn funny) “Change Your Strings You Cheap Bastard” t-shirts. Well played, Markley!

Worst ‘Really? I didn’t do that?’ (non)Occurrence

Over the course of nine trips to Nashville for the July NAMM shindig, I have never once not found the time to walk the mile (give or take) down Broadway to the local White Castle restaurant. As one of the truly sad and neglected folks living in non-WC parts of the country, this culinary jaunt has always been a high point of my Summer NAMM experience. Color me depressed…

Best Act of Nature

We’re all familiar with the near-100 degrees (or above!) temps in Nashville during the dog-days of summer. On Wednesday, after everyone had set up booths and gotten their ducks in a row (that phrase courtesy of sister-publication SBO’s editor, Eliahu Sussman, who is likely saying it at this very moment!) in the typical scorching heat, Nashville was home to a crazy, over-the-top monsoon-like downpour. Afterwards, the city was a comfortable, vaguely breezy metropolis, chilling solid in the mid-70s.

Best (Worst?) Booth ‘Bonus’

Even though the Nashville gathering is considerably smaller than the annual January Show in Anaheim, there’s still plenty of walking that goes on, pacing the aisles from the “opening bell” till closing time. The super-relaxing massage chairs that Cannonball set up in their booth provided some welcome relief for editorial director, Kevin Mitchell. It’d be tempting to say they represented too much of a relaxing temptation for Kevin, but I can attest that when not taking a momentary break at Cannonball, he was hittin’ the Show hard, morning till night.

Worst Disappointment

While not officially part of the Summer NAMM Show, MMR was able to visit the new digs for Gruhn Guitars. The store is gorgeous and the staff is knowledgeable, helpful, and pleasant. That doesn’t take away from the fact that this store continues to tempt me to spend money I don’t have. Cheers to George (seen here holding a vintage Stromberg and a The Loar that – no joke. Seriously, no joke – collectively are worth more than my entire life) and crew on a fantastic new location. Oh, and I can totally take one of those Martin D-18s, or that Dan Armstrong bass, or that black beauty Les Paul off your hands, George, if it helps… I’m here to help!