NAMM reveals 2018 show revamp plans

NAMM has revealed more about its plans for next year’s show, including more clearly defined ‘community’ areas on the show floor and the addition of new features including the Parnelli Awards.

Running from January 25-28, 2018 in Anaheim, California. the show will take on a new look to include expanded event technology and pro audio areas; the addition of a new building, Anaheim Convention Center North (ACC North); as well as a new education and professional development campus, curated by a variety of industry leading experts in their respective fields.  Click here to see a map of the new layout.

Product communities will include stringed instruments, school band and orchestra, fretted instruments (acoustic and electric), percussion, keys (pianos, keyboards and synthesizers), pro audio and sound, stage and lighting, as well as distributors, publishers, retail services and more.

New additions include Event Technology which will showcase lighting, rigging, DJ, sound, special effects and staging products and services in a completely controlled atmosphere. Professionals in this space will be able to test-drive new products on the spot and engage in one-on-one conversations with leading experts and buyers.

Pro Audio and Sound will feature innovations and new product launches in recording, live sound, installation, A/V, broadcast, and post-production, along with consumer electronics, software, DJ, and technology will round out the experience, all set in a business-focused environment.

Fretted instruments, from ukuleles, mandolins to handcrafted boutique guitars and electric guitars, basses, and more, will be found on all levels of the convention centre. Attendees and buyers alike will have the opportunity to directly connect with exhibitors throughout the dedicated communities.

Percussion: Cymbals, kits and all kinds of percussion accessories will be located and placed near demo areas so attendees can experience the sound of the instruments in a quieter area away from the show floor.

Pianos: Piano brands from around-the-world will have their own dedicated showcase – a gallery conducive to playing and delving into the artistry and nuances of each instrument.

School Band and Orchestra/Stringed Instruments: Horns, brass, woodwinds as well as stringed instruments and bow exhibitors will appreciate the spacious area that houses SBO, as well as its proximity to all areas in the convention center.  

An intersection of MI and pro audio distributors, brands, and publishers servicing multiple product types across retail and professional channels will create a hub of activity for those seeking their services. 

The growth of the official NAMM campus includes an expansion of NAMM’s education programs, which will be relocated to the Hilton Anaheim. Covering four floors, the new Hilton Anaheim education campus will offer attendees the chance to mix and mingle between professional development disciplines and opportunities to enhance careers and grow their businesses and knowledge.  

Announced earlier this year, pro audio and sound professionals can take advantage of education from the Audio Engineering Society’s new format: AES@NAMM Prosound Symposium: Live and Studio. Event tech education, in the areas of lighting, stage and production will be among the themes in a schedule curated by Entertainment Services and Technology Association (ESTA) and experts from Lighting and Sound America, Stage Directions, Front of House, Projection Lighting and Staging News magazines. TEC Tracks, which offers free education for emerging pro audio professionals, will also be found in the Hilton. The NAMM Idea Center will remain in the lobby of the Anaheim Convention Center. Badge registration for non-NAMM members will open on August 30.  Schedules for all educational sessions will be announced in the coming months.

In the evening, The NAMM Show will offer networking opportunities, including the new-to-NAMM Parnelli Awards (Friday, January 26), honouring pioneering, influential professionals and companies and their contributions to the live production industry.

This year’s event will recognises Billy Joel’s long-time Production Manager, Bobby “Boomer” Thrasher, as the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award. Lighting designer and innovator, Jonathan Smeeton (The Rolling Stones, Marilyn Manson, Jane’s Addiction, Taylor Swift), will receive the Parnelli Visionary Award; and DiGiCo technical director John Stadius will be honoured with the Audio Innovator Award.  Other events to be held over the course of the show include the pro audio and sound recording favourite NAMM TEC Awards (Saturday, January 27), concerts on The Grand Plaza Stage, and other interactive events and opportunities.