Each January, manufacturers and organizations involved with music, recording, and live shows come together in one place to share what they’ve been up to over the past year. You don’t have to make music to enjoy the show. If you’re into music, you’ll hear it everywhere you turn.
It’s NAMM Time
You might catch artists you know walking around the show, sitting in panels, or signing autographs at sponsor booths. You may find up and coming artists playing at some of the booths or outdoor venues.
And if you stick around until the end of the day, you’ll hear live music coming from the two outdoor stages and the hotels on the Anaheim Convention Center property.
Sure, Anaheim is not in Los Angeles but Angelenos venture to Anaheim several times a year. Some for work and some for play. Some even like the Anaheim Angels for some reason.
As for me, NAMM is the event that pulls me to the city of the Mouse. With the exception of the COVID years, I’ve attended each year since 2009 and always have a blast.
The Forced COVID Statement
We gotta say it. COVID changed the way we come together. NAMM 2020 was one of the last big gatherings prior to the lockdown. NAMM went fully digital in 2021 with all presentations occurring as live webinars or pre-recorded videos on the show’s platform.
The 2022 show was pushed to June in order to do things in person again but it was not widely attended. Since then, each year the question has been, when will the show get back to what it used to be?
It’s Back, Baby!
The 2025 NAMM Show was in full swing. Manufacturers and distributors were out en masse walking the floor and exhibiting. There were sections for international manufacturers from China, Taiwan, and Germany.
The 2nd- and 3rd-floor rooms were all in use this year for larger product showcases, demos, and meetings with resellers. And after a long absence, the basement (Hall E) was back in its quirky nature with amps made of tree trunks and harps made of bike tires.
The live shows also roared back with a crowd Friday evening the likes I had not seen since before COVID. Jon Batiste and his band performed that night on the Yamaha outdoor stage, NAMM’s primary stage for performances.
People were already at the audience area early in the afternoon as the band did their sound check. By the time the performance started, the whole area was jammed with people spilling into the outer parts of the convention center fountain, the side rails, and even the parking lots of the two hotels that flank the convention center.
Fender Is Back, Sort Of
If I have to gripe about something, it has to be Fender’s highly anticipated return to NAMM. Fender welcomed the online experiment during COVID and found getting the news out about new products didn’t require the hefty expense that comes with a trade show. So they stayed away.
Trade shows have changed. I remember years ago taking orders, and even cash payment, from resellers on the show floor. Today, trade shows are about releasing new product lines, building brand awareness, and maintaining long-standing relationships.
Manufacturers will tell you the main purpose of their booth is to have their resellers come to see them and their product lines. And Fender said prior to the show they were looking to focus only on strengthening relationships with their resellers.
Still, both companies made a big deal of Fender’s return. And what did Fender’s big return look like? Well, I couldn’t tell you. Fender’s room was by invite only.
I am not a member of the media and I am not a Fender reseller or distributor. So, I couldn’t see what Fender had on display or if they had anything on display at all. Maybe all that was in there was a room with tables and chairs.
Of course Fender has every right to do this but like other companies, they could’ve set up a small booth on the show floor for music fans and other attendees.
Make Some Noise
So while Fender was a big let down, there were plenty of guitars all around the show. Gibson had a big presence with lots of electric and acoustic guitars. There was a boutique guitar section with carefully crafted, unique guitars.
Looking to take your guitar tone to new places? There were lots of pedal manufacturers showing off new creations.
Perhaps my favorite was the Delicious Audio booth. Here, you had an island booth with tables facing the outside with manufacturers elbow to elbow, each producing cool sounds with their own pedal chain.
Modular synths are among my favorite instruments to play with and while this section has disbanded a bit over the last years, you can still find them throughout the floor. One that stood out was Eternal Research.
Their booth focused on a new product that reacts to any devices that emit EMF. You can use the noise in your production or you can use the reaction to trigger lights or other modular synths using CV patch cables. And the company’s death metal, dark branding certainly gets your attention.
Last Words on the Show
And just as quickly as it began, NAMM is behind us. Connections happened, guitars were strummed, drums were beat, and fun was had. But music always leaves an impression.
In the week since the show, I purchased tickets to a major concert and spent the first Sunday of February enjoying a live jazz quartet in Southeast Los Angeles. Things will never be perfect but throughout my life, music has always been there for me to push through any difficult times.
Los Angeles Noise 