Anaheim, CA (January 25, 2024)—The NAMM Show is off to a roaring start, with massive crowds oh-hand to check out the show floors, catch up with old and new friends alike, gawk at the music legend and have fun. Nowhere is this more apparent than in ACC North, the home of pro audio at the convention; at points, the pro audio floors in ACC North have been even busier than the main convention hall, filled as it is with MI offerings like guitars, DJ gear and more
NAMM 2024 felt like a NAMM Show again! Anaheim in January. Crowded aisles, halls filled to the walls with exhibitors, and lots of music and noise. After a couple of Covid-affected years, with dates moved to June, then April, everything felt like it was back in place.
The numbers are back on the rise, with a reported 62,000-plus attendees and more than 1,600 exhibitors (3,500-plus brands) over the course of four days. The energy and enthusiasm were evident, too. I can’t be completely sure, but I think this was my 28th NAMM. It was a damn good show.
There were a ton of new product introductions, naturally, and more excellent public presentations and panel sessions featuring A-list producers/engineers than ever before.
That’s too much good stuff for any one editor, so I was fortunate to be joined by my co-editor, Clive Young, who has an uncanny nose for news, 30 years of expertise in covering live sound and recording, and handles all things digital here at Mix
Clive detailed his own show hits in this week’s online series, Seen on the Scene: NAMM 2024, complete with photographs from the show floor. Here, I present a diary of my own travels through the Pro Audio North Hall.
But as any NAMM veteran knows, some of the best stuff can happen offsite, whether P.A. demos out by Angels Stadium or a small dinner in Old Orange. My own NAMM Show started on Wednesday in Santa Monica.