A NAMM Good Time

On Saturday, Nathan and I went to the NAMM Show at the Anaheim Convention Center. I had never heard of it until this year, but the NAMM Show is basically the biggest music product trade show in the world. It's not open to the public--you've got to be a member of the music trade or date a cute drummer to get in.

Anyway, I must admit I was a pretty clueless girl walking around the show. My body is void of tattoos or musical talent. I do not play any instruments and couldn't tell you if something is high quality or rubbish. The instruments I liked the most were the ones that changed color, had rhinestones on them, or glowed in the dark. I don't know any famous musicians. And although I tried so hard to fit in with a plaid shirt and leather jacket, I doubt I fooled anyone.

But the great thing about the NAMM Show is that you don't need any of that stuff to have a great time. It was fascinating to be there and get a glimpse into a world that is so foreign to me, to actually appreciate the aesthetics of instruments. So many of the things we saw were truly pristine works of art. It really was incredible looking at everything.

There were so many musicians at the show, but I didn't recognize anyone. I mean, think of your favorite bands...I wouldn't know Will Champion (Coldplay's bass player) or recognize Grant Mickelson (Taylor Swift's guitar player) if I ran into them. Nathan did recognize Abe Laboriel, Jr. though...he's a famous drummer who tours with Paul McCartney. No big deal.

We mostly looked at all the drum stuff ("drum stuff"...yeah, see how I don't fit in?) since Nate plays drums. I took some pictures of my favorite things...

Pretty sure this is copied from a pattern from Anthropologie. So cute.


Loved this swirly dw kit.

And definitely loved this snare drum, although I highly doubt any respectable drummer would use it. (The exhibitor joked with me: "It's the cheapest Louis Vuitton you'll ever buy!")

This would be the kind of drum kit I would want to use. Anything pink and sparkly gets my vote.

Lots of beautiful, colorful guitars.

And lots of shiny cymbals! We probably tested out over a hundred. I find it interesting how musicians describe sounds...dirty, washy, dark, clean, trashy, thin, heavy, complex. It seems so abstract to me.

Concentrating on the sounds as I test out some more cymbals...

And here's Nathan testing some more. (No really, we did this a lot! It was a loud convention! Think dull roar.)

After the show, we walked to the lobby of the Grand Californian to rest our tired feet for a minute (and run into John Stamos), and then had a delicious dinner at Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen at Downtown Disney (the beignets were the best). It was a long, loud, memorable day!