Ohio punk/metallers Mobile Deathcamp have announced their first tour dates of 2017 dubbed the “NAMM You All To Hell Tour” , kicking off on Jan 12th in Tulsa. Direct support will come from Final Drive.Continue reading
Tag Archives: The NAMM Show
Angel Vivaldi Releases Three Play Through Clips And Announces The Guitar Collective
Angel Vivaldi has been one of my favorite guitar players on the planet ever since I first heard ‘A Mercurian Summer‘ back in 2011. Since then he has dedicated to his life to his music, and you can tell that through the progression of his past few releases. This year Angel released The Speed of Dark:Revisited, where he re-recorded his EP from 2009, and you can watch him play through three of those incredible tracks below!Continue reading
Zakk Wylde Visits the Death Wish Coffee Factory
Guitar legend Zakk Wylde famously appeared in Death Wish Coffee’s coming out party, via their commercial airing during Superbowl featuring Wylde as a Viking longship captain. Wylde is a partner with Death Wish, and the brand has shared a set of photos from Wylde’s recent visit to HQ. Continue reading
The NAMM Show 2016 Recap
Once again Ghost Cult, along with the entire music industry it seems, invaded Anaheim, CA for The National Association of Music Merchants, a.k.a. THE NAMM Show at the Anaheim Convention center. Taking over the town and part of greater Los Angeles at Night, NAMM is becoming more and more of a yearly pilgrimage for brands, gear heads and artists. Autograph and selfie-seeking fans are also starting to dip in to part of the main weekend, with really only the first two days being “industry only types”. That dynamic is expected to change in 2017 when fans have free range for the entire event. In the mean time the name of the game is networking and wheeler dealer action between manufacturers, merchants and artist reps. The main action is at the booths where the big name gear companies show their new wares, and artists from the up and coming to the legendary vie for attention and props. All day long it’s a schmooze fest and a meeting of the minds in terms of gear mavens, and artists jamming. At night it is the special events such as this years’ NAMM Jam, Tribute to Randy Rhodes, and other events, many held for charity that pack the clubs at a more-exclusive-than-usual for L.A., clip. Whatever your motivation for attending, THE NAMM Show, and its summer-time counterpart can’t be beat for an awesome industry experience and eye-popping star power all in one place. Thanks to Melina Dellamarggio of Melina D Photography or covering it for us this years and bringing us there with her amazing photo set!
Dimebash Charity Concert During NAMM To Feature Pantera, Slayer, AIC Members
The 2016 Monster Energy Ride For Dime Dimebash benefit show will be held at Lucky Strike Live in Hollywood, CA on January 22nd. The event, based on the annual Ride for Dime charity events, will feature a tribute to Dimebag Darrell Abbott and the music of Pantera. Members of Pantera, in town for The NAMM Show are expected to perform Pantera classics along side members of Slayer, Alice In Chains, Black Label Society, Machine Head, Hatebreed, Stone Sour, Type O Negative, Danzig, King’s X, Devildriver, Prong, Kyng, Armored Saint and more. Proceeds from the event will go towards Ronnie James Dio Stand Up And Shout Cancer Fund.
Rita Haney, Dimebag‘s longtime girlfriend commented:
“I think the thing that embodies this event and entity is unity; bringing everyone together to celebrate the music played and loved by Darrell and to benefit the foundation of a very beloved man, Mr. Ronnie James Dio. Dimebag Darrell was notorious for giving us all so much, in some way, even to this day. So to be able to give back in his name is such an honor. With all of this amazing talent in one place it makes for a damn good celebration! C’mon out and getcha pull!”
Frequent events and tributes pop up at The NAMM show. Over the years since Dimebag’s murder in 2004 there has been much interest by fans in the music of Pantera, including the recent Change.Org petition calling to reunite the band, dubbed The Pantera Project, which has gained over 7,500 signatures in just a few months.
The NAMM Show: A Recap
It’s another January and you know what that means in the music world, NAMM. NAMM or The National Association of Music Merchants, Anaheim Convention Center and bleeds into the surrounding hotels once more. It feels like a working vacation for most people, because who doesn’t to be in balmy southern California in 70-degree weather in the middle of winter? It is the largest music trade show in the world and there is also a slightly less attended summer edition as well. You will run into people from all over the planet at this massive convention. It’s pretty overwhelming just being there and navigating around the four floors of the ACC. It’s an endurance test from dealing with protesters outside to getting to a booth for signing. An overview of the whole thing breaks down like this: you have the Exhibitors trying to make deals, then the buyers trying to make deals, finally there’s new and established artists looking for deals. One thing for sure, it is one big ole networking party!
I really don’t think any other trade show is this much fun. The day before it officially starts they have specialty concerts and performances with all-star jams. That continues every night from Thursday to Sunday, all over Anaheim up to as far as Los Angeles. As well as 3 stages of performers directly outside the convention center during the con. The best thing is it’s not just one style of music that is focused on. Every style you can come up with is represented there.
Yes, there’s a lot of star-gazing and an abundance of new instruments, visual impact productions, and inventions. It’s up to you to see how much you can handle. My only advice I can give you is to treat everyone you meet with respect (super obvious, I know). You don’t want to talk down to or blow off someone at your booth who could help elevate your brand to the next level. And for the love of Odin, wash your wash hands if you use the bathroom!
WORDS AND PHOTOS BY OMAR CORDY