Anyone going to NAMM this year?

If you've never been and have the means you should absolutely go. I haven't been in more than a decade but I've attended a few times and it was always a blast (watching Mike Mangini play like a 20 minute drum solo in an isolated booth is something I'll never forget!).

I'm not sure I can score tickets any more, but of you make it out I am in the area. I may or may not be able to grab a beer, but of you need some awesome taqueria recs I'm your man.
 
peccary said:
If you've never been and have the means you should absolutely go. I haven't been in more than a decade but I've attended a few times and it was always a blast (watching Mike Mangini play like a 20 minute drum solo in an isolated booth is something I'll never forget!).

I'm not sure I can score tickets any more, but of you make it out I am in the area. I may or may not be able to grab a beer, but of you need some awesome taqueria recs I'm your man.
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I went for the first time in 2018 and had a blast. I worked at a music store during college and they said if I ever need a pass they'll get one for me, I just need to get myself there.

I don't drink so no worries on grabbing a beer, but I'm always down for taqueria recs!
 
Taqueria Los Gueros is in Anaheim, not too far from the convention center. My personal favorite is Taqueria El Zamorano, but it's in Santa Ana, which is a bit further. Taqueria De Anda is a local chain but they are legit, and can usually be found in most neighborhoods in Orange County.

The general rules for excellent taquerias in Orange County, though, are the same for Thai food: you want to find a strip mall built in the 60's or 70's that hasn't been updated sine the early 90's. There will probably be a smoke shop or a small hardware store or a bar nearby, and it's likely that the giant lighted sign in the parking lot will no longer light up. Any taqueria that meets those criteria is worth checking out. Bonus points for a kitchen that has an old lady in the back cooking something in a giant pot. If there are a bunch of Hispanic dudes wearing white cowboy hats eating there you've hit a gold mine and need to tell me about it ASAP.
 
peccary said:
Taqueria Los Gueros is in Anaheim, not too far from the convention center. My personal favorite is Taqueria El Zamorano, but it's in Santa Ana, which is a bit further. Taqueria De Anda is a local chain but they are legit, and can usually be found in most neighborhoods in Orange County.

The general rules for excellent taquerias in Orange County, though, are the same for Thai food: you want to find a strip mall built in the 60's or 70's that hasn't been updated sine the early 90's. There will probably be a smoke shop or a small hardware store or a bar nearby, and it's likely that the giant lighted sign in the parking lot will no longer light up. Any taqueria that meets those criteria is worth checking out. Bonus points for a kitchen that has an old lady in the back cooking something in a giant pot. If there are a bunch of Hispanic dudes wearing white cowboy hats eating there you've hit a gold mine and need to tell me about it ASAP.
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Awesome, thanks! My parents live in San Diego so to save money I'll probably stay with them and drive back and forth, so anything south of Anaheim is fair game. I'll be sure to check them out :)
 
vigilante398 said:
Awesome, thanks! My parents live in San Diego so to save money I'll probably stay with them and drive back and forth, so anything south of Anaheim is fair game. I'll be sure to check them out :)
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Awesome, having your own transportation when traveling is always helpful.

Now I'm getting all nostalgic, I'll have to see if I can't get back to it in the next few years. Last time I went I ended up at my local (at the time) bar in Fullerton. I had made friends with the keyboard player in the house jazz band there and went to watch them. He invited me and a friend to share his table. I got to talking with one of the other guys who was sitting across the table from me and he turned out to be Lonnie Jordan. We ended up having a few drinks and chatting through the night and he got up to play the keys a few times. It's a great memory and I hadn't thought about it in a while.
 
Chuck D. Bones said:
If anyone knows where I can get a ticket, please DM me.
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I'll ask around, I know sometimes smaller music stores get more passes than they need and give them out to anyone that asks. I don't think registration has opened up yet to buy general public passes.

Well I put on a suit and tie and presented my power point to my wife tonight, and she gave me the go-ahead for NAMM, so I am going! Just made sure my parents will have a spot of floor I can crash on and reserved my flights and rental car. Super excited! :)

Now I just need to wait for 2 1/2 months :P
 
vigilante398 said:
I'll ask around, I know sometimes smaller music stores get more passes than they need and give them out to anyone that asks. I don't think registration has opened up yet to buy general public passes.

Well I put on a suit and tie and presented my power point to my wife tonight, and she gave me the go-ahead for NAMM, so I am going! Just made sure my parents will have a spot of floor I can crash on and reserved my flights and rental car. Super excited! :)

Now I just need to wait for 2 1/2 months :P
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Wait, isn't Summer NAMM in Nashville and Winter NAMM in L.A.? I haven't been in a while, did they switch it up?
 
jimilee said:
Wait, isn't Summer NAMM in Nashville and Winter NAMM in L.A.? I haven't been in a while, did they switch it up?
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Usually yes, they changed up the schedule due to COVID. They didn't hold winter NAMM in 2021, so "winter" NAMM in Anaheim will be in June this year. I think I heard it's going to be in April next year. I have no idea what's going on. Not sure about the real summer NAMM in Nashville.
 
vigilante398 said:
Usually yes, they changed up the schedule due to COVID. They didn't hold winter NAMM in 2021, so "winter" NAMM in Anaheim will be in June this year. I think I heard it's going to be in April next year. I have no idea what's going on. Not sure about the real summer NAMM in Nashville.
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Thank you sir. I had a lot of fun, I hope you do too. Gear overload.
 
I'M SO EXCITED FOR NAMM NEXT WEEK!!!!!

Seriously. So excited. Because the company that sponsored my badge is an exhibitor I fall under that category as well, which means I'm allowed to bring products with me. So even though I don't have a booth I'll be bringing a couple pedals for show-and-tell to a couple people I'm planning to meet up with (and whoever else I happened to run into).

Super excited to wander around and both ogle gear and talk to people about gear, two of my favorite pastimes.
 
peccary said:
Taqueria Los Gueros is in Anaheim, not too far from the convention center. My personal favorite is Taqueria El Zamorano, but it's in Santa Ana, which is a bit further. Taqueria De Anda is a local chain but they are legit, and can usually be found in most neighborhoods in Orange County.

The general rules for excellent taquerias in Orange County, though, are the same for Thai food: you want to find a strip mall built in the 60's or 70's that hasn't been updated sine the early 90's. There will probably be a smoke shop or a small hardware store or a bar nearby, and it's likely that the giant lighted sign in the parking lot will no longer light up. Any taqueria that meets those criteria is worth checking out. Bonus points for a kitchen that has an old lady in the back cooking something in a giant pot. If there are a bunch of Hispanic dudes wearing white cowboy hats eating there you've hit a gold mine and need to tell me about it ASAP.
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This is the best kind of namm advice I've ever seen. Similar rules in Portland. If it isn't as described, the kitchen better be on wheels. No escabeche, no thank you.
 
vigilante398 said:
Yup, and I've added Marco Bass Guitars to my list of planned stops :D Looks like it's right next to the Xvive booth, so I was going to be in the neighborhood either way ;)
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It's all in the neighborhood once you get there. ;)

My pro tips: the Yamaha suite is off to itself in one of the hotels right across from the Convention Center and can be a great place to tone down the madness a bit for a while. There used to be a killer bar in one of the upstairs piano booths (Steinway maybe?) too, not sure if it's still there. In 2020 there was a stealth pulled pork sammich concession right by where the Marco booth is that was relatively inexpensive and suprisingly good. And if you have a red badge (exhibitor or product demonstrator) you can get in early and leave late, and the early sessions are often when a lot of the coolest stuff happens IME. You can actually hear the stuff you're trying out, for starters.
 
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