NAMM Diary -Day 4: The Final Entry

By Nick Friese
Yes, I was late to the show as usual for the final day of NAMM. Why break the streak?  Hey, there was good reason for the late arrival, of course. So what was my lame excuse? Well, since we rolled into the Four Seasons Travel Lodge around 2:30 am on Sunday morning after the Mike Landau show, I really needed a few extra hours of sleep to shake off the Super Saturday hangover.

But it was the final day of the show, and the fact was that no matter how early I arrived on Sunday there still wouldn’t be enough time, even on a full 24-hour day, to reach all of the manufacturer’s booths and spend quality time to inspecting the desirable gear on display.

Clone thyself! Really, I would have to send in a team of twenty stringers to get the entire scoop on all of the new gear on display at NAMM – and that’s just sorting through the glut of NAMM press releases and press kits.

The good news about Sunday was that it had that “Sunday” feel.  There was a calm in the air, people were very relaxed, and there was no urgency to anyone’s pace inside. The exhibitors, the attendees, and the media were just trying to catch whatever piece was left of an amazing gathering of industry professionals. Many of the buyers, visitors, and stars were gone as they got an early jump on their trip home.

I ran into Monte Montgomery in the nearly empty NAMM store and we chatted about his NAMM experience.   He told me that he played four times over the weekend – all of which I missed - and wasn’t even aware of. (shame on me)   As Monte was going over his adventures, I was hit with that sinking feeling again that I have failed again! Yes, yes, I can justify this as well, but the problem is that it doesn’t change the feeling that I wasn’t able to offer more depth to you, the loyal reader and guitar aficionado.

O.k. so a good thing came out of my session with Monte as he agreed to an interview with GJD so we could examine his acoustic musings.

One observation from the four days that keeps looping in my mind was the mass number of music’s elite that casually and comfortably wandered the halls, hanging out in the booths, playing short sets in the exhibits, yucking it up in the Hilton bar, signing autographs, talking with dealers, visitors, exhibitors, press, and with each other. No one had an air about him or her. No matter how big the name on their badge, they were just so cool and approachable. The fact that it was a trade event must put the celebrities at ease knowing that zealots won’t mob them. O.k. on second thought most weren’t lead-singers so maybe that had something to do with it. Guitar players are just good ol’ boys and girls anyway, right?      

As the final hours ticked down, I had a flashback to my late arrival on Thursday, and a hard-hitting reality that this musical Disney was about to end. Didn’t I just get here? 

Sure there’s a sense of remorse that I didn’t get to meet everyone on my list, didn’t get to examine every piece of new gear, failed to connect with some of the star players we wanted to interview, missed some of the demos I wanted hear – EVH’s Franken-demo was one of them! Not to forget all the cool parties that happened over the three nights, most of which I missed. 

I guess the show could be compared to the musical journey that most of us are on as guitar players and musicians: There’s just never enough time to play, a constant nagging feeling that I’ll never reach my potential, a hunger to learn more, a kinship with others who put music in the front of their lives – no matter what style of music they play or what their background is - and the sense of purpose that music and guitar injects into our lives. I can’t help but think that the same drive and passion that washes over me when I play the guitar is comparable on some level to the forces at play as I try to absorb all of the sights, sounds and motion of The NAMM Show.

There are so many memories I’m taking with me from the show. Too many to put down here to share – and some not appropriate either. But one thing I know is that I’ll be back for Summer NAMM in Austin on July 27-29 to continue to build the connections and cover the stories from the greatest show on earth.

p.s. Ken, Jim and Ronny were all at NAMM and will follow-up with their experiences, insights, laughs, knowledge, and information on the show that only they can give in their inimitable way.