5 Things Live-Event Professionals Should Do at The NAMM Show
If you’re a live-event professional, permission granted to be excited about the upcoming NAMM Show in Anaheim, January 20–24, 2026. Since fully embracing our community a decade ago, it has become the space to gather, train, see and be seen. First of all, there’s the time and place: The majority of concert touring professionals are available in January, and there’s nothing like being in Southern California in the winter. But more importantly, the offerings of workshops and sessions plus displays of the latest and greatest tools has grown exponentially. Bonus? There’s the industry’s most revered awards show, the Parnelli Awards.
Hall A
There’s an entire hall dedicated to us, so plan on spending a lot of time in Hall A. On the first day of the show, it tends to be especially busy; the next two days, I find that the best time to visit is the morning. There are a lot of innovative companies here that are worth checking out — and don’t judge them by the size of the booth, because I have found the more modest ones are often the most innovative. In addition to audio system makers, you’ll find in-ear monitor companies, RF technology products, and even road cases.
Education Sessions and Training
This year NAMM is once again offering a Dante certification program. PLSN Magazine offers up four great ProProduction sessions for the concert touring professional and those aspiring to be. These include “Touring Truths,” which covers the business side of touring, and “The Team Behind the Tour,” featuring the production and creative team of one of this year’s biggest tours (a recent session featured the team behind Metallica). There’s also “The Blueprint to a Successful Tour Run” and the all-day Entertainment Technology Summit run by former PLSN magazine editor Richard Cadena. Most of these sessions get full fast, so my advice is to make sure you know exactly what room they are in and get there early.
See NAMM U Education Sessions at The 2026 NAMM Show
Network, Network, Network
With a show like this, the best moments are the unscripted ones. You run into somebody you haven’t seen in a long time, you start a conversation waiting for a training session to start, you have a drink with a friend of a friend. A spark goes off, an idea gets hatched, an opportunity is made. One of the things I love about this show is that while there is a lot going on, it’s also fairly chill, so if there’s someone on your radar that you’d love to have coffee with and pick their brain, reach out on social media (LinkedIn is best).
The Parnelli Awards
As producer of this show for 20 years, I can make the case that in a way, our event Saturday night in Hilton’s Pacific Ballroom is a mix of all of the above! You’ll learn what new products win best of the year, the cocktail parties before and after the show are the best for live event networking, and there’s a lot to learn from seeing what people take home a coveted Parnelli Award for what successful tour. We do sell out, so get your tickets early. Bonus: REO Speedwagon’s Kevin Cronin is hosting.
Fantastic Live Music
As someone who has been attending NAMM shows since the 90s, I can tell you I always come away impressed with the variety and quality of musical offerings. It reminds us why we have gotten into this business. At the Yamaha Grand Plaza, you can catch Grammy nominees The War and Treaty, Quincy Jones protégé Sheléa, and many other top acts. The hotel bars have a steady stream of brilliant up-and-coming acts that I enjoy just as much. Also? Hanging out and listening is another great networking opportunity.
Final Thoughts
Use The NAMM Show app to plan. Yes, often the best things that come out of this show are spontaneous, but put some thought into making sure you prioritize what you want to experience. At night? Have fun … but not too much fun so you can make the most of every day. Oh — and don’t forget those comfortable shoes.
About the Author
Kevin M. Mitchell is a multi-instrumentalist Conservatory grad who plays in several St. Louis–based bands. He teaches piano, guitar and bass, and is a fierce advocate of music education. He’s worn a NAMM badge since the early 1990s when he worked the booth for Alfred, a music education publisher. Kevin went on to write for many related MI trade magazines, including MMR. He’s been Senior Writer for PLSN and FOH magazines since their inception. This is his 20th year producing the Parnelli Awards. Ask him about the 1995 Baldwin baby grand he just bought.