The 2004 NAMM Show Comes to a Close

NAMM, the International Music Products Association, ended its 2004 NAMM Show today with more crowds, more business and more entertainment.

The day kicked off with an entertaining performance by the Suburban Legends in the Anaheim Convention Center lobby before the doors opened. Other live performances followed throughout the day in the NAMM Member Success Center, on the outdoor convention center stage and outside of the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus.

NAMM University hosted its final keynote session this morning, “Nobody Move Your Cheese! Success is All Your Fault,” presented by Ross Shafer, where several attendees wrapped up their show experience.

The final heats of the NAMM International Fastest Drummer Contest took place today. Bill Meligari placed first in the Fastest Hands category with 1,019 beats in 60 seconds, and Mike Duncan came in first in the Fastest Feet category with 782 beats in one minute.

Around the floor, many exhibitors expressed positive sentiments about the show.

“It’s been a very good show,” said Martin Hurni, boss and demonstrator for Softwind Instruments in Bern, Switzerland. “Ours is a niche product, and we’re selling to the end customers as well as dealers … so we are here showing the instrument and collecting interest. People need to see the instrument and want to actually hear it, and this is the place.”

“This is my 22nd winter NAMM Show in a row, and the first three days of the show were the busiest I’ve probably ever experienced in my career,“ said Jim Catalano, product manager at Ludwig Drum Company. “Business was strong, traffic was strong and of course Ludwig had a lot of artists here, and they had a lot of new products… so it was very active.”

“If it wasn’t for NAMM, we wouldn’t have known how to get started in the music products business,” said first-time NAMM Show exhibitor Tim Wynne, CFO, of Old Dog LLC. “At this NAMM Show, we are exhibiting with prototypes, and we’re already writing large orders with major interest from distributors.”

The 2004 NAMM Summer Session will take place in Nashville, Tenn., July 23–25.