Let's start with the obligatory NAMM selfie!
It was a whirlwind of a day for me. I covered a lot of ground in 12 hours. I was literally there from 8am before the exhibit floor opened until 8pm after the last note sounded from the Big Bad Voodoo Daddy concert.
I can't do 4 days of NAMM anymore nor do I have a reason to. One day is MORE than enough for me!
Once again, NAMM was a shadow of its former self from a scale and size standpoint. Very similar (or maybe a bit smaller?!) to last June. The whole show is scheduled to be back in its normal spot - late January in 2024. We will see then if it gets back to to its normal scale. I'm hopeful that it will at some point but am worried in a weird way that it never will (aka 'new normal').
It was a productive day with maintaining relationships at several key vendor booths. I'm not sure if it makes a difference but, in my mind, I need all of the potential support I can get here in Colorado and feel that need will be amplified once in Wyoming. No time to be stranded by a manufacturer or retailer for key large investments made. I make it my business to meet and maintain multiple contacts at each one. It could just be in my head, but I prefer to err on the side of having MORE potential support when needed.
I bumped into several of the engineers I know from the Metalliance workshops and was happy to see almost all of them with a friendly hello, handshake or hug. An unexpected pleasure was meeting and spending some time with Wes Dooley. He is a legend and compiling a cool history on ribbon microphones called Big Ribbon Stories. He even asked me to contribute some content!
Also, TLA and CLA together at the SSL booth, Bob Clearmountain, George, Sylvia and Frank at separate times and places.
Phil Wagner at SSL hooked me up with the contact for the exactly right sidecar furniture I'm looking for, so that's a win!
I bumped into Tchad Blake and told him how much I loved his new Peter Gabriel mixes. I've really been enjoying them and it was great to get to chat with him for a bit.
I also randomly bumped into (twice!) Laurie Larson who will be back to the studio in May to finish up her latest album that we started last month.
I got to spend some time with my friend Damon Tedesco as well which is always nice. We met several years ago at the Metalliance Capitol Studios event and again recently at the Blackbird Studios event. A great guy from a VERY musical family. I'll also say he has the very best business card ever made! He wins! (if you want to ask me about it, go ahead).
Soul Rash has kicked off writing and recording for our third album. I'm hoping to schedule several other of my Colorado clients in the coming months over the summer.
That's all for now!