I’ve been going to the National Association of Music Merchants (or NAMM) show, for more than 25 years. For those who don’t know, it’s an musical instrument (MI) industry-only trade show, in which those who create musical instruments, equipment, or software show their wares to media, distributors, and retail buyers. It has always been a major event in the musical instrument industry; for a small company, lots of buyer interest at a NAMM show can mean getting enough purchase orders for the entire year in a few days. But even though it’s industry-only, artists and other interested folk can often find a way into the show.

At first, I was able to go because my band, Darkling Thrush, was endorsed by Fernandes Guitars, and they gave us passes to the show. I just went to look at the cool instruments, and drool. That first NAMM show, I walked away inspired. Hearing so much great music being played, both on stages as entertainment showcases, and in booths demoing products, always excited my creative juices and made me want to run home and write more songs.

Soon after that first NAMM, I started writing user guides and tutorials for various companies in the MI industry, and one of them would usually give me a pass. Then for about a decade, I worked in publishing–specifically publishing music technology media, and that would get me a badge. At that point, I was “working” the NAMM show. I had scheduled meetings, and I’d get work out of the show.

I moved out of that industry into writing in tech corporations, and would ask one of my friends in the industry, or a company I’d done writing and editing for, if they could spare a badge for me. At that point, NAMM was less about the cool shiny, and more about seeing friends that worked in other countries, or parts of this country, whom I only would get to see at this one show, which thankfully happens to be in my region. And that’s how it was this year.

Like years past, I always have a ball spending time with my friends. It’s a working event, so we can’t just run off and get a drink or a bite unless it’s a break or before or after a shift, but we still find time to hang out and chat for a while each day of the show. And with some we meet for a meal before or after; those meals with friends are highlights to me.

Since these days, I’m not going for business reasons, it means I’m freer than ever to look around. I have to admit, walking the floor wasn’t as much fun this year as it has been in past years. One reason is that having been in the “gear biz” for so long, and even now keeping up with the MI industry, there aren’t a ton of surprises. There’s always some fun toys and gorgeous guitars that get my heart all a-flutter, but not as many.

But there’s another reason that I think it wasn’t as fun. Ten years ago, literally every major company in the MI industry showed up to NAMM. The displays were cool, there was a ton to see, and if a company had something new and exciting to unveil, they’d unveil it at NAMM. I think at it’s peak, close to 100,000 people would attend the NAMM show.

But with the rise of the Internet, and specifically YouTube, people could see all the gear they wanted online, and usually with better sound (no crowd noise and competing against the booth across from you). It was still an important sales show, but the booths stopped being quite as huge, and some players stopped going. The rise of the YouTube “influencer” (I hate that term) perked things up a little, but the decline was still real.

Then the pandemic closed it for a couple of years, and companies had to rely on video conferences to sell their wares. And you know what? It worked. So when the show started running again, even more companies began to think that they didn’t need the expense and logistical hassle of setting up a booth at a trade show. The pandemic didn’t cause the decline of NAMM, it just accelerated what was already happening.

The mood of the show was optimistic, the panels seemed well attended, those that did come had fun things to show off, but there were large swaths of floor that would have been packed with booths in years past, that were empty. Many companies just had meeting rooms with chairs to talk business with buyers, and weren’t showing anything. And for someone like me, who was just on the floor to look around, it meant less eye candy.

So I had a good time, and I’m glad I got to go. But I can’t help but feel a bit wistful for past shows. I do hope that NAMM continues, I think meeting in person is a valuable thing, even if it means streamlined booths, and fewer of them. Maybe something will happen, people will long for community, and NAMM will rise to it’s previous level, or even higher. But whatever happens, I’m going to enjoy seeing my friends, and hearing some great music, I always walk away inspired.