Anaheim, Calif. gears up for another NAMM Show

courtesy NAMM

When the business is music, combining business with pleasure is no problem. The NAMM Show will feature four days of live music and events to keep the fun in doing business in Anaheim, Calif. from Jan. 24-27.

In addition to celebrity guest appearances, artist signings and performances that NAMM members will be hosting, NAMM has scheduled 10 stages with 150 live music acts, award shows, teen band competitions, hands-on music making and more. Check it all out at namm.org.

The events, particularly the concerts, bring members together to experience the heart and soul of the NAMM Show. “Live music is an integral part of our industry, and something our members are passionate about,” said Joe Lamond, president and CEO of NAMM. "There is no better way for us to celebrate the gathering of the industry tribes at NAMM than with the best concerts and performances found anywhere. The tricky part is how to see it all!"

Inaugurating the new Grand Plaza’s Main Stage will be live music all day, every day with a series of concerts each evening. Thursday evening, immediately following the Annual Tribute to those the music industry lost in the past year, Tower of Power brings soulful, brass-packed, high-energy hits to the Main Stage.

Tower of Power performs just before 6 p.m., following the annual tribute at 5:30 p.m. On Friday night, The Living Legends Concert brings together more than 60 artists who have played with bands such as Oingo Boingo, The Eagles, Black Sabbath, AC/DC, Fleetwood Mac and Santana for an epic jam. The Living Legends Concert starts at 5 p.m. The California Transit Authority (CTA) takes the Main Stage on Saturday at 6 p.m. featuring drummer Danny Seraphine, a founding member of the band Chicago.

Take 6, the most awarded a cappella vocal group in history, will perform as part of the SupportMusic Coalition 10th Anniversary Celebration in the NAMM Foundation area (Anaheim Hilton California Ballroom) on Friday at 2 p.m. Former NY Yankee outfielder and Latin-Grammy nominee Bernie Williams will also perform, and Gov. Mike Huckabee will be on hand to participate in the 10th Anniversary Celebration.

 

The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus, which will be positioned on the plaza at the east entrance, (just outside the venue) will have special celebrity guests, concerts, and tours of the bus throughout the show.

On Thursday, Tinsel Korey, singer-songwriter who also plays Emily in the “Twilight” series performs. On Friday evening, The Imagine Party hosted by the Lennon Bus will feature a performance by Fitz & The Tantrums. A Beatles Tribute presented by Epiphone will keep the bus rocking at 1 p.m. on Saturday. The John Lennon songwriting contest winners will perform Thursday, Friday and Saturday at noon.

Friday night, the 28th Annual TEC Awards celebrate the greatest in technical and creative musical achievement. Founded in 1985, the Technical Excellence & Creativity Awards recognize the achievements of audio professionals. Presented annually by the TEC Foundation for Excellence in Audio, the TEC Awards recognizes the individuals, companies and technical innovations behind the sound of recordings, live performances, films, television, video games, and other media.

Singer-songwriter John Sebastian will act as host for the awards ceremony. Guitarist and composer Pete Townshend will receive the Les Paul Award from his longtime friend, producer and humorist Martin Lewis. Record Plant president Rose Mann Cherney will be inducted into the TEC Hall of Fame by producer Ron Fair. The program begins at 6:45 p.m. in the Anaheim Hilton Pacific Ballroom.

Don’t miss the chance to check out the best teen bands in America as they rock the Downtown Disney district. SchoolJam USA’s eight finalists will compete for more than $50,000 in cash and prizes, including funding for school music programs. BooBoo Stewart, who plays Seth Clearwater in the “Twilight” film series, and his sister Fivel Stewart will co-host host the finals with Scott Evans from Channel One and perform at the SchoolJam USA finals with their band, BooBoo & Fivel.  The SchoolJam USA finals kick off at 5 p.m. on Saturday evening.

Musicians of all levels can make some noise of their own at the All-Industry Drum Circle Friday, Jan. 25 at 6 p.m. in the Palm Terrace Court. Sunday Jan. 27, end the NAMM Show experience on a high note with the Wanna Play Ukulele Circle at 3:30 p.m. on The Venue Stage in the Arena Plaza. The NAMM Foundation hosts both events. Instruments and instruction are provided.

The NAMM Show gathers 90,000 members of the music product industry from around the world to preview new product debuts from thousands of brands across every category.