-Guitar Hero is all the rage for consumers.

-Need to take a break from searching for the latest gear during The NAMM Show? Here are some celebrity appearances and parties to check out.

-Attendance increased at Music China and Prolight + Sound, and Kenny G made a big splash.

-Improving next month's NAMM Show is like making the 1972 Miami Dolphins better. But NAMM is certainly not resting on its laurels.

-We reveal all of the manufacturer nominees for Music & Sound Awards to be handed out next month at The NAMM Show.

-Counterfeiting on MI products, particularly guitars, may have received minimal national press, but the problem is real and not going away.

-Find out how to sell products your customers are probably not looking to buy.

-M&SR features its second annual independent retailer roundtable. What's on dealer's mind's this year. Are things better than last year?

-Females playing musical instruments now outnumber males, according to a NAMM/Gallup survey.

-Industry leaders paved the way for the next 10 years.

Then, of course, there’s the attendance factor. If you spend a lot of money to attend the show and some of your most important manufacturers don’t exhibit, it can be a drag. But we do need to consider 2006 was the first year in Austin and it takes time for a trade show to become a “must-attend” event. Nashville didn’t bring the house down in its first year either. More importantly, interest in Summer NAMM is still high, said Lamond. “It’s too difficult to predict at this point what attendance will be like at this show,” he said. “[But] as long as there are NAMM members who want a summer gathering to help position their businesses for success in the second half of the year, NAMM will provide the venue. For us, it’s a service decision, not a financial one.

Everyone Enjoys a Party
We mentioned the nightlife before. Other than NAMM-hosted parties, nighttime activities include the Sixth Street scene, which is loaded with live music, or Austin’s Warehouse District, where the jazz, soul, reggae, and funk clubs are located.

But let’s say the bar/club scene is not for you. You want to take advantage of some family activities like Anaheim offers. “One unique attraction of Austin as the sun sets is the flying of more than one million fruit bats living under the Congress Avenue Bridge,” said Robertson. “It’s really something to see. The Austin Children’s Museum, a hands-on interactive museum, is at 201 Colorado Street. Other suggestions for kids are the Austin Nature & Science Center in Zilker Park, the Zilker Zephyr (a miniature train ride that runs through Zilker Park) and the interactive exhibits at the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum. For a complete listing, visit austintexas.org/music/attractions or summernamm.com and click on our online city map.”

That leads us to one final question. With much discussion about Summer NAMM during the past few years, you might have advice for how to improve the show. How do you contact NAMM to provide your feedback? We asked Lamond for the answer. “We are always looking for ways to improve our service to NAMM members,” he said. “This show is a large undertaking and another service and membership benefit we provide, so if there is anything we can do to make it better, send us an e-mail at info@namm.org or call 800-767-NAMM. Thanks to the Music and Sound Retailer for the opportunity to talk about Summer NAMM, and we look forward to another good show in the ‘Live Music Capital of the World!’"
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