This month, the audio tradeshow season finally wraps up, with the LDI Show in Las Vegas (Oct. 15 to 21) and the AES Convention in San Francisco (Oct 26 to 29). Maybe “season” is the wrong word for a period that kicks off in January at Winter NAMM, (followed by Musikmesse/PL+S, NAB, InfoComm, PALM, Summer NAMM, PALA, PLASA, LDI and AES) and extends well into October. That 10-month period actually eclipses the length of the NBA season (quite a feat), and if you add in regional/specialized events — such as Sweetwater GearFest or PreSonuSphere — you’re never really very far away (in time or distance) from some kind of event or tradeshow having to do with pro audio.
That’s exactly where the irony arises. Sound reinforcement is a pretty substantial industry in and of itself, yet when the NSCA show was assimilated into the InfoComm expo, that was the last appearance of a major trade event devoted specifically to live sound. Maybe it’s an identity crisis, but all of these shows we attend seem to be mainly focused on some other specialty, such as M.I. / lighting / signage / video / broadcasting / recording, with a bit of the “yeah, I think the sound reinforcement section is over in that corner.”
True, many of us now juggle multitasking at every level. In fact, last month, Soundcraft even unveiled its Si Performer, a large-capacity digital console with onboard lighting control. But don’t get me wrong; we sound reinforcement pros don’t live in a vacuum: Staying on the top of our craft requires keeping up on other disciplines as well, and that ain’t gonna change, especially as technologies such as networking and audio/data control over IP becomes more of an everyday occurrence. At the same time, our “little” industry has certainly grown up to a point where we could support our own show.
LDI Comes to Town
That said, there are definitely opportunities within any such “piggybacked” events for personal and professional growth. At LDI (ldishow.com), Live Design has expanded its Master Classes series with new Concert Sound Master Classes. Managed by Mark Johnson of Full Sail University, the LDI sessions include a Q&A with Elton John’s FOH mixer Matt Herr; another seasoned pro Kevin Harvey (who oversees the venues at Las Vegas’ new state-of-the-art Smith Center); L-Acoustics on the application of science and technology to large line array systems; and renowned industry veteran David Scheirman with solid advice on careers in the concert industry. Also during LDI, Pat Brown of SynAudCon (synaudcon.com) will present Core Principles of Audio, a two-day tutorial on basics for system setup and operation.
AES and More
After years of tipping the scales towards an overemphasis on recording over sound reinforcement technologies, the Audio Engineering Society (aes.org) has significantly stepped up its live sound offerings for this years AES show. Among the many session and programs on the agenda include Women in Professional Concert Sound, Acoustics for Small Live Sound Venues, Live Sound Engineering — The Juxtaposition of Art and Science, Tuning a Loudspeaker Installation, Planning a Live Sound Education, Live Sound for Corporate Events, Audio DSP In Live Settings and Sound For Live Jazz Performances.
Of course, the bottom line on trade events is that however enticing the papers presentations, educational seminars and technical sessions may be, the real draw is the show floor. Let’s face it, 98.9% of us are confirmed gear hounds. Meanwhile, the people who claim the real draw at a technology show comes from the spoken presentations are either trying to fool themselves or someone else, along the line of the guy who claims to read Playboy just for the interviews. “Yeah sure, buddy.”
Yet beyond the temporarily staged curtained booths, pop-up traveling displays and substantial looking (but ultimately flimsy) booths filled with cool gear, tradeshows also offer the chance to talk to manufacturers one-on-one about their products, either to clarify support issues or even catch a demo. And it’s here that the reality of the in-person trade event truly shines, doing something that the Internet, webinars and “virtual tradeshow” events can’t deliver, in the form of a hands-on, tactile experience. In fact, you can easily spend some quality time with a dozen or more manufacturers in a single afternoon — time well spent.
The Other Side
You might go to a trade show or seminar to learn about networking in terms of file standards and protocols, Cat-5 versus fiber delivery and more. However, the kind of networking that really comes out of industry gatherings is the chance to press the flesh, exchange business cards and meet with other industry pros. And such opportunities don’t simply come from huge gatherings, but also from a chance meeting in a hotel elevator, on a shuttle bus or cab line or the lobby bar of the show hotel.
Of course, expanding your network often comes from being in the right spot at the right time. During LDI week, events such as the Parnelli Awards (Oct. 20; parnelliawards.com) and the Parnelli Celebrity Classic golf tourney (Oct. 18) are places to interact with leading pros on a casual basis. And if you’re at LDI, stop by booth 2414 and say hello. See you there!
