Having just returned (and survived) from last month’s NAMM and InfoComm shows, I think we can all breathe a sigh of relief — for a lot of reasons. First of all, neither show turned out to be the “super spreader” event that some predicted. I’m not going to deny that people didn’t contract Covid after the shows, but a majority of those folks came back unscathed, and most of those who did contract the virus after coming home (myself included) essentially showed fairly mild cold- or flu-like symptoms. In my case (fortunately having been immunized and boosted long before the shows), what I experienced was significantly less intense than the post-show “InfluComm” or “NAMMthrax” I’d suffered through in past years.
The two shows were smaller than their pre-Covid counterparts, both in the number of exhibitors and the actual floor space. True, there were fewer exhibitors, but also many companies opted for smaller booths. This was especially true for exhibitors who were showing at NAMM and had to pack out and set up to be ready at InfoComm just a few days (and 265 miles) down the road.
But the best part about the shows was that they happened at all and displayed a modicum of success. There was a healthy crop of new sound reinforcement gear (see our coverage starting on page 12) and overall, exhibitors reported a steady flow of serious customers that seemed ready to get back to normalcy. On the social side, it was great to reconnect with so many friends and colleagues — one of the key perks that a “virtual” tradeshow can never match. And from a business angle, summer is off to a healthy start: tours, festivals and outdoor events — both local and national — are back, which is good news for everyone in our industry.
Stay safe!
