What surprises might NAMM hold? - Pasadena Star-News

What surprises might NAMM hold?

Taylor Swift isn’t on the bill, but Jon Batiste, Jack White and many more are

The head honcho of this week’s NAMM Show in Anaheim would neither confirm nor deny that Taylor Swift might show up to perform. She has before, but those were scheduled appearances about 20 years ago, before her career reached its current rarefied level. courtesy of TAS Rights Management

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By George Varga

san diego UNION-TRIBUNE

Taylor Swift is not scheduled to appear this week during the NAMM Show at the Anaheim Convention Center, although she did perform at several earlier editions — between 2004 and 2008 — for San Diego’s Taylor Guitars, whose instruments she often plays at her concerts.

But at the start of a recent interview, NAMM CEO and President John Mlynczak would neither confirm nor deny the possibility of Swift making a surprise appearance at this year’s edition of the NAMM Show (short for the National Association of Music Merchants, which is based in Carlsbad). It is the world’s largest annual trade show for manufacturers and retailers of musical instruments, equipment, technology, sound, lighting and recording gear.

“Oh, my gosh! It’s so funny (you ask). With artists, you never know who’s going to be there,” Mlynczak said. “We’re hearing a lot of buzz regarding big artists this year.”

Asked 40 minutes later if the odds of Swift showing up had increased during this interview, a chuckling Mlynczak replied: “Same odds. We’ll know about a second before we get the text to have VIP security ready on-site.”

Either way, there won’t be a lack of major artists at this year’s expanded NAMM Show and its affiliated events, which take place Tuesday through Saturday and will be one day longer than last year’s edition.

Close to 200 bands and solo artists from around the world are scheduled to perform.

The star-studded list includes Jon Batiste, Jacob Collier, Jack White, CeCe Winans, 2024 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee Peter Frampton and other musicians whose names have not yet been disclosed.

“Music instrument and gear companies want to influence their retailers, and you do that by hearing the products live in the hands of amazing artists,” Mlynczak said. “So, we’ve made a conscious effort that the artists we have on our main stage and who are demonstrating new products at the show are absolute A-listers.”

Frampton is just one of the award-winning musicians who will be featured at Wednesday’s invitation-only NAMM Global Media Day. He’ll be followed Thursday by veteran solo star and White Stripes band co-founder White, who will perform and be honored at the NAMM Tec Awards.

Also Thursday, gospel music vocal great Winans will headline NAMM’s annual “Night of Worship” concert on the outdoor Yamaha Grand Plaza Stage. Batiste — who won five Grammy Awards in 2022, including for Album of the Year — will perform Friday night on the same stage.

Saturday, the show’s closing day, will see 30-year-old English musical polymath Collier perform at the Grand Rally for Music Education.

While admission to these performances is limited to NAMM members, one of the most notable concerts of the weekend is open to the public.

The She Rock Awards, which were launched in 2013, will be held Saturday night in the Anaheim Hilton’s Pacific Ballroom. They will be hosted by former San Diego guitar wiz Jennifer Batten and violinist Lindsey Stirling, who are both set to perform. So are the musician honorees, who include Samantha Fish, Amanda Palmer, Paula Cole, Christina Perri and others.

Tickets are available at sherocksawards.com.