Intronaut Show at Noble Ale Works 1/24/14 - Friday Night at NAMM 2014

A special night hanging out with Intronaut, Meshuggah, Mastodon, Michael Manring, Billy Gould, Doug from Darkglass and the 3 Leaf Audio Team

But wait!  Where did Michael Manring come from?  Read on.

If you are familiar with the NAMM show, then you know how much music is played before, during, and after the event. This might be expected at a musi
c trade show, but just to clear up any doubts anybody might have, it's a non-stop music fest!

From large organized performances to individual players working the floor testing new gear, NAMM is a living, breathing work of musical art. There is nothing passive about the experience whatsoever, since even press folks and other administrative staff pick up instruments and participate in the community that is NAMM.

This is one of the most functional parts about the show, too, because I can ask someone all the technical questions about a new product and then just pick it up and try it myself. There is little room for guesswork when the experience is so interactive like this.

Along the same lines, the music community is so tight knit here at NAMM that many special opportunities exist to interact with high profile musicians in low-pressure settings. Even though some of the highest profile guys and gals have scheduled signings throughout the show, even they are very down to earth when you get into a one-on-one conversation. Perhaps the best way to describe it is that the usual barriers that separate the average Joe from someone famous drop and go away. Take this past Friday night for example.

Noble Ale Works hosted the Intronaut show on 1/24/14

I was scheduled to visit Noble Ale Works here in Anaheim, CA to see Intronaut play a small, intimate show in the parking lot. There might have been 30 or so people, and within that crowd we had really positive interactions with guys from Meshuggah, Mastodon, Intronaut, Faith No More, Darkglass Electronics, and 3 Leaf Audio.

Over a beer, Doug from Darkglass (the engineer/designer of the pedals) broke down in excruciating detail how he designed the B3K and Vintage Microtubes, describing how the gain staging needing to be spread out over 3 independent but linked stages to ensure bass frequencies didn't get lost in the mix. After he explained all this to me, he shared his story of building pedals in his living room and working his way up to finding dealers and distributors across the globe. We then grabbed another beer, made fun of him for wearing a shirt that was too tight, and made our way over to Joe from Intronaut.

I first met Joe last year at NAMM. It's been since then that I've seen him, but it was cool that he remembered who I was (or at least faked it)! The guy is a truly innovative bass player, playing a mix of eclectic and musically complicated riffs with some really heavy stuff, all on a fretless instrument. We caught up on a variety of things, talked about what we did at the show, what sorts of new and interesting things were happening, and the band's new Mesa endorsement.  When Intronaut took the stage and played their set, I was absolutely floored.  They did such an incredible job, and even though I've heard their music on CDs before, seeing them live was something different, something better.

Intornaut played an amazing set on Friday night at Noble Ale Works.

After their set, I had a chance to discuss guitar building with Sacha from Intronaut for a while, too.  He makes his own guitars, and also makes guitars for other folks at Valley Fret Works.  He makes all kinds and types of guitars, including some really cool baritones, so I would highly recommend checking it out if you're interested in that sort of thing like I am.

Another silly but memorable moment from the night was when Brent from Mastodon was headed towards the restrooms and I pulled him aside to play a game.  It was this bean bag game where you had to stand about 15 feet away and toss the bean bags into the hole, and there were about four or five of us already going strong when Brent came by. He briefly joined in the action, then a few other guys joined in as well, and before long the entire bar was involved and bean bags were flying around everywhere. Everyone was laughing and having the best time, high fiving each other when they made it in, and poking fun at one another when they didn't.

Around the same time, I met a guy named Brian from Washington state who plays bass and had a great conversation with him about music.  He was there with a bass builder who makes very extravagant basses, which I'll have to do another post on soon.  Anyways, before long, Dick from Meshuggah came over and started a really jovial conversation with us, and eventually challenged Brian to an arm wrestling match.  Brian looks like he's built like a football player, and Dick's a pretty big guy himself, so I wasn't really sure how it was going to turn out.  After a fairly long time (at least a minute or two), Brian beat Dick and took all the glory.

Brian and Dick going at it

Before the night was over, there was one more really special performance by Michael Manring that must be mentioned.  It was one of the most impressive things I've ever seen on a fretless bass -- a continuous, stream-of-consciousness style performance that lasted about 20 minutes and took the audience through a wide range of emotions.  Video coming soon.

Michael Manring before his mind-blowing performance

By the end of the night, I had consumed an ample amount of music, lively conversation, tacos, and beer.  More importantly, I had a chance to get to know several guys in the music scene better who I've looked up to for several years.  It was one of the more fun and memorable NAMM experiences I've had to date.

The really awesome thing is that this is what NAMM is all about.  It's about musicians, dealers, distributors, manufacturers, and more getting together in a super friendly, family-oriented environment for a long weekend of memorable experiences, educational insights, and productivity.

It can be hard in the music industry to "make it", and just about everyone that I've spoken with has gone through their troubles, whether as a press agent like myself, an artist, or an equipment manufacturer.  It's hard to get noticed, obtain credibility, and accomplish one's goal in the music industry no matter what your angle.  But the power of banding together and building positive energy on top of positive energy is something very real at the NAMM show and its related events.  This power can make you forget where you are standing because the music and the people around you are so inspiring that you get lost in their music, words, or ideas with them.  Then, when you snap back to reality, you feel a greater sense of satisfaction and understanding about the world around you, as though you transcended several years of growth in a mere moment.

This is the power of NAMM and one of the reasons it's a trade show unlike any other.  Sure, technically it's all business, but there is a strong dose of organic love and humanity thrown well into the mix.  The individuals present are the ones who make it what it is, and there are just so many "good apples" in the room all the time.  Building on this love, humanity, collaboration, and supportive environment is one of my biggest goals, and I am so happy to be a part of it again this year.