Jason Mraz in the Taylor Guitar Suite

This year’s NAMM show was pretty quiet – no doubt an impact of last year’s economy – with an exhibit floor that was missing major players (Apple and ProTools), a dearth of Rock ‘n’ Roll booth babes, and no line at the complementary hearing test trailer in the basement. That was all fine though, we didn’t have to yell to be heard on the exhibit floor. Jason gave me an interactive demonstration on the nuances of fine cymbals, and then after seeing the results of my hearing test realized I didn’t really have any appreciation for what he was talking about.

I did have a great appreciation for live music in the Taylor Guitar suite however. Doyle Dukes stunned us with his pickin’ chops, Night Ranger did an acoustic set followed by a Damn Yankees reunion. They dropped into a successful acoustic version of ‘Cat Scratch Fever’ – something that shouldn’t even be tried. Finally, Jason Mraz took the stage in a 3,600 sq. ft. room with inadequate air conditioning for the 600+ people who were crammed in there.

Damn Yankees Reunion

The Nuge

Doyle Dykes

Serj Tankian of SOAD

Jason Mraz

Styx, via phone pic

Yea, all that and Styx at the House of Blues.