Post
by MC » Mon Dec 29, 2014 2:46 pm
It's a four day show thursday through sunday. Friday and Saturday are the worst, crowds of people and crazy days.
Visitor pass requests have to be submitted by August or September. They do check your ID against your visitor pass so you can't borrow someone else's pass. It will be confiscated from you. Backpacks will be searched. You can thank 9/11 for that.
To give you an idea how much stuff is there... picture a convention floor the size of five football fields laid side to side. There's also the basement and second floor, both the same size. Yamaha usually rents space at the hotel across the convention center. Remember there are traditional instruments not just synths and guitars and studio gear.
Besides the gear, you can see some really good impromptu performances and scheduled concerts. I have seen some really talented kids at those shows.
Just remember that the real customers are the retailers and distributors. If things get too disruptive they have been known to eject visitors. You can't buy anything and if you have a visitor pass you are not allowed to leave with gear. Sometimes a booth will sell something at the last hour on Sunday (esp a large item that they don't want to pay the shipping to return it), but the vendor has to escort you to the door.
Gear list: '04 Saturn Ion, John Deere X300 tractor, ganged set of seven reel mowers for 3 acres of lawn, herd of sheep for backup lawn mowers, two tiger cats for mouse population control Oh you meant MUSIC gear Oops I hit the 255 character limi
) and for the first time ever that I know of, Club Of The Knobs (COTK) will be there sharing a both with Avalon Designs and look at what they are bringing! 
It is totally crowded and crazy as it is though so I shudder to think what it would be like if they allowed the place to be constantly packed to capacity! 
