Rainbow hair and pink fluffy jackets...
That's what NAMM was made of
By Sally A. Schwartz

Well this year at the International Music Merchants Association (NAMM) show in Anaheim, California proved to be just as bizarre as the years previous. To start this event out in style, I would have to put the Wicked Tinkers on the best dressed list! The band opened the convention on Friday morning, sporting the wonderful attire of kilts while playing the digeridoo, bagpipes and drums. I am a true sucker when it comes to men in kilts and I have to say that it put a huge smile on my face to see a few other kilt wearers this fine weekend.

Elmo from "Sesame Street" was in attendance wearing his finest in red, Felix the Cat was sporting his wonderful born-to-be-shown tux and Ernie Ball put on the a display reminiscent of the film "Pirates of the Caribbean," complete with a young man that looked like Capt. Jack Sparrow! You had "The Silver Man," a guy dressed from head to toe, skin and all, in silver who walked like he had a stick ... well, let's just say where the sun doesn't shine. Maybe his outfit was a tad too tight. Anyway, he reminded me of a bad B movie.

Then there was the exhibitor that wouldn't give "Matrix" a break-- all the sales representatives were dressed as characters from the movie series and there was a girl who performed acrobatic feats while dangling on a swath of fabric from a hoop strung  above the booth. I was waiting for the Lord of the Rings to show it's 3.5-hour ugly head, but luck prevailed and the only reference was a humorous "backstage pass'' from Dean Markley bearing the image of a wizard and touting "Lord of the Strings."

Although there were many who wore the famous black attire, many of the attendees dressed in blue jeans and T-shirts.

I decided to take a restroom break and as I was coming out, a girl with rainbow hair, a pink fluffy jacket, slime green fishnet stockings, white ankle boots and a black micro-mini came walking in. At first I lost my bearings, as I thought I was at a Halloween party, then reality hit me and I remembered, "Oh yeah, this is NAMM and the bizarre do seem to come out to enjoy themselves."

Static X had 'dos that ranged from 12-inch high spiked hair to slime green with matching fingernails! They were pretty cool and signed a poster for my son.
 
Of course you also had the girls who donned Catholic schoolgirl uniforms turned micro-minis, plus pigtails and all the trimmings. Here I was told respectable girls didn't dress that way. Girls didn't your mommy tell you better?

Overall, NAMM seemed as normal and as outrageous as usual. All who attended seemed to have had a great time and I'm sure many deals were cut. I am only left to wonder what will befall me next year!

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