What a way to cap off a crazy Day One at Winter NAMM --- the National Association of Music Merchants event held each January in Anaheim, California. After fighting the crowds on a vibrant, yet indescribably loud and raucous show floor all day, it was a welcome opportunity to sit (though many stood), rest and enjoy a fantastic concert by so many wonderful musicians whose focus is on praising the Lord.
That's how Day One of Winter NAMM ended for many of the 1,000-plus in attendance. Brenton Brown and Worship Republic, The Norm Stockton Group and Peter Furler performed at the Night of Worship event presented by WATS (Worship Arts Technology Summit) and Worship Musician Magazine. The event was sponsored by Yamaha, Shure, Elation, ProPresenter and Elite Core.
While the audio and lighting were world-class and concert-quality, what stood out were the massive side screens. This was IMAG on steroids. Each side screen was wider than the stage itself --- maybe twice as wide. Sometimes split into three different images per side, the perception was almost IMAX-like. Sometimes the screens showed crowd shots shot from a jib-mounted camera located near the FOH (front-of-house) position, other times it was lyrics, or close-ups of the musicians --- sometimes all three---on each side. Other times there were textures or filler images that split each side screen into digestible sections. It was truly an immersive experience, and one that churches could find inspiring.
The massive NAMM showfloor in the adjacent Anaheim Convention Center was packed with musical instruments of all varieties, and the latest in audio, video, lighting and rigging systems. Thanks to this dedicated group of individuals and companies for wrapping up all the NAMM has to offer in a context that puts the focus back on worshiping our creator God.
Kudos to my friend, Bruce Adolph, publisher of Christian Musician and Worship Musician Magazines, the WATS group, and the list of sponsors for offering a first-class event.
Related Articles:
