NAMM NEXT MOVES ONLINE N AMM announced on May 27 that its NAMM NeXT event will transition from also encouraged attendees who booked flights and cannot receive a refund or a credit for future travel to contact them.
an in-person event to an online event based on conservations and industry feedback from a recent survey it sent out. “As we’ve seen throughout our 124- year history, times of great change for the world and our industry require NAMM to adapt to the needs of our members,” John Mlynczak, NAMM president and CEO, said in the cancellation announcement. “There’s no question that we are living through an- other such moment, with rapid changes in trade and our economy impacting businesses. We have heard from many of you that your businesses are managing all expenses and travel very carefully right now, and being out of the office is difficult during the next 90 days or more.” Instead of an in-person event, NAMM
“We do not want you to incur any ad- ditional costs from this cancellation, as we greatly appreciate your support in register- ing early for this event,” Mlynczak said. “NAMM is first and foremost a member- focused organization and responsive to the needs of the industry to help our member- ship be more successful. We understand that NAMM events are a cherished occasion for our music community to gather and network, and this decision was not taken lightly. We believe that pivoting from the live NAMM NeXT event and providing complimentary online education to all NAMM members is the best use of time and resources right now as we navigate these new challenges together.” {namm.org} “This is a landmark moment for ACT Entertainment,” said James Oliver, ACT’s senior vice president of strategic partnerships. “Our goal is to build the resources and support network needed to serve the live sound market at the highest level. We’re proud to have the opportunity to bring ACT’s dedication for excellence to Avid’s live sound solutions.” Among the products that ACT will represent is Avid’s Venue | S6L System. Venue delivers flexibility, reliability and sound quality. The teams recently met at ACT’s Cincinnati location to kick off the collaboration with console demonstrations and discussions surrounding streamlining distribution processes, to ensure every cus- tomer receives a fully supported, plug-and- play Avid experience from the start. “Partnering with ACT Entertainment empowers us to reach more live sound professionals with the tools they need to deliver unforgettable performances,” said Wellford Dillard, Avid’s CEO. “ACT shares our commitment to innovation and excel- lence. Together, we’re not only distributing premium live performance solutions, but building a stronger, more responsive experi- ence for the live sound community. ACT’s expertise and infrastructure will allow us to deliver our VENUE systems with the speed and support our customers expect.” {avid.com; actentertainment.com}
NeXT will pivot to offer the three most time- sensitive presentations online for all NAMM members, covering global trade, the future of global economic growth and leadership strategies to navigate disruption. This content will be made available on July 1. NAMM NeXT attendees will be receiving a full refund for their registration fees, and NAMM will take care of cancelling hotel reservations at the event location. NAMM
From left: ACT Entertainment’s James Oliver and Joe Langholt with Avid’s Chant Peck and Matt Lawrence. Avid Names ACT Entertainment as its New U.S. Distributor A CT Entertainment has announced it is now the U.S. distributor for Avid’s live sound portfolio.
another major step forward in our strategic initiative to build the ACT Entertainment portfolio with class-leading solutions across all categories of entertainment technology,” said Ben Saltzman, ACT’s CEO. “We have long admired Avid’s commitment to inno- vation, and we believe this collaboration marks a very exciting chapter for both Avid and ACT Entertainment. Collectively, we bring together some of the most passionate professionals in the world for the benefit of our shared customer base.”
ACT Entertainment has a history of building infrastructure and market presence for premium brands, such as Ayrton, MA Lighting and PK Sound. This new partner- ship represents a significant expansion in Avid’s U.S. strategy and underscores its commitment to serving the professional live sound community. “The partnership with Avid represents
16 I MUSIC INC. I JULY 2025
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