T.H.E. Show Newport: May 31 - June 2, 2013

With only three months to go, T.H.E. Show Newport, now in its third year, is predicting another successful event and is expecting to sell out of exhibit space early. Currently, occupancy levels are exceeding 2012 figures, and exhibit space in the Hilton is already official sold out. Exhibit space is still available at the Atrium hotel, adjacent to the Hilton, but is filling up fast.

Richard Beers, President of T.H.E. Shows Newport and Las Vegas, anticipates that 2013 will be another year of tremendous growth for the biggest West Coast Consumer Audio Show. “Bob Levi, President of the Los Angeles and Orange County Audio Society (LAOCAS), deserves a lot of credit,” says Beers. “Bob is relentless in his support of T.H.E. Show, and, working together, LAOCAS and T.H.E. Show have grown at a staggering rate. T.H.E. Show will be HUGE for 2013, and the LAOCAS has gained 500 new members in the past two years, making it the largest Audio Society on the planet, as Bob would put it. The LAOCAS and T.H.E. Show make a great team—helping to promote all the virtues of the great high-end audio industry. It’s all about trying to bring awareness levels to a wider and more discriminating audience, and we seem to be succeeding.”

Of course, Beers also attributes the tremendous growth of T.H.E. Show Newport to the exhibitors and visitors. “Obviously, says Beers, “we couldn’t do this without the great support of our exhibitors and the abundance of serious, curious high-end audio buffs. We had over 7,500 attendees last year; with increased advertising, networking, social media, and simple word-of-mouth enthusiasm, we expect to increase that number significantly.”

More new and exciting events are planned for 2013! Two enormous ballrooms have been added, one dedicated to vinyl, the other to the burgeoning headphones industry. The vinyl exhibit booths will be coordinated with the help of Jim Kaplan of Record Collector magazine, which will bring in record dealers from all over Southern California. Michael Mercer, of The Daily Swarm, Positive Feedback, Enjoy The Music, HP Soundings, and more, is helping to put together exhibits of the best in high-end headphones. Mercer joins Nicoll Public Relations to provide the industry’s absolute epitomes of social networking, advertising, and promotions. Also returning with more exotic delights are the Gourmet Food Trucks—many of which sold out of food last year. “And, of course, the popular Car Show will grow,” says Beers. Under the guidance of Rick Reuss, of Reuss Sound Systems, the Car Show will be held in a new, more appealing, more accessible location, and will include such high-end masterpieces as the Saleen S7, Porsche Carrera GT, Ferrari 458 Spyder, Bentley Mulsanne, Mercedes SLS and many, many more.

T.H.E. Show Newport is also pulling out all the stops for exhibitors, and will feature a lounge exclusively reserved for exhibitor meetings, dealers, distributors, and the press. “T.H.E. Show Newport has become a place for exhibitors to debut new, exciting lines, and we want to make sure our exhibitors see the people they need to see,” says Beers. “We are making extra efforts to invite industry notables.”

Music

Nonstop entertainment for all! Concerts included with the entry fee will be held Friday and Saturday starting at 6:30 p.m. Mike Garson, jazz legend and pianist for David Bowie, among many others, will perform once again, joined by Tierney Sutton (Friday) and six-time Grammy nominee, Nnenna Freelon (Saturday).

The Atrium Hotel courtyard will offer continuous live entertainment during the day—poolside will be the place to be. In the evening there will be DJ entertainment at the Poolside Bar, and not to be missed will be the vinyl and headphone exhibits in the expanded ballroom.

“This will be a tremendous event for all audiophiles—new and old,” says Beers. “With over 150 active exhibits and hundreds of exhibitors participating, this is definitely an event not to be missed.”

T.H.E. Show Newport will be held at the Hilton Irvine and Atrium Hotels in Orange County, California, May 31st and June 1‑2, 2013—the weekend following the Memorial Day Holiday. Opening Day is Friday, May 31, beginning at 11 a.m. Saturday and Sunday, June 1-2, T.H.E. Show will open at 10 a.m. Exhibits are open till 6 p.m. daily, with continuous entertainment.

For more information about T.H.E. Show Newport and to pre-register, go to www.theshownewport.com. The website also includes discounted hotel rates and links. Tickets at the door are: $40 for all three days, or $15 per day. Discounts are available online by joining the Los Angeles and Orange County Audio Society. T.H.E. Show is located directly across MacArthur Blvd from the Orange County/John Wayne Airport (SNA).