By George Petersen
MUSIKMESSE/PRO LIGHT+SOUND RETURNS TO FRANKFURT, Germany in a couple weeks (April 6 to 9, 2011) and it’s a monster event, with 15 exhibit halls of M.I., pro audio, DJ and lighting gear. It’s kind of like attending Winter NAMM, LDI, AES, DJ Expo, InfoComm and more—all squeezed into four exhausting days. Newcomers attending Musikmesse/PL+S are often awestruck by the show’s size and scope, but with a few tips, it’s really quite manageable. Here’s some advice for anyone interested in the art of Musikmesse survival:
GETTING AROUND: You DO know your Musikmesse/PL+S badge is also a free pass for Frankfurt’s excellent public transit system, with U-Bahn/S-Bahn (subway), buses, streetcars… Also, there’s a S-Bahn station inside Messe (in the Torhaus) that’s really convenient. Note: The transit system in Frankfurt works on the honor system; there’s a substantial fine if you can’t produce a ticket or pass, so keep your badge with you!
GET IT IN WRITING: Thankfully, a good percentage of Germans speak English. However, just in case, whenever I travel to a foreign country I always keep a copy of the name, address and phone number of my hotel (from a business card or brochure) and keep it in my wallet. This way I can always show it to a taxi driver who has trouble understanding me, and it will get me back to where I need to go.
MORNING CAB TRICK: If you’re taking a cab into Messe in the morning and coming from the direction of city center or the train station, tell the cabbie to take you to the Marriott Hotel rather than Messe (just walk across the street and you’re there). This way, you save time and $$$, by not having to endure the extra 1/2-mile–and frequently backed up–Hamburger Alee (yeah, that’s really the name of the road!) next to Messe, where the cabs have to double back to make a legal U-Turn to get to the front of the Maritim Hotel next to the Halle 5.1 entrance.
SHUTTLECRAFT: Need to get from Hall 5 to Hall 9 in a hurry? Forget those people movers and escalators in the hallways! Walk downstairs, and go outside to the shuttle bus stops, where free shutttles come by every 2 minutes and stop at each hall. They run all day in a loop connecting all the halls. Also, many of the halls are stacked above one another, so your next appointment may just be an escalator ride away.
THE FIND-A-CAB TRICK: There’s a cab stand near Messe in front of the Maritim Hotel, but after 5:30 pm, all the cabs disappear and depending on the lines, the cab wait is sometimes up to 40 minutes (longer when it’s raining). Same problem at the Marriott Hotel across the street. But you’re not stuck: Just use that free transit pass and jump on any streetcar heading toward the Hauptbahnhof (train station) about 2-3 stops away. Get off there, and go to the train station where there are always dozens of cabs out front waiting for customers. Alternatively, you can also ride the subway (or walk) from Messe to the Hauptbahnhof and get a cab there.
GOOD EATS: Unlike most convention centers, Messe has tons of restaurants, some very good–steakhouse, sushi, etc. here’s the link… http://www.accenteservices.de/en/restaurants_bistros_shops/e6-1.htm. I like the one called Rotisserie… it’s at the far end of hall 6.1 with its entrance squeezed next to the staircases, making it hard to find… Not a hot dog place! Has linen tablecloths, table service, lunches about $12-$15… It’s fairly quiet and a great place for business lunches.
AVOID SATURDAY: If you’re attending for business, try to get everything done before Saturday, when the show’s open to the general public. Not only will the joint be packed, but the key players in many companies duck out on the last day.
SOUVENIR SHOPPING: The Flohmarkt (Flea Market) is 8am-2pm Saturday mornings and it USED to be along the bank of the Main river in the Sachsenhausen district. But now, due to complaints from the neighbors, it alternates every week between that traditional riverside location and on Lindleystrasse, where it will be this year during Musikmesse. Either way, it’s FREE and an awesome place to pick up odd trinkets, and last-minute gifts for the kids or folks back home. I’ve been taking people there for years and they’re constantly amazed by the odd stuff we find, ranging from treasures to genuine Eurotrash. But whether you buy or not, the Flohmarkt provides a highly entertaining excursion that you won’t soon forget. Just keep your wallet in your front pocket! Speaking of Sachsenhausen, it’s the restaurant district in Frankfurt, with hundreds of eateries within a 10 to 12 block area—a great reason to return some evening.
STAYING UPRIGHT: If you’ve never attended a European show, you should know that there’s a bar (and occasional complete lounge) built into nearly every booth. German beer is very good and Messe-style is a very civilized way of doing business. But as you wander from booth to booth, you might consider alternating soda, juice or water with those beers, so you’re still coherent by mid-afternoon! Anyway, travel safe and have a nice Musikmesse.
DO A FRIEND A FAVOR! Know someone attending Musikmesse? E-mail them the link to this blog. Thanks!
George Petersen is an independent journalist/author/producer. Visit him on Facebook or at www.audioinfosource.com.
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