This year I hope to go to LDI for the first time! I’m really excited but not quite sure what to expect…it’s in Vegas, right? Anyone have any thoughts, tips or stories they want to share???

I attended my first LDI this year in Florida. If you have ever been to a trade show they are all based on the same principles. LDI offeres a trade floor bigger than most however so you get to see all the new products from the major brands in lighting, sound, projection, and set gear. I took the opportuntiy this year to get the full conference pass so I could attend the workshops and I found a few of them helpfull, although there were so many LED sessions that they got a bit redundant. But, all in all still usefull in the big picture. Another highlight of LDI is LDI University which is training on many subjects (for an additional fee of course) This year I took a Vectorworks tutorial for 4 hours which was helpful, but they also teach the ETCP certification material, electrical safety classes. rigging workshops, training on most of the main consoles in both sound and lighting…the list goes on. Its also a great place to meet industry proffesionals and network. A few companies do interviews while there including Cirque and as always the ESTA has a nice board of opportunities outside the design fields like working as a researcher, a service provider, etc. OH, and I cant forget about the SWAG! All the tables that are set up for the vendors have SOMETHING to give away. There are all kinds of luncheons, breakfasts, and gatherings to exchange information, ideas, and FREE STUFF! So, overall its a great conference to attend and I knowmany people that go every year. Closer to the time Live Design will post a website with more detailed information and scheduled. I would reccomend LDI to anyone looking to attend a worthwhile conference. Maybe I’ll see you in Vegas!

Let’s not forget the Live Design staff is also on hand! ;-)

Even if you don’t take classes/workshops, I find that LDI is a valuable resource. It gives you an opportunity to get your hands on a lot of products and see if you think they are as good as the marketing campaigns. It also gives you the opportunity to meet with the sales reps which can make it a better sale once you decide to purchase a product. It is a great place to “network” at the new product breakfasts (and learn about some cool new items). I definitely come away with more swag than I should and your mailbox will be crammed with catalogs after, so if you have a work address, I recommend using that for your registration (that’s where the stuff will be sent).

I have gone to Florida once (about 10 years ago) and Vegas several times (though more often now that I live here).