I'll be going, I'll be in attendance for all of the trade days but leaving before the public day...as it gets a bit hectic.
I had a peek at the 'qualifications' for trade entry:
Wholesale trade/foreign tarde - retail trade/specialist suppliers - industry and craft for music instruments, sheet music and accessories, department store buyers - composers, choirmaster, conductors- music teachers, music lecturers, authors - guest performance and concert agencies, organisers - prof. musicans and music services.
I assume that when buying a trade ticket you simply have to put down which category you fit in to...and I'd imagine that 'music services' covers a great deal of ground.
I would advise non-trade visitors to avoid the first day, as this is a very busy day for the trade. The second day is a little more relaxed, but the third trade day is probably the best bet.
The public day gets rather crowded. It's still a good day if you're wanting to try out lots of gear, but because of the sheer numbers of people attending it's not such a good day for socialising ( it's hard to get a seat in the many bars and cafes ).
Closer to the date it'd be a good idea to exchange mobile phone numbers, to help ensure that those who want to hook up for a bevvy can find each other.
Regards,
