THE BIG SHOW
THOUGH THERE ARE MANY FORCES THAT AFFECT TRENDS AND STYLES IN THE AUTOMOTIVE SCENE, NONE HAVE MORE IMPACT THAN THE ANNUAL SEMA SHOW. Many other large events take place throughout the country that hold a special place in our hearts. Everyone preps for them by adding extra touches to their rides, and though these shows might be important, their impact is felt among their specific fans exclusively.
What makes SEMA so meaningful is that it’s not just a show for truck folks. Aside from the fact that it’s a tradeshow for all aftermarket parts manufacturers, the event also brings all types of vehicles to a world audience. It’s where the best customizers come out to flaunt their skills, and if you can leave a mark at SEMA, then you’ll know that you’ve really made it.
This is one time of the year when we need to be on our toes as representatives of the truck scene. All other automotive enthusiasts will judge what our peers do or bring out to the show. But, why does that matter? Well, we want everyone else to gawk at our craftsmanship and ingenuity. It makes the statement that we’re capable of doing things with trucks that others didn’t even know were possible. Getting that recognition is a real accomplishment.
Many of us will spend countless hours working around the clock to make sure we bring nothing but the best custom trucks to the show. Though it can be tiring, it’s all worth it in the end because there’s no larger show to work toward. First-timers don’t usually get the opportunity to attempt a SEMA build, and we suggest you start small and build up to larger and larger events, if your goal is to eventually debut a build at SEMA.
For me, the whole SEMA experience is much more than simply working on a truck. Though I do spend time working on personal trucks and have helped friends work on their trucks for the show, I currently have more pressing responsibilities. As part of an exhibiting company, we have to bring our best product and introduce new ones. We do have a special project in the works this year, and details will be forthcoming in future issues.
In preparation, we developed a mock-up cover and printed flyers. Being located in Southern California does have its advantages: We have more time to work on our projects because
Vegas is just a short four-hour drive away. As we saw social media posts about other guys buttoning up their projects in regions that were further away, we were still in crunch time.
After making it to the show, our job was just beginning. We had a booth to prep and meetings to attend with other exhibiting companies. The meetings are very important because it’s at them that we learn what’s new and which cool parts will soon become available to you, our readers. Although our schedules are filled with activities, I always manage to sneak away for a few moments to see the custom trucks on display.
As the week winds down, we do our best to schedule photo shoots of the best of these trucks. We usually arrange them for the day after the show ends and everyone’s free to leave the convention center. Though the show is over on Friday, Saturday is one of the most hectic days for us magazine folk. We have the task of rounding up vehicles and coordinating feature shoots. Once this is all over, we get a minute to relax before heading back to the office. When we’re home we reflect on all of the show happenings and start planning for next year. It’s never-ending chaos, but we like it; otherwise, we wouldn’t subject ourselves to it year after year.