The sound of progress hit the West Coast loud and clear as the AES Show 2025 – Long Beach returned to California after a nine-year hiatus. Hosted at the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center from October 22-25, the flagship event of the Audio Engineering Society (AES) welcomed its 159th international convention with a full throttle agenda of workshops, exhibitions, and audio-nerd camaraderie.
Quartz-sharp programming met hands-on gear demos: from skill-building tours to immersive room experiences, the schedule was curated by Convention Co-Chairs Peter Doell, Michael Hagen and Valerie Tyler—together guiding paper reviews, volunteer schedules, and the all-important tech tours.
AES President Gary Gottlieb summed it up: “I am absolutely thrilled with the outcome… the camaraderie and congeniality that has been there through all those decades was stronger than ever in Long Beach.” The energy on the show floor (gear to touch! demos to try!) was matched by the expert lectures and keynote sessions from all corners of audio tech.
Highlights included a keynote by multi-platinum producer/educator Warren Huart of the “Produce Like a Pro” YouTube channel, a sit-down with GRAMMY®-winning producer Andrew Watt and Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith, and the distinguished Heyser Lecture by AES Past President Sean Olive. On the creative side: sessions such as “Inside the Productions of Brian Wilson” (with engineer/producer Mark Linett & Huart) and “Shaping Sound and Artist Identity” featuring Sounwave and moderator Manny Marroquin dug into artistry and identity in audio.
Over 140 sessions took place—covering workshops, panels, paper/poster presentations and immersive listening rooms. Key AES personnel—Gary Gottlieb, newly elected Director & AES Fellow Agnieszka Roginska and Executive Director Colleen Harper (alongside Director of Business Operations Graham Kirk)—were on hand to connect with attendees, students and professionals alike.
In short: the AES Show 2025 wasn’t just a convention—it was a reunion of the global audio community, a place where innovation, education and networking collided under one roof.
What’s next? The AES is already charging ahead with its online Immersive Audio Academy (“Automotive Audio” edition) and its 2026 Europe Convention in Copenhagen (May 28-30). If you missed Long Beach—or you want to keep the momentum rolling—those are your next stops.
