well, i managed to blag a freebie, and went today
notable brands on display were markbass, but alas only the DI box and booster pedal on display, some pleasant looking warwicks on display (particularly a very nice vampyre NT in red - only about £5,250!), the new fender/ boss pedal from roland, and the pitchfactor from eventide that really stick in my mind.
unfortunately, no fender, Dean, rosetti, spector, Ashdown, GB guitars / ebs, gibson (except in the trade area - such that it was).
oh, and far too many people on a bass that think it's cool to make all kinds of wackety-clackety-nails-in-a-drum-type sounds.
to be honest, i wouldn't of paid to go. quite disappointing really.