[Dixielandjazz] Rev. Tom Bob's Sermon of the week (Long)

[Sam Meerkin/Evelyne Perks]

Hear, hear Tom.  Well said !
Nobody could have made it plainer.


----- Original Message ----- 
From: <TCASHWIGG at aol.com>
To: <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Monday, August 18, 2003 2:41 AM
Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Rev. Tom Bob's Sermon of the week (Long)


> OK folks we bantered around a bunch of ideas about what is allegedly
"Wrong
> with Dixieland Music" and it's premature untimely and highly exaggerated
claims
> of demise.
>
> I went out to a concert last evening in a very, very high income exclusive
> California City next door to where I live, and all of this community is
made up
> of such cities. The homeowners and businesses around here are almost all
in
> the 50% tax bracket, not that any of them actually pay that much tax. 3000
> people in attendance (free bring your own picnic wine & soda & kids,
family
> event).   I saw folks drinking bottles of wine that cost more than most
> musicians make for a gig.
>
> This Concert was put on by the Parks & Recreation Department & The
CULTURAL
> ARTS Department of this city, Sponsored by the local BMW Dealership, and
A.
> Bank, who contribute substantially to the Cultural Arts Department. Now
this
> has been going on for the past fifteen years that I know of.
>
> An associate of mine produced this event for these folks under their
> direction, they wish no input from our professional staff about anything
except
> negotiating the contracts for them and showing up to make sure everything
is done
> correctly so they can get on the stage and make announcements about their
good
> work for the community and take the credit for the event, see and be seen
and
> feel like they are really somebody and doing good for their community. An
> executive director or two and a bunch of well meaning volunteers who have
not got
> a clue about anything even remotely associated with entertainment and
music
> business.   But they love to get up on the stage and talk on the PA
system.
>
> They insist upon selecting the entertainment by committee, which by the
way
> has not one musician or entertainer on it, starting to see the picture
here
> yet?
>
> Now for last night's event they spent $1,500.00 for the sound system and
the
> company showed up with about 1/2 what they contracted to bring and it
proved
> to be inadequate at best for the size of the venue (an outdoor park) The
spent
> another $1,500.00 for a portable stage to be brought in and erected for
the
> two hour concert. They spent another $1,750.00 to rent drums, drum risers,
> back drop curtains and other musical instruments and backline equipment,
and a
> tent dressing room for the band. Another $1,000.00 for portable toilets
which
> were placed thirty feet from the High School toilets that could have been
used
> if someone had called the janitor and asked permission and made a small
> contribution to the school for the cleanup after the event. They paid this
Band
> (and I do use that term very, very loosely) $3,500.00 for 90 minutes of
> complete Bull Pucky.
>
> Now the worst part: The entertainment committee selected absolutely one of
> the worst acts I have ever seen or heard, and believe me in thirty-five
years of
> booking acts I have seen a few. The act was four guys about forty
something
> who dressed up in fifties/sixties Band suits (The only thing Authentic
about
> the act) and wore Elvis wigs for the first set and played along to a track
> tape complete with canned giant crowd cheers to introduce themselves, and
erupt
> again after every song they attempted to play. The first set was a short
> medley of Rhythm & Blues hits, which they performed ALA band karaoke
style, they
> actually did appear to be playing along with the tape in some parts, other
> parts they did the vocals and faked the instrumental parts.
>
> Next the taped voice of Ed Sullivan came across the PA while they made a
mad
> dash to change Wigs and coats and rushed back on to the stage as THE
BEATLES,
> and tried to don British accents and sing a few tunes, rather lamely
again,
> then Ed Sullivan came on again and had an even bigger act, oh yeah he
brought
> back Elvis (The King himself) who did the worst Elvis imitation I have
witnessed
> in many years and I have witnessed a few of them too.
>
> This show was so lame and boring that people were actually going over to
the
> BMW display and sitting in the cars, and checking them out and actually
> talking to the car salesmen, others went over to the Bank booth to talk
about
> opening a free checking account.
>
> Even the hundreds of children were out playing ball in the back and were
not
> even remotely interested in this fiasco of a show. The worst Dixieland
band
> I have ever heard could have stolen this show and actually entertained the
> audience. Heck it would have been a better show if they just played CDs or
real
> musicians of any genre. (Good Gawd I am beginning to sound like I endorse
> DJs) But seriously folks, this kind of act can only exist because of what
> people on this list and other musicians do not do. And if we all stand
around
> and let it continue for another day we deserve what we will get.   Shut
Out.
>
> Now here is something positive for those who are interested to work with.
>
>
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