[Dixielandjazz] Battle of the Bands

[TCASHWIGG at aol.com]

In a message dated 12/29/03 3:53:33 PM Pacific Standard Time, TBW504 at aol.com 
writes:

> 
> Every year there is a battle of the bands during the French Quarter Festival 
> 
> which is supposedly decided on public acclamation. After many years 
> experience 
> I have learnt to avoid it at all costs. The amplification is ear-shattering; 
> 
> bands mostly play rabble-rousing material; the "winner" is chosen before the 
> 
> contest starts as far as I can observe. Be warned!
> Brian Wood 
> _______________________________________________

'Tis pretty much the same in all of them Brian, hand picked winners by the 
sponsors and or organizers is not uncommon at all.  I used to run them back in 
the hey dey of rock and roll, and the local favorites almost always 
mysteriously win.  If it is sponsored by a major advertiser they always bring in their 
"wringer" pre selected winner for the finals and blow everyone else away in any 
amateur contest.  The sponsors like it because they take it from pub to pub to 
pub all across the country and sell a lot of BEER and souvenir stuff not only 
to the audience but the bands and all their fans that show up to root them 
on.

I have on occasion entered a group or two into such competitions that I knew 
would and should walk away with the first prize, and had them not even be in 
the running even after several standing ovations from the audiences which had 
never seen them before.  And watched a hand picked mediocre act walk away with 
all the prizes.

New Orleans competitions, I would not go near with a "Twenty Foot Pole" many 
strange things have been know to go on in New Orleans, the only thing that is 
slick in that fair City is unfortunately not the oil slick on the Mighty 
Missisip.  They wrote the book on Slick in New Orleans.

Don't forget, there is generally an ENTRY FEE attached to the application for 
consideration to get to compete as well.   Their winner usually gets a 
"Recording Contract" with some obscure label, and Recording Studio Time between 3 
and 6 a.m. at a Studio connected with the Mystery  Record label, and both are 
usually affiliated with the Booking Agency that  also gives the winner an 
exclusive contract for one year just in case,  Sometimes they might actually get 
some band equipment that has been donated by a sponsor, but that is probably also 
factored into the winners deal, so it is all under control.

 a. they ever record anything, 
b. it ever gets released by the label, (Before they go out of business)
c. Anybody ever wants to book the band.

Cheers,

Tom Wiggins