[Dixielandjazz] New Orleans Jazz Vipers

[TCASHWIGG at aol.com]

In a message dated 12/2/04 10:31:35 AM Pacific Standard Time, 
sign.guy at charter.net writes:

> .  A sell out crowd.  Last week I saw him performing for a European
> audience.  Same group, almost the same music etc.  That audience almost tore
> the house down dancing swaying and clapping.  A big difference.  Those
> people came to have a good time.  The St. Louis crowd didn't, at least not
> in the same way.  To be completely fair there were several ushers that were
> having a really good time off in the wings.
> 
> It's difficult to change that but we have to keep trying..

Yes, I agree Larry:

In this great Land of the Free and Freedom  we have in many places simply 
forgotten how to have Fun.

When I tour and play in Europe I always find great audiences and 
participation and great feedback for the band from people of all walks of life and they 
are not all drinking Alcohol either.

Our great country now has so many laws that we have greatly restricted the 
everyday quality of life, and unfortunately the more they pass and try to 
enforce the less and less Freedom we really have.

The Insurance companies and Police and Security folks would have us all sit 
quietly in concert seats and not ever get up and dance, let our hair down and 
have a good time, less liability for them.

Drunk Driving has not stopped just because they passed laws against it, and 
it did not stop most of the habitual drunks that still drive even when they 
have been convicted several times and had their driving privileges taken away.

What it has done however is repress all the regular folks and the non 
drinkers to stay at home for fear of being killed by one of the drunk drivers, or 
worse getting put in jail at the sole discretion of a policeman looking for a 
bust.

I would venture that there are far more accidents of all kinds happening at 
home by intoxicated folks than there are drunk driving accidents on the roads 
or injuries at dances and concerts.

I would venture an assumption that there are more Drunk driver arrest 
potentials at the conclusion of major Sporting events than dances, the sports fans 
are restricted to sit there and drink all during the game and then get up and 
leave and drive home.

The Music world offers the consumer the opportunity to get up and dance and 
move and shake your booty and work up a sweat and expend the alcohol much 
faster.

Cheers,

Tom Wiggins