[Dixielandjazz] Re: Sacramento, Too Large?

[Robert S. Ringwald]

Sorry, I did it again.  Forgot to change the address to DJML.

Below is what I accidentally sent direct to Tom Wiggins.

 Subject: Re: Sacramento, Too Large?


> Regarding the questionnaire that Site managers fill out for each set at
the
> Sacramento Jazz Jubilee, I said:
>
> > The questionnaire that the Site Managers fill out on each band at the
> Jubilee, is mainly for attendance. Since the Jubilee is so big, no one can
> get around to see every band & every set. Thus the report on each set.
>
> If a band has a couple poorly attended sets, but say, 8 good ones, then
you
> can pretty well figure that they were well received & maybe the sets were
> out of the way, or early or too late.
>
> However, if the band reports say that 8 out of 10 sets were poorly
attended,
> then you can judge accordingly.
>
>
> Tom Wiggins replied:
>
> > With all respect Bob I beg to differ with you.
>
> That is one of the Jubilee's major problems, too many bands trying to play
> too many sets all against and in competition with each other in too many
> venues.
>  Thus if the ticket buyers want to see any specific Headline act, then it
> stands to reason that the up and coming acts are going to suffer in
> attendance at
> some if not all their performance sets.
>
> Not to mention the problems with travel logistics of the fans trying to
get
> from set to set in time to see certain acts but have to pass because they
> need
> to get back to the other side of the festival to see another headline act
> that
> they will miss if they go across town to see the act that now has no
> audience
> to play to.  This is not the bands fault that they have no audience, it is
a
> scheduling problem by the Festival that they have absolutely no control
over
> or say so or input at all.
>
>
> BR- Tom, to a certain extent your comments have a bit of truth to them.
> But, There are a lot of festivals around the country, especially the West
> Coast.  If someone wants a small festival, there are plenty to attend.
They
> do not have to attend Sacramento.
>
> Sacramento is something different.  It is a "happening".  Like having a
> triple decker banana split with chocolate syrup, nuts & whipped cream.  A
> glutteny of bands.
>
> So what if you can't see them all.  Big deal.  Instead of having a
festival
> with 15 bands & being able to see 10 out of the 15, you have a festival
with
> 130 bands.  So, you see 10 out of 130.  Actually, with the festival being
4
> days, you can certainly see more than 10 of them.
>
> But, the point is, something for everyone.  A real "happening."
>
>
> Tom continues:
>
> > I have personally experienced this problem at Jubilee just as an
attendee
> and
> not as a performer.  You guys like to say that you can stay in one
location
> and the festival will come to you, That is not the way fans do things for
> the
> most part, they will try to go see every set of their favorite bands
rather
> than sit and wait to see who is going to show up next set on the stage
they
> happen to be sitting in front of.
>
>
> BR- If the fan decides to chase all over town, that is the fan's
progative.
> But, we have what we refer to as "Jazz Centers".  For instance, at Cal
EXPO,
> within very short walking distance, there might be 7 venues.  You can get
to
> any one of these 7 venues in 3 minutes walking time.  Each band plays one
> hour & there is a 1/2 hour break for everyone to get a drink, something to
> eat, go to the restroom & go to another venue, if they wish.
>
> That one "Jazz Center" is as big as most festivals, except that a large
> number of 130 bands will eventually come through the area.  In a small
> festival with 7 venues, you might have 15 or 20 bands come through the
area.
>
> Likewise for Old Sacramento.
>
> The Red Lion has maybe 4 venues.
>
> Other Jazz Centers have several venues also.
>
>
> Tom continues:
>
> You would serve them better by programming each stage with the same or
> similar types of groups and music for specific hours of the day and
rotating
> the
> audience rather than rotating the bands all over town wearing them out and
> stressing them out and then expecting them to get up and deliver a great
> show in the
> Sacramento Heat.
>
>
> BR- To a certain extent, we do that.  For instance, there are 3 venues
that
> feature strictly Traditional bands.  The Red Lion features mostly
All-Stars.
>
> Other venues tend to feature special types of music, such as often,
Freeway
> Gardens has Zydico.  There is another strictly Blues site.
>
> The Crest Theater features more of a show atmosphere.  And so on.
>
> Besides, if a band does not want to come to perform at Sacramento, no one
is
> forcing them.  There is a waiting list of somewhere around 900 bands
waiting
> to be invited.  Not very many turn us down.
>
>
> Tom continues:
>
> If you are going to diversify your music and attract a diverse audience
then
> you should structure the stages to cater to those specific audiences, keep
> them generally in one area and not wasting their time riding back and
forth
> or
> walking back and forth very far to see the kind of music they paid to come
> and
> see and hear.   I guarantee you the guys who paid to come and see the
Zydeco
> bands are not about to go stand in line for an hour to catch a bus to go
to
> Cal
> Expo to hear a two beat Dixieland Band, then waste another hour trying to
> get
> back to Old town to hear Sister Swing, and miss half the show or maybe not
> even be able to get in because the venue is full before they can get
there.
>
>
> BR- See above.
>
>
>
> I have been there and done that more than once in one festival.
>
> About the only other thing that is reported on is if the band uses
profanity
> or is rude to the audience. Also, if they start late or end early.
>
> This can be avoided mostly by the Festival being responsible to transport
> the
> bands to and from each performance in a timely manner and not leave the
> musicians to fend for themselves trying to get through 50,000 people and
get
> transportation to the next set in time to start on time.   This can
usually
> be done
> expediently by the use of Golf Carts donated by a sponsor, unless of
course
> you want to send them from Old town to the Red Lion Hotel between sets.
> They
> should be kept in one general area for performances where they can easily
> walk
> or golf cart between sets
>
>
> BR- For the most part, a band will appear twice in a general area.  For
> instance, maybe 11:30 AM at a location in Old Sac & then again at 2:00 PM
at
> another location in Old Sac.
>
> Same thing goes for the Red Lion, Cal EXPO, etc.  I have no trouble
getting
> to my sets & I usually play 12 during the 4 days.
>
> And, while a band is waiting for their next set, there is a musician's
> hospitality room where they can get complementary snacks & drinks.
>
>
> About the only other thing that is reported on is if the band uses
profanity
> or is rude to the audience. Also, if they start late or end early.
>
> These are valid points for sure in evaluating the professionalism of any
> act,
> however I saw at least one act at the last Jubilee that imbibed a bit
> heavily
> and used some very colorful language and unless the audience was
> sufficiently
> hip and understanding of their show would have been greatly offended by
> their
> banter with the audience.  Fortunately at that show they had their
audience
> and all went well.  Didn't bother me, but if there had been any Baptist
> Sunday
> School Teachers in the audience they would have fainted for certain.
>
>
> BR- We try to keep the festival "family orientated."  Every so often we
get
> reports, or complaints & that band is never asked back.  Three things that
> will cause a band not to be invited back are profanity, rude behavior and
> drunkeness.
>
> --Bob
> Musician member, Board of Directors, Sacramento Traditional Jazz Society
>