[Dixielandjazz] Beads & Bikinis

[Steve barbone]

List mates:

Had several band leaders ask me off list about beads and panties. Below is
what I wrote back to them.

CAVEAT: THIS MAY NOT BE FOR THE SO CALLED LITERATI AUDIENCE (what's left of
it) THAT BELIEVES DIXIELAND IS SOME ETHEREAL ART FORM FOR THE INTELLIGENCIA.
IT IS FOR THOSE WHO BELIEVE THAT DIXIELAND IS VISCERAL, DANCEABLE JAZZ FOR
THE YOUNG AND THE YOUNG AT HEART. AND FOR THOSE WHO DIG WHAT VARIOUS CONDON
GROUPS, THE ARMSTRONG ALL STARS, YERBA BUENA AND TURK MURPHY ORIGINALLY
PLAYED, BEFORE TODAY'S CLONE BANDS GOT A HOLD OF IT AND DEBALLED IT UNDER
THE GUISE OF "ART".

Cheers,
Steve Barbone

Hey_____________

Bead supplier I use is Accent Annex in New Orleans.

http:www.accentannex.com  or 1-800-322-2368

Ask for their catalog and they'll send it to you. They also have an on line
catalog but it is not complete.

Beads I use are:

#59900 - 33 inch necklace, round 7.5mm diameter assorted colors or
#59901 - 33 inch necklace, global 7.5mm diameter assorted colors

Price is $7.90 per 144 piece pack if you order 5 packs or more. (7 cents
each).

Also use larger beads for FEMALES WHO FLASH, or come up on the band stand
and hang out with us. The most uninhibited get the biggest beads.

#51148 48 inch necklace, assorted diameter sizes.

Price is $19.90 per 120 piece pack if you order 4 packs or more.

Accent Annex also has bikini panties that say on the front:
"Love Those Italians" - #93141 or
"Love The Irish" - #93140

$10.95 per 12 piece pack if you order 12 packs or more.
$11.95 per pack if ordering less than 12 packs.

We make a big deal about (among other things) being an "Italian" Band. We
tell the girls we have a present for them if they are: a) Italian, b) dating
an Italian or c) love the Italians in our band. We ask them to come up to
the band stand for a special gift and some always do. We then keep them on
the stand while we play/sing a number to them (like Butt Love,  I Want a
Little Girl, or I Can't Get Started) and then give them the panties. Works
like a charm. I always smile when handing them out and say on mike. "Now
these are a trade for yours." About half the time the girls will quickly
come back with; "I can't, I'm not wearing any."

At the Wine & Jazz Festival in Dover DE, we had 6 heavyweight black ladies
(among others) come up and they just loved it. No way could they have worn
them. They paraded around the dance floor twirling the panties over their
heads to Bourbon Street Parade, much to the delight of the audience.

The trick is to limit how much you give away so costs don't get out of hand.

It's, as you know, all about connecting with your audience. That's why the
Stand Up Comics always start out by shouting; "How are y'all doing?" Needing
audience response, they must immediately connect.

We figure if girls/ladies can throw room keys and panties to Las Vegas
performers like Tom Jones etc., why not do the reverse? And since it is all
about the audience, WHY NOT INDEED?

Cheers,
Steve