[Dixielandjazz] Heads up Sacramento Groups

[TCASHWIGG at aol.com]

Hi Bob:

Having met with those folks myself I know exactly what you are saying and 
certainly have no reason to doubt it one bit.  They are in my opinion less than 
professional and or knowledgeable about music much less promotion and marketing 
of what they have.  I talked with them about doing the Mardi Gras event and 
the foolishly told me that they had run it for eight years and almost broke 
even once.  ha ha.  And their Dream was to have a really big one with Decorated 
Floats etc, like New Orleans does, however they did not want to do the work to 
make it happen much less spend any money.

They asked me to guarantee them an $8,000.00 fee for using the site under the 
Freeway to have the event, with an eight foot gap in the ceiling for rain to 
pour through on the customers who would also be walking around in water in the 
Most likely event that it would rain on Mardi Gras Day which is almost 
certain in Sacramento.  Such is generally the thinking of Merchants Associations in 
every city I have been involved with.  It is all about them and how many 
customers you can bring them, they couldn't care less about you and your profits.

I thanked them but no thanked them and never called them back.

What I think would be a good idea is for some groups to get their own clubs 
down there and just run it and have nothing to do with the Merchants 
organization.

And yes they won't pay anything even close to reasonable for live music 
because they are so scared of not attracting any patrons to support it, DUH, 
certainly not if you don't promote and advertise it.  They are in the field of 
Dreams mindset that Old Sacramento is just so cool that everyone should come down 
to see what is happening all the time.  Heck it is famous isn't it.

And yes playing six nights a week or so steady is a drag for most adventurous 
players, but the weekend warrior guys up there should be all over it for a 
chance to play and at least make some noise using it as live rehearsals to try 
and build themselves a following.

There are many opportunities in that site for good OKOM venues.

It is indeed a shame that once Jubilee is over that the Old town area simply 
goes back to sleep until next jubilee.

Cheers,

Tom Wiggins