[Dixielandjazz] The Voice of

[Steve Barbone]

on 9/3/06 10:20 PM, Gluetje1 at aol.com at Gluetje1 at aol.com wrote:

I believe there was disagreement on this list when the suggestion was made
that USA was not the center of DL in this day.  So please tell me where in
the US there are 5000 paying a separate venue charge to see one singe DL
group?  5000 of any age is fine.  I'd like to be there too.
Ginny


In a message dated 9/2/2006 1:26:21 A.M. Central Daylight Time,
barbonestreet at earthlink.net writes:
Drew a YOUNG AUDIENCE of about 5000 who paid a
separate venue charge to see them perform and were not disappointed.

 

The total we drew for 2 one hour & 15 minute shows was between 5000 and
6000. The venue charge was 160 shekels if you only went to one show. That's
about $37. You got a discount if you went to 3 venues/shows or more. 140
shekels per venue. That's about $32.  During the 3 days, one could only see
15 shows out of 26 because of time conflicts. It would have cost $480 to see
those 15 shows. 40,000 tickets were sold. Less than usual because of the
circumstances between Israel & Hezbollah.

The Ambassadors of New Orleans were the only Dixieland Band there and also
drew more audience than any other band. Of course the circumstances were
right for us also, but according to word from the Festival Producers today,
our shows were "amazing performances".

We had some free tickets. Paul Grant gave 4 away to some kids at the jam
session who pleaded poverty. In turn, they bought him a leather cowboy hat,
followed him around like puppies and asked him if he wanted anything, could
they do anything for him etc.,  . . . even offered a gal for companionship
which he politely declined. :-) VBG.

There are modern jazz festivals in the USA that operate in this manner, with
separate venue charges for each act. The audience mix is different from
Dixieland Festivals. More like in Israel. Younger people who go clubbing,
have money, spend money, stay out late etc.., etc., etc. Barbone Street
venues at some US modern jazz festivals were as high as $40 for a two hour
program. Usually about $25-$32.

Most USA Dixieland Festivals do not yet attract a young audience (which has
money), stays out late and spends that money to hear music or see a show. It
seems that most of the older US Dixieland audience complains about not being
able to hear 36 hours of music at a festival where they paid $90 all events,
because the breaks were too long. :-) VBG.

Damn, that's less than $3 an hour for a music charge. How much further can
we devalue the music before it becomes totally worthless?

On the other hand, the young US audience will go to a 2 hour  Blues Show at
the Showboat in Atlantic City and pay $80 to $150 to attend.

It is Marketing 101, a matter of playing where the kids are. Or, if we want
them to come to a Dixieland Festival, then for goodness sake, lets advertise
where the kids are and advertise dancing. Check your latest American or
Mississippi Rag Festival adverts and notice how many DO NOT even mention
dancing, much less play it up.

Of course, there aren't too many bands like The Ambassadors of New Orleans,
or Barbone Street running around either. Besides being paid well to play
Dixieland, we get pretty close to that "Israeli" reaction every time we play
to a young audience in the US. Especially when we add Mardi Gras Beads to
the program. And we occasionally get an audience in excess of 3000 at
concert venues. 

Cheers,
Steve Barbone