[Dixielandjazz] Sticking it to the schdule.

[Lowell Busching]

  A slight modification to the thread subject.

With Steve commenting on using stage managers, I am sure he read in 
Stan's post how at the Sweet and Hot festival, Stan and I in our room 
act as the stage manager, as well as the actual Room manager. Between us 
the groups get plenty of 5 and 10 minute warnings. It does normally work 
well as Bob says in Sacramento also, if in the larger venues the band 
can see the signs from the back. The only "mistake" is that the person 
holding the sign or making the signal, seldom comes up to the stage 
where near sighted leaders can see them.  Stage fright I guess, which is 
why the sound people at least at some venues cue them also. Occasionally 
conflicts of interest, but minor.

Despite the generally "conscientious" band leaders, even at 10 AM when 
the crack schedulers have had them playing also the LAST set of the 
previous evening, they sometimes are not totally aware of how much time 
they have left. Some sort of stage manager, (attractive young ladies 
like Steve always seems to get or not) are a necessity.  Unfortunately 
in our case "we" are usually quite elderly men.  Some bands have all the 
luck.  Some don't.

  Bob Ringwald adds:

At the Sacramento Jazz Jubilee, we  have over 100 bands with 33 stages 
going from 10:00 AM to aprox 11:00 PM for 3 days and 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM 
on Mondays.

The times in 34 years that we have had trouble with bands going overtime
could be counted on one hand

snip.


The problem is, who's counting?  Actually quite true. Most sites do keep 
to close schedules at the Jubilee because people ARE assigned to try and 
see that they stick to a schedule.  Those festivals that trust only the 
musicians to police themselves, might have problems. They are into the 
music, not the time quite often.  Trying to squeeze their whole program 
in. Most like to be reminded. Some consider us a pain in the a**.

Bob says.

The bands are very conscientious.  They know that if they play overtime, 
it takes time away from the next band.

snip

Some individual musicians do not always think of that, however.

Bob Says:

Someone is given the job to warn the bands when they have 10-minutes. 
It all works like clockwork.


snip


As well it should. Synchronize your watches.



-Mad dog