Re: [Harp-L] Reality check?

[IcemanLE@xxxxxxx]

Another excellent observation. 
 
As a creative musician, I've always wanted to do what I want to do and  
looked down on those "oldie" reproduction shows. However, this past summer I got  
to partake in a wonderful free concert series in St. Augustine Beach (I 
provided  sound reinforcement with two BOSE systems) and witnessed the phenomenon of 
the  oldies, especially with a great band of musicians calling themselves "The 
 Falling Bones", led by Rick Levy, who books a few oldies reunion bands and 
was  music director for Herman's Hermits. "The Falling Bones" specialize in 
rock from  the late 60's including a lot of Rolling Stones pre-Satanic Majesty's 
Request  era. The crowds just loved this - the crowds being 50 years old and 
up mostly.  Watching those older ladies dancing and singing to the music while 
in their  minds they were young again is a real trip and treat. It was here 
that I really  was impacted by the fact that, beyond what I wanted to play or 
hear as an  ARTIST, was a large crowd of baby boomers with a bit of disposable 
income (at  least until about 2 months ago) who just wanted to be happy for a 
night and  revisit their past.
 
I used to look down on those Jimmy Buffet imitation bands, too, but not any  
more. In today's crazy world, there is nothing wrong with making people happy 
as  an end in itself and putting the self involved ARTIST to one side (for a  
bit) and becoming a part of it. So what if I have to play "Mustang Sally"  or 
"Brown Eyed Girl" for the 10,000 time.
 
 
In a message dated 11/24/2008 11:48:09 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
bboyd@xxxxxxxxx writes:

Or play  what most people like and play 
more often and make more money. I love  playing blues but it really isn't 
what most people want a steady diet of.  What I have found is people want to 
dance and sing to oldies that they  remember from the past. Now this is not 
necessarily for the young people,  except for fraternity parties, but for the 
most part the older people have  more money and can afford to hire you for 
private events, fundraisers,  anniversary's, birthday's, retirement etc. kind 
of parties. And they will  pay more than bars.


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