Re: [Harp-L] Re: Buckeye Cancelled

[Joe Leone <3n037@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Apr 20, 2011, at 1:53 PM, The Iceman wrote:

> Mike has a lot of astute observations.
> 
> 
> Let me tell you a little secret for success: do not offer something that is already being offered, per se. Don't directly compete with other entities offering similarities. Case in point: Buckeye, NJ and SPAH.
> 
> 
> Back in the late 90's, Bob Williams had a vision and gathered others that supported them in order to make SPAH different/better/world class. At that time, Buckeye and the gathering in NJ were the other similar/competitive entities. In redefining SPAH, the decision was made not to duplicate what was happening at Buckeye or other gatherings....by creating something different and unique, it cleared out the playing field so that SPAH, in a sense, was standing alone.

Sorry Larry, but I didn't see it. 
> 
> The other gatherings were grass root, open mic/jam situations with concerts in a hotel ballroom w/out ambience, etc.

Hey Larry, I hate to tell you this but most players are not show stopper quality, and as such, the open mics and jams were the ONLY thing they had.
So why would someone shell out a grand or more if there is no place for them to play. I mean I have seen cases where these stars have a lucrative slot on a show but still feel they have to dominate the other jams too. 
 And as far as the ball rooms go, they are still the same. Moisture sucking wall tex covered plasterboard. No character, no windows, and ridiculously cold, with temperatures under the control of an eskimo....... and his penguin.

> SPAH decided not to duplicate any of the entertainment offered at the other entities and also not to duplicate entertainment year after year at SPAH

Again, I didn't see it. Yes, the Sat nite headliners were juggled around, but the rest of the week were mostly a recycle of the 'in crowd' that had been coming to SPAH for years. And not to get off on a tangent, but playing the same old stuff. Year after year. If it was a trio, it's was the 'Cats' material. If it was blues, it was the same chestnuts in the same style. 
There has always been a clique and it changes...periodically. There are some people that IF they show up, they are guaranteed to play.  

> (some of the entertainers who were used to being headliners every year were not happy.

Good...tough. There IS such a thing as over exposure. And a few of those people were long past their exposure limit. They seemed to forget that the 'little people' were the ones paying full freight and supporting their 'habit' year after year.  

> Sunny Girl excluded, for reasons that she became a valid draw in herself).

> The blues night show/jam had the jam eliminated (much to the horror of a few attendees) and developed into a concert entity with responsible sound re-inforcement and volume moderation.

I didn't see that either. I can recall the first year they moved the blues intro show from another hotel to our host hotel and Paul DeLay was playing. Though a magnificent player, I had to listen from DOWN THE HALL The volume was ear splitting. The Jason Ricci shows were much better.  

> Thought was given to better stage ambience.

Like what, pray tell. The stages have always been spongy portable steel framed plywood that was so bouncy that you couldn't set down a glass of water. The back wall has always been moisture sucking wall tex covered plasterboard. You had to drink water ALL day just to keep from becoming a steer head in death valley.   

> It was also the beginning, thanks to Randy Singer, of a Jazz Jam, while the blues jam became acoustic and was offered later at night.

I was the one who approached Gordon Mitchell about the jazz thing. Beings that I used to play along with Ron Kalina at the piano bar in Romulus.  That was back in 91. But since I was new to SPAH, it went nowhere. Also being new to spah, there was no way I was in the clique. 

> Real pianos were rented for use, tuning mandatory (to upgrade the sound). In other words, less grass roots and more world class approach.
> 
That's true, AND I remember that YOU were the one who tuned them. In fact, several times during the week. Every time they were moved, you re-tuned them. When I first saw you I thought you were the 'duty piano tuner'. 
> 
> One of the best additions was to have a Swing Dance on the last evening for the older attendees. The Swing Dance Band would also have sit ins by the more accomplished players and was not an "open mic".

I like this "more accomplished players" aspect. Just who was it who determined who these players might be? Was it by reputation, stature, being a known quantity? Who did the choosing. I'm curious. 

> This aspect gave so much happiness to the attendees that it became something they looked forward to that wasn't totally harmonica driven. A room full of people revisiting their youth as they danced the night away to old swing tunes was a wonder to behold.

What year(s) was that? 
> 
> All of this sparkled and SPAH had its best attendance of the 90's during these few years. 

> Now that reinventing has become a topic along with the demise of other conventions, there is no reason that this proven template can't be used once again for success.

Maybe, but I don't think the convention is the problem. I think time is the problem. We are all getting older. I was 49 when I went to my first. This next one will be 20 years (and # 16) for me. I could get sick at any time. 
> 
> Offer a unique experience - not a redo of the same old same old - and perhaps attendance will increase.
> 
I agree. 
>