[ureout]

I was wondering if there was a web site or how to contact the powers to be who have the say on the entertainment at the squares. I was also wondering how they determine how much $$$ the different acts make. Is it all the same? Seems to be a HUGE difference in audiences and audience participation when certain acts are there but when lets say Scooter or Rocky and The Rollers are there the place is packed and the dance floor is always full. Do we as Villagers have a say? Can we pick or vote for certain acts? Thx. in advance for any info.

[Bogie Shooter]

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[memason]

Originally Posted by Bogie Shooter

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I agree with Bogie... ha ha

[Bogie Shooter]

Originally Posted by memason

I agree with Bogie... ha ha

I need all the help I can get.

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

It's pretty pathetic most of the time. I am so tired of seeing a singer up there with a "band in a box". I don't consider karaoke to be live music. I want to see real musicians playing real instruments. I've gotten to the point now where if I don't see a drum set, I just leave. I am not interested in seeing people push buttons and play recorded music. It's just awful.
Unfortunately, a lot of the people don't mind. As long as there is a beat that they can line dance to, not much else matters to them.
I'm a musician myself and I have friends in the area that are working musicians. One is a great entertainer and plays guitar. He performs with his "band in a box". I asked him why he just get up there with his guitar and entertain people. He told me that the owners don't want that. They want to hear drums and bass even if it's pre recorded. They want to dance. Well, if it's dance music they want, they can just play a loop of pre recorded tracks and not have to pay anyone.
I played in several places overseas as a solo act with just a guitar and the people always seemed to be entertained.

[JoeC1947]

I just go when I like the entertainer. It's kind of fun to people watch too. Sometimes that can be even more entertaining!

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

My wife and I also notice the difference in crowd size when there is a full band as opposed to button pushers. I would think that the restaurants an merchants around the squares would have a lot of interest in drawing the biggest crowds possible.

[John_W]

The better bands are scheduled with the 'market nights'. For example, this Monday SS has market night and therefore they have 'Yesterdayze' , which is probably the best band I've seen here, we've caught their act 6 or 7 times. At LSL they will have a band in a box, this Monday it's 'Petrina'. We really like her and she is the only solo act that we make a special trip for. Since we only go to LSL we'll be seeing Petrina and catch Yesterdayze when they come to LSL another time. Friday, Saturday and Sunday they usually have a good band one of the nights and lesser band on the other two nights. SS market nights are Monday & Wednesday and LSL market nights are Tuesday and Thursday.

[Yorio]

In the history of The Villages, has a blues singer or bands played any of the venues whether it be at the square, Katie Bells, or Savanah? With lots of mid-Westerners here, thought Chicago Blues would have been played like the contemporaries of Muddy Water, B.B. Kimg, John Lee Hooker,et al.

[ureout]

yes a few times a band from orlando...bobby blackman band.....very good

[John_W]

Originally Posted by Dr Winston O Boogie jr

I would think that the restaurants an merchants around the squares would have a lot of interest in drawing the biggest crowds possible.

The merchants are very aware because they pay for the entertainment. The stores all pay into an entertainment fund which covers that expense, it's not our of our pocket or TV's.

I was wondering if there was a web site or how to contact the powers to be who have the say on the entertainment at the squares. I was also wondering how they determine how much $$$ the different acts make.

You may have caught an act 'The Paul Vesco Band' or one of his many other lineups. Usually a Paul Vesco act is at the one of the squares every week because his wife Barbara Vesco is the director of entertainment for the squares. That's who determines who plays and how much they are paid.

[getdul981]

Originally Posted by John_W

You may have caught an act 'The Paul Vesco Band' or one of his many other lineups. Usually a Paul Vesco act is at the one of the squares every week because his wife Barbara Vesco is the director of entertainment for the squares. That's who determines who plays and how much they are paid.

Vellly Interesting!!

[justjim]

Originally Posted by ureout

I was wondering if there was a web site or how to contact the powers to be who have the say on the entertainment at the squares. I was also wondering how they determine how much $$$ the different acts make. Is it all the same? Seems to be a HUGE difference in audiences and audience participation when certain acts are there but when lets say Scooter or Rocky and The Rollers are there the place is packed and the dance floor is always full. Do we as Villagers have a say? Can we pick or vote for certain acts? Thx. in advance for any info.

Ureout: Good questions! I see nobody has answered your questions as of this post. Sorry, I don't have any factual answers. I heard from a third party that the Developer is in charge of the entertainment at the Squares. If that is true, their offices would be the place to get factual answers. The Village Survey would be a place you might put some of your thoughts and ideas about the music at the Squares. I am only an "occasional" at the Squares. Friends and neighbors say that most people go there a lot the first year or so-----then not so much any more. For sure, there are some groups that I've heard that are much better than others. My opinion, its mostly a dance venue---with a few exceptions.

[Bonny]

I don't mind a band in a box. They play all the dance party tunes that many want to hear.
I would rather have a band.
My guess is, it is much cheaper to have a band in a box. With a 3rd. square opening that is quite a cost for entertainment. I think the Villages does a good job of mixing it up.
I'm just amazed & happy that we have all of these entertainment choices "every night" !! No where else would we get this !! Life is good in the Villages !

[islandgal]

With 80,000 plus population, this thread (and others) reminded me of:
"You can please all of the people all of the time or some of the people part of the time,but you can't
please all of the people all of the time." John Lydate, poet

Abraham Lincoln has been incorrectly attributed to this quote, but DID say something similar. Exchange the word "fool" where ever
you see "please" in this quote and now you have the original quote by Lincoln:

"You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time"