[sunnyatlast]

Originally Posted by applesoffh

I must agree with Dr. Boogie. My husband played in various bands in NYC for 40 years - classic rock, southern rock, acoustic material, trios, duos, 4 and 5 piece bands. His bands opened for The Gregg Allman Band, Zebra (huge in the City and L.I.), Mountain...anyway, we looked forward to the live bands when we moved down here, not because we dance (we don't) but we love most music genres. We've stopped going to any of the Squares. Too many times we were enticed by the captions of "exciting duo" or "fun singer" in Section D of The Sun. Invariably, it was a singer with canned music, and we'd leave. DJs are fine if you dance. Give me a real band any day. The advertising of "Live Music" every evening is a joke.

The nightly music here on the squares is free, unlike admission and drinks to ANY venue in NYC or anywhere else. To us what's a "joke"--a really bad joke--is the cost of a night out in NYC, and the lack of personal safety to walk around at night as we have here in TV.

The merchants and developers are our hosts at these nightly town square gatherings. A host should be treated with respect and a gracious thank-you, not public trashing and condescension.

[Jejuca]

We enjoy all kinds of music - CDs, radio, live performances and DJs. Some of the music at the squares is fantastic and some is just okay. The good thing is there is a lot of variety. We don't line dance but are planning to take some lessons since line dancing seems to be so popular at the squares.
We went to Brownwood a few days ago and listened to and danced to 3 for the Road. They were excellent yet Brownwood was nearly deserted.

[Baileysmom]

I am sure it will be lots of fun at Eaton's Beach this Friday. We are sorry to miss it but hopefully there will be many more to enjoy.

[Tobys Dad]

Originally Posted by manaboutown

Keep music alive. Use live musicians.

Amen brother!!!

[SoccerCoach]

Originally Posted by Dr Winston O Boogie jr

I couldn't agree more. The Villages definition of "LIVE" music these days these days is sad.

Worse yet is that the majority of people don't seem to care As long as there is a beat that they can line dance to they are fine.

As a musician, I can tell you about the hours spent over getting just the right chord or harmony only to watch the audience move back and forth like robots counting their steps with a blank look on their face.

But then why pay five or six talented musician when you can pay one computer operator or some guy to dance around in silly costumes "entertaining" the masses?

Sad.

I so agree. After having played professionally in the 70s, weddings, new years events, parties and club dates of all kinds, we put a lot into getting it right. Guitar, bass, drums, horns and vocals. Were we perfect, no, but damn good. Played a lot of Chicago, CCR, EWF, 60s and of course Standards. I feel that most people on the Squares only hear a beat, not the MUSIC. Some of these musicians are really good, some are destined to be playing the squares where the liquor makes it sound better than it may be.

[TX2040]

What is the average payment for performers on the squares?

[NottaVillager]

Originally Posted by sunnyatlast

The nightly music here on the squares is free,

There is the magic word..."FREE". Morse Industries promised FREE music. They never said what music..but "FREE" music/entertainment. Therefore it could be nothing more than a Wurlizter juke box on the stage with and a guy with a roll of quarters. It's FREE. That sorta-kinda ends people's right to complain about it. Enjoy it or don't..that's your choice but the price of admission is right.

Kahuna has it right..so much of what "used to be" were marketing tools for TV. Whatever you think of WVLG it's little more than a program-length commercial for TV. Much of what Villagers currently take for granted has been done for the purpose of promoting the SALE of homes in TV. What happens when there's nothing more to sell? Doesn't mean that everything goes away but there's much less pressure on Morse & Co. to provide "goodies".

The times they could be a changin'

[cattywampus]

Originally Posted by TX2040

What is the average payment for performers on the squares?

IMHO, the averages may not tell the whole story.

EXAMPLE: M-PIRE out of Orlando performs here in The Villages.
Their BASE RATE per Evening is $ 5,000.00

Rocky and The Rollers probably CLOSE to that $ amount

Other Performers= NOT Even Close to the above Bands.

[Bonny]

Originally Posted by NottaVillager

There is the magic word..."FREE". Morse Industries promised FREE music. They never said what music..but "FREE" music/entertainment. Therefore it could be nothing more than a Wurlizter juke box on the stage with and a guy with a roll of quarters. It's FREE. That sorta-kinda ends people's right to complain about it. Enjoy it or don't..that's your choice but the price of admission is right.

Kahuna has it right..so much of what "used to be" were marketing tools for TV. Whatever you think of WVLG it's little more than a program-length commercial for TV. Much of what Villagers currently take for granted has been done for the purpose of promoting the SALE of homes in TV. What happens when there's nothing more to sell? Doesn't mean that everything goes away but there's much less pressure on Morse & Co. to provide "goodies".

The times they could be a changin'

I so agree. It's free !! I love it all. Where else in the world could we go that has 3 squares with music every night and such a wide variety ! Something for everyone ! We all have different tastes, favorite bands, favorite groups or singers. If you don't like one, you go to another. Sit and listen or get up and dance. Livin' the dream !!

[dotti105]

M-pire was awesome. Hope they keep coming out to the squares!!!

[Bonny]

Originally Posted by dotti105

M-pire was awesome. Hope they keep coming out to the squares!!!

Yes, they are good !

[bluedog103]

Originally Posted by Villages Kahuna

(I've talked to some of those performing in the squares and their fees are in fact very modest.)

With a few exceptions, if their fees weren't very modest you most likely wouldn't be talking to them.

[Chi-Town]

The posted fees for the larger acts are list price. If you have a Villages event there is a substantial discount.

[applesoffh]

Sunnyatlast, kindly re-read my post. I didn't call the performers a joke, I called the advertising of "live music" - when referring canned music, a joke. I wasn't trashing the developer or the merchants, simply the way the entertainment is promoted.

[jwscp@aol.com]

Can anyone tell me if they know of these bands and DJ's that are playing this coming weekend? 1)DJ Rick Mitchell, 2) Prairie Junction, 3) Bobby Iavo Trio, 4) Robert & Mandy France Duo, 5) Rick Voight Trio, 6) Second Slice. I like soft rock for the 70's, 80's, 90's, 00's and today's music. I don't like country.