[Larry Wilson]

Originally Posted by eweissenbach

There is an unfortunate tendency for some people on this board to overreact to any criticism of the developer or management of TV. I have seen many people who posted seemingly legitimate concerns, told they should leave, or some such nonsense. Finding fault does not equate to disliking everything about the place folks. Lighten up and enjoy your piece of paradise and have a little empathy for those who don't love it as unconditionaly as you.

Very well said. Eweissenbach have a great Christmas.

[ilovetv]

Originally Posted by Skip

Many months ago I spoke with - not one, but - two entertainers who were being pressured to have Paul Vesco be their sole "agent". Obviously Paul would take a cut of each gig BEFORE paying the musicians. These two entertainers refused to give up any part of their already low negotiated fees to play here.

Guess what? They are no longer being invited by Barbara to play in The Villages.

I say it's a shame that there exists such "conflict of interest".

And please don't say I got this third hand or it's a rumor. I knew and enjoyed the musical groups I heard this from.

So "jandbrare", you are very right. There's a problem here. Barbara gets paid by the entertainment department and her husband gets paid by the entertainment.

Skip

Seems like the union ought to help in situations like this.

http://www.afm.org/locals/info/number/389

[salpal]

Geez Caroline....seriously, take a chill pill. By "you get what you pay for" I meant that since we do not pay to hear music on the square, we do not get to choose it. Now, before you all attack me, I realize that we indirectly pay for it with our fees, etc. I was trying to be humorous, but will try to refrain from that in the future.

[784caroline]

OK I took the pill.......I guess we just need to be careful on what we write especially if something can be taken a differnet way!

[eweissenbach]

Originally Posted by salpal

Geez Caroline....seriously, take a chill pill. By "you get what you pay for" I meant that since we do not pay to hear music on the square, we do not get to choose it. Now, before you all attack me, I realize that we indirectly pay for it with our fees, etc. I was trying to be humorous, but will try to refrain from that in the future.

Ha! I learned long ago that humor, especially irony or sarcasm, don't translate well to message boards. It is just too nuanced to register with some people, and they will take it the opposite way of which it was intended. I once posted something to the effect that I was sick of hearing "it's a beautiful day in the villages" because I had just gotten in from two hours of shoveling snow. Several people thought I shouldn't post on TOTV if I felt that way.

[jandbrare]

Must be the Christmas Season, but I'm softening. Paul Vesco is a prominent musician, band leader, and promoter. He has brought excellent talent to The Villages to perform on the squares, free to all who would attend. I listed 10 appearances of his band and his associates for the month of December, and I'm speculating that I missed one: Street Talk who got three gigs. I've not confirmed their association with Vesco, as yet, but three gigs makes it likely, to me.

The Villages developer pays for this entertainment to enhance the appeal of The Villages to existing residents and would-be residents. It's a great benefit: free live entertainment every night. It is just another facet of his genius. And, The Villages is a marketing marvel, a residential paradise, a heaven-before-heaven for those of us old timers who are lucky enough to have found our way here.

But, there's always a "but", and mine is that I resent Paul Vesco coming in, and influencing the bookings through his wife. His wife, Barbara, is head of Entertainment and has been for years. She works for the developer, not for the local governments,CDD's, but "the developer." So, it is up to the developer to make changes to this situation.

If you are not a Paul Vesco associate, your chances of getting a booking are reduced.

So, I should not worry abut this or that entertainer who is not getting bookings, anymore? And, if a friend is trying to get a gig and is a good entertainer, I should not be concerned that he can't? I should just go and enjoy the high-quality Vesco entertainment?

But, I've been here 10 years, and I DO resent the takeover by Paul Vesco.

[eweissenbach]

Originally Posted by jandbrare

Must be the Christmas Season, but I'm softening. Paul Vesco is a prominent musician, band leader, and promoter. He has brought excellent talent to The Villages to perform on the squares, free to all who would attend. I listed 10 appearances of his band and his associates for the month of December, and I'm speculating that I missed one: Street Talk who got three gigs. I've not confirmed their association with Vesco, as yet, but three gigs makes it likely, to me.

The Villages developer pays for this entertainment to enhance the appeal of The Villages to existing residents and would-be residents. It's a great benefit: free live entertainment every night. It is just another facet of his genius. And, The Villages is a marketing marvel, a residential paradise, a heaven-before-heaven for those of us old timers who are lucky enough to have found our way here.

But, there's always a "but", and mine is that I resent Paul Vesco coming in, and influencing the bookings through his wife. His wife, Barbara, is head of Entertainment and has been for years. She works for the developer, not for the local governments,CDD's, but "the developer." So, it is up to the developer to make changes to this situation.

If you are not a Paul Vesco associate, your chances of getting a booking are reduced.

So, I should not worry abut this or that entertainer who is not getting bookings, anymore? And, if a friend is trying to get a gig and is a good entertainer, I should not be concerned that he can't? I should just go and enjoy the high-quality Vesco entertainment?

But, I've been here 10 years, and I DO resent the takeover by Paul Vesco.

Seems like a reasonable and thoughtful position to me.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by jandbrare

Must be the Christmas Season, but I'm softening. Paul Vesco is a prominent musician, band leader, and promoter. He has brought excellent talent to The Villages to perform on the squares, free to all who would attend. I listed 10 appearances of his band and his associates for the month of December, and I'm speculating that I missed one: Street Talk who got three gigs. I've not confirmed their association with Vesco, as yet, but three gigs makes it likely, to me.

The Villages developer pays for this entertainment to enhance the appeal of The Villages to existing residents and would-be residents. It's a great benefit: free live entertainment every night. It is just another facet of his genius. And, The Villages is a marketing marvel, a residential paradise, a heaven-before-heaven for those of us old timers who are lucky enough to have found our way here.

But, there's always a "but", and mine is that I resent Paul Vesco coming in, and influencing the bookings through his wife. His wife, Barbara, is head of Entertainment and has been for years. She works for the developer, not for the local governments,CDD's, but "the developer." So, it is up to the developer to make changes to this situation.

If you are not a Paul Vesco associate, your chances of getting a booking are reduced.

So, I should not worry abut this or that entertainer who is not getting bookings, anymore? And, if a friend is trying to get a gig and is a good entertainer, I should not be concerned that he can't? I should just go and enjoy the high-quality Vesco entertainment?

But, I've been here 10 years, and I DO resent the takeover by Paul Vesco.

Thank you for this explanation. Your articulate and fair presentation of the problem and the diplomatic way it was laid out for us made me understand just what your frustration is.

Thank you for taking the time to help us see what is happening.

I hope the Morses read this forum. I would have to think that they do.

Your explanation will go far in defining the problem for them as it does for us readers and maybe a solution will be forthcoming.

[eweissenbach]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

Thank you for this explanation. Your articulate and fair presentation of the problem and the diplomatic way it was laid out for us made me understand just what your frustration is.

Thank you for taking the time to help us see what is happening.

I hope the Morses read this forum. I would have to think that they do.

Your explanation will go far in defining the problem for them as it does for us readers and maybe a solution will be forthcoming.

I doubt any of the morses read the forum, but I would hope that they have employees that are assigned to monitor and report what they find. I am not sure this is a matter that would trouble them, unfortunately.

[jandbrare]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

Thank you for this explanation. Your articulate and fair presentation of the problem and the diplomatic way it was laid out for us made me understand just what your frustration is.

Thank you for taking the time to help us see what is happening.

I hope the Morses read this forum. I would have to think that they do.

Your explanation will go far in defining the problem for them as it does for us readers and maybe a solution will be forthcoming.

And, thank you Gracie for "bumping up" this thread, a couple of time. FYI and all, I have written a letter to Mr. Morse, whom I've never met, but respect greatly for his business genius. If only I had been as wise. I would anticipate that he would not take time to respond and probably not even pass it on. It's his business, after all. I understand that. So, I've vented and hopefully made some allies. I'll let you know, of course, if I get a response from Mr. Morse. Life is still VERY good. I am thankful for my good fortune, and I wish you all a Merry Christmas. Jerry Lester

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by eweissenbach

I doubt any of the morses read the forum, but I would hope that they have employees that are assigned to monitor and report what they find. I am not sure this is a matter that would trouble them, unfortunately.

Ed. You don't know them any better than I do. Or any of us....Well Maybe Larry Wilson because he had business dealings with them.

Even if they are pitifully cold hearted rich Republicans they certainly would like to know that we know that one of their employees is doin' this.

Let us not prejudge. They could be a cross between Mother Teresa and Mary Poppins.....or Attilla the Hun and Freddy Kreuger. NO one really knows on this forum.

And somehow I feel that they read this. I believe in my very soul that one of their motivating factors is the satisfaction of the people who live here. We are their best advertisement. If they are GREEDY as some folks think, after a certain level of financial success you don't need another airplane or another boat or more money. I think that they are proud of the town they built. Or they could just quit and count their money.

They certainly will have made enough to take care of everyone.

I believe they are nice people. AND I wasn't born yesterday.

[SunCity]

Originally Posted by eweissenbach

There is an unfortunate tendency for some people on this board to overreact to any criticism of the developer or management of TV. I have seen many people who posted seemingly legitimate concerns, told they should leave, or some such nonsense. Finding fault does not equate to disliking everything about the place folks. Lighten up and enjoy your piece of paradise and have a little empathy for those who don't love it as unconditionaly as you.

sometimes i read some of the posts on this forum and i think you guys in the villages don't know how good you have it.

[Mikeod]

Originally Posted by SunCity

sometimes i read some of the posts on this forum and i think you guys in the villages don't know how good you have it.

Oh, yes we do. But, like freedom, you have to watch out for threats to your way of life. The concern raised by the OP may seem trivial to you, but, to me, an attempt to monopolize and control access to the town square entertainment is a concern to me. As others have posted, there are some excellent groups that have appeared here in the past that don't seem to return. Perhaps they are more successful playing elsewhere. If so, fine. But I would not want them to be excluded because they don't happen to be represented by, or refuse to be represented by someone whose relative controls the bookings.

[jandbrare]

Originally Posted by mikeod

Oh, yes we do. But, like freedom, you have to watch out for threats to your way of life. The concern raised by the OP may seem trivial to you, but, to me, an attempt to monopolize and control access to the town square entertainment is a concern to me. As others have posted, there are some excellent groups that have appeared here in the past that don't seem to return. Perhaps they are more successful playing elsewhere. If so, fine. But I would not want them to be excluded because they don't happen to be represented by, or refuse to be represented by someone whose relative controls the bookings.

Mikeod, you said it more frankly...and concisely...than I, who started this thread. But, the Developer pays for the entertainment, and if they are satisfied with it, what's for us to do. Boycott? I don't think so. Not that big a deal. Besides, there are still a goodly number of non-Vesco entertainers. Heard one Thursday night: "Cross Fire". Very good entertainment.

I've not received a response to my letter to Mr. Morse, but I only mailed it on the 19th of this month. I'm still hopeful to hear from him.

Thanks for the sympathetic input.

[CaptJohn]

Thanks for that link to Cross Fire. If you get a chance sometime, would you post one to Uncle Bob's Rock Shop? I didn't find them on Utube. Being able to sample them from away helps in deciding on who to see when visiting. Looking at the calendar I only see Uncle Bob at Katie Belles on 7 Jan.
Thanks.