Wild Bill Ketelhut provides the "blog" to this anti-blog
Wild At Heart
Almost lost track of time this week. I've been keeping busy doing overtime at work, nursing a cold and still getting out to enjoy Hockey Games @ RIT (go Tigers) or concerts at the Eastman School of Music. I just got the headliners for the Rochester Jazzfest and I always wonder what people are thinking when scheduling shows. Unlike the Detroit Jazzfest, the majority of the Rochester version does cost some money. I already plunked down the $170+ for my club pass but i like to keep track of possible headliners. Last year I caught Steve Martin and the Lost Canyon Rangers and was wondering what gems they might have. They ended up with four artists I have seen before and Pink Martini who has always intrigued me (I'll have to think on that and see what it is going up against). Now the other artists include David Sanborn and Willie Nelson along with David Byrne w/St Vincent (still waiting for that Talking Heads reunion though I would love to see St Vincent).
Now all these seem like interesting picks and while expensive it is the 4th choice I wonder about in choosing. They have Roger Hodgson of Supertramp fame. Now Supertramp is very popular in this area for whatever reason but I just saw him at Art Park in Buffalo for $5 and he is playing our fest with ticket prices between $70-125 and that just seems wrong. It reminds me of when I saw Air Supply at the Michigan State Fair and then they played McComb Performing Arts Center a few months later. It just seems wrong to have a band come around one day at a free or very cheap event and then back in short order at a high priced event. I never understood how that works out, esp in the case ($5 to $125 is a big difference). Of course it is worse when they play a high priced event and then come around for free. It just makes me wonder if people who book these events actually research bands that recently played the area. If I just saw him for $5, there is no way I would play that much and be forced to sit further away.
If you can explain how this makes sense, let me know. Otherwise just enjoy these shows, esp Angelique, who has a wonderful voice. I recently saw her with Cyndi Lauper and David Sanborn in Syracuse and she really impressed me.
Tuesday (1/29) - Chiodos @ Pike Room
Wednesday (1/30) - Jessica Hernandez and the Deltas open for the Growlers @ Magic Stick Lounge
Thursday (1/31) - Ana Popovic @ Callahans, Brothers Groove @ Northern Lights Lounge
Friday (2/01) - Angelique Kidjo @ Hill Auditorium (Ann Arbor), Lez Zeppelin @ Magic Bag, Mitch Ryder @ Callahans
Saturday (2/02) - Umphrey's McGee @ the Fillmore, October Babies @ Frenchie's in Depot Tow (Ypsilanti), Trapt @ St Andrews Hall, Lez Zeppelin @ Magic Bag