Note to: Bart Loiacono, Average Golfer and Publisher of The NiteLife Group of Publications -
March 22, 2006

Bart,

I want to thank you for the great time I had last night at the “Best of the Burbs” award ceremony. You know as a first time finalist I was quite excited about the event, I wondered what to expect. A few of my friends asked me about the ceremony and as I discussed this with some of my musician friends I realized that this would be a first for many. I searched through the nitelife.org website and found a list of 2005 winners, and a few letters from contestants of other years, but not much on what the deal was all about. As I recall one guy in a mailbag letter said that “it was like our academy awards.” Oh come on now! I thought, Let’s be a little dramatic! But as I pulled up to the hall I must admit that the excitement built to an unmanageable level. When I saw the complimentary valet service—I knew that I had arrived. Ok so there were no paparazzi flashes firing from all directions, but I and my entourage walked the “red carpet” like the local stars we aspired to be just the same.

Inside, the hall was just how I pictured it to be. We music folks love spotlights, big boomy PA systems, multimedia displays, and echoy halls. We’re like circus folks—we recognize our own. I looked out into a virtual sea of peers—musicians, entertainers, and club owners. I had this realization that we were not like the rest of the population—beached every night in front of the TV set. We are driven by something else. Our world revolves around the “three P’s:” Practice, Performance, and Promotion. It was the first two that got everybody there, and by rights everybody was there for the third.

Well the Miller Light was Ice cold, the wait-staff was attentive, and at three bucks a draw the night got off on a really good foot. Bart you were a dynamic presenter—you kept things moving and interesting. (I imagined that you would be stuffy, but instead discovered that you have a wonderful stage presence).

I do have some suggestions for you however—a lot of the categories—winners like “Dark Side of the Moon” and “The Beatles” could probably have been better presented as Power Point Presentations—perhaps when the band played at the end; people around me commented that they were tedious, and they seemed a bit tedious to you as well. The guy next to me was a Karaoke entertainer. Now as a musician Karaoke seemed taboo—up until last night I thought that the Karaoke clubs were taking bread off the table of us poor starving musicians. Last night I discovered that these entertainers are circus folks too. They try, practice, and work as hard as musicians and I’m betting that they actually perform better than many players as they only have themselves to work with and a can of music in the background. This was a wonderful discovery.

As for circuses, I wish that there was more there. I didn’t expect to walk out with an award, but I think it would have been a win-win marketing opportunity for some printing press company to be out in the lobby running an awards special price on band banners, or tee shirts. It would have been fine with me if I had walked out at the end with a good price on “gman Blues” shot glasses or something. I’ll bet if there was a tattoo guy in the corner writing bands names on peoples arms for thirty bucks, the line would have been endless. You see, not everyone can work a room like I can. People come out to network and promote but don’t know where (or when) to start. It would have been cool to have a business cards exchange table, or an email exchange bulletin board. That’s my kind of circus—Bartman in the center ring and plenty of distraction on the fringes. I go to a lot of shows—auto show, boat show, and of course lots of technical geek shows. I miss all the crap you pick up at these shows. People put this junk out there to get their name out there—I think that all of us were a bit remiss not bringing junk to hand out. I mean I’ve gotten refrigerator magnets from a band doing an open Mike—why not hand them out to this very special group of peers and club owners? My bad too.

Anyway I met lots of folks last night, and will subscribe to a few bands email lists and go out and support them. I met the drummer from Mason Rivers—he was a really nice guy and I will definitely go see them this summer. I said high to my friends at Ballydoyle gang. Phil Cullens was thrilled that his establishment was so recognized. He should be. Although I didn’t win an award, I was thrilled that I came in third in my category. You know at one point there were close to 40 Acoustic Soloists looking for the title. It felt so good to see "gman Blues" up on the screen in front of all those great performers--hey that's me! Last year was my first year back after a thirty-year hiatus and like you said this is a H-U-G-E market. To place third really means something. I wasn’t disappointed at all, in fact I am extremely proud of the accomplishment. The folks did win, won for good reason—they were really good! I felt the excitement for all the other bands, clubs, and entertainers that won. I'll be back next year bigger and better than ever, you BET!

I will have to agree with you—you really know how to throw a party. Thanks again! --

Keep music alive and LIVE!
gman www.gmanblues.com