Re: LOS ANGELES ACID JAZZ, Dec 27 1996 - Jan 2 1997
Elson Trinidad (elson@westworld.com)
Thu, 02 Jan 1997 17:42:46 -0800
At 01.56 PM 1/1/97 -0800, you wrote:
> i wonder also why people will come to see a/j bands in l.a. and *not* dance.
> i remember galactic's keyboardist mentioning how the crowd @ the ash grove
>in
> santa monica, ca were appreciative, but they would have preferred if dancing
> had broken out. i know in my band (pmjq) that we play better when people
>are
> into it and show us by dancing!
That statement isn't always true. Bands like Ozomatli, Butterflow and The
Solsonics (when they're not dormant, that is) always get people on the
floor, and likely have good draws. When West Coast Harem plays a crowded
place, like the Roxbury, or play in clubs in their own territory, they've
gotten peoples bodies movin'. Recognition and size of the crowd have a lot
to do with it - let's face it, as good as they are, Galactic is not a very
well-known band here; obviously they're from far away and don't yet have
the notoriety of other out-of-town bands like, say Groove Collective. If
it weren't for the AJ list, I wouldn't even know who they are (and in fact,
if it weren't for this list, I wouldn't me much into the music because I
wouldn't really know where to look). It just comes down to promotion and
financial backing - almost all of the non-big label AJ shows here are more
or less self-promoted, and we don't have the money to promote ourselves,
given the high advertising rates of the L.A. Weekly as one of the major
factors. Note, though that major-label and internationally-known AJ acts
like GC, Incognito and BNH have had immensely packed shows. It also has
nothing to do with "This town ain't with it" because other music scenes,
namely the alternative, rave and even ska scenes are really the hot items
here. They have lots of interest, and they have lots of people who are
willing to back them up - for example look at all the promoters, clothing
companies, etc backing up a public rave event.
Regardless of the scene, and regardless of the place, when the place is
packed, people will dance, when it's not, there's not that much incentive
to dance. And I'm sure it's like that everywhere.
Elson
-30-
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Elson Trinidad
Los Angeles, CA, USA
elson@westworld.com * http://www.westworld.com/~elson
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