The Oldies Circuit

  I had the chance last weekend to visit my hometown of Fort Sumner, on the eastern side of the state.  I had two full days to wander the backroads of my youth and haunt the halls of my alma mater, Ft. Sumner High.  The occasion was a high school reunion with a twist; every five years or so, the Ex-Students Association holds a reunion for all ex-alumni—teachers and students alike.

  This year, the Saturday night entertainment was provided by The Fireballs.  Hailing from Raton, NM, the group had six Top 40 hits in their career.  Their most memorable was “Sugar Shack,” which spent five weeks at the top of the charts in the summer of 1963.  They had another top ten hit in 1968 with the boozy sing-along, “Bottle of Wine.”

  My dad, a huge fan of early rock and roll, was in charge of booking the band, and taking care of them while they were in town.  Saturday evening, two of the Fireballs—George Tomsco and Ron Cardenas—came over to our house for dinner.

  They told us that this year they’ve been busy, playing a lot of reunions, car shows, state fairs and casino shows.  Then we started talking about the Indian casinos and the business they are bringing all of these oldies acts. 

  This is not a story about The Fireballs.  This is a story about the hundreds of groups and artists out there just like them—artists that are still entertaining, artists that still love to make music.  This is a story about the casinos giving them that opportunity.

  James Brown, Dionne Warwick, Lou Rawls, Mel Tillis, George Jones, Willie Nelson, Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, The Kingsmen, Paul Revere and The Raiders, Don McLean…These are just a few of the names you can catch in the Indian casinos around the state (and around the country).  These are artists that can’t play stadiums and arenas anymore, but still love to entertain crowds with their music.  In fact, it’s all they know.

  Casinos are offering great concerts at a great price, week after week.  And they can do it because they’re not afraid to take a chance.  A concert that flops won’t break them.  Their bread is not buttered on the side of concert promotion; it’s simply a way to get a few more people to drop a few more quarters into a few more slot machines.  Of course, concerts are also a way to reward big spenders.  Most casinos let players club members trade points for concert tickets.

  Concert promotion is also casino promotion.  If I tell twenty people I just saw Willie Nelson at Sandia Casino, and everyone who attends the concert does the same—well, it’s hard to buy that kind of advertising. 

  Casinos are becoming the new small venue of choice for many musicians—legends, has-beens, and up-and-comers alike.  They’re not as rowdy as clubs, making them better venues for the artist and his or her fans.

  Whether you’re a fan of gambling or not, pay attention to the marquee as you drive past that casino.  Who knows?  This may be your last chance to see Talking Heads or the Psychedelic Furs.

-From Pulse
   August 4, 2005