I recently went up to Clear Lake, California over the holiday weekend-- for a little relaxation and little more inebriation. As I'm a California native, which obviously doesn't get out much, this was my first visit to the Clear Lake area. There's a resort nearby called
Konocti Harbor.
Which, if you don't know, is a massive family resort/hotel/spa; with pools, outdoor lakeside bars, and boat dock for the local and un-local super horse-powered watercraft. Which zip around the lake at full throttle... The big draw is the outdoor stage, which some decent music acts come around, some acts have been around the block for a while: country acts, state fair circuit, or could have a gig at Talladega speedway, if you catch my drift.
(Yes, "drift". That was a blatant NASCAR double entendre.)So, back on point; as I was cruising around the resort, with the nice environmental bouquet of speedboat fuel, algae, bud light, and bug spray. I noticed the crowd itself was enjoying a band that was playing in the indoor stage, which was a decently huge
indoor theater, just like any major city's concert hall, like the
Fillmore, or the
Independent in San Francisco.
There was this immense 2 level stage. Massive PA and light setup, and this 5 piece group, we're rocking, hopping, having a good time and the crowd was into it. The place was about 3/4 full, and it looked like a good gig. However, the interesting thing was, this band was actually a bunch of kids; ala a UFC version of the Jonas brothers in Affliction t-shirts, and meaner haircuts. The band member's age, was no more than 15-16 yrs old. The band was called the "
Lost Boys". The band, from a quick listen, played emo/ pop-punk radio cover tunes and the typical injection of originals. So, in my little jealous mind, I was thinking who the hell are these kids? And how did they fill up a large gig like this? They have tons of merchandise, roadies, glossy posters, and probably bobble-heads in production.
I looked a little closer at the band posters and merchandise around the resort, and came to a minor conclusion. This is the house band for Konocti Harbor Resort. This band opens up for the rock headlining acts that come thru town, Journey, Styx, and others for example. Or they play out the surrounding area. So immediately, this reminds me of such boy bands ala
Menudo, Backstreet Boys, N'sync and etc. This leads me to believe that this formidable well oiled music machine has the promotion backing of this resort's vast bank account. The coffers to fund the group; radio & print advertising, equipment, 40 foot banners of the band logo, pyrotechnics, vans adorning the band's group photo, ushers, a roadie crew, and ticket sales staffs. A little further crack investigation--the band itself is managed by the President of the resort, and marketed by the
resort itself.
The band and its package was not to my taste, but who really cares what I think, I'm a snob. What did matter was the crowd sure was into it. Granted, the crowd was young and consisted of mostly vacationing families, and local fans. Also, I'm assuming the band itself is from the area. But, it was a full house and it looked like a successful event for the resort and the band itself. It's a home grown event, grooming these kids for bigger and better things. It was nice to see.
Regardless, of the initial thoughts of exploiting a group of teenagers, slaves to a corporate music package. It's would be the formula of a good tragic child star episode of "
E! True Hollywood Story.", where about 15 minutes into said TV show, the inevitable words are spoken "…that's when it all went horribly wrong." I also predict, just like the previously mentioned Latino super group; Menudo, which the band managers kept the groups rotating members, under the ripe age of legal drinking status. Such the same may happen to this band as well. However, that's my little un-objective, half empty view on life.
What I did understand, and think is brilliant, is that it takes a village (or resort) to raise a band. Much like what any music label would do for their signed act; this resort was doing the same. This resort is the label, the marketing, and the promoter. It's the ultimate house band and it seems to work. This might be a flash in the pan, or it could be something bigger in the future. Now that Rome, (
I mean major record labels) have fallen. Who's going to fill the void? Would your local amusement park or state/local fair help your band out? How does one band get more access to bigger crowds, bigger gigs? Maybe this is a good path for some, maybe not. It's just interesting to witness, and interesting to see how it could work for other bands career path.
~G
