1 Topic by Parasite68 (edited by Parasite68 2015-11-30 14:54:13)

  • From: New Orleans Louisiana
  • Registered: 2015-01-12
  • Posts: 104

Topic: Information for Joe on how to play at the New Orleans Jazz Fest

Hi Joe,

Yes this message goes out to the real Joe. I'm Brian Holmes and we met at the meet and greet in New Orleans the other night.
I kiddingly asked you why haven't you played our Jazz Fest and you replied " they haven't invited you yet.
I told you then I'd make some phone calls for you and, well,,I have!

I called the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage festival booking department.  They said they'd like you to send them one of your press kits.  Please call the number first because I'm not sure if that's the address they want it mailed to!

Jazz festival and heritage festival:

Phone 504-410-4100
336 Camp Street ste 250
New Orleans LA 70130

Thanks again for signing my guitars and treating me to the best concert I've been to ever

Good luck

Sincerely
Brian Holmes

"There's a hard life for every silver spoon, there's a touch of grey for every shade of blue.  That's the way that I see life.  If there was nothing wrong, then there'd be nothing right." - Brent Smith
"The blues aint nothing but a good man feeling bad". Leon Redbone
  • Registered: 2006-04-22
  • Posts: 1,168

Re: Information for Joe on how to play at the New Orleans Jazz Fest

Thank you but I'm not gonna beg for a gig. They know how to get intouch.  They must of placed my number in the same spot as Bonaroo, Coachella, and every major festival in this country did.  I am supremely happy playing the nations great theaters to the wonderful crowds that come out time and time again.
Cheers and thanks for the info.
Joe B

  • jim m
  • jim m
  • BONAMETAL
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  • From: Okie City, OK
  • Registered: 2006-04-24
  • Posts: 3,429

Re: Information for Joe on how to play at the New Orleans Jazz Fest

Brian, Thanks for the Street Team effort. Over the years the Street Team has engaged in many efforts to get Joe's name out to major festivals and television shows to the point of irritating many organizers, for instance there was an effort to get Joe on Austin City Limits. They contacted Joe's management to ask them to please call off the dogs because they have heard loud and clear but still no invitation to be a part of the show. Well Joe just played the Moody Theater two shows with a capacity of nearly 5,000 over the two nights something not many artists will do there and still no invitation to appear on the show. The only major festival Joe has played is ACL Festival in 2008 and he was put on a local musician side stage where he created a log jam on the festival grounds as his crowd grew to the size of a main stage crowd.

Joe has reached the level of success he now enjoys with the help of a loyal fan base having never been the flavor of the month for the mainstream exposure many feel is necessary to build a career and he is proud of that. Austin City Limits has ignored him but PBS has embraced him and in the end that has been the better exposure for his career. The old story of when ever you encounter a closed door look for the open window applies here. NOJF is a great festival and they would be the true winners by booking Joe however they have no idea what they are missing and Joe seems to of gotten by without playing their stages. I predict some day they will come calling hoping he can bring his already rabid fan base along with him in the not too distant future.

jim m's Website

4 Reply by Parasite68 (edited by Parasite68 2015-12-01 11:30:11)

  • From: New Orleans Louisiana
  • Registered: 2015-01-12
  • Posts: 104

Re: Information for Joe on how to play at the New Orleans Jazz Fest

Joe Bonamassa wrote:

Thank you but I'm not gonna beg for a gig. They know how to get intouch.  They must of placed my number in the same spot as Bonaroo, Coachella, and every major festival in this country did.  I am supremely happy playing the nations great theaters to the wonderful crowds that come out time and time again.
Cheers and thanks for the info.
Joe B

I totally respect your stance on this and it's their loss for sure.  As a fan, I'd much rather enjoy your music in a setting like the Saenger down here.  Its big, yet intimate, and your shows are classy and they draw classy audiences.  After you left the stage, my girlfriend and I sat in our seats for about 20 minutes watching the crew break down the set and we finally turned to each other and said "that was the best show we've ever seen!"  That was my first time seeing you play live and I loved every second of it!  During the meet and greet I was the one with the gold top guitar and the Pelham blue. My girlfriend was explaining to you that they let her listen to you thru headphones while she was having an MRI. You asked her how long does the MRI take these days and she told you about 35 mins.  Thank you so much for a wonderful meet and greet experience.  It was wonderful meeting you. Thanks again for the best show I've ever seen.  I've seen everyone from Aerosmith to ZZ Top and everyone in between including KISS, Iron Maiden, etc...  You are a game changer. Stay well, happy holidays, and you are most welcome back to New Orleans any time you'd like!

Sincerely,

Brian Holmes

"There's a hard life for every silver spoon, there's a touch of grey for every shade of blue.  That's the way that I see life.  If there was nothing wrong, then there'd be nothing right." - Brent Smith
"The blues aint nothing but a good man feeling bad". Leon Redbone

5 Reply by Parasite68 (edited by Parasite68 2015-12-01 11:34:05)

  • From: New Orleans Louisiana
  • Registered: 2015-01-12
  • Posts: 104

Re: Information for Joe on how to play at the New Orleans Jazz Fest

jim m wrote:

Brian, Thanks for the Street Team effort. Over the years the Street Team has engaged in many efforts to get Joe's name out to major festivals and television shows to the point of irritating many organizers, for instance there was an effort to get Joe on Austin City Limits. They contacted Joe's management to ask them to please call off the dogs because they have heard loud and clear but still no invitation to be a part of the show. Well Joe just played the Moody Theater two shows with a capacity of nearly 5,000 over the two nights something not many artists will do there and still no invitation to appear on the show. The only major festival Joe has played is ACL Festival in 2008 and he was put on a local musician side stage where he created a log jam on the festival grounds as his crowd grew to the size of a main stage crowd.

Joe has reached the level of success he now enjoys with the help of a loyal fan base having never been the flavor of the month for the mainstream exposure many feel is necessary to build a career and he is proud of that. Austin City Limits has ignored him but PBS has embraced him and in the end that has been the better exposure for his career. The old story of when ever you encounter a closed door look for the open window applies here. NOJF is a great festival and they would be the true winners by booking Joe however they have no idea what they are missing and Joe seems to of gotten by without playing their stages. I predict some day they will come calling hoping he can bring his already rabid fan base along with him in the not too distant future.

I understand and before I spoke with Joe at the meet and greet I didn't realize they have to invite you to play.  During the meet and greet in New Orleans, I told Joe that I had just seen Clapton play and was very disappointed. His show was one of 9 dates of a North American tour.  We were his first gig, he looked tired, uninspired, no energy and a tired set list.  Joe asked me where did we see Eric play, and I told him the Jazzfest down here..  I mentioned to Joe that he needs to go play there and that's when he told me they've never invited him. I told Joe I'd make some calls and to be honest they're making a mistake!  Like I told Joe, last Tuesday's show was my first time seeing him live.  I've watched all the DVDs and he sounds perfect on the dvd's.  I thought maybe they'd make adjustments to the sound if he was off note or something. But seeing him live from 10 rows back, he never missed a note, chord, and what impressed me the most is how serious he is about his sound.  At one point during the keyboard solo, Joe was retuning his guitar with a Snark..  Very impressive.
Im a guitar player myself, I own 13 of them  and at them all, but for me the New Orleans show was more like a 2 hour clinic or lesson to me! I loved every second of it!
As far as helping promote him and being a street team member I am still very much interested.  I applied a while back but if you could resend me the instructions to sign up, please do! Happy holidays to everyone!

Sincerely

Brian Holmes

"There's a hard life for every silver spoon, there's a touch of grey for every shade of blue.  That's the way that I see life.  If there was nothing wrong, then there'd be nothing right." - Brent Smith
"The blues aint nothing but a good man feeling bad". Leon Redbone