Bill Geist's Zeitgeist

The New Year's Eve Conundrum

When I hit the clubs in any town, I'm looking for new and different or old and original...but definately not for cover bands that attempt to faithfully reproduce the original. A great example: The Blue Olives play a lot of covers...but rarely the covers you expect and never without an exceptional change-up. Which is why I love 'em.

Except for New Year's Eve, I'm looking to be challenged when I'm getting my live music fix. On New Year's Eve...I just wanna dance.

And, that's the conundrum. Where, oh where, are the smokin' hot, horn-based cover bands that are designed for just one thing...getting the audience sweaty. I mean, I get the business challenge of running a 10 or 13 piece band in a club world that wants to pay bupkus. But, I can't be the only one that would slap down serious dinero for a New Year's Eve to remember.

Maybe it's just where I live. Maybe there's just not a lot of interest in R&B infused Rock with a horn section that is as much fun to watch as groove to here.

I love Madison. But, the two things we struggle with are hubris and New Year's Eve.

With all due respect to the bands playing Madison this New Year's Eve...you ain't Jack Mack and the Heart Attack, Here Come the Mummies or Denver's kickass Funkiphino.

On today's Music Friday, we share Funkiphino's Demo video...and ask the question, "Where do you get sweaty on New Year's Eve?"

A Legacy Airline with a Clue

It's really easy to hate most American airlines. Predator is the word that most often comes to mind. They know we have to fly...so they are free to violate us at every turn without any fear of retribution.

There was a flicker of hope that they actually do care when Delta and JetBlue raced to the head of the line to permit mobile devices gate to gate a day after the FAA lifted its ban. And, Delta has already planted their collective foot firmly in the NFW camp on the new suggestion that passengers be permitted to make mobile phone calls in flight.

But, here's something you don't see very often. American Airlines has announced it will be testing a program that will let passengers bid for First Class seats that have gone unsold. Rather than offer seats at a (for some) silly $129 upgrade charge like some airlines...American has apparently realized that 50 bucks is better than no bucks.

And, for the passenger...it makes perfect sense. There are flights that all I want to do is devour a good book...and I can do that in steerage. But, there are flights that I really need to be working on my computer to finish a report...which I can't do in steerage.

Now, American gives me the option to decide on just how much I'm willing to spend to get that report finished.

Brilliant.

Air Law 17

It's one thing to get beyond the silly tin-foil hat ban on mobile devices under 10,000 feet. But allowing self-absorbed assholes to actually carry on pointless conversations on their mobile phone in flight?

Puleeze. It's bad enough I have to endure these people in the terminal (Air Law 14)...but all the way across the country? We need to get in front of this insanity now...thus:

AIR LAW 17: Any airline that permits in flight mobile phone calls is hereby required to supply any passenger requesting relief from the din with a pair of those really expensive noise-cancelling headphones. No, the REALLY expensive ones.

Hey...it's only right. You don't let people smoke because it irritates fellow passengers. Why should you be allowed to subject those same passengers to the inane coversations of obnoxious seatmates? Oh wait...because a recent survey shows that 1 in 10 were obviously raised by wolves?

Air Law.

And kudos to Delta for already announcing that no way, no how will they allow phone calls on flights, regardless of how sensationally clueless the FCC is.

When Banners go D'oh!

As highlighted by Dallas Magazine last week, there are times when banner ads go bad. Very bad.

As virtually every media outlet has done this month, Texas Monthly decides to run a story on the 50th anniversary of the Kennedy Assassination. Check.

The Dallas CVB knows that the Texas Monthly website gets a lot of eyeballs and purchases banner space. Check.

Ummm, except that when your slogan is "BIG things happen here," that's probably not going to work very well for anybody.

Especially when the story is "powered by" the Bureau (click image to enlarge).

Just another reminder for Destination Marketers to consider every possible way their sponsorship of a page could be construed.

50 Years

It would take another five years before a young singer/songwriter named Dick Holler would write a song that, in keeping with the era's zeitgeist, encapsulated the pain of the '60s. It would come just months after Robert Kennedy was assassinated after winning the California Presidential Primary...weeks after Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated as he stood on a Memphis balcony.

There are some fascinating takes on the classic, like these from Sammy, Marvin and Jon & Richie.

But, on this somber Music Friday, we look back with the original version...Dion's rendition of "Abraham, Martin & John."

How Did We Get Here?

The President apparently was warned that the HealthCare.gov website wasn't ready...but he greenlighted the launch anyway. The General Accounting Office has pronounced that a billion dollars spent on a TSA program has produced a safety level that is just slightly above chance. The IRS faxes sensitive financial data to the wrong taxpayer.

Oh...and it's not just government that can't get it right. A crew of top scientists have apparently killed the world's oldest animal. AIG gets a bailout and promptly spends half a million dollars on an executive retreat. Even al-Qaeda rebels cant get it right...admitting that they recently beheaded the wrong guy.

How did we get to a place where the decisions being made appear to have the same potential for success as playing the Lottery?

Were we really that much smarter not that many years ago? Or, are we just getting caught screwing up more often thanks to the media and whistleblowers?

Whatever the reason...it kinda sucks.

We Will Never Be Loyal

The majority of the national hotel franchises have commoditized their product. Sure, one may offer cookies while another offers hot breakfast...but most hotels (above a certain level), offer a good night's sleep in a soft bed with over 5 pillows.

Which is a problem for hotels. A recent study by Hudsen Crossing found that 40% of American travelers that book online are members of hotel loyalty programs. And, these loyals check, on average, 9 other brands before locking in on the stay they want at the price they deem acceptable.

Part of the problem is that, like George Clooney in "Up in the Air," many of us hold Loyalty Cards from several hotels.

And are loyal to none.

Toying with the Shark

I'm not about to say that tattoos have jumped the shark...

But, when you see a Tatttoo Parlor in a Mall?

Me thinks the moment may be approaching.

The Perfect Response

Apparently, it's illegal to take sand from the beaches of the Alabama Gulf Coast. Tammy Hall didn't know that some 20 years ago when she scooped a shoebox full of sand to take with her as a momento of a great family vacation.

She recently returned that sand to the Gulf Coast Chamber of Commerce, with an apology. The Mayor called Tammy and said, "We would like for you and your family to come back and be our guests. We have places for you to stay and help us put this sand back on the beach in the appropriate spot approximately and, if you do that, I will issue a full and final pardon on this criminal offense."

THAT is a response as perfect as it gets.

Marshall Crenshaw

There are those moments in life in which exists a cosmic zeitgeist.

It's happening again and again over these past few weeks...most recently when we traveled to Sarasota for a conference outside of our comfort zone, produced by an individual that is connected to an amazing author that I just discovered through a totally different channel. Too weird.

It happened again when I checked the Sarasota club calendar on a way cool site called GoTonight.com and found that a favorite artist would be appearing during our visit. I scored the tickets online and, on my first day in market, hit the local Publix for provisions.

And...what song is playing over the sound system but Marshall Crenshaw's "Someday Someway."

On this Music Friday, we offer this accoustic version of Marshall's "There She Goes Again" (with which he opened last night's show).

He'll be all over the Northeast the next few months.