A little follow up to my entry a couple of days ago about the concerts.
Turns out, acts like Brooks and Dunn get a bigger local turnout. Who'd of thunk it?
Meanwhile, acts like Beck and Wilco get 70 or 80% turnout from out of town. How normal is that? I mean, depending on such a huge chunk of your business from out of town?
It seems like a lot of the businesses downtown are the same; not really positioned to attract local yokels, but to attract visitors.
Linda and I were driving downtown the other day, and there were some nice looking shoppers.
"I wonder how long the beautiful people will stick around," I found myself saying.
"This ain't their natural habitat."
I keep coming back to the question; what do they do for a living and how do they sustain that lifestyle?
We got the 20 or 30% of locals of the crowds who support groups like Beck, and I suspect the same is true of some downtown and Old Mill businesses. That can't be healthy.
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Saw a Bentley downtown yesterday. Saw a Lamborghini the other day in the parking lot outside Best Buy. Both with Oregon plates. There are people with serious money who have homes (first, second, third, fourth ...) here and live the rich lifestyle, but they didn't make their pile here. The old-timers who had the kind of money that would have enabled them to drive a Bentley or Lamborghini didn't, and don't.
I must admit, I do feel a bit self-indulgent going to see some of the good shows swinging through town in these days of late. But, hell, smoke-em-if-you-got-em I figure. Besides, it's some damn fine people watching time.
Blackdog, I don't understand people who feel they need to flaunt their good fortune. Cars being the most obvious example of this. I have a nice family car for the wife and kiddos to ride around in and I buzz around in early 90s japtraps. Different values on $$$ I guess. I work hard for mine and showing everyone I have a big dick/car/bank-balance isn't very smart in this day and age (ie. tort lawyers).
In this mornings paper; the Portland Jazz Festival has lost its sponsor and may be defunct.
Makes you wonder how many of these things actually make money, and how many are meant as 'promotions' -- for the Old Mill, or whatever.
Arts of all kinds probably need subsidies to survive. Not saying we shouldn't do it -- just saying that it isn't necessarily an accurate gauge of how Bend is doing economically that we get such good acts at the Scwab.
Dunc, I've always suspected that the good shows are part of the Bend Marketing blitz. Your post on this subject is spot on.
"Bend is soooo cool. It has great shows, food, views blah blah blah". And -10 winter weeks too.
"Blackdog, I don't understand people who feel they need to flaunt their good fortune. Cars being the most obvious example of this."
Me neither.
That Lamborghini was a sweet ride, though.
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