Are we enjoying too much of a good thing? This year has been a benchmark year for the number of festivals and concerts in the Lower Mainland. I cannot remember a period where there was so much entertainment to choose from. But, like the kid in the candy store maybe too much is too much. Lately some concerts and festivals have been hurting; after all, there are only so many bucks to go around. A case in point was the recent Whistler Music Festival, which had poor attendance. The lineup was awesome but the crowds didn’t appear The lack of customers came as a shock to the promoters. However, there were many competitive factors such as the Vancouver Folk Music Festival, the Surrey Fusion Festival and the heavily promoted Pemberton Festival. By the time headliner Elvis Costello took to the stage, the audience was heading down the mountain… With a veritable buffet of entertainment to choose from most of us are starting to cherry pick our shows… Coming up at the Red Robinson Show Theatre is Gerry and the Pacemakers August 13th, Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo August 17th with Weird Al Yankovic August 22nd and 23rd followed by Bonnie Raitt August 29th and 30th. Howie “Deal or No Deal” Mandel appears at the River Rock August 29th and 30th. Chris Earthy, who has been part of the Great Canadian Casinos entertainment division for the past few years as a major part of the team that brings all the acts to both theatres, suffered a stroke while working out at his gym. Chris was a boyhood friend of David Foster and worked for his organization for years before joining Great Canadian under Howard Blank. We wish him a speedy recovery… Nice to see local girl, now London, England resident Tammy Weis back in town. She has been playing a few of the local jazz clubs. You will enjoy an intimate evening of Grand Illusion with David Copperfield October 23 to October 26th for 7 performances at the Centre for the Performing Arts. This mind boggling performer will show you the worlds greatest disappearing act… I want to take this opportunity to thank the 2008 VMI (Vancouver Music Industry) for honouring me with their annual Sam Feldman/ Bruce Allen Award for my contributions to the Vancouver Music Industry over the years. The party was held at the Canvas Lounge in Gastown with a great assortment of local talent all in support of the Sarah McLachlan Foundation that helps young aspiring musicians. Also special thanks to Terry David Mulligan for acting as emcee for the occasion… It’s been a sad month with the loss of some outstanding performers. Les Crane, who was originally a deejay from San Francisco, has died at age 74. He won a Grammy for his 1971 reading of the poem Desiderata, and for a short time was a late night talk show host opposite Johnny Carson… Emmy-winning actress Estelle Getty, best known as a wise-cracking octogenarian on the popular 1980’s and 90’s sitcom The Golden Girls has died at age 84. Getty won two Emmys for her role as Sophia Petrillo on the show… and Jo Stafford, the honey-voiced band singer who starred in radio and television and sold more than 25 million records, has died at age 90. She had 26 charted singles and a dozen top 10 hits Some of her memorable million selling hits included Shrimp Boats, Jambalaya, You Belong to Me and Make Love to Me.

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