One of the best things about my job is getting sent e-mails from PR companies and agents, booking acts for student events. now we know students are funny, fickle folk who rate the flavour of the month well over yesteryear’s tried and trusted acts: but receiving this list of acts I could book for my summer ball, I was frankly staggered by the disproportionate costs.
Sure, Tony Christie has been around the block a bit, and this is the fee for a full band set, but once he has played Amarillo three times (and maybe Avenues And Alleyways), are the kids going to still be bopping around? Equally there might be some sort of car crash appeal to seeing X-Factor losers Journey South in June, but their fifteen seconds were exhausted last year, and even releasing a second album in March is hardly likely to keep them afloat except with the gumming OAP set. Indeed what was most galling was that the Liberty X comeback, and these other reality acts can probably sustain a fifty minute set or PA at best. Which might fit at University ball, but is a bit of a waste of good money.
Unlike Paul Daniels. Who, for £2,000, will give you not one, but two separate 50 minute sets. And sets done by an absolute pro. It may not be cutting edge, but remember, this guy had a prime time Saturday night television show for almost ten years: he knows how to work an audience, and he knows how to entertain. Is that really worth just over half a Chico?