THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, September 3, 1995 TAG: 9509030037
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY HOLLY WESTER AND TOM HOLDEN, STAFF WRITERS
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Long : 107 lines
Besides the feel-good atmosphere, spirited tunes and mass appeal promoted by acts like The Beach Boys, this weekend's American Music Festival reeks of nostalgia for one simple reason: It fills hotel rooms.
While the under-30 set may think the blast-from-the-past musical lineup is designed to drive young rowdies away, organizers say the musical mix caters to an older crowd less strapped for cash.
``We want to create a musical weekend that will bring an age group of between 30 to 55 years old, people who want to experience their favorite bands of years gone by,'' said Bill Reid, president of Cellar Door Productions of Virginia. ``This is the age group that has the disposable income to buy hotel rooms.
``We're not creating a concert on the beach just to create a concert,'' he added. ``We're doing it to create Oceanfront room-nights, but the great by-product of that effort is that locals can come as well, so it's a win-win for the community. Locals come, and people come here to buy hotel rooms.''
The strategy makes sense in light of ongoing demographic research of typical Oceanfront visitors updated last year by Continental Research Inc. and reviewed by two Old Dominion University instructors.
``If we look at the typical visitor over the past five years, we see an older, higher-income visitor who is more likely to be married and to bring young children,'' wrote Gilbert R. Yochum and Vinod B. Agarwal, of ODU's College of Business and Public Administration.
The authors found the average visitor's age rose from 37 in 1989 to 38.7 years old last year. In 1989, slightly more than 44 percent of visitors were between the ages of 35 and 54, while last year that percentage rose to 62.4 percent.
By those numbers, especially the ages, booking bands that had popular hits 20 years ago - when today's visitors were teenagers - makes perfect sense.
``Let's say we booked Pearl Jam,'' Reid said. ``It's somewhat academic since they're not touring now, but even if we did, all we'd get is big crowds on the beach and not sell a lot of hotel rooms, so we would miss the primary focus of what beach events are all about.
``We're booking music that fits a generation,'' he said. ``We could appeal to a younger generation, but they don't have the disposable income that is necessary to book hotel rooms.''
Reid admits that many other bands might be more popular with a younger crowd than, say, The O'Jays or Kool & The Gang. But booking Pearl Jam, a hugely popular rock act, or Naughty by Nature, an equally popular rap group, both of which can draw thousands of fans, would do nothing to advance the city's efforts at promoting a tourist-friendly image.
``We want our target audience to enjoy the beach one more time this year and see some bands they know and grew up listening to,'' Reid said. ``Perhaps in 20 years, we'll book Pearl Jam, if they're still playing.''
Cellar Door's ``win-win'' plan is working, and the buzz at the festival is proof. While the Boardwalk is lined with locals' beach cruisers and mountain bikes, hotel balconies are packed with out-of-towners.
The resort area is bubbling with folks who genuinely want to be part of summer's last blowout.
``That's why we're here,'' said 46-year-old Bob Gannon, pointing at a schedule of events posted at 24th Street. ``Rare Earth, The Beach Boys, Leon Russell - they all go way back.''
Although Gannon, a network marketing business owner in Phoenix, Ariz., didn't plan his vacation based on the festival, he was thrilled when he heard about it. ``I might not go back to Phoenix!'' he added.
The mixture of bands seems to be the attraction for many. ``Blues, rock, country - it's a variety that works well for everybody,'' said 34-year-old Mike Thayer, a local electrical engineer. ``I think it's a great festival. I hope they keep it up.''
Teenagers and young adults, however, give the lineup mixed reviews.
While some are groovin' right along with their folks, others are finding refuge in their cars, blasting their stereos in parking lots, on the sand or while driving along the strip.
``I'm enjoying it,'' said 14-year-old Kate Horne, a freshman at Cox High School who came with her parents to watch Leon Russell.
``They started having flashbacks,'' she added. ``Then my dad said, `Remember this one?' I thought I would die.''
``Personally, it's too old for me,'' said 17-year-old Joey Robertson, a senior at First Colonial High School, working at Beach Bike Rentals. ``It's not in touch with my generation.''
Although he said he'd probably check out The Kingsmen, since his dad saw the band ``a million years ago'' and still has one of the members' guitar picks, Joey isn't satisfied with the way such festivals are handled.
``I don't know any younger people that have a say in beach events,'' he said. ``That's something that needs to change.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photos
DAVID B. HOLLINGSWORTH/Staff
Julia Dawson, 11, puts her fingers in her ears as she sits on the
shoulders of her father, John Dawson, during the Leon Russell
concert at the American Music Festival at the Virginia Beach
Oceanfront on Saturday.
Researchers say the music festival crowds, like this one Saturday,
are older and have more disposable income - just the sort of
visitors whom the city wants to attract.
Graphic
SCHEDULE
[For complete graphic, please see microfilm]
by CNB