Soooooo..I was bouncing around my favorite dance venues and when I got to Frank’s Elite, I stopped. On the wall was a sign, advertising something called CUTS. Well…my investigative reporter instincts kick into overdrive, and I simply HAD to learn what this was. I managed to get some time on the calendars of a couple of gents who are arguably among the busiest guys on the Grid, William Zeta (WZ) and Patrick Pearson (PP) and they agreed to chat with me about this highly innovative program. Concert Under The Stars – “CUTS”
Josh (Thomass1 Bellic) JB: So tell me Patrick. As the Head organizer of CUTS, have you
managed projects of this caliber before?
Share with us some of your background here in SL?
Patrick Pearson (PP):
I've always loved music, and find myself always wanting to explore
musical traditions. Prior to my time
here at CUTS, I was a DJ and learned a lot about connecting with
audiences. The opportunity to be
involved with CUTS presented itself in 2015 to fill in as producer for our Euro
CUTS. After that Jay Jones, who was
running CUTS at the time, asked if I could fill in once a month. Sadly not
longer after that he passed way and the mantle fell to me to continue the
tradition. DJ Filo Tani also helped keep
CUTS alive when William took over.
JB: So then, what
is it that makes CUTS different from other dance events out there?
PP: The question
itself makes this somewhat incongruent from the concepts of what CUTS means, at
least to me as this is not a dance event but an opportunity to provide an experience
to enjoy concerts over several genres, touching the styles of romance, jazz,
pop or rock as a whole. Under the covers, with the help of the collective of
the band referred to as "The Usual Suspects" makes it sustainable and
memorable week after week. Not only is
the music different, the stage is different, the costumes are different, and
the experience is different. It's the
closest event in SL to being at a concert in RL.
JB: Where do you find your talent? And the Tribute bands? Where do THEY come from?
PP: The talent of the
band referred as The Usual Suspects, who are regulars that help provide a look
to the current weeks tribute band members, help to make it so enjoyable as a
team as add authenticity to the performers, and they truly have fun during the shows. As to the source
material, I have made it possible to obtain the well recorded concerts ensuring
the high-quality sound is maintained. These can be found online or via my own
private collection of CDs.
JB: Who was the
brainchild for CUTS and what were you hoping to accomplish?
William Zeta (WZ): The founder of Frank's, Nanceee Sinatra,
was the innovator that create CUTS (and many of Frank's offerings). She wanted to create a safe space free of
drama, to come and enjoy listening, dancing, and being in good company. She created something special, and we are
honored to continue her traditions and add our own little twists.
JB: Where did you get the inspiration for CUTS?
PP: As Frank’s Elite
(aka FEG Frank’s Entertainment Group) is under the guise of a romantic venue
over its main years, we try to lean toward a more romantic leaned set of
concerts. However, we also try to
diversify the style of music as well. Given the seasonal climates or some
special weekends like Memorial Day, Cinco de Mayo among others, we look to give
some Latino influences or some classic rock or some fun pop to reach a broader
audience while being true to our regular base to give the variety needed. It is particularly fun when we find a
concert or an artist that we can introduce to our members that they never
heard, but learn to love!
JB: And how have
the crowds been since you started the CUTS series. Are the Guests responding in the numbers you
had hoped?
WZ: Elite is a member-only venue, so it's not so much about
the number but about the quality we provide our members. With that said, we have between 40-90 avatars
attend. We have managed to keep the base
over the years and some shows by their nature are very popular and will a
greater audience. That being said,
overall it’s been quite good and sustainable even now, in spite of copy-cats
trying to duplicate what we do.
JB: How might someone learn of any special events coming up at any of your venues.
WZ: If you belong to
any of the Frank's groups (e.g., Franks Place Elite Club, Franks Jazz
***VIP***) you will get notices. Or you
can stop by Frank's Jazz or Frank's Elite and look at the board in front of the
clubs. It contains a lot of info about
upcoming concerts, DJs, live singers.
There is quite a lot going on.
JB: I understand
you also have a Loyalty Program? Tell me about that, please.
WZ: It's called
Frank's STARS. You earn STARS for the
time you spend and enjoy our venues. For
example if you spend two hours dancing the night away with us, you will earn 20
Frank’s STARS. You can redeem your STARS
for the goods and services we provide at Frank’s Entertainment Group, such as
Private Events and Parties, Chateau d’Elite Dinning, Weddings. You can also buy a day pass for Elite or a
night pass for CUTS. There are STAR
vendors around the club which have that and other merchandise you can get in
exchange for your points.
JB: And what of
the future? Any new developments on the horizon.
PP: We are always
looking for ways to improve CUTS from the music to the technology for putting
on shows. We're also looking at ways to
expand how DJs and Artists can reach an audience. Lastly, we have been working on visual
interactive experiences that immerse members in art and music, a completely
different way to experience SL.
JB: Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers?
WZ: Sure. Here are some upcoming shows:
July 1, Canada Day @ Frank's Elite
~ C.U.T.S. 12PM & 8PM: Nickelback Live in Rock in Rio
2013
July 1-4 Elite Beach Weekend @ Frank's Elite
~ 4th of July Celebration
July 3, Sunday 7-9pm @ Frank's Jazz
~ Etta James
July 17, Sunday @ Frank's Jazz
~ Fleetwood Mac Tribute
July 21, Thursday. Amazon Dancers @ Frank's Elite
~ Michael Jackson dance show, 5PM
July 31 Sunday @ Frank's Jazz
~Marilyn Monroe Tribute
Also stop by Bogart's for some Karaoke, and Sphynx Jazz
for close intimate performances.
Sooo...there you have it, Folks. Straight from the Man who Knows. See if you can “Make the CUTS” and join the team for a night of romance and dancing under the stars to the grid’s favorite tribute bands, every Friday at Frank’s Elite. Believe me. You’ll be glad you did. And so will your dance partner.
Be There! Aloha
-
Josh
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