CASS Attendance

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CASS Attendance

Postby bill_h » Mon Dec 05, 2011 10:18 pm

I was sitting around thinking about the last convention and it occurred to me that it seemed like attendance was down compared to years past. I was only able to attend the last two days this time. It seems like it was a lot easier to make my way from the Kirk Sands room to the lobby. Usually it takes a lot more finesse for me to get around. I know I haven't shed any weight lately ( in all honestly I've put on a pound or two ) and I doubt that I''m getting any more graceful. The only explanatiom I can think of is there were less people. I hope it's just my imagination.

Any opinions? Could attendance be going down? I hope not. I'd like for CASS to be around for a long time to come!
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Re: CASS Attendance

Postby Eddie Estes » Mon Dec 05, 2011 11:27 pm

Well Phil and I could not make it last time but we are coming back in 2012!
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Re: CASS Attendance

Postby RandeDager » Tue Dec 06, 2011 11:29 am

Eddie, I'd like to make the 2012 CAAS also. I imagine there will be a lot of focus and most likely a tribute to Paul Yandell. I know how much he effected both you and Phil.
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Re: CASS Attendance

Postby Ray Bohlken » Tue Dec 06, 2011 11:36 am

I'm going to try and make it to the C.A.A.S. this year, too. I hope I can get to meet some of y'all in person and say hi. It's great to get to know you on the Chetboard, but I look forward to actually meeting and maybe picking a few songs and having some fun. I always have a great time. The last time I was there was 2003. I always try to play one of the open mike days. It's a real honor to be able to play on the same stage that all those great CGPs and others have played on. Hope to see you guys this year.
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Re: CASS Attendance

Postby BillB » Tue Dec 06, 2011 5:03 pm

It seemed like it was a little down last year to me, but I think that was because Eddie and Phil weren't there. :D

There were still a lot of people, but it did seem like it was a little less stressful to find a seat during the Friday and Saturday concerts. Still a little stressful, but not as bad as the previous year.

Bill B.
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Re: CASS Attendance

Postby Eddie Estes » Tue Dec 06, 2011 7:36 pm

BillB wrote:It seemed like it was a little down last year to me, but I think that was because Eddie and Phil weren't there. :D

There were still a lot of people, but it did seem like it was a little less stressful to find a seat during the Friday and Saturday concerts. Still a little stressful, but not as bad as the previous year.

Bill B.


Haha I don't think it was that but Phil and I will increase the number by 2 next year!
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Re: CASS Attendance

Postby J J Harmon » Wed Dec 07, 2011 12:36 pm

Some of my friends checked out on Friday, I don't remember their reasoning. Could have been paying gigs.
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Re: CASS Attendance

Postby RonHaft » Wed Dec 07, 2011 1:19 pm

We usually go to Ellendales for supper on Saturday night and then get a seat near the back for the tribute concert. Good sound, decent view on the projection TVs, and no waiting in line!! 3-4 years ago the back 20-30 rows of seats were half full, last couple years and especially this year they were pretty much empty. Some of that because of the economy I'm sure, and folks who did come to the convention didn't all stay for the final night, again perhaps the economy. But I think there is also a split among members about what the concert should be. I've seen postings here and other places that seemed to indicate it should be only tunes Chet played the way he played them. A few years ago Sonny James talked at some lenght about his early years with Chet. Some folks found that fascinating, and others wanted to hear some music. couple years ago the reinactment of the Chet in Hollywood album was nice but changing performers for every tune was time consuming and took away from the flow of the music. Some folks want to see more of the origins of Chet and his music while others want to see where it is going, and what the current influences are.

All in all the Sat concert must be incredibly tough to program! Between all the well deserved thankyous, and trying to get so many deserving artists on stage, it ends up being a 4+ hour concert with 2+ hours of music. I can see why some folks would skip it after having had several days of opportunities to see and hear all the performers. So maybe the concert attendance is not a good measure of overall attendance. Oh, I'll be there again in 2012!!!!

I'm sure Mark has good info on attendance trends. And, we should all thank him and the other volunteers again and again for all they do! I wonder if there is a simple way to collect and organize comments and suggestions for possible improvements to the convention without bombarding him with 600 emails?? I went to Winfield this year and that is too different for simple comparisons, but I like CAAS way, way, way, more!

I didn't mean to go on so long. Many thanx to Mark and all who make CAAS possible!!!
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Re: CASS Attendance

Postby bill_h » Sat Dec 10, 2011 11:58 pm

Well said Ron! How could anyone not appreciate the time that the Pritchers put into making CASS work, both at the show and during the rest of the year. I'm sure they get their share of phone calls, emails, and even old fashioned letters all year long.

If attendance is down hopefully it's still healthy.
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Re: CASS Attendance

Postby rickr » Fri Feb 21, 2014 9:02 pm

With all due respect for the Prichards work,,, CAAS is dying, its a slow death, but its fading,,

Who is gone? Chet, Jerry, Buster B, Marcel, and more,

And i have a shock for you all,, Tommy Emmanual gets old after a while

Tommy with Nokie, Tommy with Martin Taylor, Tommy with John Knowles, Tommy with the Green Bay Packers

Tommy is not Chet Atkins CGP or no CGP

Sorry, vent over

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