Editor:
While the reportedly erstwhile critic Charles Andrews is entitled to his opinion, his review of the 17th Annual Main Street Summer SOULstice in his column on June 28, at which thousands of people had a great time, can best be described as lame. First, it was on Sunday, not Saturday, so he got that wrong. Next, he disses tribute bands for "sounding very much like" the bands they're playing tribute to, which is exactly their job, why they're hired and what people enjoy about them.
He wonders why several of them return every year without bothering to do what a columnist or reporter might do: pick up a phone and ask the producer. If he'd done so I would say: "Because people like them and want them back. And you can quote me on that."
He says he went looking for more original bands, more of a mix. Well, one-third of the bands this year were not tribute bands. So where did he look? How hard? Danger Band. The Black Hips. Osairis. Weekend Celebrity. Jake Davis. The House of Vibes All Stars… and Tony Alva's band — Tony Alva! One of the original Dogtown Boys! Good grief, Charles, what do you want, a map? Oh yeah. We published two maps, one on a postcard, one in the program, and put one on the website.
Next he praises the July 4th Parade for essentially being the same every year, and I breathed a sigh of relief. For a moment I thought he might criticize it for always falling on July 4th.
Gary Gordon
Exec. Dir., MSBIA
Coordinating Producer,
SOULstice '17
