One response to “KCSM Jazz on the Hill – 2016”

1. KCSM: Cheers to the pursuit of excellence!

   June 25, 2016

   The only thing way better than great live music, is great live music in an amazing venue with friends and family – like the KCSM Jazz on the Hill.
   We sat in the raised and covered seating section with perfect sight lines. It didn’t have any “VIP” sign, and I checked out that some people had VIP neck lanyards and other’s didn’t.
   It had a healthy mix of people toting their own food in chairs in sloppy plastic grocery bags, and people sipping freshly poured champagne, so I led my 2 children up the stairs to enjoy what appeared to just be the KCSM perk for all, with all the spirit of inclusiveness and socialism that powers successful bond measure after bond measure to fuel the community college system.
   It was a cognitive dissonance experience for my children, because they somehow felt uncomfortable taking the nicest seats in the house (many were empty), and I had to insist that they join me a few times.
   The beauty of the top quality instruments, the richly engineered sound contrasted with the reserved, elderly crowd, and the musicians seemed to want to burst throw the mostly frozen heads with their most soulful and crisp jams that they could produce.
   Just then, a morbidly obese woman with limp bleached blonde hair, a giant “Bernie” button brought a tray of cheese and crackers and grapes to the “VIP” folks in our section with a chipper and conciliatory nod to thank the big donors to KCSM.
   She seemed to ignore the sloppy grocery bag people and me, for a few runs of her Ritz and block cheddar, but at some point, she wagged her finger at only me, as she walked away to fill up on another load.
   We had enjoyed a solid 15 minutes up there, and my children couldn’t handle the perceived pressure to rejoin the groundlings.
   Well, in the many major concerts that I’ve produced, I’ve always found the VIP section less fun than the mosh pit. And, as many times as I’ve donated my way or sneaked my way into concert and event VIP sections over the years, sneaking in is always more fun.
   And, if you’ve had the socialism-shaming Chair of the board of the Community College district Upstage your booked, promoted, produced, and moderated, sold-out Burlingame City Council debate at The Hilton like I have, then you’d understand the funny culture of these community colleges and the conflicted nature of “inclusiveness” in the pursuit of excellence.
   I too voted for community college bonds, but any voting process is a sham, if a vast majority of the voters don’t show up, and most of those that vote have never even met the folks they voted for. Rethink your vote on this board next time, please.
   Cheers to the pursuit of excellence!