There is no "line" for him to monitor in Vegas or elsewhere… and he doesn't have to worry about anyone taking a dive or shaving points.
But for all intents and purposes, Big E talent buyer John J. Juliano, Jr. is in the handicapping business. And based on the crop of talent he amassed for the 2009 Eastern States Exposition not long after the final "Mardi Gras" beads were being swept up off the fairground sidewalks last year, he's proven himself to be a formidable forecaster of musical futures.
"I always pride myself on trying to predict who will be hot, or have the hit record, come fair time," "J.J." explains. Examples of such successful crystal ball gazings include inking Destiny's Child, Faith Hill and Natasha Bedingfield in years previous. Now, in 2009, Juliano Jr. believes he has once again beaten the curve with country up-and-comer Jamey Johnson, slated to perform on the Comcast Arena Stage at New England's "Great State Fair" on Sunday, Sept. 27.
"We made a deal with Jamey shortly before he won an American Country Music Award this year for song of the year with 'In Color,'" he revealed. "And ever since then, his career is on fire. In fact, I saw him this past June at the CMA Music Fest, and it was so cool to see 30,000 fans singing 'In Color' along with him."
Johnson's fellow Comcast comrades include Charice (Sept. 18), Foghat (Sept. 19), Bret Michaels (Oct. 3) and Seether (Oct. 4). All of those performances are free with paid Big E admission. The one show that is the exception is Sugarland's Oct. 2 engagement. The popular country duo came as a separate, ticketed event and as of press time, it was already sold out.
The 2009 Eastern States Exposition runs Sept. 18 through Oct. 4. For the full list of performers, times, admission prices and more, kindly point your browser to thebige.com.
Also surfacing on the proverbial entertainment landscape this weekend is the Wormtown Music Festival (wormtown.com), an annual ode to arts and crafts, audio and the outdoors that will occur Sept. 18-20 at Greenfield's Camp KeeWanee.
And while this, the 11th incarnation of the popular weekend in the woods features arguably one of the fest's most impressive musical casts to date—including the Ryan Montbleu Band, Zach Deputy, New Riders of the Purple Sage and Rubblebucket Orchestra, to name a choice few—it is perhaps the addition of a new, far more permanent camp fixture that truly speaks to the essence of the event.
"From the beginning, we made sure to put the profit from this and our Camp Creek back into Keewanee," Wormtown Trading Company/event owner Mark Blanchette says, "from wiring and plumbing… but our biggest project yet is replacing two aging cabins with brand new structures this year. And I love knowing that, far more than the music we'll be hosting in those cabins, the camp will also get tons of use for years to come. It really is full circle."
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Rounding out this week's news, one-time Cobain-clone Josh Enemy checked in to report that he's not quite so Creep-y these days.
"I quit my Nirvana tribute band, Negative Creep, and have put together a great new '90s project with Chris Piquette (Blue Illusion), Gary Hamelin (Stare Down The Sun) and Ian Hogan (Before Darkened Ashes)," the singer revealed.
The fledgling foursome goes by the moniker Alternative Nation, and, by Enemy's observation, the band is as diverse musically as its formation is timely.
"We cover everything from grunge to mainstream rock, even Four Non-Blondes, The Cranberries and such," he says, "and it's just the perfect time for a band like us to hit the bars and clubs. I mean, this is the music that the majority of people who are actually going out and spending money grew up on, so why not give it to them?"
Enemy and friends plan to serve up their meaty amalgam of '90s ditties at the Springfield Rock Cafe (Myspace.com/sprinfieldrockcafe) this Friday, Sept. 18.
Send correspondence to Nightcrawler, P.O. Box 427, Somers, CT 06071; fax to (860) 698-9373 or email: Garycarra@aol.com.
