TBUG 2022

[Nickie]

This is the last year for this festival to be held on land. Next year, it goes out to sea. We aren't going.

 

[RafterGirl]

Just noticed this post and checked out the TBUG website.......DRAT!
I'm a St. Pete native living in Utah, and I have family in the Tampa Bay area. I attended TBUG in 2019 as a combination uke festival and family visit. The best of both worlds. I had a blast last time, and was hoping to attend again this year.

 

[Nickie]

Just noticed this post and checked out the TBUG website.......DRAT!
I'm a St. Pete native living in Utah, and I have family in the Tampa Bay area. I attended TBUG in 2019 as a combination uke festival and family visit. The best of both worlds. I had a blast last time, and was hoping to attend again this year.

We got a new Prez about 6 years ago. Since then, TBUG was moved to a beach resort, nearly raising the cost by 50%. It priced some of our longest standing members out. Plus, that hotel has no common area in which to get together and jam. Sure, it boosted attendance by 50% because it's a larger venue than the one we used in the past. Last year, there wasn't a single bona fide headliner among the lineup, although at least Mim was still the MC. The vendors all quit coming but 2 of them. Not being a board member any longer, I couldn't justify the cost myself. The beach itself is quite lovely.
Now, it is a cruise. That will probably raise the cost another 50%, IDK.
I think a whole lotta members should send letters of complaint, unless they love cruises and are cash rich. Please don't send complaints to me, though. I won't fwd them, I've done enough complaining to get kicked out already. I was even once publicly reprimanded for bitching.
Almost all of my close friends who were members have quit, or nearly quit.
I do believe I've recruited as many members as anyone has!
The two benes it has for me are:
1. I'm an instructor in the library workshops program, since day 1. I like teaching. This year, I'm giving 2 lessons a month, and a week long Summer Camp for the kids, in the library.
2. My band is asked to play in one annual festival by the board.

 

[RafterGirl]

Well that's a bummer Nickie. I really enjoyed TBUG 2019. Meeting folks like Craig Chee & Sarah Maisel, and Victoria Vox in person was amazing. It was great to finally meet the ukulele dealers like Mim, Mike from Uke Republic, and Donna from Loprinzi that I'd only met by email or on the phone. The highlight for me was jamming until 2am with Petey Mack. Mim & Petey Mack in one weekend......so much fun. The big bonus for me was being able to combine a weekend at the beach with an enormous ukulele family, and then spending two weeks with my local family & friends. I guess that made the price not as much of a big deal for me.

 

[Nickie]

Yes, TBUG, and TBUS in general allowed me to meet:
Craig and Sarah
Fred Sokolow
Lil Rev
Stu Fuchs
James Hill
Victoria Vox
Donna LoPrinzi, Augustino LoPrinzi
Jake S.
Del Rey
Mim
Jim Beloff
Danielle Ate The Sandwich
Aldrine Guirrera
Manitoba Hal
Matt Dahlberg
Steve Boisen, TBUS founder and brilliant musician
Renne and the Rollers
and many more, including the past and present members of my own group, the Ladies of Uke, who are far from being slouches.

 

[dancephoto]

That is an amazing list of names! Do you think it is beyond possibility for the previous approach to TBUG to return? And how do we get to hear the Ladies of Uke?

 

[Nickie]

I know nothing about the plans of TBUS for future TBUG festivals.
We have some videos on YouTube. The latest ones were done on a day when we were very tired from a gig the day before.
We'll be playing in the Dunedin Florida ukulele festival, March 26.
Also in the Clearwater FL street festival April 15.
Thanks for asking!

 

[dancephoto]

Watched some of your Youtube videos, and like you said, "The Ladies of Uke, who are far from being slouches."

 

[Nickie]

Watched some of your Youtube videos, and like you said, "The Ladies of Uke, who are far from being slouches."

Thank you!