The Fixx Rocks Madison With Madison School Of Rock

The Fixx, an English New Wave band, rocked Madison on Thursday, August 8, 2013, along with some local favorites from the Madison School of Rock. 

We checked in with Madison Beach Hotel Manager John Mathers to see how it went and here is his report: 

Last night was terrific. Great turnout, I would guesstimate 250 people, with some coming and going throughout the night.  Students from Madison’s School of Rock opened the night with four songs.  I think people were pretty impressed with the kids!

Our movies and music series have been somewhat hampered by rainy weather this year, although we have had enthusiastic audiences at each event.  We go to great lengths to find bands that have broad regional or national appeal.  Our location between NYC and Boston, and our choice of Thursday nights means we can often find great bands that are touring in the area and don’t mind picking up another gig along the way. The bands that play here are often on the verge of major recognition; Grammy-ready, we like to say.

Two of this summer’s concerts have been held in the ballroom due to rain.  While the ballroom works well as a venue, it’s not the same feel as an outdoor show.  We had one movie night in our Spinnaker room which was a lot of fun.  All the kids were camped out on the floor like a big slumber party. 

Most of our guests are local, from Madison. For movie nights, we do get families from the surrounding towns as well. Concert goers are also local, with many people walking in from the surrounding neighborhoods.  There are quite a few that have been at every show.  For the concerts, we see some people coming in from New Haven and even the Hartford area, but again, mostly locals and hotel guests.

While it's hard to estimate the total attendance this year, movie nights are typically about 50 people.

It’s great to see families spending the evening together and we’ve had guests tell us that they have created lifetime memories here.  Concerts usually draw about 100-150 if the weather cooperates.

Shows like The Fixx and John Cafferty bring in bigger audiences.  Everywhere I go, people stop me and thank me for the movies and the concerts.  I get the credit, but the truth is, Ric and Dawn Duques are the ones doing this for the community. And it really is a nice gift. For example, The Fixx played the Infinity Music Hall in Norfolk on Wednesday night and sold out the theater at ticket prices of $39-$59.  Folks in Madison got the same show for free at the Madison Beach Hotel.

We charge no admission for the movies, yet we have to pay licensing fees for each show, and there are costs associated with setting up and cleaning up the equipment.  Our big outdoor screen was also a pretty big investment.  For the concerts, there’s the cost of the band, plus the cost of the “back line” equipment.  This is the stuff that bands don’t tour with, things like lighting, monitors, mixing boards, etc. 

We have a professional staff that sets up and produces each show.  We also provide food, beverage and lodging for each band.  Our main purpose in providing these events is to “give back” to Madison and to make people feel comfortable in coming to the hotel.  Ric is very grateful for what the town has meant to him all his life.  He and Dawn have shared the experience with their children and are now enjoying watching their grandchildren enjoy the same beach he grew up on.