WHY THE BLUE BAR GIVES US THE BLUES

A few years ago one looked forward to spending a Friday or Saturday night at the Blue Bar of the Four Seasons listening to the ‘live’ sounds of The Good Life- Gigi, Jeff and Blaine, below, and their unique take on current and old hits.

These days, the highlights at the Blue Bar are its snacks- and the always excellent service.

The one-time interesting crowd- and the “quality” of the clientele makes or breaks any venue- has moved elsewhere and much of it has to do with the ‘live’ music- self-indulgent “jizz” that is wrong, wrong, wrong for the venue.

The musicians, especially veteran drummer Tony Fernandes, might be excellent, and the rest of the players perform well enough- but there is absolutely no rapport with the audience. Zilch, zero, nada. It’s just one boring exercise in meandering solos allowed to take place while a confused audience looks on and are too polite to yell out, “GET OFF! This is not Peel Fresco or Orange Peel or even Gekko!”

Perhaps- just perhaps- this self-indulgence might work in a purist late night jazz club on Planet Jizz, but obscure material warbled by a bland songstress on the average side of tedious left us stone cold.

We finished our mini burgers and left to find a more fun place to hang out: Home.

Whoever is managing the Blue Bar these days either doesn’t know about what once made the venue work, or else is clueless about what style of music works where and when and is receiving the wrong advice like those other hotel lounges and bars still dependent on agents from two decades ago flogging that well-known food chain of resident lounge singers.

The Blue Bar should be commercially cool and stylish- like its interior design- and like the clientele it once attracted.

Right now, it’s lacking in both and has lost its once loyal- and cash rich- customer base prepared to pay five star prices for drinks for five star service- and entertainment.

Let’s hope this customer base is not lost for good. Or leave before being subjected to onstage musical doodling.

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