Mayor for Life's Summer Concert Series

According to a May 10, article in the Independent, the total cost for the Summer Concert Series, which includes 9 acts, was estimated to be $45,800. The Mayor solicits donations for these concerts from private contributors and businesses. Past major contributors have included Aqua Ohio Water, who, coincidentally, just negotiated a rate hike with the city, which means our water bills go up. It is alleged that the Mayor pays various promoters who then hire the acts.

The Massillon Review Staff was perusing the list of acts scheduled this Summer for the Mayor for Life's Summer Concert Series. The Glenn Miller Orchestra kicked off the concert series a couple of weeks ago. We don't want to seem nit picky, but Glenn Miller went missing and presumably died in 1944. If he were still alive, he would be 106 years old. Spicy Rhyme is a cover band that plays at the Holiday Inn on Friday nights. We have an Elvis impersonator, and a Frank Sinatra imitator on the bill. You can hire LaFlavour to play at your wedding. Seriously, check their website. If you miss them in Massillon, you can catch them at the East Sparta Homecoming Festival. We aren't trying to be critical. These acts work hard and put on a fine show, but $45,800? Back in the day, the concert series had Air Supply, and Taylor Dane, people we heard of whose songs have played on the radio. Now we have Tailor Made Classics and Mike Albert as Elvis. Fine acts, but not nationally recognized headliners.

Perhaps if the Mayor booked these acts without the help of middlemen, he could negotiate a better rate. Perhaps he should give it a shot.