YEAR IS FULL OF PROMISE FOR ENTERTAINMENT SCENE

Published: Thursday, January 10, 1991
Section: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON , page 13
Source: Roberta Thisdell

© 1991 Landmark Communications Inc.

Another year, same set of resolutions here at the Nightbeat.

This year, we have one new promise. We promise to return all phone calls.

One more resolution: To stop referring to ourselves with the royal ``We.'' One friend's comment: ``Geez, who are you going out to all those clubs with? Queen Elizabeth?''

So, it's just ``I'' out here this year.

Here's a look at 1990 as seen by a few of the Beach tune crew:

LEWIS McGEHEE, singer/guitarist of Lewis McGehee Group. Lewis and Marsha McGehee added a new daughter to the family in 1990 and the band released a new tape, ``Distant Voices.'' Baby and tape are doing well, McGehee reports.

His wish: ``A thousand new bars to open and be successful, and 500 of them to use acoustic music.''

BRUCE HUNROE, comedian. Hunroe's stand-up marathon, playing clubs in places like Jonesboro, Ark., finally paid off with club dates in the Caribbean. ``Sometimes, I think, `There's got to be an easier way to make a living,' '' he said. ``If I told that to some guy digging ditches, he'd kick my butt. But some nights, I'm up there sweating like Mike Tyson in a spelling bee.''

BOB SMITH, owner of Earworks recording studio. Smith ended the year on a highly visible note, appearing on the cover of Portfolio magazine in December. Acclaim will not change him, he vows.

His wish: ``I would like to see the radio community help area talent get what they deserve. I'm not saying they should play everything that comes out of here, but if it's good, play it.''

BARB DEIDERICH, singer/guitarist of the Worthless Dizzies. After a slow spell, the Dizzies discovered a willing audience for their fast and furious music at the CMJ conference in New York City.

Her wish: ``To play in New York City.'' The three-woman group is awaiting the results of their audition at CBGBs, the city's premiere showcase club.

SETH GORDON, singer/guitarist of The Mockers. A bit of plastic launched the hopes of the three-man power pop band last year, as a record label slipped a Mockers tune onto a flexi-disc inserted in Spin magazine. It's been a year of nibbles from record industry sharks.

His wish: ``I wish we would get a record contract.'' The group is finishing up a tape, and will be storming the record guys at month's end.

ROBERT ``BUBBA'' NICKLIN, owner of Bubba's Beach Club. He burnt out - literally - in '89, rebuilt in time for summer last year. Through it all, he's kept an exceedingly loyal clientele and a cheerful attitude.

His wish: ``I wish that my Mom and Dad would live a long time. Is that crazy? And I resolve to take care of my wife. She's the best.''

MICHAEL RAU, Albermarle Sound Productions. The promoter's year was a series of highs and lows; the high of watching the great blues shows he brought into Larkin's, and the low of counting the gate from the poorly attended shows. He's moved his concerts to Famous '50s Restaurant and Nightclub in Norfolk. ``I'd love to present shows at the Beach,'' he said. ``It's my home. But I've discovered that Beach people will drive to Norfolk, but Norfolk people won't come to the Beach.''

His wish: ``Solvency.''

SCOTT McLEMORE, drummer for Ant Man Bee. After six months, the funk/punk/reggae/whatever band is still kicking. Splitting the door seven ways won't make any of the musicians rich, but these people believe in what they're playing, he said.

His wish: ``To make it big, for a record label to come out and see us and get blown away and give us a million dollars. I've figured it out. That's what we're worth.''

LARKIN BARNETT, owner of Larkin's Beach Club. Another year finds Barnett still in business, still trying to mix a little of the offbeat and unexpected into the beach music mix. ``Maybe I pushed the blues too hard, but we put some damn good music up here,'' Barnett said. ``I'm proud of my crew, I'm proud of my bands. Hell, I'm proud of myself.''

His wish: ``Peace on earth and for Congress to get some brains and figure out how to spend money.

BOBBIE LEE, comedian. It's been a weird year for the Chesapeake-based comedian. Her husband shipped out aboard the Yellowstone, and a Belgian television station interviewed her as a typical enlisted man's wife. Hardly. ``They're asking me how I felt about war,'' she said. ``This (Belgium) is a country that can't even agree on a language.''

Her wish: ``It's a scary year coming up, no matter how you look at it. I can't find anything funny about it.'' OK, so how about your kids? ``My wish for 1991 is for both of them to turn 25.''