Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: Hi, I'm Stan.
[00:00:02] Speaker B: And I'm Shen.
[00:00:03] Speaker A: And each week we bring you the Stan and Shen Show. And each week we talk about fun things through our travels throughout the capital region. We touch on food, we touch on news, try to touch heavily on good news. And Shen's always available with hot takes.
[00:00:19] Speaker B: Yeah. So if you could follow along and listen to us every week on DailyGazette.com or on all major streaming platforms, we'd love to have you join us.
[00:00:30] Speaker A: How was your Valentine's Day?
[00:00:34] Speaker B: I stayed home. I ate some Chinese, a whole thing of cookies, and drank a whole bottle of wine.
[00:00:45] Speaker A: So we wanted to start the Stan and Shen show off on a high note by asking Shannon how her Valentine's Day was.
[00:00:54] Speaker B: Oh, and I watched a.
I watched several sappy romance movies.
[00:00:59] Speaker A: Romcoms.
[00:01:01] Speaker B: That's what you do. Yeah, Yeah. I just let them just circulate through whatever was on the.
Whatever.
[00:01:08] Speaker A: So welcome once again to the Stan and Shen show as we try to brighten up my co host day because I was worried she didn't get any chocolate for Valentine's Day, and I found the best chocolate available for her.
Half price on February 15th and delivering it. So.
[00:01:31] Speaker B: Oh, man, is it the tiny little things from, like, Walmart?
[00:01:33] Speaker A: This is either going to be the shortest podcast we've ever done or just once again, this is where Stan makes Shannon laugh.
Is that I brought.
[00:01:44] Speaker B: These are my favorite, though.
[00:01:46] Speaker A: I bought the last four remaining small.
[00:01:49] Speaker B: You had good ones left over at yours. We had, like, tacky little sorry Disney characters.
[00:01:55] Speaker A: Well, you had to search through the Disney characters to get to the llama that has drama written above it.
[00:02:00] Speaker B: Also, I bought three of these the next day and I ate two immediately.
[00:02:06] Speaker A: So somebody's much brighter than they were a half an hour ago in the office.
[00:02:11] Speaker B: Where's the orange flavored one?
[00:02:14] Speaker A: She's already going through.
So can we talk? We want to talk Belmont. As soon as Shen gets done with that orange I think she found. But it's been a weekend. But it's not been, like, fun, like chowder fest and chocolate fest. This is, like, windy and white and rainy.
[00:02:35] Speaker B: And we'll get to that.
[00:02:36] Speaker A: We're going to get to that.
But to brighten our days, our weeks, Belmont tickets went on sale they did last Thursday.
[00:02:48] Speaker B: Yeah, last Thursday went on sale. Still on sale.
And so five days this year of racing for Belmont.
So one more than last year, we are still gonna have the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival. If I'm not mistaken, that's still gonna happen on Wednesday. So technically, racing Starts that day. But I think they're still gonna have the whole chindig downtown.
[00:03:12] Speaker A: Belmont on Broadway. So they may not. Belmont on Broadway may not move that Tuesday. They may still do that on Wednesday.
[00:03:16] Speaker B: Yeah, I think that was our conversation with Todd. If I'm remembering back, we had this conversation a little while ago. But I mean, obviously things can change.
You know, all those details haven't been really worked out yet. We do know for Belmont on Broadway, though, we are going to get two acts this year, not three. You hear Todd Shimkus from the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce, he's the president there. Talk more about that in the podcast a little bit later.
But yeah, I mean, I feel like so far, compared to last year, especially because tickets haven't sold out as quickly, I think we've kind of come maybe come down a little bit from the high that was having Belmont and Saratoga. I think they're still going to get crowds. I think we'll get there. I just don't think there was like.
[00:04:06] Speaker A: That mad dash, but I think we're seeing that. I think your comment reflects you because last year it was all Belmont all the time for months leading up to Belmont.
[00:04:20] Speaker B: Only because I'm a planner. I'm a planner.
I don't know if I'd say excited to work like a 16 hour day, but I'm a planner. I need a plan for this. I need to be prepared. It's in the middle of summer. I mean, Belmont on Broadway for us was us walking pretty much half the city, twice over, and it was 90 degrees. And then being in a crowd of people at 90 degrees to catch the band. I'm not saying it wasn't fun. It was fun.
[00:04:51] Speaker A: It was a blast.
[00:04:52] Speaker B: It was fun and a lot of fun doing it. It's just like I'm a planner. I'm definitely a planner.
[00:04:57] Speaker A: And we're planning better for this year. Yeah, we have our escape route.
[00:05:02] Speaker B: Yeah, check it out. We do have that planned this year. As long as that hasn't changed.
[00:05:06] Speaker A: We have an escape route to get back out to file and then hopefully get back to enjoy, which would be fun.
So what we want to do is we actually sat down. It was our first remote Stan and Shen show. We. We sat down with Todd Shimkus at his offices in Saratoga to talk all about Belmont and Belmont on Broadway. So here is our interview with Todd Shimkus. Good afternoon, good evening, good day. This is Stan, this is Shen, and this is the Stan and Shen show. No last names needed. And we are here at The Saratoga County Chamber with Todd Shimkiss. And before the snow really starts to fly, my co host really, really, really, really wants to talk about Belmont on Broadway.
[00:06:03] Speaker B: I wouldn't say I really want to talk about it. I just thought that it was news that everybody should hear about, Stan, you know, so we did do a story when they first announced it. It is coming back an extra day, too, so that's exciting. And that means that Belmont on Broadway is coming back. So a little recap from last year. That was a fantastic, you know, event that they put on in downtown Saratoga Springs. Closed down a good portion of Broadway pretty much up until the entrance to the park, correct, Todd?
[00:06:39] Speaker C: Yeah, it went largely from, you know, Route 50, Route 9, all the way to Congress Park.
[00:06:46] Speaker B: Drew thousands of people, we know, tens of thousands. Yeah, we know. From a lovely experience, climbing our way to the top of the city center, leaning over the edge for a photo.
And it involved three acts. Tops of Trees, Pat McGee Band and Blues Traveler, which was the headliner for the show and was a great kickoff to the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival weekend here in Saratoga Springs. And I think a lot of people enjoyed it. We heard a lot of good feedback from people. And so now that you've gone through it once, I know that, you know, when we had talked for my. My print story, when the announcement originally came, you know, you guys have already gotten things underway. Can you tell us a little bit about sort of what you guys have been working on already for. For this coming years, though?
[00:07:35] Speaker C: Yeah, you know, I can. I can start with a story I've never told.
[00:07:40] Speaker B: Okay.
[00:07:42] Speaker C: I'm pretty sure nobody knows this other than a very small group of folks. We. We started working people know this part, people in October of 23 to put together Belmont on Broadway for 24. And we had big dreams, big plans. We got hooked up with the president of Live Nation, who, by the way, loves Saratoga, comes here for the horse racing every year. So he had a little special place in his heart and sent a team up here. We took that team on a tour of our entire downtown, trying to figure out where the best place might be to stage a Live Nation concert. So we looked at Congress park, we looked at the Spa State park, we looked at the. Down by the city Center. We looked at the city center and then we brought them up on Broadway and they fell in love with Broadway. And the way we thought we would do this was a kickoff concert, major event that Wednesday before racing started on Thursday. And then on Friday night, we would do two VIP events. One at Canfield Casino and the other at uph. And Live Nation would help curate artists for all of these. And the two VIP events were designed to help us raise the money that we needed to fund the major concert. So again, this started in October. By November, we settled in on Broadway. By January, the new mayor and the new public safety commissioner came in. They sort of gave us their blessing that they would work with us and make this happen, particularly Public Safety. We gave them the right of first refusal, but nobody said no. So that's when we started seriously working with Live Nation. The budget, I'm going to say, by April of 2024 was $1.7 million to pull all of this together.
And I remember looking at that on a Friday. And I was with Darrell from Discover, Ryan from the City Center, Deanne from the dba, Samantha from Preservation, sort of the Saratoga crew, as we call ourselves, the five of us, and Greg Connors from sedc. And this was all going to run through the Saratoga county foundation, which is the nonprofit affiliate for the chamber. And I'm like, I can't stick our necks out for $1.7 million. So we agreed that we couldn't do it. I called President Ira, David O'Rourke, I called President Alive Nation apologized. We had all spent some time trying to figure out how to do this, and over the weekend, of course, we're despondent about not having anything.
And then it dawned on us that, you know, Live Nation had, I think it was, $40,000 in the budget for entertainment at Canfield and $100,000 in the budget at UPH. So on Monday, we reached back out and said, could we. Could we get something in between those two numbers for Broadway and skip the VIP events? And Live Nation responded, that's brilliant. Let's see what we can get. Two days later, we got the call from them, and we had Blues Traveler, and then we worked with Proctors to get the Pat McGee band and tops of Trees. And that's how that all sort it went from being dead to suddenly alive. Right? And as you pointed out, we probably had 25,000 people there. So there's a story nobody's ever heard. We are literally, earlier today, I got a call from Live Nation. We are working our way through our budget for this year for 2025, and what we can afford to do and who's available. And so we're working through, it won't be $1.7 million. It'll be closer to the other number I mentioned. But I mean, the whole thing in last year was about a quarter of a million dollars. It was not inexpensive to make that happen. But one of the things that I think is important for people to know because there's obviously that debate in the community on whether it paid for itself. Right.
The chamber. We never got reimbursed for our staff time and we spent eight months working on this Discover. Saratoga never got reimbursed for its staff time. It spent eight months. The city center didn't get reimbursed. The dba. You see where I'm going here. None of us expected that we were going to make a profit on this. We all expected that this was going to put Saratoga Springs and Saratoga county on a map as a major events destination. And that's exactly what it did.
[00:12:07] Speaker B: Do you feel that because it did so well that that's. Or have you had conversations, I guess, with Naira over how well it did that that may have lent itself to them wanting to give us that sort of extra day this coming Belmont?
[00:12:22] Speaker C: Yeah. You know, it's funny, I've talked to David and Pat, Mark, Jeff, you know, I think they just felt like that extra Wednesday was going to be fine and it gives them another day to race up here in Saratoga. It wasn't going to be detrimental to the community.
Might add some value to the sort of four instead of a four day pass, it's a five day pass. Right. So. And we all learned a lot from the last time around. And so I think there's ways that they can drive up attendance on Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday. Friday was obviously really good and Saturday you couldn't possibly have fit anybody else inside the grounds of the track.
[00:13:05] Speaker B: So we know that very well.
[00:13:07] Speaker C: There's no way you could have possibly fit anybody else in the restrooms at the track that day. Right. So anyways, I think we all learned a lot. As an example, for us, we're going to probably go down to two bands, start at seven instead of six. And that way the restaurants and retailers get to have a little extra time to sell some more goods or to do some more turns at the restaurant. So again, a lot of us have learned a lot that we're going to put into place for 20, 25.
[00:13:36] Speaker A: So the one thing that we came away with thinking about from being. Experiencing the whole thing, because we were. We were here at noon. I think we were at noon. And. And we worked. We worked hard, but had a blast the entire time. Yeah, we were. We were everywhere. And the plans to do it again is. Is. You think. Do you think there's going to be a change in the closure timing because it appeared like, because you were doing a 6, 6pm tip off for the first band, Broadway was closed pretty quick from what we could see. So I looked like there was an opportunity to maybe close it later, kind of, you know, make that a smaller window of closure for traffic purposes. And then it's twofold. Because the one thing that we talked about was that timing of when you do close Broadway. Is there a chance to maybe make that a community festival during the closure time of the streets, to keep people. To attract people to downtown, to businesses, but also to all the different. Everything going on, whether it be Franklin Community center or UPH or SPAC or anything like that. Is there a chance to maybe make it a community and then, you know, five o'clock, you know.
[00:14:51] Speaker B: Yeah, because, I mean, I think one of the things we noticed is people really enjoyed that portion of Broadway being closed down. Like, when is there any other time that you're gonna see like three dudes coming out to play for a speed down the center of Broadway? And so, like, that was definitely one thing we took away was is there a way to attract even more people while the road is closed down there? Because, I mean, there's still businesses open, you know, and people seem to enjoy that. But obviously you get a lot of people on one end of Broadway, the end that stays open, and maybe not as many sort of further down towards. Yeah, towards the. Towards the stage. So do you guys have any sort of working ideas right now as far as, like, things you can do to sort of drive people to that area?
[00:15:33] Speaker C: Yeah, I. So I think, you know, part of the challenge for us, and we're going to have to, once. Once we know that we've got two bands and that that schedule is going to fit, you know, that we. Everything works back from there. So we also learned how long it actually takes to set up what had to be. I mean, the stage that they set up was far different from the stages we do for, like, July 4th, or that we used to do for Hats Off. It had way more bells and whistles than any of those. So it was more expensive, it took more time to set up. But our local staging company that we worked with has now been through this one. So does that mean that we could shut down the road a little later? I hope so. That would be ideal if we could do that. But at the end of the day, public safety is going to dictate to us.
Everything about that event focuses on everybody feeling safe coming here. It's a Again, it's a major event with tens of thousands of people, and the security measures you have to take in this day, in this world are extraordinary. So it's the first event I've ever worked with Homeland Security and the FBI and the state police on.
I mean, literally at all levels. We did training, I think, two weeks out for all the downtown retailers, because if somebody was planning to do something that we needed everybody to be looking out. And so there were certain things that retailers were told and property owners were told to watch for that might help us make sure nothing happened. So, again, these are things I don't think people recognize that steps we were taking. So if public safety says we can shut down later, and the staging company is okay with that, and that fits the criteria of the band, because the band drives a lot as to what goes on the stage and what has to be there in the setup. If they all say we can shorten that, we will shorten that. So the shorter period of time that we have Broadway close, the better it is for all the businesses, whether they're in retail, restaurants, or even the professional services, because the folks going to professional services had to drive around as well, or people working downtown had to figure out ways around this. So all of that is up in the air. And my hope is that we can reduce the time that it's closed, but during that time, yeah, let's have some fun with it so we can set up some things. And I'm hoping maybe some of the downtown businesses have some creative ideas on how they could utilize that space. And now that we know that the space is available, you know, but there's other things. Like, I don't know that we're going to do the. We had bike fencing that went all the way up and down Broadway because what we thought we would do was direct everybody for the concert off the sidewalks into the street. That didn't work, right? Didn't happen.
[00:18:20] Speaker B: We learned that the hard way.
[00:18:22] Speaker C: So. Right. Do we need it? If we don't need it, that's another hour that we saved in terms of setting up bike fencing. So, again, that's. That's. That'll be up to public safety. If public safety says you don't need the bike racks, then we've. We've just cut another hour out of time that we have to have the road shut down.
[00:18:41] Speaker B: And I just want to. Because you mentioned July 4th and having to sort of set up celebrations for that. And part of that announcement from Naira, related to Belmont was also the addition of a July 4th weekend, and we touched on this a little bit, is that this also coincides with Saratoga Springs doing their all American event. And so, I mean, are you guys going to like step it up this year? Because we do get this sort of special weekend. Anything sort of talks right now about potential, like new things for that. Are we going to kind of just keep it the same and it's just, you know, we get racing on top of it.
[00:19:15] Speaker C: Yeah, it's going to be keep it the same. We get racing on top of that. The reality of our situation for public safety is that, you know, they spent a lot of money this year and time on overtime. So did the county sheriffs coming in to supplement and support our local community. And we thank them for that. But we can't expect that time and time again. So July 4th, you know, that event was created by volunteers 15 years ago as a way of making Saratoga a destination for that July 4th holiday.
We feel like we've accomplished that to some extent. And Naira racing here on that particular day and the day before and the day after I think is going to help. The concert doesn't start until I think it's 7pm and the fireworks are a little after 9. So people will be able to spend the day at the track and then come downtown. We would expect we'll have a slightly bigger crowd, but we don't want to shut down Broadway. We don't want to change the venue. We'll still use Ellsworth Jones Place for the band and the stage. We'll still shoot the fireworks off from the top of the city center parking garage because that's what benefits the downtown businesses, draws people down and then they can go out and do their own thing.
[00:20:28] Speaker A: When looking, being part of some of these different events, when you're looking for talent to come in, whether it be speaker circuit or in this case, you know, SPAC 2.0 for you looking for live acts, you get that list.
Were there times that you were disappointed when you saw acts like that hit home for you were like, top tier dollar. Like really?
[00:20:56] Speaker C: So this is where.
This is where our team, Ryan, Darrell, Dean, Sam, Greg and I really helps. I know next to nothing about music. Now. I had heard of Blues Traveler. I knew the lead singer also played the harmonica. But if you had asked me to name a single song they did, never would have done it. You could have tortured me and I wouldn't have been able to give you.
[00:21:21] Speaker B: The name of listen, I'm right there with you. So they sounded great. I had no idea who they were some of their songs.
[00:21:27] Speaker C: I went and listened to some of their songs. I'm like, oh, yeah, I've heard that song. So Daryl and Ryan are really our two local experts.
So when we've worked with proctors for Saratoga New Year's Eve and we got Ben Folds, I'm like, all right, I know Ben Folds Five was a band, and I know one song that they sang, but they were the ones to say, oh, this is legit. We're gonna sell a lot of tickets to this. Right? So the same thing's happening now. We have. We've probably looked at, I'm gonna say, a list of 30 different bands for Belmont on Broadway.
If I knew five of them, I might be exaggerating a little bit. So I tend to say to them, look, if I at least know the name of the band, that probably means there's a little more public knowledge than music fans. So we have to find somebody that Darrel and Ryan say yes to that Live Nation or Proctor says we can afford. And that's my job. My job is to facilitate that process of them going, oh, yeah, out of that list, here's the three we want. And then to figure out, okay, which of the three can we afford? And, you know, Live Nation, can you get that done? Or Proctors, can you get that done?
[00:22:41] Speaker A: All right, so Christmas in June 2025.
This is your Christmas gifts this year. Who's. Who's headlining? You don't have a budget. Who's headlining? Who's. Who is on.
[00:22:54] Speaker B: You could get anybody.
[00:22:55] Speaker A: You can get anybody.
[00:22:56] Speaker C: Oh, I could. You mean me?
[00:22:59] Speaker A: Your choice, Todd. Blank check. Who would you want to see play on Broadway?
[00:23:03] Speaker C: So for. I mean, for me, my sort of favorites. Right. That. That are still alive.
I'd put U2 on that list.
Yeah.
[00:23:13] Speaker B: We're not getting YouTube.
[00:23:14] Speaker C: Right.
[00:23:14] Speaker B: Sorry.
[00:23:15] Speaker C: There's no chance. Right.
[00:23:16] Speaker B: No chance on that list.
[00:23:17] Speaker A: We have YouTube for a budget.
[00:23:23] Speaker C: I mean, some of the bands that have come to SPAC in the last few years have been phenomenal, too, and then some. Guess what Are a little too old.
[00:23:33] Speaker B: Your YouTube would be like, me being like, I wish we could get Coldplay for Belmont on Broadway. Also not gonna happen. But we can. W. Right.
[00:23:42] Speaker C: Absolutely.
[00:23:42] Speaker B: Wish.
[00:23:42] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:23:43] Speaker B: We can think about it. Maybe they'll see us and they'll be like, you know what? We'd love to come to Saratoga.
[00:23:47] Speaker A: I think it would only be fitting for the Eagles to leave the sphere in Vegas and finish up in Saratoga.
[00:23:54] Speaker C: Eagles would be great.
[00:23:56] Speaker A: An east, west thing.
[00:23:57] Speaker C: Yep. Yep. Eagles would be great. Eric Clapton would be phenomenal. But again, those things just aren't going to happen. So.
[00:24:04] Speaker B: And I think we're getting a little close here on time, but sort of one one final question here is just because, you know, we're going from three to two bands, is that that opening act for whoever Headlines are we still trying to make that a sort of local band. Are we going to be able to kind of get that in there? I know a lot of people love Tops of Trees has a very local connection with, you know, the lead singer being a high school teacher here. So I know we saw a lot of students who came just to see their teacher play. So what are the chances that the. The opening act is also sort of very local?
[00:24:36] Speaker C: I would say at this point, that's not likely. It's more of a.
We're looking for the opening band to have sort of some resonance with. With folks, particularly in New York State.
So some bands that have traveled a lot within New York State and done some performances.
So, yeah, I mean, there's some that definitely have local connections within the capital region that helps us. Right, because they at least know somebody in the area. But I think you're gonna end up with two acts that have even a national presence. So probably one more older than the other just because, you know, Blues Traveler. I'm not saying they were old, but they're not young either. So, by the way, they had a blast here. They did not know. They knew they were coming to Saratoga. They knew they were doing this thing. When they got up on stage, they were telling us afterwards, they're like, oh, my God, you shut down Broadway and look at this crowd. We better be. We better do well tonight. And so they had a lot of fun out there.
[00:25:45] Speaker B: And then I guess our ask would be. And I. Maybe you can help facilitate this, but Stan would love to get back up on the city center.
[00:25:53] Speaker A: Let me tell you.
[00:25:56] Speaker B: He loves some heights.
[00:25:58] Speaker A: That was.
It was an experience.
[00:26:01] Speaker C: I've been on that roof. I know what it takes to get up there. And it is not for the faint at heart, particularly in the dark.
[00:26:09] Speaker A: You know, heights are one thing, but as I explained to people, I have a high center of gravity. As big as I am, it's a high center of gravity. I explained to people that when I'm on a roller coaster, those few times when we go over the top and you're going back down the hill, my butt comes out of the seat and my. My knees are hitting the crash bar that you're praying was put on correctly. So that's where my fear comes from because I just have this vision of falling, like, literally out of the roller coaster. And she's killing herself here, laughing. So we go up to the roof and you know what? When I go to the top of a building, I want the World Trade center experience. I want the Empire State Building. I want the fencing to come up and curve over with barbed wire. Like, there's no. I mean, Spider Man's going to have a hard time getting out. No. I was amazed.
[00:26:58] Speaker C: Like, you're right on the edge.
[00:27:02] Speaker A: So the photo that we have was. Was me on my knees, shuffling my knees over and then taking my phone gingerly in two hands and taking that photo that we. That we used on Broadway.
[00:27:11] Speaker B: Very nervous. And I'm just like. I just leaned over my phone and was like, click, click.
[00:27:17] Speaker A: It's the. No fear.
[00:27:18] Speaker C: I would be with you. I. I could care less. Like, literally.
[00:27:20] Speaker B: I don't like heights, but there's like a one once in a. And I say this as someone who's also climbed 85ft on a ladder truck, like, I hate heights. But that moment where someone says, you can do something, like, I want to do it.
[00:27:32] Speaker A: Yeah. It was at least once. It went very quickly from Shannon making an ask to a quick beg to demand that we get this done. And she's like, okay, we're going. This wasn't like, do you want to go? It's like, okay, we're going. You ready? And I just. And it's, you know, you can't get up there. So anybody who's thinking about it, you cannot get up there.
[00:27:53] Speaker C: You can't. No, you cannot.
[00:27:55] Speaker A: The things we had to go through, permission wise and check wise and things like that, we're very appreciative of.
[00:28:00] Speaker B: Thank you again for the umpteenth time to Public Safety for allowing us to do that, coordinating all of that at the very last second for us. Because when we say that, that photo I think really sort of grabs the attention of what Belmont on Broadway was like, what the experience was like. There's like two photos in my mind that always stand out. It's that photo and it's the photo as you just entered the stage from the back, which also nobody gets to see that shot. But, like, you get the band and the.
[00:28:26] Speaker A: All you see is all Broadway in heads. It was. Yeah, it was magical.
[00:28:30] Speaker B: I don't think there are any other photos that really, like, just surmise so well that experience that day.
[00:28:38] Speaker C: Biggest crowd I've ever spoken in front of in my life. But it was just so amazing, right?
I had a blast. I went. I mean, right. We all went up on stage, but they handed me the mic and I had. All I had to do was read the list of sponsors. But I looked out and I'm like, wow, look at all the people we got here. So.
[00:28:56] Speaker A: And just real quick on sponsors, percentage wise, how many have re upped and because of the success, has it helped, you know, grease the proverbial wheels of people coming on to be a part of this now they saw the successes. Sometimes it's like, let me see how this one goes before. But is there renewed interest from current sponsors and then has it expanded to other people reaching out now to be a part of it? Yes.
[00:29:22] Speaker C: I mean, we owe a debt of gratitude to Naira, Saratoga County, Death Wish Coffee, Adirondack Trust, uhy, Saratoga Casino, all.
[00:29:30] Speaker B: The folks that you still remember.
[00:29:32] Speaker C: Many of this sponsored. Well, so, you know, the interesting thing was we had, I think six or seven sponsors.
[00:29:37] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:29:38] Speaker C: So we didn't sell anything for like 500 or $1,000. The minimum, Ask Druthers was five to 10. And it went way up after that. So you know that we do. I mean, all of them have essentially re upped and there's some others that are interested. What I did learn was it was way easier to get the. The final yes when I called and said, hey, we got Blues Traveler. So I'll never forget David O'Rourke's response. He's like, really? I mean, you told me Friday we weren't doing this, and all of a sudden now you got Blues Traveler. Are you, are you serious? I'm like, yeah, I'm serious. And he said, we're in. We're totally in. So. Right. And he's told me a couple of his favorite bands.
So if we can book one of those, I'm hoping I can, you know, get a few more dollars.
[00:30:27] Speaker B: Will David get up on stage and do some dancing?
[00:30:30] Speaker A: Is he doing the intro?
[00:30:31] Speaker B: Is it? Well, he's got to do the intro, but maybe a dance or two.
[00:30:35] Speaker A: Well, then the question is get him.
[00:30:37] Speaker B: To jam out a little bit on stage.
[00:30:38] Speaker A: There we go.
[00:30:39] Speaker B: Yeah, he can air guitar.
[00:30:40] Speaker A: I.
[00:30:40] Speaker C: You know what if there were a Naira CEO that I've worked with that might do that. It might be David. However, I still put the odds of that at extremely insignificant.
[00:30:52] Speaker A: Maybe an intro. If it's, if it's one of his top fives, I don't think, you know.
[00:30:57] Speaker C: I think if we pick one of his top fives, he's going to he wants to be down in the audience. He wants to be part of the event. I don't think he wants any. Anything to do with jumping up on stage.
[00:31:06] Speaker B: I told you. He wants to jam out.
[00:31:08] Speaker C: Yeah. Yep.
[00:31:09] Speaker B: We might catch a photo of him jamming out.
[00:31:11] Speaker A: That's right.
[00:31:12] Speaker C: He did. He did come backstage after and met with Blues Traveler and had, you know, enjoyed that.
[00:31:18] Speaker A: So I think we may have to do a live shot post show.
[00:31:23] Speaker B: We might have to.
[00:31:24] Speaker A: We have to work on it.
[00:31:24] Speaker B: We're at the. Get back. We're gonna have to go from the car back to the.
[00:31:28] Speaker A: That's right. File the story and then get back for a live hit at 10:30 or.
[00:31:33] Speaker C: Whatever it is, or just do everything from the roof. Just hang out there.
There's wi fi from the, you know, city center.
[00:31:40] Speaker A: It can't be any better. No blockage.
No blockage. All right, well, thank you so much for. For indulging us and taking the time and. And recapping incredibly successful Belmont on Broadway and sharing us some of the insights and looking forward to the next Belmont on Broadway.
[00:32:00] Speaker B: We'll be back in, like, two. Two and a half months.
[00:32:03] Speaker C: Awesome. Can't wait.
[00:32:04] Speaker B: Once. Once you have the name, we're back.
[00:32:06] Speaker A: Just send a text to Shannon saying.
[00:32:08] Speaker C: Right away, I've got the name.
[00:32:10] Speaker A: And then we're just. We're here. We may be in the car before she responds to the. She'll be like, stan, we've got the name.
[00:32:18] Speaker C: I got. I got to tell you, I had a blast that.
Because people knew we were talking about this for months. All the different rumors that I heard, and even this year, I'm hearing all these different rumors about people.
So you're asking me a musical question again?
[00:32:34] Speaker A: I think. I think Dave Matthews is, like, probably gotta be, like, everyone's dream.
[00:32:39] Speaker B: I feel like that's probably the dream of Saratoga Springs right there.
[00:32:41] Speaker A: To be on Broadway versus Spac.
[00:32:43] Speaker C: You know, there is a name of a. Of a person that's rumored out there that is definitely not coming, but I can't.
[00:32:50] Speaker A: All right?
[00:32:50] Speaker C: I'm terrible.
[00:32:51] Speaker A: I am both.
[00:32:51] Speaker C: Literally.
[00:32:52] Speaker B: Whoever you guys think it is, they're probably not coming.
[00:32:56] Speaker A: We're not feeling anything. We're about feeling. All right, this is Stan, and this is Sean. We'll catch you on the next podcast. Say goodbye.
[00:33:04] Speaker B: Goodbye.
[00:33:07] Speaker A: So that was great. Todd was. I think we couldn't have asked for a better first remote interview than Todd and talking about all the things that went into Belmont and what's happening, and we still don't have that act I had. I had an early flyer on a potential act, and that act now is performing nowhere near Saratoga on that particular day that I'm aware of. So we'll see. So maybe they will go Wednesday. If Wednesday, I think it may work. But Tuesday did not. So that's where we're at with that. So what else? I think we lean towards going towards good news.
[00:33:46] Speaker B: Yes. So if you're hungry, we got one restaurant week in Amsterdam wrapping up. So that went the 17th through the third.
23rd. Sorry. And then we have two coming up that sort of overlap a little bit. It'll be Schenectady. Their restaurant week is February 24th through March 2nd. In Saratoga's is February 26th through March 6th. So you'll see a lot of promotion throughout the two counties for that.
And check out bite sized and our out to eats for a number of the places that will be participating or have sort of set menus. And these are places that kind of. They have like something on their menu or they have set items that they sort of kind of group together. So in Schenectady, the places have, you know, a $30 menu and a $40 menu. And that's usually an appetizer, an entree, and some sort of dessert. And then. Yeah, anyway, so there's that Always good reminder to make sure you tip your wait staff.
[00:34:53] Speaker A: And we're also anxiously awaiting any opportunity to judge restaurant weeks.
[00:34:57] Speaker B: Oh, yes, yes. You know, I will not pass up free food.
[00:35:01] Speaker A: And then if you're not not so inclined to dine out. This Saturday, I expect to be at the Saratoga Beer Summit at the city center.
[00:35:13] Speaker B: Stan, you're not allowed to drink on the job anymore. I just want to let you know.
[00:35:16] Speaker A: That I know they.
[00:35:18] Speaker B: Those years have passed.
[00:35:19] Speaker A: They sat me down.
[00:35:20] Speaker B: Those years have come and gone.
[00:35:22] Speaker A: I will be there as a Diet Coke spokesperson or water. But there's two sessions, 1 to 4 and 5 to 8, and it's sampling craft beers from throughout the area. And we're gonna be there, do some video, talk to some people, and start working on my craft brew trail project that our editor, Miles Rita, is very excited for me to get underway. So if you have a favorite restaurant that you think that we should visit for Shannon's Bisbee. Always willing to talk to a restaurant that's doing something special or expanding.
Feel free to reach out to the show Stan and Shannonmail give us, send us an email.
And we're going to do some. We move because we had Todd this week, which we had had for a while. We're not doing any tastings this week, but the list is growing quickly.
There's a lot of things to eat and drink for our tastings, so we're kind of excited about that. And that's coming up.
[00:36:31] Speaker B: We have the best group for tastings, too, if anybody remembers when we did the apple cider donut contest.
[00:36:36] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:36:36] Speaker B: Brought that back after 10 years.
[00:36:38] Speaker A: Yep. That was great. And so we're going to talk winter woes.
[00:36:45] Speaker B: Yeah. I think we're all done.
I don't think the weather's done with us, but I think upstate New York has had it.
I don't know if you feel the same way, but, I mean, one of our counterparts in the office, Steve and I, were talking about how this is the first sort of winter in, like, the last few years that actually kind of reminded you of childhood, which isn't fun when you're an adult, because when you're a child and you have no obligations and you can just go play in the snow and wear your PJs inside out and hope for a snow day at school, or, like, right now, it's winter recess and you have nothing to do. It's fine. You got to drive in this. You're over it. Particularly because there's a salt shortage. So I'm sick of the snow. I'm really sick of the ice. And it's 29 days till spring. So if those 29 days could go as fast as, like, the last couple of weeks or the month of January, which felt like the longest, shortest month of the year so far, I would be pleasantly pleased.
[00:37:51] Speaker A: And when did the winter. When did the winter storm come?
[00:37:54] Speaker B: It was over the weekend.
[00:37:56] Speaker A: Okay. Were you working this weekend?
[00:37:59] Speaker B: I was not, but I needed to get things done. I still have to be an adult, and I have to go grocery shopping and stuff.
[00:38:06] Speaker A: So I was out.
[00:38:08] Speaker B: I know.
[00:38:08] Speaker A: You were out every weekend. And then I get a text from Shen. How are the roads? I'm in another county.
[00:38:15] Speaker B: Yeah, they're all about the same, though.
[00:38:17] Speaker A: And it's like, should I go out? I'm like, well, if you have to do something, go. Go run an errand. Oh, I gotta go to the gym. And I'm like, so what happens is.
[00:38:27] Speaker B: My health isn't necessity.
[00:38:29] Speaker A: You made it to the gym.
[00:38:31] Speaker B: I did, yes. So did I. Sunday.
[00:38:34] Speaker A: Yes, you did.
[00:38:36] Speaker B: Yes, I did. I did go on Sunday. I went later in the day. I forgot. I went. Okay. Yeah. I don't know. It's been a long week. So I did make it on Sunday. I did not make it on Monday, because Monday was when everything kind of froze and the weather got, like, really dipped. And as I was leaving my apartment, there was actually a major, like, sort of accident right at the intersection where I wouldn't needed to turn, so I had to go the other way. And I hit the tiniest patch of black ice, swerved a little, and was like, I'm going home. So I literally drove around the corner, and that was it. And then I just gave up, went home and went to bed because I was really upset with the snow and the weather.
And I think we're just over the cold and the bleakness. There's no color. There's no color in the winter.
[00:39:18] Speaker A: Cold is biting. That wind was supposed to be.
[00:39:19] Speaker B: And then it's nasty gray.
[00:39:21] Speaker A: Well, that's again, Sunday. I was fortunate enough that I got the bride to work early again. She's never missed a day because of snow. Working for Saratoga Hospital. Please remember that when bonus time comes around. And I got her there early, and I was able to do. I did a photo essay of snow day in Saratoga, and I had a lot of different. I had people out there, snow blowing and things like that, and it was that fresh snow. So it still looked good. It still looked a little bit fluffy. And then sure enough, within three hours, it was like, yeah. You know, it was plowed off. It was slushy. It was.
[00:39:58] Speaker B: I feel like the pastor that we've had have been like, it's been snow sometimes heavy. But this was one where you got that fresh powder, like snow, which nobody minds. And we didn't get nearly what they were thinking we were going to get again. Yeah. So, you know, they were talking several feet in some of the areas.
[00:40:16] Speaker A: Even I was panicking when it was 9 to 18 inches. I'm like, yeah, all right. I may not see Amsterdam for three days.
[00:40:23] Speaker B: Yeah. So, I mean, it was the worst part is when it switched to that mixture and then the freezing rain, and then you had like, thank God I cleared my car when I did, or it would have been even worse the next day. Which is what happened to Chad, who had chunks of ice. He needed to get off the car.
[00:40:40] Speaker A: Yes. That's a lesson learned.
[00:40:41] Speaker B: This is also a reminder and a bit of a hot take, which we'll have more of those in a minute.
But I'm really sick of seeing people get in their cars and they are not taking off enough snow. You just barely clearing your window so you can drive to work is not safe for you, and it's not safe for anybody. On the road. And if stuff flies off your car and damages somebody else's or cause an accident, you are liable for that.
[00:41:11] Speaker A: If you can find them, though. But you gotta consider. I'm going down the north way this happened. I had two separate vehicles go past me. I.
[00:41:16] Speaker B: The other day, chunks of snow. And it was not even. This is like two, three days after the storm.
[00:41:21] Speaker A: That's the worst.
[00:41:21] Speaker B: And it's chunks of snow still on your car.
[00:41:23] Speaker A: It's a sheet.
[00:41:24] Speaker B: I'm sorry. But if you cannot clear off your car, that is just sheer laziness and you shouldn't drive. And that's my hot take on that. And anytime an officer sees someone with snow still on their car should be an automatic ticket because that is a danger to everybody. And that's that. On that. We need spraying. I'm done there. Onto the hot take of the day.
[00:41:47] Speaker A: Onto the official.
[00:41:48] Speaker B: Yeah, the hot take.
[00:41:49] Speaker A: The hot take of the day.
That was the warm. That was the warming plate. Hot take of the day.
[00:41:55] Speaker B: Because that's just been. That's been.
That's been sizzling.
[00:41:58] Speaker A: That's been brewing.
[00:41:59] Speaker B: Yes. But today's was. I was on social media looking for something else and related to a story, and I came across a story today that Kentucky Fried Chicken is moving its headquarters out of Kentucky and to Texas. It's not even Kentucky Fried Chicken at that point. Like, I get it. They have small. Like everybody has a Kentucky Fried Chicken probably. Right. And it's not made in Kentucky. But it's not. It's not gonna be. It just doesn't feel the same.
[00:42:28] Speaker A: The headquarters. Yeah, it's gotta be. Should still be.
[00:42:31] Speaker B: Yes. If you're gonna have the 11 secret spices or whatever it is. Seven or 11 spices that are all top secret, I want them stashed in Kentucky. Not that I've ever been there, but it's called Kentucky Fried Chicken for a reason. We gonna call it Texas Fried Chicken now. That doesn't even sound fun.
I know the saying is everything's bigger in Texas, but the chicken was already good sizes.
[00:42:55] Speaker A: So, like, Mexican connection in Saratoga Springs should be based, like their headquarters should be south of the border.
[00:43:02] Speaker B: Well, no, I'm not saying that. It's just like you've been in Kentucky. The name is Kentucky Fried Chicken.
[00:43:10] Speaker A: I hear you. I understand that.
[00:43:13] Speaker B: But also, I feel like to bring this news that this is the news that's happening right after storms hit Kentucky and they've had like a ton of flooding and stuff down there.
[00:43:20] Speaker A: Just insult to injury.
[00:43:22] Speaker B: Yes. It's not the Best look, in my opinion. I just feel like Kentucky Fried Chicken was like, eh, Kentucky, we don't really need you anymore.
[00:43:31] Speaker A: Disappointing. Yeah, disappointing.
[00:43:34] Speaker B: Like, I know they got land in.
[00:43:35] Speaker A: Texas, but it's odd too. When you think of demographics and you think of cost of living and things like that. It seems like kind of. It's not like you're leaving the infamous. It's not the exodus from New York. Like, oh, things are so expensive eating.
[00:43:48] Speaker B: Like Kentucky Fried Chicken. Like, when I think Kentucky Fried Chicken, that Texas is not one of the first 10 states I'm gonna name as a place that eats fried chicken like that. I'm just. I know they're south, but like, they're.
[00:43:59] Speaker A: Like, we need the numbers south.
[00:44:01] Speaker B: The other way. Like the not like the south you think of when you think like south where there's fried chicken.
[00:44:07] Speaker A: So anyway, there will not be a chicken tasting next week.
[00:44:11] Speaker B: Don't know how I feel about that.
[00:44:12] Speaker A: Because KFC is still number one. I think. I mean KFC Popeyes. I mean Kentucky Fried, Kennedy Fried Chicken, Chick Fil A, throw them in. I think kfc. I think the Colonel still. In my family, the Colonel's always been number one.
[00:44:28] Speaker B: I mean, it's good. And maybe I'll eat something before they officially. Maybe I'll have it one more time before they officially move, but I don't know if I can do it afterwards knowing that they're in Texas.
[00:44:36] Speaker A: So there would be a boycott.
[00:44:38] Speaker B: Well, I don't know if there's going to be a boycott, per se. I'll probably have it again at some point, but just find it kind of odd. I don't know. Like, I just also, I'm one of those people, like, why move your headquarters if you. Unless you need to expand and you have no other room in the area currently located.
I feel bad for any of those people who can't move with the company too. Like, I guess I'm looking at this as like, jokingly, the name is just kind of funny because you're Kentucky Fried Chicken based out of Texas.
From like, standpoint of like, it just sucks for those employees who can't move with the company or the employees who do have to move with the company. And that's a lot, especially for families. So anyways, I don't know if we consider that a hot take or Shannon just saw something. It was like, wow, this is kind of.
[00:45:27] Speaker C: You were.
[00:45:28] Speaker A: I think you were pretty hot on it.
[00:45:30] Speaker B: I mean, we've had other hot takes in this office, but they're more personal to the Office.
[00:45:35] Speaker A: There was some Belmont angst early on when you first flashed up the tickets.
[00:45:40] Speaker B: Well, I. I don't know.
[00:45:45] Speaker A: You were surprised.
[00:45:46] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:45:46] Speaker A: I think you were surprised at the ticket. The first. The ticket pricing for the first day. Little sticker shock for you.
[00:45:52] Speaker B: $123.
Well, I mean, I guess this is because I'm not really a huge horse racing fan. You know, I. I cover Saratoga County. I understand what people see in it and what people don't see in it and what people like and dislike about it.
[00:46:06] Speaker A: And there's a lot of aspects we both agree on that we like a lot.
[00:46:11] Speaker B: Yes.
I'm just not a fan of horse racing.
[00:46:16] Speaker A: First of all, the event.
[00:46:18] Speaker B: I'm a huge hockey fan, and unless this was, like, the final playoff game.
[00:46:23] Speaker A: It'S 100 bucks to get in the door now, regular season for hockey.
[00:46:27] Speaker B: I don't know if I'd even spend it. I'd rather spend that money and watch it on tv.
[00:46:32] Speaker A: Pay per view.
[00:46:33] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:46:33] Speaker A: Okay.
[00:46:34] Speaker B: I'm just.
Call me a stickler for the finances.
[00:46:37] Speaker A: What do we got coming up? We're gonna do tastings next week is the plan.
[00:46:41] Speaker B: Yeah. Nyra, don't hate us for my comments, by the way. If you guys want to charge $123, that's your prerogative. I'm just telling you. Thank God we get media passes, so.
[00:46:53] Speaker A: Or maybe one less.
Pat, she's only kidding.
[00:46:57] Speaker B: Yeah.
Please don't be mad at us, Pat. We still love you guys. It's just that we're there. $123. I was like, whoa. Because I've never had to buy one. So I guess that was like.
[00:47:09] Speaker A: That would. Yeah, I think. Cause if you're not. If you're not a Belmont goer, and I guess that's.
[00:47:13] Speaker B: I don't know. That's reasonable for Belmont. It sounds reasonable.
[00:47:16] Speaker A: It's an event like Belmont, and we got, you know, the July 4th racing festival also. But Belmont first.
[00:47:23] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:47:24] Speaker A: And Belmont on Broadway first.
[00:47:25] Speaker B: I'm just saying, I looked at this, and I was like, I wouldn't even spend $123 on a pair of jeans. I would spend $123 on a. On a meal. But, like, that's the difference between, like, me and someone who's gonna go to Belmont, who likes racing and who likes. Who wants to see horses, you know, race, and who.
[00:47:40] Speaker A: What would you pay? What would you pay?
[00:47:44] Speaker B: I would pay $123 to see Taylor Swift.
[00:47:47] Speaker A: You. I think you pay a lot more than $120.
[00:47:49] Speaker B: I was ready my math.
[00:47:52] Speaker A: What's your ceiling?
[00:47:53] Speaker B: What's your. Her tickets when she just. A ticket for a ticket. 500.
[00:47:57] Speaker A: So 123 is nothing. I mean, it's an entire day, so you can tailor for three hours as a dot.
[00:48:04] Speaker B: Well, you show up beforehand, too. I mean, there's the whole party.
[00:48:07] Speaker A: I understand there's the party, but, like, you're gonna see a individual who's gonna be a dot because you're in a huge.
[00:48:12] Speaker B: Well, first of all, I mean, this is Taylor Swift and horses like this, not the apples.
[00:48:16] Speaker A: And this is event. This is an event.
[00:48:18] Speaker B: Taylor Swift.
[00:48:19] Speaker A: This is my hot take. This is an event that's important to you. So you're willing to spend up to $500?
[00:48:25] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:48:25] Speaker A: So I don't think one is for.
[00:48:28] Speaker B: Something that's special for some people that's.
[00:48:31] Speaker A: Like, you know, I wouldn't pay 123 for jeans, but I paid 500. CT Swift.
[00:48:36] Speaker B: Well, yeah, it's Taylor Swift.
[00:48:40] Speaker A: That's it for this week, gang. I'm Stan.
[00:48:42] Speaker B: And I'm Jen.
[00:48:44] Speaker A: Taylor Swift. We need a discount.
[00:48:47] Speaker B: Taylor Swift. If you want to come on the podcast.
[00:48:49] Speaker A: Anytime, anytime.
