Casino Lounge Acts in Atlantic City, Then & Now

Many years ago, well before casinos came to AC, night club lounges around the country and especially in Las Vegas, were the scenes of fun, frivolity and music---all perpetrated by one band at a time. These lounge acts included some names that became nationally known: the Treniers, Louis Prima, Sam Butera and the Witnesses, Steve Gibson and the Recaps. If you saw the movie "Elf," you heard some Louis Prima/Sam Butera tunes.

Philadelphia and the Atlantic City area had, in addition to the above, their own versions, including the Mike Pedicin band (that's Mike Pedicin, Sr., father of still-performing jazz musician Mike Pedicin, Jr.).

These bands had three things in common: musical talent, a mainly up-tempo R&B-type repertoire, and a good sense of, and talent for, humor. A typical set would include some "cover" songs, perhaps some original music, perhaps bringing up a "girl" singer for a change of pace and eye candy, some sketches and some novelty songs. Basically, it was music as a vehicle for fun (not that a regular musical program cannot be considered fun).

So what do today's lounge goers experience? And what kind of music can a current band cover if not hip-hop or the brooding style of a Dave Matthews or Pearl Jam which would not lend itself to toe-tapping and laughing outloud.

Generally, like their predecessors, today's lounge bands dip into the medium and recent past for their music, no doubt in response to their audience demographics. And yes, they are talented and enthusiastically received by their audiences.

This is not to say that all acts that you experience in a casino will be what they should be---that is, some casinos may find it acceptable to present a duo with some computerized back-up rather than four, five or more players.

What has changed through the years, perhaps among other things, are the venues and the economics. A local talent insider recently lamented that there are no night clubs remaining in the Atlantic City area, leaving only casino lounges for local and touring bands. He also pointed out that bands cannot secure long runs at individuals casinos and must move about town in order to fill their weeks with sufficient work. And, oddly, that being labeled as a "lounge band" can stigmatize a group and shut them out of being opening acts for big-name entertainers. (One such band is currently in the process of ending its lounge schedule in order to pick up "bigger" gigs.)

Our conclusion is that casino lounge entertainment is a hit or miss consideration and probably not the "golden age" of lounges. But we'll be doing some scouting around and report back. In the meantime, your feedback is welcomed.