Can someone who has attended the event in the past tell me if Joliet, IL is a clean town, or a dirty suburb of Chicago. I have no doubt that the music will be good. So many of the towns in America have turned to garbage.

New York is like a fortress today because of the Republican Convention. Of course, I would not anticipate anything like this at a small event like the HSGA Convention.

I hate dirty places. If it is ever determined that the U.S. needs an enema, surely N.Y.C. is where they will insert the hose. I just hope the residents of N.Y.C. treat their personal hygiene better than they treat their town. Too bad, there are so many good things there.

Also, about how many people attend the HSGA event?

It works, or the other, Midway? I drive.

>Can someone who has attended the event in >the past tell me if Joliet, IL is a clean >town, or a dirty suburb of Chicago.

the area around the Holiday Inn is suburban ,light industrial, semi-rural farm land a few miles out of town. Nice stop off the interstate. Looks like anyplace in the US. Personally I never leave the hotel except to eat once in a while - the music is the thing to do.

Chicago downtown is actually really fun - Navy Pier, Museums etc. Just pick your places to go.

>Also, about how many people attend the >HSGA event?

Perhaps 100-150. Small compared to Scotty's etc.

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Chris Kennison
Ft. Collins, Colorado
"There is no spoon"
www.book-em-danno.com

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I hate dirty places. If it is ever determined that the U.S. needs an enema, surely N.Y.C. is where they will insert the hose. I just hope the residents of N.Y.C. treat their personal hygiene better than they treat their town.

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Oops...better go check my hygiene.

(edited for spelling)

[This message was edited by Lawrence Lupkin on 30 August 2004 at 10:52 AM.]

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it may not be the safest place to live (the area is vast in racial diversity...)

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According to convention planner and Joliet resident Wally Pfeifer "we don't consider Joliet a suburb of Chicago". Joliet is about 45 miles from downtown Chicago.

The Holiday Inn convention site is located directly off of I-80 in a suburban
clean and safe area. On the main roads surrounding the Holiday Inn are every
conceivable nationally known store/restaurant you can imagine (Walmart,
Office Max, Wendy's, Target etc.). "Like anyplace USA", as Chris Kennison said.

There are also some good, reasonably priced locally owned restaurants within easy driving distance of the hotel. Many attendees carpool to these restaurants for lunch and dinner. Off the main road are some nice residential neighborhoods.

All of the rooms in the Holiday Inn have been recently remodeled with new furniture and fixtures (Summer 2004). Even before this refurbishment project, the hotel was always maintained in an excellent clean condition. The comfortable chairs, sofas,
tables etc. add to the enjoyment of the convention and the nightly jam sessions.

One of the nice things about the HSGA Joliet convention is the fact that all of the out of town attendees stay at the Holiday Inn and 99% of your time will be spent there. You will make many new friends and have a great time.

The four days will fly by way too quickly.

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Gerald Ross
'Northwest Ann Arbor, Michigan's King Of The Hawaiian Steel Guitar'

Gerald's Fingerstyle Guitar Website

[This message was edited by Gerald Ross on 30 August 2004 at 01:40 PM.]

But outside of town as mentioned where the Hotel is probably allright.
I would like to attend this show and wish I could. I remember Alvino Rey was there Quite a few times over the years....al

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My Website..... www.cmedic.net/~almarcus/

So it'll be neat to see these places in person.

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about how many people attend the HSGA event?

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About 150 dirty people.....

But enjoy the sights nonetheless ...

[This message was edited by Russ Young on 30 August 2004 at 06:26 PM.]

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So many of the towns in America have turned to garbage.

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We have steel players in N.Y.C. What a pleasant surprize!

Of course, everyone knows that steel players are model, civic-minded citizens, no matter where they live.

I tend to agree with Chris Kennison, about 150, many of them musicians/performers.

This turnout is one of the main reasons I attend the convention. You can easily sit two feet away from a world-class steel guitarist, watch their hands, see how they approach the instrument and PLAY MUSIC WITH THEM!

My steel guitar playing improves tremendously as a result of the Joliet weekend. I always come away with fresh ideas and a handful of new tunes.

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Gerald Ross
'Northwest Ann Arbor, Michigan's King Of The Hawaiian Steel Guitar'

Gerald's Fingerstyle Guitar Website

[This message was edited by Gerald Ross on 31 August 2004 at 07:37 AM.]

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And there's a reason they all want to come here--because it's the greatest damn city in the world.

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