Frank Sinatra // Deer Creek Music Center // July 1, 1989

A look back….

July 1, 1989

FRANK SINATRA

Deer Creek Music Center

Noblesville, IN

When Sunshine Promotions built Deer Creek Music Center the owners Dave Lucas and Steve Sybesma knew that we had to book a variety of different types of music and entertainers. All too often these shows were not financial successes and most of them lost money. Frank Sinatra was no exception. This show lost a significant amount of money, over $100,000. But this particular show made a big impacting statement to the community and region. Overall, the show sold 5,605 tickets and the ticket sales revenue fell short of the guaranteed money to Frank Sinatra. While this was a huge financial loss it was a huge gain in the venue’s credibility within Central Indiana and more.

I have often said there were 4 significant shows that took place in the first year of Deer Creek and Frank Sinatra is one of this shows. The other shows were Sandy Patti, Grateful Dead and Elton John.

As I started the show advance / planning I contacted his production manager a gentlemen named Hank Cattaneo from the East Coast. To say that this man had an attitude is an understatement. He was gruff, demanding, threatening and for the most part treated us like we were clueless, stupid Midwest people. I am sure that these folks could get away with this when they were in Las Vegas, New York, Chicago, and yet they seemed to hold us as beneath those markets…and that was OK. With experience one learns how to play the game and in this case it was best to step back and let Sinatra’s people do their thing. The production was very basic, simple sound and stage lights and they asked to load in the day before. We accommodated them on this, and it was a good thing. It was clear that they were not accustomed to amphitheaters, and they had a very slow pace with their process. I am from a rock’n’roll production background, and I like a fast pace.

Back to Hank…he was an interesting man and I wanted to get to know him better, but he wasn’t a friendly person. He kept referencing Frank Sinatra as The Old Man. That cracked me up and I made sure not to reference Mr. Sinatra as The Old Man. Another thing about Hank that bothered me starting with our advance phone calls clear through the production set up was his constant threat to cancel the show. “Do this or do that or we are going to cancel” was his mantra. I don’t like threats like this. Its amateur….period. But, I had to go along with it.

?On the day of show the orchestra arrived with approximately 35 – 40 players. This was Frank Sinatra’s orchestra, and the conductor was Frank Sinatra Jr. and he looked just like his father. The orchestra rehearsed and sound checked. They were lively and very talented.

?Also, we had to construct a podium for the teleprompter which was set directly in front of the stage with a video monitor directed toward the center microphone. This was a first for many of us to actually see someone using a teleprompter. What surprised me the most was they had the teleprompter and its associated equipment but not the podium. A lot of entertainers use teleprompters these days. To me it’s no different than someone reading from sheet music.

During the middle of the day Frank Sinatra’s manager Eliot Weisman arrived. Eliot was a tall, broad shouldered, cigar smoking man. He was very intimidating and not in a good mood. He said that the limo driver got lost while driving from the airport to the venue. In checking he didn’t get lost, oh well. Eliot went on to say that the driver better not screw up when he picks up The Old Man when his private plane lands at the regional airport in a few hours. He said if that were to happen The Old Man would cancel the show. Once again another The Old Man reference along with the word cancel.

?Frank Sinatra’s dressing room needs were very basic. He wanted coffee, tea, water, several cans of Campbells soup including Tomato, Chicken Noodle and Vegetable Beef along with a small sauce pan and single electric burner. In other words, he liked to cook his own soup. He also requested bottles of bourbon, scotch, vodka, gin, and rum along with mixers. This was for any of his guests. A few of his friends were there including Gilly. Once Mr. Sinatra arrived at the venue he went into his dressing room and stayed there until his set time.

?As we got closer to showtime all of the Frank Sinatra personnel changed into tuxedo’s. It was a very hot day, and tuxedos can be cumbersome. This was the only time that Hank and I bonded as he commented to me that he hated that he had to get dressed up and I gave him a sympathetic ear.

?Comedian Tom Dreeson opened the show. He was a regular on The Tonight Show especially in the 70’s. After an intermission the orchestra took the stage and began playing and Frank Sinatra walked on stage to a standing ovation.

?The show was nothing short of spectacular!

?Frank Sinatra’s voice was magic!

The man was 74 years old and sang perfectly. There was no enhancement, no tracks, no auto-tune…just pure talent!

After the show I walked with Frank Sinatra from the stage to the limo. He was soaking wet from sweating and said that the audience was fantastic and that he had fun. I noticed Eliot Weisman and he was smiling and so was Hank.

Over the years many people have told me that they attended the show and loved it…and that’s what it is about!

One footnote, Frank Sinatra and I share the same birthday, December 12. My mother LOVED Frank Sinatra and she used to joke saying that it was intentional for my birthday to fall on December 12. Also, one of the most powerful and brilliant entertainment moguls Irving Azoff was born on December 12!

?Please let me know if you attended the show or if you have seen Frank Sinatra in the past as well as your experience.

Are you looking to book entertainment? If so, please contact me.