BuffettNews.com

i see the ad was taken off the BN news page!!....a little late and to replace it with a Mystery Guest!!!...Pretty funny!!

LIPH wrote:I'll start the rumor. Jimmy changed his mind about playing at Le Select, he's going to show up at MOTM instead and try to do more shows in 5 days than Jim Morris.

Actually, that MIGHT not be that far from the truth

For some perspective, this was written by Ellen Lampert-Greaux (an island writer and editor) after the 1999 Le Select anniversary.

The View
from Here: Ellen Lampert-Greaux lives in Petite Saline, and when she's not organizing the local film festival, or supervising the local volleyball league, or writing for various magazines, she turns her sharp eye upon local happenings.
December 1999

No sooner had St Barth finished mopping up from the heavy rains of hurricane Jose than it was flooded with people, an unusual combination of Swedes, sailors and Jimmy Buffett fans who had come from far and near for the weekend of November 6 & 7 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Le Select, the island's oldest (and still best) bar. Located in the heart of Gustavia, just steps from the port, Le Select has long been a haven for old salts and landlubbers alike.

It's owner, the 77-year-old Marius Stakelborough, a bearded patriarch of the island, often holds court in the garden restaurant which is called "Cheeseburger In Paradise," thanks to a special deal with Marius's good buddy Jimmy Buffett who lent the name of one of his most famous songs to Le Select in exchange for free beer and burgers for life. A frequent visitor to St Barth since 1976, Jimmy has been known to give free impromptu concerts at Le Select over the years.

As soon as he heard that Marius was planning the silver jubilee celebration of the bar, Jimmy promised to bring his band and play a free concert on the dock in Gustavia. Once word of the concert got out (a website listing or two was all it took), any Parrothead (as Buffett's fans are called) that could find St Barth on the map starting making plans to come to the island for the weekend. Most of the locals either never heard of Jimmy Buffett or couldn't understand the excitement since the "Jeemmy" they know plays for free all the time (they don't know that he sells out Madison Square Garden in five minutes flat). But pretty soon every hotel room, guest bed and rental car on the island was reserved, and loads of people sailed in from neighboring islands with plans to sleep on their boats, on the beach, or simply party on the dock all night. It was quite a scene, with more Jimmy Buffett t-shirts, parrot hats, cheeseburger heads, and beer coolers than had ever hit the island before. Anyone who didn't bring a Buffett t-shirt with them could buy Le Select t-shirts for the occasion, or head over to the Black Swan boutique which had turned into a Jimmy Buffett shrine with his music playing non-stop all weekend and special t-shirts, beach towels, and a wide variety of Parrothead paraphernalia on tap. There must have been 2000 people crowded onto the dock and nearby boats for the two-and-a-half hour concert complete with fireworks (one of which strayed off course and set fire to the island's weather station). Some of the Parrotheads camped out from noon on, drinking beer in the hot sun, to get a front row spot at show time. Marius and his extended family got a big round of applause when they stood on stage and Jimmy and Marius congratulated each other on the success of the event. "For 25 years I dreamt about playing on this quay," said Buffett, who added a little calypso and reggae for the occasion.

The weekend included a roster of other events as well, from Swedish candle lighting ceremonies to a photographic history of the island and Le Select, sailing races, and performances by local bands from St Barth and St Martin. Once the party was over and Jimmy's Cesna seaplane (with his signature parrot painted on the tail) was gone and the beer bottles swept up from the dock, would anyone really believe that Jimmy Buffett and a six-piece band had been in St Barth for a free concert. Only those of us who where there will ever really know for sure.
More to come,

Ellen Lampert-Greaux

Yep. The way she wrote it is the way I remember it.
(But I seem to remember a lot more dancing on the quay than just standing around listening to one old man and one tavern owner!)

This is the most recent news that I can find, posted by George PA at http://www.stbartstalk.com/forum/forum_ ... =3743&PN=2

Posted: 19 February 2009 at 9:24am
I spoke to Garry on Tuesday when I was in Select. Garry has been a close personal friend for about 10 years, away from Select. I told him what was going on in the Forums. He said that JB will play sometime over the 3 days, but only a few songs and it will not be a concert! It will only be at Select and not at the dock like before and will NOT be as big of party. He said that the 50th was sooo much work preparing months ahead for it he did not what to go thru all of that again. Things might change with Jimmy, but for right now just a couple of songs at Select on one of the three days.

I had been pretty keen on being in St. Barts for this occasion, given that I have spent the past nine years wishing that I had been at Le Select for the 50th anniversary party in 1999 - people I know who have been to 30 plus concerts have told me that that one was by far the best ever - but now I think I may pass. Seeing Jimmy perform at a small venue in the tropics would be awesome, but unless you had planned on being in St. Martin or St. Barts during that week anyway, it would be hard to justify the expense of the trip if it is not going to be a full concert.

Lodging there on St. Barths is prohibitively expensive, not to mention airfare. Although this would be a great event, I'd rather spend 1/3 that amount and go to Key West for the week and soak up Buffet vibes there....

Diverchaz wrote:Lodging there on St. Barths is prohibitively expensive, not to mention airfare. Although this would be a great event, I'd rather spend 1/3 that amount and go to Key West for the week and soak up Buffet vibes there....

What I am paying for a trip to Key West next month is more expensive than what a trip to St. Barts in November would be, no joke.

UpstateNYPH wrote:

Diverchaz wrote:Lodging there on St. Barths is prohibitively expensive, not to mention airfare. Although this would be a great event, I'd rather spend 1/3 that amount and go to Key West for the week and soak up Buffet vibes there....

What I am paying for a trip to Key West next month is more expensive than what a trip to St. Barts in November would be, no joke.

It's very close to what my budget would have been for MOTM as well.

We are going to KW in May and our costs are more than St. Barths.
Airfare to KW only less than $100 more to SB.
The condo is more also in KW.
This is one of the reasons we decided to go. If JB plays he plays, if he doesn't then we traveled to a place we were going to go to anyway just a few years earlier.

Thank goodness we just booked the car for KW for $200. It was pricing out at $400. We had considered just dumping off the car when we arrived there and using the bikes for the whole week.

Hey Upstate NYPH. How in the world could Key West be more expensive than St. Barths? Are you talking airfare or accomodations? I stay at the Key West Harbor Inn for around $235/night. You ain't gonna touch anything in St. Barths for that.........Airfare is about $350 to Miami and then you rent a car and drive South.

Diverchaz wrote:Hey Upstate NYPH. How in the world could Key West be more expensive than St. Barths? Are you talking airfare or accomodations? I stay at the Key West Harbor Inn for around $235/night. You ain't gonna touch anything in St. Barths for that.........Airfare is about $350 to Miami and then you rent a car and drive South.

Incorrect. Several hotels during november are in the 100-200 range. I got a response from a hotel for $103 per night.

Diverchaz wrote:Hey Upstate NYPH. How in the world could Key West be more expensive than St. Barths? Are you talking airfare or accomodations? I stay at the Key West Harbor Inn for around $235/night. You ain't gonna touch anything in St. Barths for that.........Airfare is about $350 to Miami and then you rent a car and drive South.

I'm staying at lptit Morne for roughly $150 US per night, renting a villa with others for 7 days and then staying at Le Village St Jean for $135 euro ($171 US). Both are nice hotels, not luxe but nice (I got references) It can be done. November is shoulder season.

This is from a local newspaper on St Barths - so someone other than Wimco is now reporting it.

Further to "Le Select 60th anniversary", a 3
days party will be organized in november
2009 : friday 6, saturday 7 and sunday 8
november. Schedule will be advised closer to
the date.

(so as to keep a million fans from descending on the island!)

ScarletB wrote:This is from a local newspaper on St Barths - so someone other than Wimco is now reporting it.

Further to "Le Select 60th anniversary", a 3
days party will be organized in november
2009 : friday 6, saturday 7 and sunday 8
november. Schedule will be advised closer to
the date.

(so as to keep a million fans from descending on the island!)

but they keep you guessing on what date and what time!!!!....do you just go and hang there for 3 days or guess on the date and time he plays?

TommyBahama wrote:

ScarletB wrote:This is from a local newspaper on St Barths - so someone other than Wimco is now reporting it.

Further to "Le Select 60th anniversary", a 3
days party will be organized in november
2009 : friday 6, saturday 7 and sunday 8
november. Schedule will be advised closer to
the date.

(so as to keep a million fans from descending on the island!)

but they keep you guessing on what date and what time!!!!....do you just go and hang there for 3 days or guess on the date and time he plays?

I'm going with MacPhin & Dave and I'll be there from the 5th til the 17th so that part isn't a problem. Carol found us a great villa that was gorgeous AND cost effective.

UpstateNYPH wrote:

Diverchaz wrote:Hey Upstate NYPH. How in the world could Key West be more expensive than St. Barths? Are you talking airfare or accomodations? I stay at the Key West Harbor Inn for around $235/night. You ain't gonna touch anything in St. Barths for that.........Airfare is about $350 to Miami and then you rent a car and drive South.

Incorrect. Several hotels during november are in the 100-200 range. I got a response from a hotel for $103 per night.

Well, I was wrong on accomodations but the airfare from where I live, St. Louis, is more than $1000 per person. Can't aford that....

BUT, if any of you guys go, enjoy and I will be there in spirit.....

ScarletB wrote:

TommyBahama wrote:

ScarletB wrote:This is from a local newspaper on St Barths - so someone other than Wimco is now reporting it.

Further to "Le Select 60th anniversary", a 3
days party will be organized in november
2009 : friday 6, saturday 7 and sunday 8
november. Schedule will be advised closer to
the date.

(so as to keep a million fans from descending on the island!)

but they keep you guessing on what date and what time!!!!....do you just go and hang there for 3 days or guess on the date and time he plays?

I'm going with MacPhin & Dave and I'll be there from the 5th til the 17th so that part isn't a problem. Carol found us a great villa that was gorgeous AND cost effective.

not what i ment...as far as the venue he suppose to play....they don't give you a firm date and time...so it's a guess on what time he shows up and plays!!!

TommyBahama wrote:

ScarletB wrote:

TommyBahama wrote:

ScarletB wrote:This is from a local newspaper on St Barths - so someone other than Wimco is now reporting it.

Further to "Le Select 60th anniversary", a 3
days party will be organized in november
2009 : friday 6, saturday 7 and sunday 8
november. Schedule will be advised closer to
the date.

(so as to keep a million fans from descending on the island!)

but they keep you guessing on what date and what time!!!!....do you just go and hang there for 3 days or guess on the date and time he plays?

I'm going with MacPhin & Dave and I'll be there from the 5th til the 17th so that part isn't a problem. Carol found us a great villa that was gorgeous AND cost effective.

not what i ment...as far as the venue he suppose to play....they don't give you a firm date and time...so it's a guess on what time he shows up and plays!!!

OHHH gotcha, Gustavia isn't that big from what I understand and if it's a party for leSelect I'd assume it would be in town somewhere, I imagine once people are there we'll find out

I sent the follow email to Wimco a couple of weeks ago when they were advertising an appearance by JB:

"You are advertising on your website that Jimmy Buffett will perform during the 60th Anniversay celebration for Le Select. How can it be confirmed that Jimmy Buffett is indeed going to perform? Where and when will his concert take place? I have not seen this advertised any place else. Thank you."

For what its worth, here was their reply:

Thank you for your inquiry. We are providing housing for the Coral Reefers, and have confirmation of a JB appearance. However, it is not an official or full length concert.

Stiles Bennet
VP of Marketing & Sales, Wimco Villas

I'm frankly surprised they went that far! Huh.
So not 25 songs but the band will be there. Good enough for moi.