AFTERwords
Welcome. Some of the documentation here extends TMDC beyond its main conclusion. It provides additional information, context, reflections, and/or I talk about other events, news, updates, FAVs, and even my own relative conclusions that come to mind. You could say I close loose ends or any other relevant and consistent afterthoughts that I might have missed over the years. It happens.
Story by Travel Mexico Solo: I’ve been to Vegas more times than I can count, and I used to defend it to anyone who’d listen. The energy, the shows, the all-you-can-eat buffets at 2 a.m. - there was nothing else like it in the world. But something shifted. The last few trips felt different, and talking to other travelers, I know I’m not alone. Here’s what’s turning people off from America’s playground.
1) The resort fees are an absolute scam.
You find a hotel room for $49 a night and feel like you’ve scored. Then you get to checkout. Resort fees in Las Vegas can add $50, or more, per night on top of your room rate, covering amenities you never asked for and may never use. The Federal Trade Commission has been cracking down on junk fees across the hospitality industry, but Vegas has been pulling this move for years and travelers are fed up with feeling tricked.
2) Everything on the strip costs a fortune now.
Vegas used to be the place where the house wanted you to have a good time so you’d keep gambling. Cheap drinks, affordable steaks, loss-leader buffets - that was the whole deal. Those days are gone. A cocktail at a casino bar can run you $20 or more. A basic dinner for two at a mid-tier Strip restaurant will easily set you back $150 before tip. The value proposition just isn’t there anymore.
3) The famous buffets are basically dead.
For generations, the Las Vegas buffet was a pillar of the whole Vegas experience. Pile your plate high with crab legs, prime rib, and four kinds of dessert for $25 - that was living. Covid-19 gave casinos the excuse to shut most of them down for good. A few have come back at prices that would make your grandpa spit out his shrimp cocktail. The golden age of the Vegas buffet is over, and people are still grieving.
4) The gambling floor isn't what it used to be.
Old-school Vegas gamblers will tell you the machines have changed, and they’re right. Slot machines now run at tighter odds, penny slots require maximum bets to qualify for jackpots, and the days of loose slots designed to attract foot traffic are fading fast. Research on casino revenue trends shows that table minimums have crept up significantly, pricing out casual players who just wanted to have some fun at the blackjack table for a couple hours.
5) The heat is no joke anymore.
Las Vegas has always been hot, but recent summers have pushed into genuinely dangerous territory. Temperatures regularly top 110° Fahrenheit (43° C), and spending any time outside the air-conditioned casino bubble becomes a survival exercise rather than a vacation activity. For families or anyone who wants to explore beyond the Vegas Strip, that kind of heat is a real dealbreaker from June through September.
6) The crowds are overwhelming.
Vegas has exploded in popularity, and the Strip shows it. Convention season, holiday weekends, major fights or residencies - the crowds can be so thick that walking from one casino to the next feels like rush hour in midtown Manhattan. For people looking to unwind and decompress, navigating wall-to-wall tourists while being hustled by street promoters is not exactly relaxing.
7) Tickets to the good shows cost a small fortune.
Celine Dion, Elton John, Adele - Vegas residencies used to feel like an incredible deal to see a world-class act up close. Now, top-tier show tickets routinely run $300 to $500 or more per person, and that’s before you add drinks, parking, and the resort fee back at your hotel. For a family of four, a single night of entertainment can blow the entire vacation budget before anyone’s touched a slot machine.
8) The drive or flight in is getting more painful.
Las Vegas is one of the most visited cities in America, and the infrastructure is starting to strain under the weight of that popularity. Harry Reid International Airport has become one of the busiest in the country, and flight prices have climbed steadily as demand outpaces competition on key routes. Driving in from Southern California, which millions of people do every year, means navigating some of the most grueling interstate traffic in the West.
9) The water crisis is hanging over everything.
Las Vegas sits in the Mojave Desert and gets most of its water from Lake Mead, which has been at historically low levels in recent years. While the city has made real strides in water recycling and conservation, the long-term picture for growth in a desert megalopolis is complicated. For eco-conscious travelers, spending a weekend at a place with fountains, pools, and water features in the middle of a drought hits a little differently than it used to.
10) It's lost its sense of glamour.
There was a time when going to Vegas meant dressing up, feeling like a high roller, and soaking in a specific kind of old-world cool. The Rat Pack energy. The tuxedos. The sense that something glamorous was happening and you were part of it. Today’s Strip can feel more like a very expensive outdoor mall with casinos attached, and the magic of that original mystique has been hard to hold onto.
11) Day clubs and nightclubs charge insane cover prices.
The Vegas nightlife scene is world-famous, but walking through the door will cost you. Cover charges at top nightclubs routinely hit $50 to $100 for men, and bottle service tables require minimums that run into the thousands. For regular people who just want to dance and have a good time, the velvet rope culture of the Vegas club scene feels more exclusionary than celebratory.
12) The city has gotten noticeably rougher around the edges.
The Fremont Street Experience and parts of downtown Vegas tell a story that the casino PR teams don’t love to advertise. Homelessness, aggressive panhandling, and a visible drug crisis have made certain parts of the city uncomfortable for tourists who aren’t prepared for what they’ll encounter.
According to data from the Nevada Homeless Alliance, the Las Vegas metro area has seen a significant rise in its unhoused population in recent years, and it shows on the streets.
13) There are just better options now.
This might be the biggest one of all. Vegas used to be genuinely one of a kind. Now, destination cities across the country have leveled up with world-class restaurants, live music scenes, entertainment districts, and hotel experiences that rival anything on the Strip. Nashville, Austin, Miami, New Orleans - they all offer a version of the adult playground experience without the resort fees, the brutal heat, and the nagging feeling that the house is always, always winning.
Welcome to my music world of MIDI, which stands for, MUSICAL INSTRUMENT DIGITAL INTERFACE. It is a rather complex music paradise for a lot of musicians that explore this infinite reality. I got into MIDI back in the early 1990s and by pure accident, not by choice. If my memory is still correct this is what started it all.
I was working at Advanced Micro Devices back then and an employee of mine came to my office and said, "I hear you play music Mike. I was wondering if you could come to my house during lunch and see what I have in my music room. I am selling everything this week, so, I'll let you see the MIDI stuff first. I want to sell everything together if possible."
We had lunch first and then we went to his house in Sunnyvale CA. We walked in and he was talking non-stop about what he's been doing for the last few months in music, but that he just doesn't get it, and doesn't want to learn music either. He is telling me everything about his MIDI music station and I am in awe! I go, "Timmy? What is all this?!" Kind of a stupid question coming from me at the time, but I was totally confused as to what he was talking about. Being short of time and both of us had to get back to work, he then says, "Mike? Let me have $500 today and you can take everything I have here, except for my Apple computer, come on, buy them, please." In total disbelief, I was looking at a YAMAHA DX7, a good brand amplifier, cords, and he even threw in a MIDI adapter and cables! Without hesitation I told him right there in his room, "I'll take them!"
I didn't have a single clue what I was buying at the time. All I knew that afternoon was that my car's trunk was full and my wife was going to kill me when I got home that evening! That was my first MIDI Day!
More than once visitors would ask me how I did the tejano music tracks, how did I get that guitar sound and stroke, are those real horns, what synthesizer was I using, etc. I answered the emails as best as I could years ago, but it was rather difficult explaining everything without going into track details and examples, and/or showing them how the recording and tracks were done from scratch. There are three 'raw' MIDI tracks below:
What helped me record the whole music song and project was knowing how to read and write music [however, not needed at all], plus my own music life experiences as a musician; and hearing so many other musicians; including major tejano artists. Finally, I just put everything together and started a few ideas on songs and charts, what the composition would be all about, setting parameters such as tempo and voicing, horn leads, rhythms, key signature, also decide if it's going to be a band, a group, or a conjunto sound - then get my gear ready for the session.
Although MIDI is very rewarding in so many different ways in music, it can be expensive in the long run. Setting up a basic music workstation requires a few expensive toys, but this all depends on your own discretion, and how much your budget allows you to spend. Don't get discouraged though. Forward. It's worth it!
MIDI standards have changed over the years and since I started back in the 1990s but for starters you will need a desktop computer system, but a laptop will do the job as well. A MIDI synthesizer would be next, a MIDI adapter with cables, and software to record, playback, and edit your arrangements. Another must-have-item would be a good mixer and speakers; if needed, a good medium price mic to add voices to tracks. The best thing to do is to re-evaluate your ideas and music plans before any major purchases are done. Take your time if needed. Music can always wait.
Allow me to say this important note:
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MIDI does not replace musicians, it does not replace a band, and much less a real 'live' recording in a professional studio. That is NOT my intent and purpose to do so either.
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What MIDI does to me in total concept is that it gives me, 'a freedom of music expression and what I want my tejano music arrangements to sound like/and or played by other tejano groups.' Nothing more.
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There are many sites and YouTube videos on the Internet about MIDI and how to get started; how to record, play, and edit tracks. Visit them.
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Good luck to you, but more importantly ... have fun!
Beyond the homepage, the other side of ... TM
Music like life itself, I believe, can take us through so many roads, so many different paths, so many changes, traveling through city after city, but more importantly we also learn other things from so many people we meet along the way. That is the beauty of life itself.
Having said that it's always a non-stop day for me, a full day of things to do around here. And surprises too! I mean, unexpecting, I was on Google on Feb the 15th and decided to see if TMDC was available, and there it was, my old domain name from back in the mid-1990s! I just had to buy it and bring back more tejano music, the good times, and good old memories for all of us.
First, a few things to get started on the right footing:
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What do I mean when I say, "The Real One?" Oh, 30 plus years ago I was the only TM from California to Florida. Now they're all over the map and on the internet/social media too, so, welcome to the original TM.
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Why bring it back you might be asking? Hmmm. Well first it's personal for several reasons, but I don't expect it to go ballistic like the first one; and I was a lot younger back then. Still, out of the 5-6 sites I've had over the years my dot com was my FAV one.
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There are three new links - Visuals, The Past, The Army - I added them to make my picture gallery different, to go back in time with music and pictures, and to say a little about my military music background and my time in the Canal Zone, Panama. When I had this link years ago many old Army buddies seen it and then we started making plans to see each other again. We had Army band reunions.
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And ... if you still enjoy my music arrangements, my original material, and karaoke songs, well, they're still here on this link - just scroll down to the bottom ... I thank you kindly for that.
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Finally, back in the 90s TMDC functioned as a vibrant hub and vehicle for tejano music passion and a testament that, together, we can do more. I still want that spirit and alliance back into this new site, 2.0.
"TM? Is there 'one single tejano music agenda' or issue that you are truly proud of?" Yes, it would be this one below:
The time when I suggested to all the TAB members the idea of a new tejano music alliance for the tejano music industry. Unbeknownst and without of the knowledge of the majority of most tejanos across the United States, there was a small group during the TAB years that decided to do something about uniting our tejano music industry.
The major participants were Javier Villanueva, Eddie Perez, Dora Arteaga, Roy Ramos, and TEJANOmike. There was another San Antonio girl by the name of Sandy that joined later. At the time we started using Yahoo Conference to communicate with all the members and getting to the business at hand; even completed a mission statement and other important plans and strategies for the new alliance.
We must of had 4-5 of these important meetings and after many debates back and forth, we finally decided to call it ... THE NATIONAL TEJANO MUSIC ALLIANCE. During the last sessions and meetings we voted Javier as the first president of this new alliance; TM as the VP; and the other members had titles such as treasurer, media director, and Internet and Graphics consultant, etc.
With the help of David Chavez and during this time frame, we also setup a forum during one of the Las Vegas Convention events. Sandy and 'JV" had Chente and Jimmy Edward as the main speakers and complete with a big banner in the conference room. It was a great workshop and a good music/fan connectivity session. Weeks later JV looked at the non-profit app in Austin to get further things going, but this is where most of the participation and involvement came to a slowdown of things; then communication stopped altogether and the idea just died slowly.
Why did it fail? Who was at fault? Hard questions indeed.
I did take some of the heat and blame for the complete failure back then, but to clarify things even more, I will add this today:
"Our clear alliance message was lost due to lack of follow-ups between all and/or some of the alliance members, and lack of professional media coverage - and something called, TEAMWORK. In the end, our overall mission also failed because we didn't reach out to other fellow tejanos and tejanas in key states - and across the United States."
That is my assessment and conclusion on the matter, but I will also add that if we would of been somewhat successful, our Onda today would be in a much better creditability with the American mainstream music, and our tejano music industry in a much more profitable position and overall structural classification. End results and to me the most important one: "Our tejano music fans would of seen more tejano music entertainment throughout major cities - including Phoenix Arizona." [By TM and written on April 25, 2013]
What two words relate to TEJANOmike? What are the relevant characteristics of TM? Or this link? Music Narratives
Music narratives are songs that tell a story, whether true or fictitious, through lyrics, melody, rhythm, and other musical elements.
They can be found in various genres, such as rap, country, tejano, pop, and rock. Music narratives can mean "different things to different people, depending on their personal experiences, preferences, and interpretations."
Some possible meanings are:
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Music narratives can be a form of entertainment, as they capture the listener’s attention and imagination with their plot, characters, and emotions.
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They can also be a source of humor, suspense, or surprise, depending on the tone and style of the song.
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Music narratives can be a way of learning, as they convey information, facts, or perspectives about various topics, such as history, culture, society, or politics.
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They can be a way of teaching, as they illustrate moral lessons, values, or principles through their story.
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Music narratives can be a mode of expression, as they reflect the songwriter’s or singer’s personal experiences, feelings, thoughts, or opinions.
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They can also be a mode of communication, as they share a message, a point of view, or a call to action with the listener.
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Music narratives can be a tool for healing, as they help the listener cope with their own challenges, struggles, or traumas.
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They can also be a tool for empowerment, as they inspire the listener to overcome their fears, doubts, or limitations.
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Music narratives can be an art form for appreciation, as they showcase the creativity, skill, and talent of the musicians.
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They can also be an art form for criticism, as they challenge the norms, conventions, or expectations of the musical genre or the society.
Music narratives are "songs" that tell a story through lyrics and music. They can be found in different genres and styles, and they can convey various themes and messages. Afterwords, the thrills, chills, and tears we experience from music are the result of having our expectations artfully manipulated by a skilled composer and the musicians who interpret that music.
Something to remember ...
"For all our music industry failings, all our proud history, and despite our limitations and fallibilities, us Tejanos and Tejanas are capable of greatness. We are a courageous generation, but without imagination and intercommunication, without a
much-needed business alliance, and without total commonality across our country, sadly, we will not advance and or go nowhere."
If you enjoy my music arrangements and original material, and karaoke, well, here are a few more tracks for you.
