Last night, I went to see Herbie Hancock, pianist extraordinaire at the beautiful Four Seasons Centre - a gorgeous venue newly built specifically for Opera. The sound was amazing...oh, how I wish every concert was in there (wilco!).

5 or 6 songs in - Hancock plays his pretty "Maiden's Voyage," a soft-mid tempo song. Lights were down and a sole spotlight was on him as he played through - trying to soak the audience in...and then...the annoyances began. A cough here, a cough there. Here a cough, there a cough...everywhere a cough cough...

So, here is where the marketing / sponsorship comes in (thanks for the idea Mark) - cough drops and tissue vendors. Give out samples before the show...2 pieces of a cough drops and a handful of tissues...for the just in case factor...for the 'don't ruin the show for others' factor.

PS. The Toronto Jazz Festival's main sponsor is TD Canada Trust (a competitor of Scotiabank) and they do a great job of running it. I don't feel like there is too much marketing, heck - even the door men dont' were Jazz festival tshirts.