Born at the wrong time…
If you listen to popular radio or television you may feel that today’s music is not up to par. That today’s musicians are talentless hacks that are more spin than substance. There is a lot of that. But, if you look a little deeper there are some great musicians out there too. Guys like Jack Johnson, David Gray, Damien Rice and Ben Harper. Women like Norah Jones, Diana Krall, Sarah McLachlan, and Tracy Chapman. These musicians would shine in any era.
But what are missing are the performances. I would love to have seen the comedic shows of the Rat Pack. Seeing Sammy, Dean and Frank play Las Vegas had to be the greatest show on earth. At least I have the DVDs. Or the 4 hour shows of the Beatles playing in London. Or going down to your local pub and hearing Miles and Coltrane wail.
Today you can’t see a show unless it’s in a stadium presented by a beer company and the tickets cost you well over 50 dollars plus an additional 20 bucks for all of Ticketmaster’s miscellaneous fees. Ticketmaster actually has a “Convenience Charge” – which is simply you printing out the tickets on your own printer! Un-freakin-believable!
March 9th, 2006 at 1:03 am
Yep, that convenience charge pretty much blows (can I say that on your blog?)
I’m into music, so I put up with the big production shows. Heck, sometimes I even like it. (IMHO some artists really ARE that big . . . Pink Floyd, U2, The Rolling Stones). It just wouldn’t feel right sitting at a table in the corner of some smokey bar watching Bono and company belting out Where the Streets Have No Name.
But, with that said . . . I do agree with you on the “smaller venue’s are better” premise. Some of the best music out there is being played every night in small places all over the country by people you’ve never even heard of. I remember we won tickets to this jazz club up in Seattle and didn’t even have a clue who was playing. It turned out to be really good. One of those nights that was more about the music and the mood than anything else. The freakin’ leader of the band came out and sat next to me at the bar after the set.
I went out the very next day and bought his CD. I still listen to it all the time. And the best part is that, as far as I can remember, there was absolutely no convenience charge whatsoever.
Ben O.
March 9th, 2006 at 10:18 am
Hello
I hear that tickets to the Cult tomorrow here in Ft.Worth are $50! Wow! I would not pay $50 to see Jimi Hendrix reincarnated!
March 10th, 2006 at 12:07 am
Actually, I might pony up for The Cult. They rocked many a night of my blurry High School memory. I still listen to them frequently.
$50 is pretty high . . . I have paid more, but I didn’t like it.
Give me Stevie Ray Vaughan reincarnated and then we can talk . . .
Ben O.
March 10th, 2006 at 8:57 am
oh, Stevie… God rest his soul…