So Long, Bob  | |
| The Death of the Album? | |
| My Practice of Zen in the Office | |
| My Blank Pages | |
| Classical Confusion |
GOT LIVE IF YOU WANT IT by Adam D. MillerAfter a relatively quiet summer of live shows, it seems like the fall is finally bringing some interesting stuff, and I’m ready to dig right in, assuming my credit card agrees with me. Concerts are a great way of experiencing music first hand, though not always affordable. Prices range from free to the $150 to $200 range. I can rarely justify spending more than $100 for a concert, but I have done it on a few occasions: Neil Young at the Molson Amphitheatre in 2000 cost a whopping $136.75 after taxes, Eric Clapton was $100.35, Paul McCartney was $100.20, Bruce Springsteen was $113.32 the second time I saw him and $120.5 the third time (although oddly enough, the first and best show out of three cost me $93.75). I don’t remember how much I shelled out for the upcoming McCartney show, but I have a feeling it was more than all of those shows for the worst seats I’ve ever had at a concert. So what’s the correlation? It definitely seems like artists who have attained some kind of legendary status feel that they can justify charging an arm and a leg for their concerts. Or perhaps they figure that they can sell out a show whether they charge $30 or $300, so may as well charge $300 and make the extra profit. Right? I suppose it’s easy to forget sometimes that rock ‘n’ roll is working class music and many of the people who buy all the records can’t necessarily afford to pay $300 to see a show. After all, it’s a lot of money. The good news is that up-and-coming bands charge a hell of a lot less, play smaller and more intimate venues, and sometimes deliver performances just as good. These are the upcoming performances that excite me the most. Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, one of the hottest R&B acts currently touring are doing a pair of shows in town in November, and Velvet Underground co-founder John Cale is doing three. I predict they will be among the best shows I’ve attended this year, and the combined cost will be less than $50. The legends may be the ones I want to catch before their time is up, but nowadays it seems I get more of a thrill out of the intimate club shows. I look forward to seeing what else is on the horizon. |  |
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