Part 2.....
I actually finished this post in the original place I intended to write it, the NAP blog. So for the sake of consistency and to post something I will just copy that post with a short note to tie it to part 1.
I am constantly checking touring schedules of my favorite artists to see who might be coming to town or Texas. I am also always checking line ups for major festivals as going to Coachella in 2004 sold me that large festivals were events I did want to attend. I have always wanted to go to a European festival but until recently stateside festivals worth the travel and expense were few and far between. I probably get to 10 to 25 percent of the shows I want to attend. Time and energy are the reasons I don't make it to more shows. I sometimes have 10 hours days at work which leave me pretty wiped. Busy days usually mean the next one will be as busy so I need to rest. My lack of energy is probably tied to the lack of wanting to go someplace by myself.
As noted in J' post, I understand the old man blues when it comes to going to shows. Many a night I have sat on my couch contemplating whether or not to go to a show. If I go I often wonder how long until my back starts hurting and since I don't smoke cigarettes or really drink on weeknights I am often at a loss for what to do before and in between bands. I don't know anyone in the scene anymore and I am married so personal interactions are out unless I can convince someone to come with which is harder than motivating myself to go.
If I don't go I kick myself for not taking advantage of seeing a band I want to see actually coming to Houston instead of skipping us to play Denton and playing to a crowd probably smaller than in any other city/country, unless they are the hyped flavor of the month.
That said there are a few reasons I still go to live shows and being one of your show buddies for the last few years, I think they are related to why you still go despite your ambivalence.
Besides live shows there are few opportunities for me to actually enjoy any experience that involves any size crowd. The movies come to mind but that is in a darkened and hopefully quiet theater. I only go to an occasional baseball game so that leaves shows for interacting with the public.
It goes beyond just a place to be around other folk, but to be in place that other folk want to be in as much as I do which is what I enjoy. My recent favorite show experiences have been both at large festivals with huge acts and small intimate shows. I like aspects of both. Large events offer the communal experience that I do not get elsewhere. Small club shows offer the opportunity for close and possibly direct interaction with artists, which though a common experience to those in my social circle (music lovers and musicians) is actually not something most "fans" get a chance to do.
Recent examples that come to mind seeing Sonic Youth play Daydream Nation and Dan Deacon at this year's Pitchfork festival. I had high expectations for Sonic Youth's set and some reservations about the nostalgia trip. That is until I noted the excitement of all those smashed up with me towards the front of the stage and after the intro to Teenage Riot. They tore through the rest of the record making my entire trip to Chicago worth it the first night. I had waited a long time to hear some of those songs live and was very happy with the results. (I was happy to see Slint but under whelmed). Here is how their set started and ended. Should have heard the in between.
The real surprise was Dan Deacon. I will leave it to you to scour the intertubes for more information about him. My only take on him prior to the festival was that he was a one man mad electronic manipulator with lyrics about his personal geeky interests. That and that he was really hyped in the music blogs the kids read these days. This led me to believe he was useless musically and as a performer.
I was close to the side of the stage before he was slated to play so I decide to stay to check his set out for grins. I watched a nerdy balding guy set up a series of electronic gadgets and set it all up in the middle of the crowd instead of the stage.
He started his set by having the crowd scream "Sears Tower Future Pyramid" one syllable at a time. This led to an eruption of dancing and rapturous smiles as the first song started. I am not eloquent enough to describe the music and energy from his set so I will let my virtual hired hipsters at pitchfork to do it for me.
"What came out of the PA was a barrage of cheap-sounding, rainbow-hued, breakcore-tempo electronic noise. It felt like I was hearing my entire childhood record collection of cheerful kiddie 45s sped up on a hotrodded Fisher Price record player. Deacon himself was dancing along with a joyous palsy, singing through a scrim of squeaky effects. In a night where I'd shown up wanting dance music, Deacon had completely upended my expectations. He also made me a fan for life. A small handful of the grouches stood with incredulous arms folded across their chests and everyone else proceeded to freak the fuck out, almost as wildly as Deacon himself."
Normally I would be one of cross armed grouches but I was found myself smiling uncontrollably and dancing with the kids. I now cannot wait to see how a Houston crowd will react to Dan later this month. There will be at least one person freaking the fuck out with Dan.
Radiohead is a group I will specifically travel to go see play live not only because of how much I like their music but because their live shows are so tight and the fans are so into the shows. It is a nice feeling to hear tens of thousands of strangers sing along to the same song lyrics you have etched in your brain
As far as smaller shows seeing a reunited Sebadoh play 2+ hours at Walter's and seeing Sparklehorse and His Name is Alive both for the first time at the Proletariat were all great shows. I also made a trip to see Animal Collective in Austin and now cannot wait to see them again in a few weeks. I was very happy I made the effort to go to all these shows but there were many others I did not make.
I plan on rededicating myself to going to live shows by taking advantage of so many acts coming through Houston/Texas in the next 2 months so I hope to see some of you there.
I am constantly checking touring schedules of my favorite artists to see who might be coming to town or Texas. I am also always checking line ups for major festivals as going to Coachella in 2004 sold me that large festivals were events I did want to attend. I have always wanted to go to a European festival but until recently stateside festivals worth the travel and expense were few and far between. I probably get to 10 to 25 percent of the shows I want to attend. Time and energy are the reasons I don't make it to more shows. I sometimes have 10 hours days at work which leave me pretty wiped. Busy days usually mean the next one will be as busy so I need to rest. My lack of energy is probably tied to the lack of wanting to go someplace by myself.
As noted in J' post, I understand the old man blues when it comes to going to shows. Many a night I have sat on my couch contemplating whether or not to go to a show. If I go I often wonder how long until my back starts hurting and since I don't smoke cigarettes or really drink on weeknights I am often at a loss for what to do before and in between bands. I don't know anyone in the scene anymore and I am married so personal interactions are out unless I can convince someone to come with which is harder than motivating myself to go.
If I don't go I kick myself for not taking advantage of seeing a band I want to see actually coming to Houston instead of skipping us to play Denton and playing to a crowd probably smaller than in any other city/country, unless they are the hyped flavor of the month.
That said there are a few reasons I still go to live shows and being one of your show buddies for the last few years, I think they are related to why you still go despite your ambivalence.
Besides live shows there are few opportunities for me to actually enjoy any experience that involves any size crowd. The movies come to mind but that is in a darkened and hopefully quiet theater. I only go to an occasional baseball game so that leaves shows for interacting with the public.
It goes beyond just a place to be around other folk, but to be in place that other folk want to be in as much as I do which is what I enjoy. My recent favorite show experiences have been both at large festivals with huge acts and small intimate shows. I like aspects of both. Large events offer the communal experience that I do not get elsewhere. Small club shows offer the opportunity for close and possibly direct interaction with artists, which though a common experience to those in my social circle (music lovers and musicians) is actually not something most "fans" get a chance to do.
Recent examples that come to mind seeing Sonic Youth play Daydream Nation and Dan Deacon at this year's Pitchfork festival. I had high expectations for Sonic Youth's set and some reservations about the nostalgia trip. That is until I noted the excitement of all those smashed up with me towards the front of the stage and after the intro to Teenage Riot. They tore through the rest of the record making my entire trip to Chicago worth it the first night. I had waited a long time to hear some of those songs live and was very happy with the results. (I was happy to see Slint but under whelmed). Here is how their set started and ended. Should have heard the in between.
The real surprise was Dan Deacon. I will leave it to you to scour the intertubes for more information about him. My only take on him prior to the festival was that he was a one man mad electronic manipulator with lyrics about his personal geeky interests. That and that he was really hyped in the music blogs the kids read these days. This led me to believe he was useless musically and as a performer.
I was close to the side of the stage before he was slated to play so I decide to stay to check his set out for grins. I watched a nerdy balding guy set up a series of electronic gadgets and set it all up in the middle of the crowd instead of the stage.
He started his set by having the crowd scream "Sears Tower Future Pyramid" one syllable at a time. This led to an eruption of dancing and rapturous smiles as the first song started. I am not eloquent enough to describe the music and energy from his set so I will let my virtual hired hipsters at pitchfork to do it for me.
"What came out of the PA was a barrage of cheap-sounding, rainbow-hued, breakcore-tempo electronic noise. It felt like I was hearing my entire childhood record collection of cheerful kiddie 45s sped up on a hotrodded Fisher Price record player. Deacon himself was dancing along with a joyous palsy, singing through a scrim of squeaky effects. In a night where I'd shown up wanting dance music, Deacon had completely upended my expectations. He also made me a fan for life. A small handful of the grouches stood with incredulous arms folded across their chests and everyone else proceeded to freak the fuck out, almost as wildly as Deacon himself."
Normally I would be one of cross armed grouches but I was found myself smiling uncontrollably and dancing with the kids. I now cannot wait to see how a Houston crowd will react to Dan later this month. There will be at least one person freaking the fuck out with Dan.
Radiohead is a group I will specifically travel to go see play live not only because of how much I like their music but because their live shows are so tight and the fans are so into the shows. It is a nice feeling to hear tens of thousands of strangers sing along to the same song lyrics you have etched in your brain
As far as smaller shows seeing a reunited Sebadoh play 2+ hours at Walter's and seeing Sparklehorse and His Name is Alive both for the first time at the Proletariat were all great shows. I also made a trip to see Animal Collective in Austin and now cannot wait to see them again in a few weeks. I was very happy I made the effort to go to all these shows but there were many others I did not make.
I plan on rededicating myself to going to live shows by taking advantage of so many acts coming through Houston/Texas in the next 2 months so I hope to see some of you there.
posted by Ignatius @ 09:55
1 Comments:
At 2:38 PM,
Anonymous said…
A friend of mine recently shot some video footage Dan Deacon when he opened up for Girl Talk out here on the west side. I missed the show, but what I saw of the vid definitely backs that all up. Buncha hyper, sweaty bods freaking the freak out.
j2
p.s. - i think it's time somebody updated their blog again...
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