A Sweaty, Beer Soaked Ode to Live Music
Loud, sweaty, and generally drenched in beer – I'd say that's probably my favourite way to experience music. Many would agree that the emotional response connected to live is totally unparalleled to even the best that virtual has to offer. Why? I'm no expert, but I have had the good fortune of witnessing a lot of great performances over the course of my musical pilgrimage. And I mean a lot. With the dawn of technology impacting pretty much everything (music included), how is it that we still get psyched to go to a show?
I'm gonna have to go on a hunch on this one, but I think that connection has a lot to do with it. Sure, we can now take our tunes along with us everywhere we go, but there's just something about getting to the root of it, man. We're also in a period of musical renaissance. Don't believe me? 'Do you have that on vinyl?' A show of hands if you've heard this seemingly pretentious phrase uttered aloud. We want it real, and we want it raw, ladies and gentlemen.
We also want to feel like we're part of something. Allowing ourselves to be immersed in a shared experience is one of the most powerful ways of connecting with our own humanity. There's something to be said about the sense of community that can be felt when the crowd is good. 'You do a beer run, I'll save your spot.' That kind of honour system doesn't exist when you're blasting Immigrant Song in your car.
All this said I think the true magic happens when we're able to say that a band was 'even better live'. While this phrase may seem pretty cryptic, there are a few things I'd say most of us look for in a great performance. When asked about playing guitar and music in general, Frank Zappa once said that 'the real fun is doing it live, not freezing it and saving it on a piece of plastic someplace or putting it on video.' Where am I going with this? Good bands perform their music exactly as it was recorded, great bands give their audience something that they'll likely never see again.
While technology doesn't seem like it's slowing down anytime soon (or butting out of the music biz), I think that most people still see the value in checking out a live set. Live music nurtures all the senses and has the potential to reach us on an almost spiritual plane. Even if you smell like PBR and smoke, remind yourself that the hoarseness, the soreness and the relentless ringing in your ears are all good things. You experienced something today.
Until next time, stay groovy.
-A
I'm gonna have to go on a hunch on this one, but I think that connection has a lot to do with it. Sure, we can now take our tunes along with us everywhere we go, but there's just something about getting to the root of it, man. We're also in a period of musical renaissance. Don't believe me? 'Do you have that on vinyl?' A show of hands if you've heard this seemingly pretentious phrase uttered aloud. We want it real, and we want it raw, ladies and gentlemen.
We also want to feel like we're part of something. Allowing ourselves to be immersed in a shared experience is one of the most powerful ways of connecting with our own humanity. There's something to be said about the sense of community that can be felt when the crowd is good. 'You do a beer run, I'll save your spot.' That kind of honour system doesn't exist when you're blasting Immigrant Song in your car.
All this said I think the true magic happens when we're able to say that a band was 'even better live'. While this phrase may seem pretty cryptic, there are a few things I'd say most of us look for in a great performance. When asked about playing guitar and music in general, Frank Zappa once said that 'the real fun is doing it live, not freezing it and saving it on a piece of plastic someplace or putting it on video.' Where am I going with this? Good bands perform their music exactly as it was recorded, great bands give their audience something that they'll likely never see again.
While technology doesn't seem like it's slowing down anytime soon (or butting out of the music biz), I think that most people still see the value in checking out a live set. Live music nurtures all the senses and has the potential to reach us on an almost spiritual plane. Even if you smell like PBR and smoke, remind yourself that the hoarseness, the soreness and the relentless ringing in your ears are all good things. You experienced something today.
Until next time, stay groovy.
-A
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| Let your freak flag fly, go see a show! |