It’s easy to complain about the world of music. The price of tickets — not to mention crazy service charges — continue to escalate. It’s more difficult to score tickets than ever with VIPs, pre-sales and other obstacles the average fan must overcome just to land their hands on nose-bleed access. We live in an era not about the song or the singer, but about the production. The wizard behind the board can make marginal talent a star.
But it’s Thanksgiving and there is plenty to be pleased about in the world of music. Here’s a few items to give us hope and maybe even something to be thankful for.
Radiohead’s "In Rainbows"
It’s easy to love Radiohead. Is there a band, which challenges itself more than Thom Yorke’s crew? "In Rainbows," which perfectly combines the accessible and the abstract, is rumored to be released Jan. 1. However, it’s downloadable now. Music fans have to be pleased with the uncompromising band, which plays by its own rules … err, Yorke’s rules.
"We’re like the U.N. and I’m the United States," Yorke told The New York Times Magazine during the Clinton era when the dollar meant something.
Also, be thankful Radiohead isn’t gougers when it comes to concert tickets. The opener of its "Hail to the Thief" tour was two years ago at the Tower Theater. Access was had for $41 and the band didn’t use a sliding scale. Should be interesting to see where Radiohead plays in 2008.
An Annual Mega Concertat the Belmont Plateau in August
It’s premature to sit around the table over this one, but just the possibility makes me want to give thanks. I always wondered why Philly — home of the massive Fairmount Park — fails to utilize its resources and pull in a like-sized festival featuring big-name acts. It would provide a revenue boost, bring in good publicity and attract some great bands. Let’s start a festival so serious music heads don’t have to go to California for Coachella, Chicago for Lollapalooza or Seattle for Bumbershoot.
Chuck Treece
A South Philly treasure, who leads old-school punks McRad. Treece, who has recorded for Sting, toured with Bad Brains and Urge Overkill, continues to kick it out with McRad, which he formed a quarter century ago. He is an exceptional musician, who is raising four children fortunate enough to be exposed to his art. Check out his kids banging away on the drums on YouTube.
The "In Woody’s Words" Show
A bunch of lyrics folk legend Woody Guthrie never put to music are finally part of songs thanks to a number of ace singer/songwriters. Jonathan Brooke, John Gorka, Chris Smither, Tom Paxton, Woody’s granddaughter Sara Lee Guthrie and her husband Johnny Irion will deliver their songs sparked by Woody’s words Dec. 16 at World Cafe Live. For more information, call the Philadelphia Folksong Society at 215-247-1300.
The iPod
Life is much easier and more fun for music fans, thanks to Mac. The iPod changed the face of music forever. It just makes you think, what will the music world be like in 10 years? The good and bad side of the gadget is the technology keeps changing. So we must keep up with the latest in portable media players, which is perfect since that’s what Black Friday is for, right?
