This entry is a two parter. It will first cover concert fans and then in part 2, we’ll cover the artists. OK? Here we go…
One word: EVOLUTION!
It’s something that is pretty much guaranteed NOT to happen when you go to see your favorite band or singer in concert.
While this is not a bad thing as some of the best versions of certain songs that have been sung live are 10 times better than the studio version, there’s something entertaining yet pathetic about seeing aging hipsters hold on to their youth like a 5 year old would an ice cream cone.
THE CASE OF THE FAN #1
Concert: Bruce Springsteen
The Culprit: 55 year old women and men dressed in the Born in the USA getup: US Flag headband, denim jacket, white T-shirt, ripped jeans, and the trademark US Flag sticking out of the back pocket. Why is it entertaining yet pathetic? Even though it’s been 21 years since the album, and he’s evolved into a rich Hollywood music making God with very little edge left in his music, folks still only go to his concerts to see him sing three songs: Glory Days, Born in the USA, and Born to Run. He’s doesn’t play Born in the USA and Glory Days and has even publicly said he hates playing these songs live anymore, but then he’ll put on a kick-ass 10 minute version of Tenth Avenue Freeze Out and folks still walk away disappointed. You have to laugh at this. It’s BRUCE! Does any one man demand more of your respect for his whole arsenal of music than this guy?
He’s made about 50 more songs that are better than these three. But yet, folks go nuts when they hear these big three as if they’ve never heard it before. My guess is that these folks own no albums by artists with staying power more than a few years, and no, a greatest hits album DOES NOT COUNT!
THE CASE OF THE FAN#2
Concert: U2
The Culprit: Bono’s Joshua Tree Getup consisting of that pseudo black cowboy hat as seen in the With or Without You video.
Why is it entertaining yet pathetic? See the Springsteen description above. And then tell me why people still only cheer when they hear Joshua Tree songs at their concerts. U2 has reinvented themselves 5 or 6 times since their Joshua Tree days and have won 6 or so grammys for their last 2 albums. Not to mention they made an album called Achtung Baby after the Johsua Tree that was 10 times as cutting edge and didn’t have any political undertones and yet nobody is seen trying to mimic Bono’s large fly sunglasses from that album.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment