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ch-scene - Re: Eh, Whatever!

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  • From: local506 AT gmail.com
  • To: ch-scene AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: Eh, Whatever!
  • Date: Wed, 18 Mar 2009 14:58:43 -0700 (PDT)

>>Setlists are usually loaded with a band's recent album. If the new album is
full of bad songs, the show will be too.

Really!?!? I can't necessarily say the last R.E.M. album was one of
their better albums, albeit one of their best in years, and that show
was as good as the R.E.M. shows I saw i the eighties. Sure, I'd like
to have heard more older songs but the live show was BETTER than the
album itself. I'd probably say the same about Morrissey the other
night, although still need to spend more time with that album.


>>Really? You seem to be saying it over and over again. You say the paper
shouldn't write articles that make people less likely to come to a
show at
your club, unless the show already has buzz or if the paper's
disapproval is
actually an endorsement ("Proceed With Caution"). What do you
expect? It's
a newspaper, obligated to be truthful and preferably to inform and
amuse
along the way. It's not its job to increase show attendance or
otherwise
hype local music. It's one of its jobs to keep people from paying
covers
for bad shows.

I guess, I don't view music as black and white (it's either great or
it sucks) and believe there is some in between*. However, as a reader
of the Indy, I do view their two sections of saying just that - Yes,
Please (great) and Eh, Whatever (sucks), with anything that falls
between just not getting any press. As stated earlier, Ross doesn't
view 'Eh Whatever' as 'the band sucks' but I have to imagine I'm not
the only one who reads the section the way I do.

Now, as you say, it's their job to keep people from paying covers to
bad shows, then why are the 'bad' show always acts that have some kind
of national profile and maybe not the band that's just learning it
chops or the band playing a venue with shitty sound or, gasp, a local
band!?!? As much of a supporter that I am of the local music scene,
not every local act is better than Bishop Allen (although I'm sure
Grayson and I would both agree that plenty are.)

glenn

*although a friend of mine did have a great quote once - "life is just
too short for just 'okay'" - suggesting that if a band or album or
live show doesn't move you, you should move on.




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