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Spicing Up the G8 Conference
Jun. 3rd, 2005 07:13 pmI've been watching with interest the listing of acts for the Live 8 concerts. They are the concerts to try to encourage the world's top leaders to give up some money for the poor through the power of a great power ballad.
When I first heard the line up for the Philadelphia leg of it, it didn't sound too good, with a rumored lineup of Emenem, 50 Cent, Will Smith, and P Diddy. P Diddy? does he actually perform anymore? I don't really like the rap acts, just yakking away, so that, combined with Bon Jovi (ugh), it just wasn't sounding as good as the show in London.
Now with the addition of Sarah McLachlan, Rob Thomas and Kaiser Chiefs things are sounding a little better for Philly. Still, there's the Dave Matthews Band, who I love the recordings, but I'm not really that thrilled with seeing live because they go off into jam band territory. Don't get me wrong, I like the fact that they are great musicians, but there's something I like about a tight, 3-5 minute pop or rock song. I don't mind if the song isn't album perfect when I see it live, in fact I like to know that it's live, but something gets to me when suddenly that song becomes a twenty minute long bash of noodling. (I know that Matty, Scott and Owen will totally disagree with me) My attention span just isn't that long.
The The london show looks much more interesting to me, with Coldplay, Dido, Keane, Muse, R.E.M., Snow patrol, the Killers, The Cure and Scissor Sisters. I'll definitely want to watch some of this. This is right up my alley, where a lot of my music collection is. Of course there's a few older acts on the bill that seem past their prime. Don't get me wrong, I love the music of Paul McCartney and Madonna, but I don't really care to see them in concert again.
of course there's several other concerts in the other G* countries that have been seeded with a "english friendly" act or two, like Duran Duran in Rome. There's also rumors of Barenaked Ladies playing a satellite concert in Toronto.
I find that my music collection is narrow but deep. There's not a lot of different styles of music, just a little country, and pretty lilly white, but there's a ton of different artists.
I guess I'm a bit of a music snob when it comes to different genres. It comes down to I know what I like, and it's hard to tell me otherwise, but yet, I am always up to finding new artists. I've been blessed the last few years with some great friends who are very adventurous and take music seriously. they actually pick up a lot more music than I do, and I'm happy to sort of sift out some of the best finds from them. I loved the fact that I knew, as many LJers here did, about such groups as Franz Ferdinand, the Killers, and Scissor Sisters before they hit it big.
It's also good to go to an event like Austin City Limits Festival (come, join us!) and not feel lost among all the new, independent artists.
Now, i find that I am loosening up about one genre of music that I used to resist - and I resisted it because I had thought it was too gay. Dance music. Really the idea of listening to dance music always made me thing of being stereotypically queer, and while there is some truth to it, there's really a great thing about letting go and just enjoying the beat. Luckily chris has given me a lot to explore on my hand-me-down-pod, plus I have the dance channels on Sirius.
There's other acts that I'm reclaiming too, that I had given up on in the past in order not to be labeled, and two of them are the Pet Shop Boys and Culture Club. I loved both in the '80s, but it was popular. Too like them after the 80's, not so good. Suddenly I've been rediscovering them and the joy of their music.
Even though I've sort of loosened my clenched ass about these acts, I'm really not into classic Disco that much. I used to hate it when I was young, and I ended up discovering Big Band music back when Disco ruled, now I just find that the beat is just too slow of a beat right now. Dance music has definitely upped the BPM.
Still, I'll never give up my love of New Wave, hence why some bands are returning, and a lot of new bands like The Bravery (though yes, they suck in concert) and the Decemberists are in my playlist. It's all about the return of the guitar-synth combination that makes it great. bring back Duran Duran's incomprehensible lyrics.
Still, I will tell you that I wish I could go to london to see the main Live 8 show. Yes, I'll get to see Cold Play later this fall (and I'll get to see Lyle Lovett, too), but this still seems to be a big show.
I will say that the Spice Girls should play Live 8. sure, they might lipsynch, but I'm sure others will too. I will go on record that yes, I like the Spice Girls. What? The whole "Girl Power" schtick isn't as deep and meaningful as U2's talk about saving Africa? So what? How many people are listening to the message anyway? They both have their points, both are positive, and at the heart of it, it's all entertainment anyway.
Heck, if I watch Live 8 and give some money, do I get a totebag and a mug like I would if I gave to my NPR station?
When I first heard the line up for the Philadelphia leg of it, it didn't sound too good, with a rumored lineup of Emenem, 50 Cent, Will Smith, and P Diddy. P Diddy? does he actually perform anymore? I don't really like the rap acts, just yakking away, so that, combined with Bon Jovi (ugh), it just wasn't sounding as good as the show in London.
Now with the addition of Sarah McLachlan, Rob Thomas and Kaiser Chiefs things are sounding a little better for Philly. Still, there's the Dave Matthews Band, who I love the recordings, but I'm not really that thrilled with seeing live because they go off into jam band territory. Don't get me wrong, I like the fact that they are great musicians, but there's something I like about a tight, 3-5 minute pop or rock song. I don't mind if the song isn't album perfect when I see it live, in fact I like to know that it's live, but something gets to me when suddenly that song becomes a twenty minute long bash of noodling. (I know that Matty, Scott and Owen will totally disagree with me) My attention span just isn't that long.
The The london show looks much more interesting to me, with Coldplay, Dido, Keane, Muse, R.E.M., Snow patrol, the Killers, The Cure and Scissor Sisters. I'll definitely want to watch some of this. This is right up my alley, where a lot of my music collection is. Of course there's a few older acts on the bill that seem past their prime. Don't get me wrong, I love the music of Paul McCartney and Madonna, but I don't really care to see them in concert again.
of course there's several other concerts in the other G* countries that have been seeded with a "english friendly" act or two, like Duran Duran in Rome. There's also rumors of Barenaked Ladies playing a satellite concert in Toronto.
I find that my music collection is narrow but deep. There's not a lot of different styles of music, just a little country, and pretty lilly white, but there's a ton of different artists.
I guess I'm a bit of a music snob when it comes to different genres. It comes down to I know what I like, and it's hard to tell me otherwise, but yet, I am always up to finding new artists. I've been blessed the last few years with some great friends who are very adventurous and take music seriously. they actually pick up a lot more music than I do, and I'm happy to sort of sift out some of the best finds from them. I loved the fact that I knew, as many LJers here did, about such groups as Franz Ferdinand, the Killers, and Scissor Sisters before they hit it big.
It's also good to go to an event like Austin City Limits Festival (come, join us!) and not feel lost among all the new, independent artists.
Now, i find that I am loosening up about one genre of music that I used to resist - and I resisted it because I had thought it was too gay. Dance music. Really the idea of listening to dance music always made me thing of being stereotypically queer, and while there is some truth to it, there's really a great thing about letting go and just enjoying the beat. Luckily chris has given me a lot to explore on my hand-me-down-pod, plus I have the dance channels on Sirius.
There's other acts that I'm reclaiming too, that I had given up on in the past in order not to be labeled, and two of them are the Pet Shop Boys and Culture Club. I loved both in the '80s, but it was popular. Too like them after the 80's, not so good. Suddenly I've been rediscovering them and the joy of their music.
Even though I've sort of loosened my clenched ass about these acts, I'm really not into classic Disco that much. I used to hate it when I was young, and I ended up discovering Big Band music back when Disco ruled, now I just find that the beat is just too slow of a beat right now. Dance music has definitely upped the BPM.
Still, I'll never give up my love of New Wave, hence why some bands are returning, and a lot of new bands like The Bravery (though yes, they suck in concert) and the Decemberists are in my playlist. It's all about the return of the guitar-synth combination that makes it great. bring back Duran Duran's incomprehensible lyrics.
Still, I will tell you that I wish I could go to london to see the main Live 8 show. Yes, I'll get to see Cold Play later this fall (and I'll get to see Lyle Lovett, too), but this still seems to be a big show.
I will say that the Spice Girls should play Live 8. sure, they might lipsynch, but I'm sure others will too. I will go on record that yes, I like the Spice Girls. What? The whole "Girl Power" schtick isn't as deep and meaningful as U2's talk about saving Africa? So what? How many people are listening to the message anyway? They both have their points, both are positive, and at the heart of it, it's all entertainment anyway.
Heck, if I watch Live 8 and give some money, do I get a totebag and a mug like I would if I gave to my NPR station?
