SO I'M BACK!
Some concerts I've attended since my last post were The Killers, Muse, Above & Beyond, Naked and Famous, Franz Ferdinand, Cold War Kids, Freefest Music Festival and of course Osheaga Music Festival. It's too late to write anything on each of them, but I'll just tell you that Muse was absolutely epic and Franz Ferdinand was really great. The Naked and Famous and Cold War Kids were your typical good shows at the 9:30 Club; they are talented groups that put on great live performances that are fun to attend, but nothing mind-altering or life changing. The Killers played a fun set at Merriweather Post Pavilion with a solid mix of new and old stuff. Above & Beyond was at Echostage and a general trance concert. I don't think I'll ever be able to explain the way that these concerts are. I feel that have to attend one to understand.
I'm sure part of the reason Muse was so fantastic was due to the technology they have at the Verizon Center and the ability to put crazy graphics on the screen and different moving stages, so I'm trying to keep that in mind, but it doesn't make it any less amazing. The 9:30 Club and Merriweather simply don't allow artists the same level of freedom to do whatever they see fit with their set, but the tickets are much cheaper which makes up for the difference. The Freefest Festival was in the pouring rain and pretty cold, but most people made the best of it. The people who got tickets just because they were free ended up leaving early, so the people who stuck it out till the end were the true music lovers who wanted to be there.
Osheaga may have been the greatest experience of my life up to now and anything I write wouldn't do it justice. If I were able to travel to Montreal every summer for it I would.
On a completely different note, there is a summit for the Future of Music Coalition this Monday and Tuesday at Georgetown University. The Future of Music Coalition is a leader on many issues anybody working in the music industry faces, including fair internet radio, copyright issues, and music education. Anybody who appreciates music and wants to keep it alive should look into what they do. http://futureofmusic.org
