I am ticked off. Sincerely.
The Arcade Fire just released news that they would do 3 back-to-back NYC shows, one of which was at Radio City.
Of course, I got held up in a meeting until 1.5 hours after they went on sale, and they are COMPLETELY sold out.
Most of this due to them being amazing.
However, I also wag my finger at StubHub, for encouring people to be their own scalpers. My understanding was that previously, you could only set a ticket's price up to its face value (or is this an eBay rule?). However, StubHub lets you set it anywhere.
How many people snag these ticketsonly to resell them for a profit? Does the artist or venue see any of this markup? No. And now, there are many seats gobbled up in sets of two, which makes it difficult for several friends to go and sit next to each other.
Perhaps I'll give this encouraged scalping a try to feel some sort of revenge, but it's really irritating and discouraging - sometimes I don't even try to see bands I'd love to see anymore.
Concertgoing is now for the affluent.
Saturday, March 31, 2007
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
girlie vs. girl: in response
This is exactly what we began talking about the other night... so what is the definition of being a riot grrrl these days?
As I contacted girl-positive sites for PR on my music, I asked myself, "Would the thirteen year old me who used to surf these sites be proud of my lyrics? How are my songs about boys any different then Hillary Duff's?"
Che, you mentioned it's less about the subject matter, and more about the voice. Having unique opinions. Putting the pen in the woman's hand to hear her perspective.
So #1 - Riotgrrls write their own material.
A screenwriting professor once told me that "everything's been said before, just not by you." So while kudos should be given to writers that focus on taboo or less-covered topics such as politics, there are also loads of amazing songs written about the universal.
What makes them unique? The perspective. Does this make them more feminist, though?
One of my favorite love songs, Heaven Tonight by Courtney Love:
Here comes a kiss that I've never had,
nothing feels like this.
Heading for heaven tonight.
I love you.
Huh-lo! Is that feminist? It's not really anything but giddy. Maybe context will help this case. The above lines are preceded by:
Out on the winding road I couldn't wait
Oh baby, I was afraid
Headed for heaven tonight
I'll go to heaven tonight
I feel the horses coming galloping
I will never grow old
I'll go to heaven tonight
Because I love you for what you are
Poetic horse symbolism.
So #2 - You can get away with some sappy lyrics if they're framed by really intelligent ones.
I welcome your posting of a few more "what makes a riotgrrl" guideline, cuz this is making my head hurt.
As I contacted girl-positive sites for PR on my music, I asked myself, "Would the thirteen year old me who used to surf these sites be proud of my lyrics? How are my songs about boys any different then Hillary Duff's?"
Che, you mentioned it's less about the subject matter, and more about the voice. Having unique opinions. Putting the pen in the woman's hand to hear her perspective.
So #1 - Riotgrrls write their own material.
A screenwriting professor once told me that "everything's been said before, just not by you." So while kudos should be given to writers that focus on taboo or less-covered topics such as politics, there are also loads of amazing songs written about the universal.
What makes them unique? The perspective. Does this make them more feminist, though?
One of my favorite love songs, Heaven Tonight by Courtney Love:
Here comes a kiss that I've never had,
nothing feels like this.
Heading for heaven tonight.
I love you.
Huh-lo! Is that feminist? It's not really anything but giddy. Maybe context will help this case. The above lines are preceded by:
Out on the winding road I couldn't wait
Oh baby, I was afraid
Headed for heaven tonight
I'll go to heaven tonight
I feel the horses coming galloping
I will never grow old
I'll go to heaven tonight
Because I love you for what you are
Poetic horse symbolism.
So #2 - You can get away with some sappy lyrics if they're framed by really intelligent ones.
I welcome your posting of a few more "what makes a riotgrrl" guideline, cuz this is making my head hurt.
girlie vs. grrl
is it just me, or has the world become completely and depressingly confused between what is "Riot Grrl" music and "shitty whiney cute girl" music?
how blatantly anti-feminism is it so sing in toothpaste/cookie jingle melodies about boys and beaches and being happy? gimme the angst that i call home in music, ladies!
if its going to be softcore music, please at least make it slightly dreary. dont lets bring in the bonnie-tyler's-nodes-sounding guitars and a bubbles-of-the-powerpuff-girls vocalist whimpering a la fivel about carelessly loving a boy. do not give me this, because A) i will stomp you, metaphorically. B) it will get stuck in my head, and i will end up singing "he's a real good laaaater operatorrrr!!!" whilst bobbing my head all day long.
lets talk The Pierces. dreary, nonchalant, clearly they have the sibling twinspeak going for them. unless im mistaken and theyre white stripes siblings... or were they really siblings and lied about the marriage? whatever. the pierces, who are theoretically what ME AND MY SISTER COULD HAVE BEEN! *has a washed up starlett breakdown in the style of blanche dubois*
the only pseudo-whiney technically almost sort-of "riot grrl" esque but moreso very indie band i support consciously is The Arrogants. sure, theyre kinda cute. but they also spit lyrics like:
"that's it, i've heard too much to stay
i think you're crazy anyway
good thing i only like your taste in shoes
it's not like i enjoy your smile
it's not like i look in your eyes
and ever feel more than a thing or two..."
as gollum would say, we likes this song. its to the point, its honest, its fun. the arrogants have the style of being versatile, touching all aspects of emotion (except, maybe, anger or fright). alright lets say happy, depressing, smitten and hopeless. whats not to love? please look at their site now: http://www.arrogants.com
now compare to the All Girls Summer Fun Band: http://www.agsfb.com/
not only sporting an incredibly annoying scrolling linkbar thing (to avoid laymens terms) but BEING an incredibly annoying... thing.
im sorry, or not, but please listen to the music and argue me if youd like. ga'head. i got my gloves up on this one.
point being: how easy is it to make a "riot grrl" band these days? get a girl with a bob, take some 70s looking pictures, sing in a "cool kid" voice, sometimes harmonize in a fun way, play some guitar and a little bit of drums, maybe bite your lip a little... alls im sayin is hey come on ney, we were onto something! we could totally have a cult following if nothing else if we released those gems we conjured up back in the day!
but nowadays everyones got a band, and a myspace page for that band, and no record deal. so i guess stick to being a fan. and for starts, go look at:
thepiercesmusic.com and arrogants.com
then proceed with a bittersweet attitude and retro striped shirt with a circle skirt and flats.
choice songs: "Lights On" The Pierces
"Secret" The Pierces
"Kill, Kill, Kill" The Pierces
"Cool Shoes" The Arrogants
"Butterflies" The Arrogants
"Future Classic" The Arrogants
enjoy, kids.
how blatantly anti-feminism is it so sing in toothpaste/cookie jingle melodies about boys and beaches and being happy? gimme the angst that i call home in music, ladies!
if its going to be softcore music, please at least make it slightly dreary. dont lets bring in the bonnie-tyler's-nodes-sounding guitars and a bubbles-of-the-powerpuff-girls vocalist whimpering a la fivel about carelessly loving a boy. do not give me this, because A) i will stomp you, metaphorically. B) it will get stuck in my head, and i will end up singing "he's a real good laaaater operatorrrr!!!" whilst bobbing my head all day long.
lets talk The Pierces. dreary, nonchalant, clearly they have the sibling twinspeak going for them. unless im mistaken and theyre white stripes siblings... or were they really siblings and lied about the marriage? whatever. the pierces, who are theoretically what ME AND MY SISTER COULD HAVE BEEN! *has a washed up starlett breakdown in the style of blanche dubois*
the only pseudo-whiney technically almost sort-of "riot grrl" esque but moreso very indie band i support consciously is The Arrogants. sure, theyre kinda cute. but they also spit lyrics like:
"that's it, i've heard too much to stay
i think you're crazy anyway
good thing i only like your taste in shoes
it's not like i enjoy your smile
it's not like i look in your eyes
and ever feel more than a thing or two..."
as gollum would say, we likes this song. its to the point, its honest, its fun. the arrogants have the style of being versatile, touching all aspects of emotion (except, maybe, anger or fright). alright lets say happy, depressing, smitten and hopeless. whats not to love? please look at their site now: http://www.arrogants.com
now compare to the All Girls Summer Fun Band: http://www.agsfb.com/
not only sporting an incredibly annoying scrolling linkbar thing (to avoid laymens terms) but BEING an incredibly annoying... thing.
im sorry, or not, but please listen to the music and argue me if youd like. ga'head. i got my gloves up on this one.
point being: how easy is it to make a "riot grrl" band these days? get a girl with a bob, take some 70s looking pictures, sing in a "cool kid" voice, sometimes harmonize in a fun way, play some guitar and a little bit of drums, maybe bite your lip a little... alls im sayin is hey come on ney, we were onto something! we could totally have a cult following if nothing else if we released those gems we conjured up back in the day!
but nowadays everyones got a band, and a myspace page for that band, and no record deal. so i guess stick to being a fan. and for starts, go look at:
thepiercesmusic.com and arrogants.com
then proceed with a bittersweet attitude and retro striped shirt with a circle skirt and flats.
choice songs: "Lights On" The Pierces
"Secret" The Pierces
"Kill, Kill, Kill" The Pierces
"Cool Shoes" The Arrogants
"Butterflies" The Arrogants
"Future Classic" The Arrogants
enjoy, kids.
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Funny Singing
Listening to classic rock radio during the day constantly brings me chuckles for the silliness of it. Rockers take having fun so seriously.
But there are two moments in particular that get me every time, just because of the absurdity of how the singer does each line.
The first is John Mellencamp's (or 'Coug, as Che Monet calls him) "Pink Houses," which all my life I thought was titled "Ain't that America." I think he called it "Pink Houses because he thinks he's a poet.
Anyway, it's silly how he outbursts the line:
"And vacation down at the gulf of Mexico!"
(Listen to minute 3:17.
He does this exaggerated vibrato on "co-oh-oh" that sounds like me simultaneously singing and hoola hooping when I was 8.
The second is Billy Joel's (or as I call him, the subletter of my future home), "Big Shot" when he sings
"Yes, yes, you had to be a big shot, didn't cha"
I know I know, he sings that line like 10 times in the song. But there's one time near the end where he does this wierd voice like he got bored of playing the same chords and singing the same lines so he just mixed it up without thinking about it. You'll know it when you see it.
I have no analysis for these silly singing examples, but thought they were worth calling out.
But there are two moments in particular that get me every time, just because of the absurdity of how the singer does each line.
The first is John Mellencamp's (or 'Coug, as Che Monet calls him) "Pink Houses," which all my life I thought was titled "Ain't that America." I think he called it "Pink Houses because he thinks he's a poet.
Anyway, it's silly how he outbursts the line:
"And vacation down at the gulf of Mexico!"
(Listen to minute 3:17.
He does this exaggerated vibrato on "co-oh-oh" that sounds like me simultaneously singing and hoola hooping when I was 8.
The second is Billy Joel's (or as I call him, the subletter of my future home), "Big Shot" when he sings
"Yes, yes, you had to be a big shot, didn't cha"
I know I know, he sings that line like 10 times in the song. But there's one time near the end where he does this wierd voice like he got bored of playing the same chords and singing the same lines so he just mixed it up without thinking about it. You'll know it when you see it.
I have no analysis for these silly singing examples, but thought they were worth calling out.
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