Music Industry News: 2021-10-10

Saturday 16 October 2021

The Velvet Underground Movie

Trailer: https://bit.ly/3lNMzo8

It's not for everybody.

It's about the money. And the jobs.

Stretching after my hike last night, not wanting to let a moment be wasted, also striving for the stimulation the internet affords, I read the "Washington Post" review of Fiona Hill's new book:

"The rare Trump insider memoir that doesn't obsess over Trump - In 'There Is Nothing for You Here" Fiona Hill warns of the dangers to democracy and opportunity in America and beyond": https://wapo.st/2XioADV

I highly recommend it. It's more important than anything I'm going to write here. Left or right, it doesn't matter.

"The preamble has become the point. Hill links her experiences in England, Russia and the United States to argue that the countries suffer a similar malady: a steady postindustrial decline that stokes cultural despair and leads to a polarized politics in which populists thrive. 'From the late 1980s to the 2020s, in the heartlands of both Russia and the United States, I saw grim reflections of the decline of my hometown,' she writes. 'As the sense of hopelessness spreads, so does the anger — and the potential for people's fears and frustrations to explode into the political arena.'"

To quote James McMurtry, you can't make it here anymore. There is no lifetime employment, and you can't make it on minimum wage. Meanwhile, there's an entire sector of people who are flourishing, not only the billionaires but the college graduates living in cities who complain they can't make it on $400,000 a year. That's what Biden's tax bill considers rich. And if you've got to pay for metropolitan housing, and private school and vacations, never mind the accoutrements denoting your class, the clothing and the cars, the elite say 400k isn't nearly enough. Especially those on the right, the editorials in the "Wall Street Journal" have been screaming! On the other side of the equation we've got people who can't make ends meet, who delay health care, never mind dental care, who live multiple generations per dwelling, who turn to drugs to get them through. As for lifting them up... Not if it costs the elite a single penny. After all, the elite's efforts trickle down and enhance the pocketbooks of the poor, right?

But that's today, when politics are everything. If you tell someone to stick to the script, to stay in their lane, the joke is on you, because this nation's political situation is the most critical thing happening today, the future literally hangs in the balance, if you just want to party on...you may not like the consequences.

But it wasn't like this in the sixties.

I know, the sixties are seen as an era of tumult...of riots, protests against the Vietnam War. And that's all true, but there was more. There was a huge cultural explosion, a testing of limits, invention, primarily because there was so much money, primarily because there were no billionaires, and if you had a million dollars you were rich, your goals were not stratospheric.

So mothers didn't have to work outside the home. Some chose to, some needed to, but today both parents have to work for the family to get by. Of course there are exceptions, but they don't disqualify the rule.

So suddenly, starting in the fifties and evolving into the sixties, there was freedom to explore, to make your leisure time more than drinking and watching TV.

College was cheap. University was not about job preparation, our parents thought of our futures, but did not dictate them, they couldn't get away with it. No, young people were on a journey of their own creation. And nothing would stop them. And this journey gained adherents and as a result, the sixties became the last cultural peak in this nation.

Of course they still make music today. TV and films. But it was different back then. Now, it's all about the dollar, everybody shaves off their edges for the buck. And image supersedes art. It's about you, the cult of personality, more than what you create. It's the antithesis of Andy Warhol and its factory.

YET IT WAS A FACTORY!

That was Warhol's breakthrough, to put the cash up front, previously taboo in the art world. And to continue the question of the century, as in what is art? You had not only Warhol, but before him the cubists and the abstract impressionists and then the minimalists... Being able to draw was no longer a prerequisite to a career as an artist, and being more than proficient at your instrument was no longer a prerequisite to playing music.

But that didn't mean you'd become a star.

And there are a ton of stars in this film.

Like Mary Woronov. A Factory hanger-on who graduated to mainstream film roles as the decades wore on.

And Paul Morrissey. That was a thing back then, going to the cinema to see Andy Warhol films, which by the turn of the decade, from the sixties to the seventies, were really made by Morrissey.

Seems so quaint today. Making a journey to the theatre, sitting in a darkened room and seeing a film and...at best you could go home and talk about it. You couldn't post on social media. The experience of going was everything, the message was on screen, the audience was not the star, as it is at so many concerts these days.

And these films were influential, BECAUSE THEY TESTED LIMITS!

You went because you had to, irrelevant of the reviews. What were the odds the critics would get it anyway? These films were influential. As Lou Reed himself began.

He didn't want to be an accountant like his father. He wanted to be a rich and famous rock star. That's made clear in this movie, from the very beginning, that was his goal. But it was a long hard road getting there.

First he had Warhol.

This film traces the trip from Long Island to the Factory.

And if you watch this film through twenty first century eyes you'll keep asking yourself how all these people were getting by, paying their bills, but living was cheap back then! And you didn't have to enter a career right after college for fear of forever being left behind.

Reed has a vision. But Manhattan is full of artists. They find each other. He gets hooked up with John Cale. Eventually they meet Warhol, who says yes to everything, that's why people wanted to hang out with him at the Factory, and a bond is established. But in order to make it all work, Andy has to design the album cover and Nico has to front the band. Talk about being expedient, otherwise the Velvet Underground never would have happened.

So what you've got here is a slew of artists, with only Warhol having any real purchase on the mainstream culture, and at this point mostly in the metropolis, pursuing their passion as artists, filmmakers, painters, musicians... It was a hotbed of creativity.

And then there's a stage show at the Dom. The Exploding Plastic Inevitable. Doesn't that say it all? No one names their events like this anymore. Hell, most have their sponsor in the moniker! And they were events, immersive, in the dark, with performances and lights and being there opened your mind. Assuming you were there. And almost all people were not. But word started to spread. You read about it. There was a pull to the city, to become part of this.

Watching this film I wondered why in hell I went to college in Vermont. That wasn't my place. I came to Los Angeles and found people exactly like myself, in Vermont there were none.

It's different today. As a result of the internet you can be anywhere and play. But playing is not the same, because of that damn money factor. And there are so many messages odds are yours won't be heard.

Like the Velvet Underground. Today their music would be unknown. Anybody can make a record. But when their albums were released we saw them in the museum known as the record store, everybody was aware of them, even if they never heard them. And the truth is where I lived, there was always someone who owned one, who insisted you sit down and listen to "Sister Ray" or another cut. You sat there and listened, did nothing else simultaneously, can you imagine?

Probably not, unless you lived through it.

So if you read the review of Fiona Hill's book above you can picture the journey from there to here. Yet watching this film I can't believe I was really alive and aware in the sixties. Yes, I was going to high school, fifty miles from New York City, the light shined that far, it was part of my everyday world. I can't imagine that today. If for no other reason than nothing is universal, nothing has that amount of mindshare, even though the surviving institutions keep telling us they do.

Like movies. What a joke. Superhero events for the brain dead. As for art films, if you went to the theatre to see this, you're probably over seventy, at least sixty, you're inured to the old rituals. No, this movie is readily accessible on Apple TV+. That's how we consume culture these days, at our fingertips. Put any impediment in its way and people don't bother.

So watching this movie you'll see what the early to mid-sixties were like. It'll be a revelation if you weren't alive back then, but you probably won't even be interested. Yes, you know "Walk on the Wild Side," but that's enough for you.

And many people alive back then were clueless.

And then there were the artists, those who were a little offbeat, who were not accepted anywhere else, for which this movie and the Velvet Underground are manna from heaven. Hell, one of the best parts of the film is when Jonathan Richman testifies. When everybody else was getting noisier, Richman fired his band and got quieter. He continued to experiment in the seventies when everybody else was playing by the rules.

And in the eighties you had to be beautiful to be on MTV.

And then Napster came along and blew everything apart and if you were awake and aware beforehand you might still believe the music business is in turmoil. But it's not. Those days are over. Now it's no longer about the platforms, but the music itself. And that's much harder to do. Everyone has an opinion on file-trading and streaming, but almost no one can create a hit record, even though seemingly every young person thinks they can.

But their heads are in the wrong place. Sure, after the Beatles broke we all bought guitars and formed bands, we had dreams but they were quick to be shattered, we realized we were not good enough. Some were, but their number was exceedingly small. Today's generation believes marketing exceeds music, that if they make enough noise they must break through, not knowing it's about one note, pure and easy, as Pete Townshend sang.

So most people don't want to see a movie like this. About what happened fifty-odd years ago. Shot in an artistic fashion. Yes, the movie doesn't even look like a tentpole blockbuster. There's split screen and talking heads and...it's an art film. Which if you're a boomer you'll remember, if you're not, you probably won't.

And art films were not solely about the ride, they were supposed to deliver more, you were supposed to leave the theatre thinking.

If you make it through the Velvet Underground movie you'll be thinking. You'll be thinking during it. You may even go back to it. It's not here today, gone tomorrow, it sticks to you. Kind of like "Don't Look Back," a film that was dead on arrival that has since become legendary. Do I think the Velvet Underground movie will have the same impact down the road? Not quite as much, but it's a unique document of an era, it's far from me-too.

That's one of its best qualities. It's not a traditional rock doc. It's not pure hagiography. It leans towards that at the end, deifying Lou Reed, but then the credits start to roll.

So will this movie make you love the Velvet Underground if you don't already?

I highly doubt it. But that doesn't mean you can't learn from it. It's those outside who do it differently who change the world.

Then again, wasn't changing the world a sixties thing?

Unfortunately so.

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Thursday 14 October 2021

The Kacey Musgraves Kerfuffle

THIS IS THE BEST THING THAT EVER HAPPENED TO HER!

In case you missed the memo, Kacey Musgraves's new album was disqualified for the country music Grammy because it wasn't country enough, despite her working with the same damn people she always has.

I don't want to debate the issue. Because the Grammys are irrelevant. If they meant anything, their ratings would be sky high instead of bottom barrel. Nobody cares, it's just a circle jerk for those sucking the at the tit of the organization and the wankers unknown by most people whose self-image is burnished by winning these crappy little trophies, physical in a world of digital, where the fake merch you buy for your videogame has more value. Real artists take no pride in awards. Because if you're really pushing the envelope, organizations don't give you your due until way after the fact. And art is not a competition. Then again, there are people invested in every tiny little niche, so I guess these males, and they are males, can live in their John Gruden world unfettered but they keep on committing these faux pas that draw attention to the inherent flaws of the generation.

Last year it was the Weeknd. He had the biggest record of the year and wasn't nominated. THAT became the story. If he'd just been nominated and even won no one would have cared. But by being EXCLUDED, it was a big story, that ran for months, now everybody knows who the Weeknd is, everybody who cares was drawn to listening to "Blinding Lights" in a world where the history of recorded music is at one's fingertips.

Do most Americans know Kacey Musgraves? NO WAY!

Most Americans don't know anybody these days, except for maybe Donald Trump. This is the fallacy of the entertainment business. Everything is smaller than ever before. Look at TV ratings. Check the numbers for the networks. They're less than A TENTH of what they were in their heyday, there's just too much in the channel, and it's even WORSE in music. So, you can make yourself feel good by hiring a PR company and getting ink in dead tree media that means nothing, or manipulate the "Billboard" chart by releasing signed CDs to people who don't have CD players, but unless you're the artist or the purchaser, no one cares whatsoever, NO ONE! No one cares what the number one television show is, nor the number one musical artist. That's so last century. But the media loves charts, rankings... Today it's all about the individual, their vertical, until there's a train-wreck.

Like Donald Trump.

Like this Kacey Musgraves kerfuffle.

Kacey Musgraves is uber-talented. My only complaint is the endless plastic surgery/fillers/who knows what. She was a very cute woman who is now trying to achieve conventional beauty and ruining her appeal. It's dangerous to even say this, but I'm sick and tired of women who change their looks, often permanently, to appeal to people who ultimately find it a turn-off. It seems women are doing their best to impress other women, because they're certainly not impressing the men. And in this politically correct world one can't even say this, even though I just did. Musgraves's music is so honest, I wish she were happy, satisfied, with her God-given looks, which are better than almost all of the population's to begin with!

But John Lennon urged us to give him some truth, and then Jack Nicholson told us we couldn't handle the truth and then Leonard Cohen told us everybody knows the truth but in the end, truth is taboo, we have to deny it exists, to keep everybody happy.

Anyway, Musgraves's latest album, "star-crossed," is quite good. It'll turn your head when you hear it, you'll want to play the whole thing in a world where you can usually not even make it through the single. Is it her best work, is it great work? We can debate that all day long, but in a world of flotsam and jetsam it stands out.

On Spotify, all of "star-crossed"'s tracks have over a million plays. One has ten million. Sounds impressive until you compare it to the hits, which have triple digit millions, can even have a billion. Actually, Kacey has two tracks over a hundred million streams, and one very close to that number, from her previous LP, 2018's "Golden Hour." But rather than repeat the formula, Kacey continued to push the envelope, into new territory, and for this she is being PUNISHED!

Isn't this what we want from artists, to stretch? Instead, the Grammys keep rewarding those who stay in their lane and repeat themselves, they hew to conventional wisdom, and that's got nothing to do with art.

In a changing environment. They rap in country songs and have soul singers in country songs and some of these even cross over to pop...that's the world we live in, especially amongst the younger generation, the genres have blurred. But no, in Grammyworld, they're defined. You'd better not put a fiddle on your rock record, you'll be excommunicated from the category!

And the truth is the hype on Kacey Musgraves's new album has been monumental, there's been a story in every outlet known to man, but it's definitely not working, the streams are not there, they're not commensurate. Because the public knows it's hype and no longer trusts it. I was aware of the hype, I've even seen Kacey Musgraves twice live, but I didn't listen to it, and then I heard a track from "star-crossed" on a playlist from someone I respect and it stood out from every other track, it was a cut above, I had to listen to it again, then I had to listen to the album, I almost wrote about it, didn't, BUT NOW I AM! Because the Grammy organization messed with her!

Unlike the Weeknd, Musgraves didn't get her knickers in a twist, she just posted a pic on Instagram giving the middle finger. That's where you speak today, on social media, Musgraves is young and gets it, the old men at the Grammy organization are still clueless. Let's see, Harvey Mason, Jr. has 13,100 followers on Twitter, Kacey Musgraves has 977,300. Harvey Mason, Jr. has 26,500 followers on Instagram, Kacey Musgraves has 2,300,000. I ask you, who has the power here? THE ARTIST! The way it was before Clive Davis and Tommy Mottola tried to tell us they were the stars. It hasn't been this way since the seventies, the artists are in charge.

But that does not mean each and every one of them can gain traction.

But when you pour gasoline on the fire they've created, a conflagration can transpire. Now the story is how out of touch the Grammy organization is, by time it burns out, the story will have been EVERYWHERE! More and more people will check out Kacey's music to form their own opinion, just like they did with Lil Nas X's "Old Town Road," which was deemed not country enough!

Categories are BS. Kacey Musgraves wasn't promoting "star-crossed" based on category, it was just music. The Lil Nas X country kerfuffle was a manipulated story proffered by the establishment, it was not like any country radio stations had decided not to play it, THEY WEREN'T EVEN AWARE OF IT!

So now Lil Nas X's career is all about spectacle, the music is secondary.

But with Kacey Musgraves the music is still primary. And when people go to check it out, a number will be intrigued. People will become fans. Her career will be enhanced, embellished, all because the Grammy organization is out of touch, not living in today's musical reality, and doubling-down on the inanity. Didn't the music business learn its lesson twenty years ago, with Napster, et al? If you don't know what you're talking about, SHUT UP! Then again, the more out of touch you are the less you're aware your head is up your butt and you put yourself in the spotlight to be made fun of.

Let's say "star-crossed" was nominated in the country category. It probably wouldn't win, based on the number of streams, but even if it did, who exactly would be complaining? Not the rest of Nashville, because they know the Grammys are irrelevant, that it's all about the CMAs. That's right, country has its own awards show. Meanwhile, every other musical genre wants to get into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. And you wonder why all these organizations have lost credibility.

This is no movie.

But that's what the best art is. Like Kacey Musgraves's song:

"If this was a movie
I'd be surprised
Hearing your car
Coming up the drive
And you'd run up the stairs
You'd hold my face
Say we're being stupid
And we'd fall back into place
If this was a movie
If this was a movie"

"If This Was a Movie..": https://spoti.fi/3iYCKBO

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Gary Katz-This Week's Podcast

Gary Katz produced every Steely Dan album from "Can't Buy a Thrill" to "Gaucho" as well as Donald Fagen's "Nightfly." Listen as we chart Gary's career from Brooklyn to Hollywood, from Bobby Darin to Warner Brothers, with ABC/Dunhill in between. I guarantee you'll learn something about Steely Dan you didn't know!

https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-the-bob-lefsetz-podcast-30806836/

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-bob-lefsetz-podcast/id1316200737

https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-bob-lefsetz-podcast

https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9ff4fb19-54d4-41ae-ae7a-8a6f8d3dafa8/the-bob-lefsetz-podcast

https://open.spotify.com/episode/66QQ0g9vGSvKO4wcKujmdt?si=uuyOJkv8QuGJRhNMKbUTaQ

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Tuesday 12 October 2021

More Covid Attendance

My youngest daughter and her wife went to a wedding in Alabama a few weeks ago. Both are healthcare workers. Both are vaxxed. Everyone at the wedding was vaxxed. When they came home, my daughter got sick. Was tested several times for covid, each test negative. Flu-like symptoms and eventually pink-eye. Not COVID.

A few days later, her wife developed symptoms and then lost sense of taste. Tested- covid.

Airline, airport, rental car, filling station…who knows.

Tonight- this from my Eldest daughter ( a prof at Elon)

"We've now lost a fourth student at UNC since the semester started. We've also lost a student at Elon. I'm devastated.

My students are the best part of my week. I can't imagine losing one of them.

Please, please, please check in on the people (especially the young people) in your lives. This has been a rough year.

If you are struggling and you think things aren't 'bad enough yet', please reach out for help. You don't need to suffer alone."

John Williams

____________________________________

I decided not to play rec league hockey this winter. A huge decision here in Canada. Prime reason : if I get hurt playing I'm in for quite an experience trying to get treated. The anti vax folks have filled the hospitals and they get top priority. A fully vaxxed injured hockey player ? Of course if you are Wayne Gretzky you'll get treated , otherwise wait in line. And it's a long wait with the anti vax folks constantly cutting in line in front of everyone else.

Cheers, Owen Dearing

____________________________________

Saw Jason Isbell two nights in a row at Austin City Limits Live (the first shows that he required vaccinations or negative tests). The venue wasn't checking IDs with the vaxx cards, and barely glanced at your papers. They weren't happy about having the extra work, at least the guy that "checked" our cards. Those shows were sold out, and looked to be at least 90% attendance. Then, I saw him in Schaumburg, IL at a baseball field a few weeks later, and it was probably less than half full. It might have been because the word was out about the entry requirements (they checked them carefully at the venue with your ID), or because it was in the suburbs, instead of the city of Chicago (gasp!). Who knows? I know that it was the first time I've seen Jason recently without a packed venue. I also caught Toad the Wet Sprocket at Park West in Chicago (who also checked documentation carefully, and required masks), and it was maybe half full. They played the same venue two years ago to a full house. Attendance definitely seems down, for whatever reason(s).

Kevin Goodwin

____________________________________

I had tickets to see Todd Rundgren last June. In March, when things shut down, I hoped that we'd be back to normal by June.
That didn't happen.
When tix for the rescheduled tour went on sale in July, I felt confident enough that by Oct 23, we'd be good to go.

The Fillmore at the Jackie Gleason Theater (I'm happy to rant about the stupid name any time) DOES require proof of vaccination or negative test and masks allegedly.
But as I'm reading all of responses here, I'm thinking it's probably not worth it.

I'm triple vaccinated, but a lung cancer survivor, down a lung. Covid is the last thing I need.

And I live in Floriduh. So I can't trust anything.

But, I haven't been out to a live show in almost two years now.
And it's Todd Rundgren.

I guess I have 22 days to figure out what to do.

Nicole Sandler

____________________________________

I am in my mid-50s. My local venue in Connecticut (not a bad seat in the
house) has three of my all-time favorites coming in the next few weeks:

- Todd Rundgren (seen 17x)
- Rick Wakeman (seen at least 10x between Yes and solo shows)
- Pat Metheny (seen 24X)

I will go see exactly NONE of them. Just can't get comfortable with it.

Also, I have been a subscriber to the NY Philharmonic for about a decade.
When they called me to renew for the 2021-2022 season, I told the person on
the phone how much I missed the symphony, but no thanks. I hoped to see them
in fall '22 for the '22-'23 season.

As much as I miss live music, there is no way I can sit
shoulder-to-shoulder, indoors, with strangers and enjoy myself, despite
being fully vaccinated and living in a generally vax-compliant part of the
country.

Just. Can't.

Bill Baker

____________________________________

as a ticket broker i've noticed last minute sales are awful, but the
people planning to go are paying and buying. Also sports sales are
good, concert sales are worse

thanks, Tom

____________________________________

We had several shows lined up for October. Many of the shows cancelled. One of them was out of town. I won't be buying tickets for any big shows until they figure this shit out.

Dinosaur Jr., State Theater, Ithaca, NY CANCELLED (rescheduled for September 2022!)
Dead & Co, WPB, FL CANCELLED (they were in a catch-22 b/c state doesn't require masks, but will fine the artist for each violation of COVID protocols, $5,000 per violation, per individual. That made it impossible for Dead & Co to entertain in the State of Florida)
Tame Impala, AA, Miami, FL CANCELLED (after being rescheduled)

Made the effort to see James Bond in the theater this past weekend. What a horrible waste of my vaccine.

Finally, I live in a State that does not see the benefit of wearing masks and is bucking their way through vaccine mandates. As long as the individual states do not agree on how to approach this virus, we will be in this holding pattern for quite some time. I'm not going to stay home, but I am going to continue to wear a mask, social distance as much as possible and wash my hands often.

Khila L. Khani
Hollywood, FL

____________________________________

As somebody in the ticketing industry which manages over 3000 venues, there is no doubt that tickets sales have not returned to to pre COVID levels. However they are rising steadily. Not sure what people are expecting before we can even say with any confidence we are through the Pandemic.
Last week I attended a show at A.R.T in Boston which was packed, not a free seat in the house and nearly everybody was a boomer. The venue was masked and you had to show proof of vaccine before you were admitted.
Many ticketing companies including ours are integrating with Vaccine Apps and there is an overwhelming energy from Venue operators to ensure the safest environments possible.
More than this, many people are looking to smaller venues in their communities who have made it this far through the pandemic. People want to support local community venues that do not inflict huge ticketing fees on hardcore fans. There may indeed be a significant shift in the industry as Venues take more control over their brand in lieu of advances from larger ticketing companies.
These companies who breeze into town to promote larger events and may not have the same community spirit. If these events become super spreader events then it will be the smaller community venues that will feel the pain the most from a further winter lockdown.
I am confident that the public would much rather attend a live event than sit on their sofas and watch more streamed content, its just with Internet overload consumers are likely to be much more considerate of the quality of the bands they choose to go and see.

Regards

Stefan Prescott

____________________________________

I attended my first post-COVID show on Friday night with my 15-year old daughter, a Harry Styles concert in Sunrise, Florida, in Broward County.

We are New Yorkers and in town visiting my in-laws for the long weekend. I had no idea what to expect, given the DeSantis anti-mask campaign and his general misinformation m.o.

All ticketholders at the FLA Live Arena were required to show proof of vaccination or a negative test within 48 hours of entry and be wearing a mask. The crowd, which was 90% young woman and teenage girls, was a compliant one, as far as concerts go. Even in the arena, which felt sold out, many patrons tended to keep their masks on (which didn't seem to mute the Beatlemania-like shrieking throughout the show). Before taking the stage, Harry's voice was heard in a pre-recorded PSA asking the audience to keep masks on and be safe.

I couldn't help but think that Harry's devoted, "treat-people-with-kindness" fanbase had something to do with my overall feeling of safety. There was also very little testosterone among the crowd, let alone any displays of political affiliation (unless one associates feather boas with liberals). Whatever it was, I was pleasantly surprised in South Florida.

Tony DiNota

____________________________________

I'm a double vaxxed boomer and I've been to perhaps 40 UK shows and festivals since restrictions were lifted, first social distanced shows since April, and then no-restriction shows since August.

Here there is no legal requirement to show Vax certificates / passes or wear masks, however perhaps 50% of the shows do ask to see some evidence (certificate or rapid test). I've not seen anyone complain when asked and it's quick and efficient, mostly. The biggest indoor show as Gorillaz at the 02, a free show for 18,000 health workers and I'm regularly at small club shows, 100-300.

BTW I work in music and I have to admit, I'm not over-risk-adverse, although I would definitely not class myself as a high-risk-taker. Generally, I feel safe and in the instances where perhaps a club is just too crowded, I stand at the back.

Ticket sales are varied, some big shows selling out when you don't expect them to, some smaller shows at lesser capacity, but at least shows are happening and musicians and crews are getting work (not enough money though, for sure).

Oh and as a manager of artists, I can tell you Brexit is a HUGE problem for our country and of course especially for most musicians who simply cannot tour profitably on mainland Europe any more… I take issue with 'no one is telling the truth about Brexit' trust me 60% + of the country are Fully aware that it was Boris' Brexit Bullshit that has sold this country down the river, for his own personal benefit and many more now have 'buyers remorse'….

We will never Stop calling Boris and Brexit out (and the left-leaning media still does), and wont stop until the day we re-enter the EU, even if it takes 20 years or more so my kids can enjoy the same rights and freedoms that we did.

Stephen Budd

____________________________________

I am 65, but don't call me a boomer, cause I'm not. Anyway, with many things closed down in my town since last March, only recently have shows started happening. In that time, our only smallish venue closed and was torn down, so there are no shows with people packed together here for now.

In the last week and a half, I went to 4 shows, all at a small theatre, 3 of which had been postponed from last year and which I still had tickets for.
As I know the promoter and some of the staff, and one of them usually gives me a ride, I saw all the pre-show stuff. I have been double vaccinated and brought my card, and we were all wearing masks. As all these particular shows were folk music, much of the crowd were my age, but there were numbers of younger people.

Here's the interesting part of this story. At the first show, I met a new worker for the promoter, a 21-year old college student who was doing merch for those shows. We got to talking quite a bit. I informed her about the artists she was selling stuff for so she'd have a better idea what people might ask. At three of the shows, the artists did not sign stuff at. One of them, a duo did, and it came off pretty great. Everything went well.

So yesterday, I got a call from my friend, and he let me know that the young woman had lost her taste and smell. It has been determined that she likely got it from another student at the college and not at the theatre. As a result she could not work shows on Sunday or tomorrow (Tuesday). She also was going to go home on a school break to see her parents starting on Friday but will now have to stay in quarantine.

I had been notified online a few days ago that there were going to be boosters available yesterday and on Wednesday and Friday. Initially, I was going to wait as the location is inconvenient for me. But I decided that I would do it this Wed, but NOT for me. I feel fine, and I try not to worry about this kind of thing. But I decided I wanted to do this for HER, so when I see her again (probably on Oct 25th) there will be one less person she has to worry about. That is really what we all should be doing - this is the only way it will ever end, if we don't care about others, it will take much longer for the virus to go away.

Hope you and yours are well,
David Bly

____________________________________

Respect for those artists going out and braving the cold temperatures. Where I live, people are filling restaurants, wedding events, and downtown bars to capacity again, have been for quite awhile, but the live music industry continues to struggle. Ticket sales, at least for my clients, are 50% what they were in 2018 & 2019, and 10-25% of those 50% bought their tickets a year ago and just don't show. The science says that if you got the shot, it was supposed to be more safe to go back out again, and many are, it's just relative to what people are choosing to do.

Jordan Burger
Madison House

____________________________________

I do not know why the music industry, and specifically music festivals take so much heat and have so much pressure put upon us vs other entertainment options regarding Front of House COVID protocols.

As we demonstrated this summer, Elevation is fully committed to running the safest events possible. My colleagues across the music industry have gone to great lengths (and expense) to insure the safety of our fans. I am proud of the efforts put forth by so many.

But, in my opinion, the reality is, while music promoters and venues are checking ticket buyers for proof of vaccination or a negative Covid test, most football, baseball and basketball stadiums/arenas across the country are doing nothing in this regard.

NFL and NCAA football stadiums have been packed each of the past five weeks. No masks required, no proof of vax needed.

Just last week, Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse - in Cleveland - released their COVID rules moving forward: "Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse this week announced some COVID restrictions for certain events, but those will not include any regular season Cavs or Monsters games."

https://spectrumnews1.com/oh/columbus/news/2021/10/05/covid-protocols-at-rocket-mortgage-fieldhouse-could-differ-for-concerts--cavs-games

What are we saying to the ticket buying public? Could the messaging be anymore mixed? Does science really tell us that a packed football stadium or basketball arena is free of COVID transmission, but a concert at the same venue is not???? How can we - as an industry - compete with these other high profile options? Wow!

Denny Young
President
The Elevation Group

____________________________________

False Vacc Documents or tests... They are out there! Ridiculous!!!! Very Worried about this!!! We are going on the Blues Cruise Nov. Kind of impressed with the safety protocol of the Cruise Lines! Wish us SAFTEY!!!!

XOXO

Mardi Silva
Controller
Legendary Rhythm and Blues Cruise

____________________________________

The number of bands I'm dying to see? Tons. The number of bands I'm willing to die to see? Zero

Peter Burnside

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Joyfull Parmesan Crisps

https://www.joyfullbakery.com

I'm sick of the food I'm eating. We get it all via Instacart, no grocery stores for me! And even though we buy most of our food from Gelson's, after eighteen months at home I'm burned out on essentially everything they sell. I've eaten so many Siggi's yogurt/skyr that I just can't eat them right now. But even worse is the pre-made stuff. Can't eat the mini-quiche anymore. Can't eat the parmesan turkey meatballs. Can't eat almost any of the chickens. I was thrilled by so many of these items back in 2020, now they turn my stomach. There are some alternatives at Bristol Farms, but not that many. And did I tell you certain items are completely unavailable?

Caffeine Free Diet Coke. There was a short window when you could get it, in both cans and plastic bottles, and then just plastic bottles, and now not at all. Siggi's coffee? Completely unavailable, EVERYWHERE! Even Chobani Coffee and Cream. We can get it sometimes at Ralphs... Hell, even Costco is out of Vitamin Water Zero, and their own house brand equivalent, Vita Rain!

I know these shortages pale in comparison to those in the automotive world, where the lack of chips has customers paying sticker, if not more, for the few new cars that are available. And then there are all those bottlenecks at the ports... For decades we imitated the Japanese, with their just-in-time delivery/production methods. Automakers made little, they outsourced everything, and the manufacturer of the part had to store it until the day it was needed at the plant. But throw a spanner into the works and suddenly the whole system breaks down. We were worried about the communist domino effect in Vietnam? It turns out manmade war is nothing compared to Covid-19, wreaking havoc everywhere. There's a shortage of one product which leads to the shortage of another and then there are not enough truckers to deliver it. It's amazing America, never mind the world, works at all!

And then you add in the misinformation.

Mention anything about vaccines and the antivaxxer wankers come out in full force, quoting misinformation. Well, I've got some information for them!

"Vaccination advised even for survivors - Past infection may offer only short-term immunity, health experts say": https://lat.ms/3lBg0cO

That's the headline in the newspaper, online it's "Why do unvaccinated COVID survivors also need a vaccine?" But it all doesn't matter. The antivaxxers are unreachable. For some reason they know better than the scientists. And I hear from them, as if by sending me information from unheard of sites, that an easy Google will reveal as being biased and laden with false information, I'll be convinced to think otherwise.

But that's the world we live in, where facts don't matter and if you're intelligent and educated you're a pariah.

So what's a poor boy to do? Certainly not play in a rock and roll band. That's so sixties. How many young kids do you know playing in a rock and roll band? I don't know any. Everybody's in their house doing it on their own, spamming us to pay attention when we're inundated with information and their work is subpar.

So, it's the little things in life that satisfy, like Joyfull Bakery parmesan crisps.

We didn't eat a lot of cheese growing up. I constantly hear that Americans love cheese, but we never got the memo. Oh, for parties my mother would serve Boursin... Remember that stuff? Soft and crumbly? At first you could only get it with a black pepper exterior, but now I see they've got brand extensions, but I haven't seen Boursin served anywhere in years: https://www.boursin.com

And then if you read the food pages, unfortunately more interesting than the music pages, because there's a search for excellence, an embracing of the cutting edge that deserves attention, that people will like if they just eat the food product, there are the artisanal cheeses, made by individuals in the hinterlands, many of them goat milk cheeses.

But unless you make it a full time job, how do you get up to speed on cheese?

I mean I love going to parties where there's a cornucopia of choices, but at home... I guess I need a sampler that comes with instructions, there's a business for you, but it won't generate billions so I guess no one will get into it.

Not that I never ate cheese. Of course we had pizza!

Funny how pizza has become the default food of choice. In the sixties it started out as the hot dog, then it became about the hamburger, and now it's pizza. Who orders out for hamburgers? No one! But pizza! Pizza and tacos, even the white nationalists eat 'em! Yes, they're both native to America, thank god they weren't brought here by those pesky immigrants. Bagels too, by the Jews to boot! Who did I just read was refusing to release their new album in Israel... Imagine if any other nationality occupied that territory, there wouldn't be this outcry. The Jews are not perfect, but they're fighting for their country's raw existence against terrorists. But let's take the side of the terrorists. They lob bombs and then their people are killed in return. This is a no-win situation, which is why the Israelis are no longer worried about public opinion. And if you follow closely, you know they also no longer need foreign money to protect themselves. Then again, you can't depend on the United States, where DEMOCRATS are refusing to fund the Iron Dome defense system.

But everybody loves the Italians, except when they're making fun of them privately.

That's the John Gruden story. The NFL runs on Black people and you're making racist slurs? Gays can be married but you're expressing homophobia regularly?

But it gets even worse:

"Hundreds of Police Officers Have Died From Covid. Vaccines remain a Hard Sell. Far more law enforcement officers in the U.S. have died from Covid-19 than from any other work-related cause in 2020 and 2021. Even so, police unions are fighting vaccine mandates": https://nyti.ms/2YGkczz

Even worse is the Riverside sheriff who was a member of the Oath Keepers: https://lat.ms/2YROajT

And Gabe Kapler, manager of the San Francisco Giants, is Jewish and when he played for the Red Sox he was the only Democrat on the team, the twenty four others were Republicans.

In other words, toxic masculinity knows no bounds. And if you think the police are going to defend you in the coming civil war, you're sorely mistaken, they're on THEIR SIDE! And their side is just like Hamas... They don't only want to win, they want to eradicate the Democrats, they see them as a threat to humanity. They've got all those guns, check in with the rhetoric.

But food is apolitical.

Then again, what passes for food in the red states may not be what is eaten in the northern states. Southern cooking is amazing, but not always heart healthy. As for Michelin stars, fine dining, that's anathema to the rabble-rousers who want to bring back "the real America." Or as John Gruden would probably say, "that's for pussies."

Then again, we keep hearing there is no problem. There's no racism, opportunity is equal and if anything, the whites are getting the short end of the stick. Meanwhile, comedian Al Franken must be banned from the Senate yet sex criminal Matt Gaetz holds his seat unfettered. Depressed yet? I certainly am.

So every once in a while Felice makes these parmesan crisps. But they're relatively small. Excellent, but she doesn't make them too often. Oh, did I tell you we don't cook? TAKES TOO MUCH TIME! That's what I don't have enough of. Even during the pandemic, I couldn't get everything done. I don't have time to waste, it's running out.

And then, just the other week, Felice got these parmesan crisps from Gelson's... Oh, she also got dates too. Have you had a date shake out in the desert? You've got to go to Shields: https://shieldsdategarden.com The movie? Utterly laughable. It's like the print hasn't been updated since the fifties. But the date shakes? How do they almost taste like chocolate, how can they be so thick?

So I tasted one of the Joyfull parmesan crisps and...

I had to have another. They're like potato chips, but a hell of a lot more healthy. And I can scoop up tuna fish with them and I've discovered a whole new food that's getting me through. And we just got a delivery from Gelson's and Felice ordered TWO CONTAINERS! And even though I'd eaten yogurt, I could not hold back, I ate half of a crisp, it was broken anyway. But then I got up and ate the other half. And then twenty minutes later another half and then shortly thereafter the rest.

Now are you going to be able to buy Joyfull parmesan crisps across the country? NO! May you find an equivalent? Maybe, who knows. But this is the America we yearn to return. We want the eradication of homogenization. Sure, a McDonald's burger tastes the same all over the world, but is that really the burger you want to eat? No, you're looking for something that tickles the taste buds, that isn't just food but a peak experience, like Joyfull parmesan crisps.

And I'm sure I'll burn out on them soon. And then what, I don't know. It used to be people were constantly shuffling through L.A., dinners were rampant. Now most people with real power, who are all in the aged Covid demo, are afraid. Yes, the touring business is run by oldsters. And now, even the major labels are run by oldsters! A youth business controlled by cynical old people, chew on that one! Not that those in the touring business are so cynical, but they are bottom line oriented. That's where the rubber meets the road. Sure, you want to play, BUT CAN YOU SELL ANY TICKETS! You create your own opportunities in modern day America, and that's what the Joyfull bakery has done, and having just finished my second parmesan crisp...I'M JOYFUL!

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Monday 11 October 2021

Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs of All Time-This Week On SiriusXM

How ridiculous is this?

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-songs-of-all-time-1224767/lizzo-truth-hurts-3-1224840/

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3DBgMgf

Tune in tomorrow, October 12th, to Volume 106, 7 PM East, 4 PM West.

Phone #: 844-6-VOLUME, 844-686-5863

Twitter: @lefsetz or @siriusxmvolume/#lefsetzlive

Hear the episode live on SiriusXM VOLUME: siriusxm.us/HearLefsetzLive

If you miss the episode, you can hear it on demand on the SiriusXM app: siriusxm.us/LefsetzLive

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Re-Covid Attendance

My youngest daughter is 2X Pfizer vaccinated with no preexisting health issues. She is the poster child for careful pandemic behavior, working from home for 500+ days, fully masked out in the world, etc. A month ago she went to a club concert by one of her favorite artists with a friend here in Orange County. I'll spare naming the venue and the artist. The event required proof of vaccine or recent negative test. They were masked most of the time inside the sold out venue other than sipping their beverages. Great night, excellent show, happy daughter.

4 days later on a Sunday she exhibited symptoms that were confirmed to be the COVID-10 virus. Fever, chills, fatigue, body ache, respiration issues, chronic coughing, low oximeter readings - the full gamut. The Abbott home virus test on Monday confirmed a positive. Her doctor who is also mine prescribed Z-Pack, Zinc, Vitamin D, Tylenol, and a cough medication. The symptoms continued for 10 days and she was down for the count. The doctor warned if the oximeter reading dipped below 92 to contact him again. Fortunately it didn't and the office was kind enough to check on her for several days.

She was never to the point of requiring hospitalization but the misery was constant, not for 3-4 days as is thought with breakthrough cases, but the full term. Today a month later, she still has no taste or smell and is still testing positive but is not contagious. I took care of her though she stayed isolated and I, also 2X vaxed & boostered, tested negative 4X in 10 days, felt great, no symptoms despite her relative proximity. By the way, her friend escaped catching it. Go figure.

So, mandating vaccines is essential for the concert business to get back on its feet long term and prevent any false starts short term. Extreme caution, a unified system of checks and enforcement must be in place everywhere. Music fans and industry workers deserve it.

Jim McKeon

________________________________________

Went to see My Morning Jacket with Britney Howard opening a couple of weeks ago and was saddened at how small the crowd was. GREAT outdoor venue (Forest Hills Stadium with excellent food and drinks), mandatory double vaccination for entry (and they were't joking about checking ID's against names on the vax cards) AND they crowd was still only 50-60%. I don't know the history of the band's ticket sales, but it was kinda bummed out for them. Both artists were fantastic, but the communal vibe of great live music was a little deadened by such a small crowd.

Makes me wonder if mandatory vaccinations would increase ticket sales at boomer shows?? Makes me wonder if people will ever get off their asses and support great artists any longer? Makes me wonder if holing up at home with HULU, Netflix, HBO, and all the others is just killing the world of live entertainment?

Not sure how fixable some of this stuff is after this pandemic. Tastes, cultural desires, and America's willingness to leave the couch may have changed more than Dennis Arfa knows.

- Darryl Estrine

________________________________________

My husband and I are retired boomers in our 60's. We love to attend concerts and go out to eat but even though we're fully vaccinated we're very intentional about where we go. We live near Nashville and there are a few concert venues that host artists who require vaccinations to attend so those are the ones that get our money. We patronize restaurants that offer outside dining or we go at off hours when we can get a table away from other diners. But we certainly aren't spending the amount of money on concerts and restaurants like we did before the pandemic. We want to support artists and business owners but if it's safer for us to stay home that's we will do until more people get vaccinated and the number of Covid cases goes down.
Pam Dyson

________________________________________

I'm 64 years old. I love live music more than anything. The other day I rode my bike past the BLUE NOTE and the Village Vanguard. And all I could think of was, boy, I wish I had the nerve to go inside and see a show. But I have cancer, I'm in chemotherapy, and my first two shots didn't work (it took my third shot to develop any antibodies). I feel bad for the performers that I'm not supporting but I also feel glad that I wake up every morning. One of these days, I will feel comfortable again. But until then I have no regrets.

Michael Reinert

________________________________________

I attended NY Comic Con every year. This year i went for one day on Saturday. I normally dread Saturdays because there are so many people it is so uncomfortable you can not even walks through the isles. I hear attendance for this is event can exceed 150,000 people. This year Saturday felt like it was 10am Thursday. It felt empty. I did not even notice any of the Big companies doing anything insane. With the release of Venom this past week and all the Disney releases with the MCU you would think it would of seen stuff all over the place. I was amazed by how simple it was to walk around. It is not just the concert business.

Jon Topper

________________________________________

Lots of no shows this season + or -
10%.

But, plenty of boomers.

No masks.

Bill Carle
Ozarks Amphitheater

________________________________________

Truth. Sitting here watching sales I expected just not happening. Why take a risk when my TV has so many choices. Vax mandate and masking here no longer helping. Many hate masks more than they hate missing concerts.

Ron Ozer - Arden Concert Gild, Delaware

________________________________________

It ain't just the boomers, Bob.

Tool, who had to cancel a string of dates in 2020, just announced 2022 dates. Two Q1 NY area shows and neither one is sold out. One's on a Saturday in NJ and the other is a weeknight on Long Island but that typically wouldn't matter to their audience, which is almost all hardcore fans.

Unthinkable in the "before times."

Dave Conklin

________________________________________

Bob, I have tickets to see Wilco in Santa Barbara, but I'm too nervous to go. It's at the Bowl which is a great venue and it's open air. I've tried selling my tix at even below cost, but I've had no takers and I love this band. A good friend's daughter was vaxed and recently went to a concert and got pretty sick with Covid. I'm not sure on the specifics. Don't know if she was wearing a mask or if proof of vaccine was mandatory. This thing is far from over. It is reassuring to see the numbers going down, but I feel too many people feel like it has just disappeared.

Alan Oreman

________________________________________

Bob, I'll never understand why they didn't release the James Bond film on one of the streaming services. I subscribed to Disney+ when it was the only way to watch 'Hamilton'. I rarely watch the channel, but Disney+ has had almost 18 months of me paying $7 per month for the service. I would happily have thrown money at a streaming channel, in order to watch James Bond. I can't see going into a cinema until Fall 2022 at the earliest. I want to watch James Bond, but I'm not taking the risk of going into a cinema. Such a wasted opportunity.

- Erin Dineen

________________________________________

I'm Gen X, Bob. Many of us are also not ready to go back into crowds - concerts, movies, restaurants - despite our love for the experience. We will wait.

Jeremy Spiegel

________________________________________

We are still not going out. It just isn't worth taking the chance. Our grandchildren are too young to be vaccinated, and we want to see them without exposing them. So we won't be attending any concerts for a while still.

Our house concert series is celebrating it's 25th anniversary this February. We had hoped for a big show to celebrate, but that won't be happening. The next date we have booked to host a show is Saturday, April 30, 2022, but whether or not that happens will depend on how things go over the next 6 months.

The Smothers Theatre at Pepperdine in Malibu has some really good shows lined up, but we won't be attending. We feel bad missing good concerts, and we feel bad not supporting acts that we like . . . but there's a worldwide pandemic going on!! (4.5 million people have died worldwide, but it appears to be a secret because there's no way you'd know it if you watched sporting events lately.)

Hope you are well.

Russ Paris

________________________________________

Your observations ring completely true for me and almost everyone of my boomer pals.

The whole idea of seeing a good band, for me, is to feel FREE, to forget myself and fly along with the band for an hour or two.

So, I'm going to go out now and wear a mask in a shoulder-to-shoulder crowd and risk stewing all night — or worse, getting caught up in some fracas — because some unmasked / unvacc'd / over-served dude or couple has to show everybody it's finally time to get loose? Only takes one! ….And if a lifetime of shows has taught me anything, that one will end up standing right in front of me. ...But now, what was once just annoying becomes something operating at a whole different level. And hey, forget shows: just going to the Walgreen's is a dodgy business!

The vacc'd friends I have who went out to a show in July, in the burbs, to see a denim and leather rock band — several got Covid. The deep blue city-locales where I typically go to see shows, the likelihood of that happening seems low — but you look at the numbers, and it's nowhere near close enough to zero to make it worth the risk.

Nope, not at all surprised by what the numbers are showing.

Steve Lindstrom

________________________________________

Saw Idles at the Riviera in Chicago last Friday- proof of two vaccines or negative test, and masks required. I'm about to be too old to do that again. Idles happen to be my current favorite band right now and it would've been really hard to miss it. (Also- the venue is great and 2 blocks form my door). Everybody was masked but I still started getting freaked out. It was packed and sweaty even in the balcony. I started thinking about how quickly they checked our vax cards. I don't know when we'll be able to say this is "over" but I won't do that again until I don't have the heeby-jebbies thinking about it. Like I said, I might be getting to that age where I'd rather have a bunch more good summers than give into fomo. It's really a shame what the politicization of the the virus did to the touring business and to the country.

Christian Lane
Chicago, IL

________________________________________

This old man is back to concerts, at least those that are run safely.
I went to the Los Lobos concert at the beautiful Lobero Theater in Santa Barbara. On the steps they had a check in table where nice people were checking vaccination cards with photo ID . Proof of vax ? On goes the white wristband.
The tickets were scanned at the door. No long delay, no angry people. At the door you were reminded to keep your mask on and as far as I could tell everyone did. I took off my glasses so they wouldn't fog and heard one of the best damn bands play for two hours. Their live version of the Dead's "Bertha" was so kick ass I couldn't believe it. 3 guitars, bass and drums wailing along with a bass saxophone. I was shouting into my face covering "lord take me now!" and was hoarse the next day but Covid safe.
John Brooks Ojai, California

________________________________________

Thanks for tryin' to fight the good fight Bob, but we've been to 2 boomer-friendly shows at Jones Beach in Long Island this summer, Hall & Oates and Black Crowes. Both shows near capacity, full o' Boomers. Grey hair everywhere. About half-masked.

Jon Langston

________________________________________

For what it's worth, some friends and I decided to throw caution to the wind and actually attend a show. The venue advised on their website that proof of vax would be required, as well as, mask mandates upon entering. Well, that all went out the window the second we were in the club. Nobody checking vax cards, just a few folks masked up and a general devil may care attitude. My group of friends have a saying, "If you go to enough shows, you will end up at THE show." Well, it turned into "one of those shows" with a raucous crowd and a performance that was other worldly. I have to be honest, it was nice to step back into heaven for a little bit, infected as it was .

John Sukitch

________________________________________

I'll be at my first gig next Sunday when I take in Erasure and Blancmange at the huge O2 arena.
I'm double vaccinated and I wear a mask more often than not when out of the house, but at 52 and with manageable asthma hell I'm taking zero chances these last 18 months.
But Sunday, what can I do. The wife wants to go, we'll be standing for 3 plus hours too; how many will be maskless, not double vaccinated etc?

Also, fucking Brexit. This govt is riding us down the road to oblivion and our once impartial journalists and our once impartial BBC are doing shit all about it and NOT reporting on the lies and the corruption and the veritable money train that COVID gave them.

One bit of good news I have for you, those preview songs from the Let it Be 're-do' sound great!

Gary James Clarke

________________________________________

Totally agree and we have yet to experience what the northern hemisphere has especially in Melbourne which holds the world record for the most locked down city in the world .
This has decimated what was once the event and music capital of a Australia and it's going to take years to come to pre covid levels .
On the upside we are nearly at 85% first vaxed which means we will at least get 85% of the population vaccinated in the next month or so .
85% of the population being vaxed doesn't mean business as usual in this city though which makes no sense . So we will still have restrictions on capacities which for smaller venues is still diabolical as this could last another year .
Having 85% of population vaxed still means in a state of 6.5 million people there is still just over 1 million unvaxed .
In real terms if you have a show of 10000 people you have a potential of 1500 not being vaxed and the big issue I see here is this unless your getting your online ticket sales there is the potential that 15% of that audience who have bought tickets won't be vaccinated and the issues will be at the point of entry and not at the point of purchase .
This has to change in the meantime our business's are expected to uphold licensing laws with entry but now have to be faux health inspectors with their patrons which equals disaster ..

Regards

Warren Bernard Amster

________________________________________

Toad the Wet Sprocket in Norwalk, CT (indoors) last week - filled, masked with vax or neg test. Gin Blossoms at Pound Ridge Harvest Festival, NY (outdoors) also last week with no requirements but still crowded. Chicago at Palace Theater in Stamford, CT (indoors) - great turnout, masked with vax or neg test. Just saw Karla Bonoff at City Winery in NYC yesterday evening. The room was filled with us "older folk." Unmasked, vaccinated and out and about. We may not be hitting the large arenas but we're certainly heading to the smaller venues based on the four shows I've been to in the last two weeks.

Alex Novielli

________________________________________

I'm healthy, 37 and vaxxed. No Interest in sitting down at a restaurant. No interest in being ass to elbow watching a band either.

I felt like restaurants were dirty and concerts just giant mass of respiratory terror BEFORE Covid… I carried sanitizer, I refused to use table condiments without using a napkin as a buffer. Menus? Disgusting. And concerts? So much coughing, drunk people yelling. People licking their fingers clean at the ketchup stand, people passing their vapes back and forth. Good god.

Truth be told I went to restaurants and concerts because it seemed like I was supposed to. Did I ever really want to? Maybe a half dozen times In my life.

Covid has given me cover to finally write these activities off. I'm sure I'll see some shows and eat out at a restaurant again, but not any time soon. And I don't miss it and haven't missed it in 18+ months.

Eli Chastain

________________________________________

I am vaccinated and living my life pre-covid here in So Cal. I have been to 2 football games the last 2 weeks (Rose Bowl and Sofi) where both were supposed to be checking vax cards or negative test per LA County. I did not get asked at either venue. Both venues did not have enough staff to check all the lanes to get in. Yes I saw a couple of workers checking but I just found a lane with no one checking and it was faster to get in. Also in LA County, we are supposed to be wearing mask while at our seat unless eating or drinking. I would say only 5% might actually being doing that. The vax people are out and about living life pre-covid. Hope you get out soon.

Steve Burnette

________________________________________

Dead & Co. are playing in town tonight but I don't know anyone under 60 going. We're staying home and streaming Phil & Friends from The Capital Theatre…

Rodney Rowland

________________________________________

I'm going. Maybe I'm not old at 45. I went to the Doobie Brothers Saturday at the Forum, sat in the third row, and had no fear ( I'm vaxed). Heading back to see the Eagles Saturday.

Kyle J. Ferraro

________________________________________

This is it. This is the new normal. We're going to be getting COVID shots every whatever number of months for probably the rest of our lives. We're going to wear masks when there's a lot of people around if we care about keeping ourselves healthy.

Are we protecting ourselves from the unvaccinated? Are we just catering to our own fears? It really doesn't matter, because this is the way it's going to be.

And that means that some of us will not be going out to the sheds no matter how much we love the old geezers that are playing on stage because there's a lot of people not following masking and other protocols. And the geezers who thought they were going to cash in on tour won't be making near as much as they expected.

Welcome to the future. Live with it.

Mark Edwards Edelstein

________________________________________

We've had two tours back so far, and ticket sakes have been good, but attendance has not. On one hand it's nice to be making ends meet and I'm super thankful people are buying tickets, but the anemic show experience is a huge bummer. I'd rather make less money and have a full room - that's when we'll know we're back.

Kristie Macdonald

________________________________________

I'm old and would go to concerts if the vaccinated people would stop canceling or rescheduling their shows because THEY tested positive for Covid. I stopped buying tickets since I've yet to be able to go to a show I had tickets for.

Peter Boyles

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Covid Attendance

The old people aren't going.

We live in an era of data transparency, just check availability of seats for boomer shows om Ticketmaster, they're plentiful. They may be expensive, but in the old days the gigs went clean, now they don't.

It's unclear what is happening in Covid world. Infections are going down in most places, as are deaths, except in a few northern red states, is this the end? Could be, probably not. We know how this ultimately plays out... Monoclonal antibodies, the new pill...the unvaxxed are gonna be saved and then they're going to declare victory, saying they were right to abstain from the vaccine, despite being wrong, but how long will it take?

Its a conundrum. On so many levels America is open for business. Look for masks at sporting events, it's hard to find 'em. But despite so many out in the world, there are so many who are still trepidatious, and they're hurting business, in the concert world, the restaurant world... The boomers are the ones with money, and they'll spend it, but they don't want to risk dying to have the experience.

Talk until you're blue in the face, you can't convince them otherwise. It's an internal feeling, which is different from an antivaxxer belief. They'd prefer to stay home and be safe rather than sorry. Get old enough and you can miss anything. A youngster needs the cereal in the grocery store, an oldster can pass it up, they know life is long and they want it to be longer.

So the concert business is not back.

So many of the dollars are generated by acts appealing to oldsters.

And it's not only concerts, it's movies too.

"Latest James Bond Film Falls Behind Predecessors as Covid-19 Concerns Linger": https://on.wsj.com/2YztTPI

The hype is so heavy you'd believe that the Bond return is a triumph, proving that Covid is in the rearview mirror, that happy days are here again, BUT THAT IS UNTRUE!

But we live in a world where nobody will speak the truth. Britain is reeling from Brexit, but no one will use the B-word.

"Brexit is Making Britain a Third World Country The Ugly Truth is Brexit Didn't 'Level Up' Britain - It's Levelling it All the Way Down To Ruin": https://bit.ly/3BzeHR9

Read this article. And remember, the promised touring concessions have yet to be instituted. If you're an English act trying to tour the Continent...you might as well be from America.

People are stupid, and those in control won't speak the truth and they're kept stupid, if not delusional.

We could fix these situations. We could have more vaccine mandates. Then boomers would be willing to pay high prices to go to shows. But until then, many are reluctant. Which is why Dennis Arfa said boomer superstars should stay home until at least next spring. Talk to agents and promoters, tickets suddenly stopped selling. Not completely, but on-sales have dropped dramatically. Not that you'll read this in any trade papers, which are cheerleaders echoing the words of those paying their bills.

We have not returned to normal. We could look at the economic indicators, but the truth is the unvaxxed are slowing down our entire economy. Blame me all you want, but this is something that is covered in the news, not on OAN or Fox, but in the "Wall Street Journal" and "New York Times."

Happy days are not here again. We still need to fight Covid, not only physically, but in the mind. How do industries make patrons feel safe again? We've still got a long way to go.

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Sunday 10 October 2021

The Twitch Leak

"Twitch Data Leak Confirms The 100 Highest-Paid Streamers": https://bit.ly/3BHf7F2

Don't get into music for the money. There's just not that much.

Which is another reason why there are no bands, there's not enough money to go around. Best to cut your track on your computer alone in your bedroom, post it online and see if it gets any traction, at least it won't cost that much. The old paradigm of forming a band, rehearsing, honing your chops on the road, signing a deal and then living the high life is almost completely kaput.

Yes, there is a community online, but it's every person for themselves. The Gen-Z ethos is different from the millennial ethos. Millennials didn't want to stand out, they didn't want to do anything that would threaten their place in the firmament, in the group. Victories were celebrated by all, there was not the cutthroat competition of the baby boomers. But most millennials did not grow up in the era of high speed internet and social media, the internet was still developing as they came of age, it hadn't been solidified, like it has now. Whereas Gen-Z has never known a time without broadband, ubiquitous Wi-Fi and social media. You surf the web alone, it is not a group activity. And once the "influencers" started making bank, it was open season. As a matter of fact, that's the number one desire of youngsters today, that's their preferred career choice, being an influencer. And one thing about being an influencer, you know it requires no talent, you make it up as you go along, you have to post constantly to maintain your tribe, and then eventually you burn out, others replace you and you get on with your life.

But not eSports. ESPORTS IS A CAREER!

Seems unfathomable to the boomers and Gen-X'ers but it's true. That sideshow that parents pooh-poohed is now a road to riches. Everyone can play, but not everyone can win. You've got to be really damn skilled, you've got to put in the hours to get that good, and there are no shortcuts, you can't buy a song, you've got to do it all by yourself.

And the younger generations are more interested in the cerebral than the physical. Yes, the culture is evolving into one where thinking is more important than brute force physicality. The landscape has been flattened, the barrier to entry is nearly nonexistent. Everybody can afford to play videogames, and the games themselves don't involve built-in biases. ways to beat the system, like traditional sports. Yes, the major sports leagues are rife with cheating, bending the rules, and too many rules. But the rules of eSports are built right into the games. You can't buy an advantage.

And therefore there is a huge audience for eSports.

I mean I watched a couple of Dodger playoff games, and although they were tense I must say when the Cardinals reliever kept looking to first, backing off the mound, it became interminable. I can't imagine a youngster sitting through that, but videogames are all action all the time. And you are not watching from a distance, as in you can immediately play at home, whereas with most traditional sports you need a team, a field and...the barriers to entry are almost too high to get over, never mind getting hurt as you participate.

So in case you missed the memo, there was a data leak at the Amazon owned Twitch, a platform that was purchased for a mere $970 million. This was the deal of the century, stop lauding Lucian Grainge building up Universal to go public and have a value in the neighborhood of $50 billion. Lucian bought EMI, got it past regulators, and with this incredible market share bought into streaming and the company's revenues went up. Oldsters can understand music, they think the "musicians" are stars, but if they had any kids they'd know the big stars are those who live online, like the gamers on Twitch.

So, this data leak showed that the top 25 gamers on Twitch made at least a million dollars a year. Yes, figures were leaked for the period from August 2019 to October 2021, essentially two years. And the number one Twitch gamer made $9.6 million, just under $5 million a year.

But wait, it gets better. THIS IS NET! There are no expenses. And this is not all the top gamers make, there are other avenues of compensation, like signing bonuses, exclusivities, sponsorships, the list goes on.

$5 million net per year? You'd be surprised how few musicians make this kind of money. They may gross a hundred million, but the expenses are sky high! And their longevity isn't great. And they've got to constantly inject their profits into growing their careers. And it turns out those who draw the largest audience consistently, year after year, are those who made it in the pre-internet era, the classic rockers and those blown up by MTV. The more recent your success, the less you can continue to draw, unless you keep feeding the machine and having hits.

So let's say you're at home and you want to get rich.

That's the motivation today. In our money-driven culture the focus is money, is that so hard to understand? Everybody is playing the lottery, because they know you can't make it on minimum wage, income inequality since Reagan has become gigantic, to the point where so many of the educated, from elite institutions, can't even compete.

So you're gonna go into music?

Well, first and foremost where are you going to learn it? There are essentially no arts programs in public schools anymore. So maybe you have to take private lessons, but unless your parents really push you, you're not interested, you're addicted to the screen, where all the action is. You need pay no dues to be online, you learn and burnish your image along the way. So the people honing their musical chops in living rooms and garages are smaller in relative numbers than ever before. Oh, they want money and fame, just don't ask them to pay their dues outside the action.

And if you form a band, where are you gonna play? People no longer want to hear bad renditions of the hits, never mind originals, they'd rather hear hits spun by DJs, especially since the music is no longer primary. In the classic era venues had seats, now it's free-form festival seating, and parading and shooting selfies can be almost as important as what is happening on stage. Once again, THE AUDIENCE IS THE STAR!

As for the music business itself... It's run by old farts, boomers and Gen-X'ers. As for Jay Z and Roc Nation, they too started before the internet blew up the entire world.

And no one is interested in righting the ship, getting it back on course, BECAUSE THERE'S NO MONEY IN IT!

Yes, there are tons of people complaining about the change in the musical landscape, some even have ideas, but what they lack is...BUSINESS EXPERIENCE! Being a fan and being on the other side of the stage, as a business person, are two completely different walks of life. Business people are professionals who have learned a lot and always put money first, especially in the live business. As for the labels, they want you to prove it first, they want you to demonstrate the spigot is raining coin before they even get involved.

The only hope for music is to be the ANTI! To make the money secondary, to focus on the music. But most people are not willing to forgo the money. That's the first question people always ask...WHERE IS THE MONEY! As if they're entitled.

But Twitch is just like the music business. The lion's share of the spoils go to the elite at the top. In the internet era everything is available at your fingertips, localism is irrelevant, so you're competing against the best of today and the best of yesterday and it turns out the audience only wants the best.

Not that media understands this.

You've got to read this inane article in the "Washington Post": https://wapo.st/3AoBsWE

This article complains that:

"25 percent of the top 10,000 highest paid Twitch streamers don't make minimum wage"

What, DO YOU EXPECT TEN THOUSAND GAMERS TO MAKE A GOOD LIVING ON TWITCH??? God, musicians WOULD LOVE THAT! Most are actually in the hole, they don't make ANYTHING!

You want to get paid, go work at McDonald's. Low-paying labor/service jobs are plentiful, they don't have enough people to fill them, yet no one wants them because they want to get RICH! What next, those playing American Legion baseball complaining they're not millionaires? There's nowhere close to 10,000 players in any traditional professional sports league. Add 'em all up, MLB, NFL, NHL...you still won't get close to 10,000.

Context is everything, and this is why the media is losing its grip, it too often has none.

So if you're dying to be a musician, be one. Just don't complain about the pay.

And if you want to work as a musician your whole life best to have a skill, as in being able to play your instrument or program your instrument or... Low-skilled people are a dime a dozen, they're fungible, instantly replaceable.

And that's what we've got dominating today's music scene, low-skilled people propped up by the titans of the industry, writers, players, producers and labels. Most don't have a chance without this help. Then again, if you can actually play you can make a living on the jam band circuit, via gigs and festivals, but you'll never make as much as a top gamer, you'd better love to play, because you're gonna be touring in a station wagon wanting a bus, as for the private jet...that's for gamers and DJs. But being a gamer is even better than being a DJ...YOU NEVER HAVE TO LEAVE YOUR HOUSE!

So to the oldsters who grew up in the pre-internet era, your perspective is off, only the lowest common denominator want to be musicians, anybody with any brains is a gamer or an influencer, is online where they control their own destiny.

And it's not only music, it's sports. Oldsters thought disruption was only about the platform, but it's about the content too. Why should younger generations want exactly what older generations did, why should they be corralled into old time thinking when the internet is a free-for-all where you can create and control your own career path.

It's not that easy to be atop the Twitch payout list.

But you should find what you're good at and pursue that. A great plumber can make more money than almost every musician, and the plumber never has to leave town.

And if you want to be a musician for the money, you're barking up the wrong tree. The odds are low as are the payouts if you even make it into the black. Of course, payouts at the top are still good, but they pale in comparison to those of the techies and the bankers, the financiers follow the money, that's why they have those jobs, why else, they're usually incredibly boring.

Ladies and gentlemen...

Turn on your computer, boot up that game, start playing!

Twitch 1-100: https://bit.ly/2YDIee4

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