Festival Observations

IT'S NOT ABOUT THE MUSIC

In today's everybody is a star world you show up to parade and have your own experience, shoot photographs and laugh with your friends. The longest line I saw all day was to take your picture in front of the "Life Is Beautiful" sign.

NO ONE HAS TIME FOR SECOND-RATE ACTS

Every band has fans, but not many of them. Forget the developing acts, even those with established names like the Cold War Kids draw very thin crowds, which may be passionate and singing along, but the rest of the attendees ignore them. This is significant. We live in a winner-take-all society. And we only want the best. Sure, there are left field acts with little traction who have fans, but most acts just aren't good enough. That's the story of America, we were taught anyone could make it and found out it was nearly impossible to make it. We live in a country of over 300 million people, walk the festival grounds and be amazed, the thought of gaining everybody's attention is mind-boggling, it's astounding anyone achieves it. You used to be able to go viral, now you cannot do it alone. You need to float on the coattails of those who already have a fan base or the people who run the game to begin with. Sure, there are exceptions, but expect fewer and fewer. And these exceptions will be speaking the truth with little agenda, like David Hogg. The right wing did its best to marginalize him, but since he wasn't selling merch, not trying to get rich, only spreading a message, they couldn't. So ask yourself, what's more important, message or money, and therein you will have the answer as to the path of your life. If it's about message, you might make money in the end, but there's a good chance you never will. Forget all that hogwash about do what you love and the money will follow. Money's hard to get. You need enough money to live. People don't want to sacrifice. Artists do nothing but sacrifice.

HIGH POINT OF MY DAY

I entered the comedy venue for a good seat for Michelle Wolf. There was a singalong going on. To the Backstreet Boys' song "Everybody." There were endless rehearsals and then a broadcast on Facebook Live, not that anybody saw it. You can make it and it can go totally ignored, there are so many messages. But it was so much fun to participate, to sing along. And then I realized... This song was twenty years old, and it was the bedrock of those in attendance. This is what the baby boomers used to do, grab a guitar and sing folk songs, Beatle songs, the hits...nobody does that anymore.

THE WEEKND WAS FAKE

As in there was no way this act was fully live. The man had fans. They knew the tunes. But as a veteran of shows the whole thing seemed canned, with tracks on hard drive, I'm not sure if Abel was singing to track or there were too many effects on his vocals...then again, every now and again he spoke and it was crystal clear, making me wonder what the rest was. If this is today's live music, I want no part of it.

MICHELLE WOLF WAS DIRTY

Like the comics playing Vegas in the old days, saying all that cannot be said on TV, not even YouTube I don't think. But the best part of her show was when she remarked how she constantly heard how ugly she was and then said this means she must be A REALLY GOOD COMEDIAN!
We love it when people have a sense of self.

WOMEN OUTNUMBER MEN

I'm still trying to figure this out. No one has an answer. My thought is that women know how to socialize better, hang with their friends and have a good time. Men go to hear the music and meet women. But they're clueless at meeting women. So for an event like this, there's not that much of a draw. They're at the Rush show, or the metal concert. If only men learned how to talk to women.

THE ONLY VENUE CONSTANTLY FULL

Was the dance tent, from opening to closing. It's part of the participatory culture.

PEOPLE LOVE FREE FOOD

In the artist compound, which seemed to be populated by everyone but artists, people lined up for free chicken sandwiches. We were taught not to waste food, then we learn they're not starving in Europe anymore, not really starving much of anywhere anymore according to "Factfulness," but I still find it impossible to throw out food.

YOU CAN HAVE ENOUGH INFRASTRUCTURE

The lack of lines at Life Is Beautiful is astounding. They've got enough port-a-potties, enough bars. This is not your daddy's rock festival, not even a music festival of a decade ago. Everybody hates lines, eliminate them and people will be your friend.

THE ART INSTALLATIONS

Are truly a selling point. Lying on the grass under the dome of lights as the classical music plays is soothing.

PEOPLE DON'T COME ALL DAY

It's too much, most people come when it's dark.

CONCLUSION

So what we've learned is there is a demand for festivals. As long as they're well-planned and well-executed. You can't abuse your customers, no way. But if your draw is music, you're in trouble. There's just not enough consensus for three days. As for discovering acts at festivals, forget about it. Not enough people see you. Actually, the biggest festival buzz this year is for David Byrne, an antique. Everybody, pros and amateurs, agree it's a must-see. The man hasn't had a hit in decades, but he's delivering a choreographed show. Proving you can always reinvent the wheel if you're a genius. But very few people are, despite them and their press agents and the press itself telling us so. Am I gonna stand in this parking lot on the hot tar listening to a band whose music is not grabbing me or go in search of artisan food or just walk the streets looking at the endless parade of people. The latter.

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Beto O'Rourke

He pointed.

That's one of the first things you learn in media training, not to. You remember Bill Clinton, with his arm outstretched, thumb tucked into his fist, they called him "Slick Willie," one thing's for sure, Beto O'Rourke is not slick.

We need leaders. And there's a vacuum in the Democratic Party. And give the Republicans credit, anybody who rises above they denigrate, they shoot slings and arrows until that person is perceived as a pariah. Exhibit #1, Elizabeth Warren. Somehow, this law professor is against the people, against the country, do you ever read what she says, she's the only person in Congress with convictions on the left who seems to put them forth every day. The rest of the elected are worried about their sponsors, their donors, they're playing a game, our country is not a game.

As for Hickenlooper, the supposed next President, who is he and what did he do?

And Cory Booker is forthright and then wishy-washy.

And Warren is old.

And the Republicans are so good at the game, they've got Democrats themselves hating on Nancy Pelosi. The Democrats are the gang that can't shoot straight, it's like fielding a team without a coach, except when it's the Democratic National Committee, which seems more concerned with protecting its insiders than its members.

And then along comes Beto O'Rourke.

It's kind of like a rock star. At first no one's paying attention. Then you start hearing a few words. He's got a unique name, not given at birth, you laugh and wonder where it comes from. And it used to be rock stars were outsiders, with rough edges, outlaws, true to themselves.

And that's who Beto O'Rourke is. That's why he appeals. Want to make it in the music game? Be yourself. Be honest. Speak to the audience not the gatekeepers. Don't try to win over everybody, just those who count.

Beto O'Rourke is running in Texas. He's visited all the counties in Texas. He's not like a polished musician running to convince fans of genres who don't like their music to listen. That's the MTV paradigm, broad and for everyone. Now we're in the era of niches. There is no center, no outlet that reaches everybody. There's only one superstar, and that's Donald Trump. We all have an opinion, we all watch his antics, and the rest of what goes on is a sideshow.

And music has no impact. The only people protesting are those without traction. And one of our biggest stars, an African-American, supports Agent Orange. This flummoxes us. He's not a country musician into guns, he's a member of the oppressed. Then again Kanye keeps telling us how we're holding him back. That's the last thing we want to hear, the challenges of a millionaire. Then again, the brain dead fans continue to pay fealty at the altar, and the press plays along with the charade.

Forget the biased Fox News. Even forget the left-leaning MSNBC. Let's talk about the newspapers, which still run this country. Most especially the "New York Times." Even though it's been falling on its sword ever since missing the election, the newspaper is still out of touch. And I single out the "Times" because it sets the agenda for the nation. The "Journal" has become an also-ran, it broke the Theranos story, but little else. The "Times" covers business better than the "Journal." And the "Post" is known for politics, and has only had a resurgence since the Bezos acquisition. But what is wrong about the "Times" is not fake news, but the lack of insight into the culture, what is really happening. The "Times" is a club, that is so insular it cannot take the temperature of what is truly going on in this country. It missed the racism, it missed not only the rise of Trump, but Bernie Sanders. Something is definitely happening with O'Rourke, and we keep hearing about his flaws. How about Ted Cruz's flaws? That's right, the Republicans attack first, you're so busy defending yourself you can't get your message across. And then, and then, we come to Beto O'Rourke.

You know this guy. You went to high school with this guy. He was in the top classes, he was not a complete nerd, but he was not cool in any way. You could drink a beer with him, but he did not date the cheerleader, he was focused on academics and then forgotten.

Now today the smart people are grinds. They're so busy getting ahead that they only give back when it looks good on their college applications. But Beto O'Rourke is just a bit older, but I'm becoming convinced, this is what the future of the Democratic Party looks like, this is the future of our country. As Beto says, we need not run on fear but COURAGE!

This is not Obama and "hope," hope didn't get us far. Kinda like thoughts and prayers. Do you have the courage to take action, to make the hard decisions, it's easier to lay back and criticize, to do nothing. And that's what the Republican-controlled Congress does, do nothing, other than give back to rich donors, most especially corporations, the public is angry about this, but we've got no choice! The Republicans scare you with social issues, tell you illegal immigrants are gonna kill you. Meanwhile, you can't afford health care, you're having trouble making ends meet, your priorities are more basic, but you have no one fighting your fight.

Hillary Clinton is brilliant. But too calculated and slick. I won't say Beto O'Rourke looks like he just fell off the turnip truck, but he's as unpolished as it comes in this genre. He's punk in an era of corporate rock.

And he's speaking the truth.

We know the truth. There are more Democrats than Republicans in this country. And they know what they want, they just don't have anyone to believe in.

But now a Mr. Smith might go to Washington.

Watch the below-linked video. This is not aged Bernie Sanders shouting, but a wimpy kid with a backbone making most of the same points. And remember how far Bernie got, the inroads he made, he'd have been President if he'd started his campaign earlier.

But that was then and this is now.

This is Chance the Rapper, who not only did it on his own, but gives back. That's why Chance can sell out stadiums, people believe in him.

And people are believing in Beto O'Rourke.

We yearn for people to believe in in a world run by corporations. Isn't it sad that we have more fondness for our mobile handset than any leader?

Sure, the below clip is edited. Sure, Beto O'Rourke is boring at times.

But underneath it all, he's inspiring. That there's somebody on our team. Who may be imperfect, because we all are. But is impervious to the slings and arrows because of his message, manna from heaven, the truth.

A new day is dawning.

And not a moment too soon.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1043529498287689734

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Greta Van Fleet At The Church Of Rock & Roll

They could save rock and roll.

I went to see Natasha Leggero in the Kicker Comedy room. She asked how many women had seen a man masturbate in public. Half of them raised their hands.

I think there are more women than men at this festival. And if you're a girl-watcher, your eyes will bug out. Some may have been naked at Woodstock, but now it's an endless parade of cleavage and skin. Along with tattoos. When did face tattoos become a thing? If you're not famous, how do you function?

Now the comedy lineup started with a woman from SNL, sorry, can't remember her name, but she was pretty funny. Doing the man/woman thing. And I realized this was so different from being home, in front of the flat screen. That's where all the action is, in your living room, your bedroom, on your handset, but once you encounter real life it's somehow electric, different and exciting. But the guy who followed the SNL woman was terrible. Nothing worse than a third-rate comedian. And I was stunned that all three were not more political. Same as it ever was, with a bit of @MeToo thrown in, just a bit. That's the jump between Chappelle and the rest. Unless you're telling the truth, it's hard to get my attention, isn't that how Hannah Gadsby flew to the top in an instant?

Anyway, I didn't know public masturbation was a thing. Natasha said women never do it, but then she started taking stories from audience members, giving testimony. Makes you wonder about the male population.

From there I scooted over to hear French Montana where I encountered very little on stage and a ton of flashing lights and video screens. I guess this is the new world, canned beats with a few vocalizations thrown on top, the people seemed to dig it. And the big track this week is "I Love It," by Kanye & Lil Pump. Eventually the beats get to you, but have you caught the lyrics?

"You're such a fuckin' ho, I love it (I love it)"

Now I'm not offended. I was the guy who had to get the dirty version of "Kick Out The Jams" with the f-word in the gatefold. But the MC5 had a political message. What is the message here, endless hedonism?

I'm not saying we all don't enjoy a good lay. But for those around when music tested limits, spoke truth to power, it's quite a change.

And after exiting the main stage I went to the Church of Rock & Roll.

It's Jason's thing. He's been kicking the idea around for years. But he got Zappos to support him and tonight was the debut. To the degree I understand it, it's half money-making and half giving back. The Church is gonna go on tour, not necessarily with Greta Van Fleet, and then raise money to build restaurants, but that all could change. Tonight...we were all fitted with vests from the Zappos-funded Music: Not Impossible. That's right, vibrating vests and wrist and ankle vibrators so the deaf could "hear"/feel the music. Quite a sensation. And Jason gave an intro, and then Pastor Nadia told us she prayed at the altar of the Ramones, Iggy and Bowie, and then Greta took the stage, in this tiny club filled with a hundred fifty people.

This is the third time I've seen them. They've become seasoned on the road, they're comfortable in their own skin. And at first I thought it was the venue, then I felt they could play the big stage, but what got me most was this was the sound that addicted me and you all those years back when.

Yes, at times they're ersatz Zeppelin. Unlike Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones, they did not spend years doing session work. Yes, the lead singer echoes Plant. But the secret sauce is the guitarist, who's got the chops on his SG, and the bassist who occasionally plays keyboards.

This is a band, as far away from French Montana as can be.

And they're ever so young, I'm not sure all of them can legally drink. But they're into it, you feel the passion.

Remember when moms and dads bought their kids guitars? That could happen again.

You see it seems like so much fun. There's so much energy. Banging and playing. And this is the end. It's not about lifestyle, it's not about sponsorships, it's about the sound, the songs, the onstage vibe. Remember when you went to the rock club and were enveloped by the sound? That's what it was like. Life Is Beautiful may be called a rock festival, but that's not what it is, we've gotten so far from the garden that the plants have wilted.

And I was not expecting to be wowed, I was not expecting to get it.

I felt the rush of adrenaline in the first two songs. And then I listened. The material was not A+, but they were performing it like it was. And then...

"Oh lady when you come on down
Won't you come on down"

At this point I was sitting on a stool by the bar, assuaging the pain in my aching back. But I couldn't sit still any longer. I started thrusting my arm into the air. Nobody else was, but I had to, it was involuntary.

And then I was standing, and moving closer to the stage, to the music.

"Oo mama what you gonna do
With all that lovin' in your heart"

I'm banging my head like Beavis, or was it Butt-head. All the bad thoughts in my brain were squeezed out by the sound, all I could do was move to the music.

Rock is dead as a doornail. Because it's played by guys too old, who know too much, who are too self-referential, who don't understand that first and foremost it's about songs, about hooks. And you don't have to be the best player, but just good enough. And it doesn't matter if you wrote the lyrics or not, you need a lead singer who can deliver.

What you're trying to do is light the flame, every night on stage, have that firecracker explode, reach the audience one by one, who continue to come like lemmings.

I'm not sure all the old tools will work. The push, the massive exposure. Nobody can live up to that hype. But never underestimate the power of a riff like the one in "Safari Song." With loud and quiet, dynamics that Zeppelin employed and punk eviscerated. With a banging drummer and a vocalist topping it off with melody. This is what the business was built on. And maybe it's gone for good, but I'm betting it's not. We've all got to blow off steam, we've all got energy. We want to embrace the swagger. Not that hip-hop cannot coexist. But for far too long they've been playing records in clubs, and although I do not think bands are coming back, tonight they did.

Same as it ever was.

And I'd tell you I'm grinning from ear to ear, but that's not what it's all about. Rather it's a rekindling of what once, what I used to believe in and everyone seems to have forgotten. The power of a band. The power of giving it your all. The power of rock and roll to save your soul.


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Life Is Beautiful-First Impressions

"There's a feeling I get
When I look to the west"

And my spirit is crying for staying.

It's palpable. The feeling you get when you enter the gig, the performance space, after they've checked your ticket and you're inside, where it's all happening. No different from years ago, when I was still in my teen years. That's the magic of music, it ties in with your young spirit.

Actually, at lunch, I was the oldest person there. And then it occurred to me, I didn't see myself that way. They saw me as old, I just saw myself as one of the assembled multitude. But it's all about going with the flow. Felice's mother is 94, but what keeps Ginny young is her friends, she's got as much gumption and get up and go as any youngster.

And the millennials are into food. That's one thing we missed in my heyday. My father was a gourmet, he was all about getting the best and eating out at fine restaurants, but if you went to a gig you got a boiled hot dog on a stale bun. Although it was a $1.50. Today's lunch was as good as a Four Seasons buffet. Well, not quite, but close. But it's de rigueur for millennials.

But their festivals are different. Ours were held in a big field with poor security and so-so sound. There's are micro-managed with so many options.

So Life Is Beautiful is set in downtown Las Vegas. Forget the slots, forget the Strip, it's as if they hollowed out a city and plopped a rock festival inside. That's Tony Hsieh's mission, to renovate the city. That's another millennial credo, giving back. But it's got to be real. Too many corporations pay lip service and today everybody can sniff out a fake.

So it's unlike Coachella, unlike Bonnaroo, you don't go away to the festival, it's right at your doorstep. So you walk around the city blocks and it's like a bombed-out amusement park, like being in Freedomland today. With neon signs from motels that no longer exist. Sculptures from a futuristic era more akin to "2001" than 2018.

And some of these sculptures are permanent. Like the fire-breathing dragon, like the curve of cars.

And it is hot, but not as hot as I expected it to be. That's right, Dark Sky says it's 99 degrees, but it doesn't feel like it. It's the angle of the sun. It is not brutal. Although the producers are anxious about the heat.

They don't come from the music business. William Barker, the Chairman, comes from finance, comes from tech. He runs a fund of a half billion. But he got roped into this and he's trying to apply a tech perspective to a music festival.

Now everybody selling is a hypester. Steve Jobs being the greatest of all time. He'd say something was innovative when in truth it was copied. But Barker told me he was using data from the app to adjust on the fly. That's right, you download the app and then the promoters track you. I know, I know, there are privacy concerns, and you can turn the tracking off, but the team uses this data to adjust. They bring in more cooling stations, see what is popular for next year.

They're all about change on the fly. On a whim they gave away popsicles upon entry. Simple idea, but sourcing those items was not.

Nothing is set in stone.

And they're building a brand, it's not only about the festival.

But Tony Hsieh is revitalizing downtown Las Vegas.

So while the techies are denigrated, it's Elon and Jeff that are pushing the envelope in space. And Jeff and Marc have made a push into publishing. And Tony is trying to save a city. Funny how the values of the traditional corporations and their leaders are not the same.

We live in an era of giving back.

We live in an era of experiences.

Life Is Beautiful is not your parents' festival. First and foremost it's not only about music. There is comedy, I want to see Michelle Wolf, but even more there are art exhibits and food trucks and so many other diversions. It's a theme park for those who've outgrown Disneyland.

And Coachella and Lollapalooza have the brand names. And a bunch of festivals have been cancelled this year. But in its sixth year, Life Is Beautiful is profitable. Actually, last year too. Before that, money was lost. Concert promotion is not for the faint of heart. And consolidation in promotion has been the story of the past twenty years. But a few independents are going their own way, and that's where the innovation lies.

So sure, there are masses of people. Sure, you don't know all the acts. Sure, it takes an effort to come.

But when you are here you feel something, a fire deep inside that you thought was flickering or burned out. It's not exactly hope, but your identity. Welcome back to the garden.


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Mailbag

Subject: Re: The Ticketmaster Nightmare

Hi Bob,

I am in charge of the fan club and band tickets for an act who play amphitheaters, "sheds" and arenas.

I have to fight for a reasonable allotment for our fans (and the band's guest list) and often lose. Credit card companies, sponsors, venue "patrons" and yes, Ticketmasters "Platinum" ticket program, are all allotted a HUGE majority of tickets before the sale ever reaches the public.

We have one of the biggest agents in the world however they have better things to do than to help me fight the 30+ individual venues for a better allocation. Even if we have the language in the contract to delineate our requests they simply strike it. So, our fan club members get a scattered amount of tickets in the first 5 rows and then random tix across the venue. Every pre-sale I get angry emails from fans about the available tickets. ESPECIALLY when it is a TM venue that shows the available tickets as people can see how many tickets are not available 10 seconds after the pre-sale starts. I then ALSO receive the angry emails the day before the show when all of those "holds" are released. "I paid to join the fan club and paid for a VIP package fee and got 12th row and now I see 2nd row is available for face value". Or, "I paid $275 for a VIP package and the person next to me bought their ticket two days ago for face value". This happens at EVERY show.

The days of blaming the scalper are over. All the above (including the band) are also the scalpers. However, in my experience the allotments to other parties are higher (and often have better seats) then the band is allotted. The age of social media has definitely increased transparency in all sectors of the ticketing business but most fans still expect great seats if they login right when a pre-sale or public sale begins.

In the mid-eighties I camped out overnight for numerous shows and was always one of the first in line. I ALWAYS received first or second row. Mostly front row. That just doesn't happen anymore.

My name is withheld for obvious reasons and I am not using my main email (but happy to let you know who I am if you want and keep it anonymous - we had dinner together years ago) :)

Cheers!

PS: Love that you stayed at Fergusons. I enjoyed talking to Tony at an event a couple years ago and he spent most of the conversation talking about it and how he loves the stimulation from the community vibe of his tiny house community. I didn't get it at all. It's the total opposite of the vibe I enjoy (solitude) but he did get me thinking… maybe I need to change.

______________________________________

Subject: Re: The Ticketmaster Nightmare

CBC and the Toronto Star caught them doing what they have told us they don't do and don't facilitate and want legislation against.

As for the fake sells outs- that can reduce interest- people assume its sold out

True story

My wife and Pal wanted to go to "hot ticket show". Sold out no tickets at face+

I call a friend on the tour to ask about buying- they are papering thousands
Free tickets for us.

These guys with the public companies have little accountability and don't act like they plan in being there next year

2 cents

TS

______________________________________

Subject: Re: The Ticketmaster Nightmare

Hi Bob,

I've been on the warpath all week with Ticketmaster. I was diagnosed with Stage 4b endometrial cancer 12/2017. Surgery 1/24/18. Six rounds of carbo/Taxol chemo from 3/20/18 until 7/2/18. CT scan three weeks after my last chemo. My amazing surgeon/gynecological oncologist, Leslie Boyd, MD at NYU Langone tells me I'm N.E.D. No Evidence of Disease. They saved my life!

My son (28-year old only child) gets me a $400.00 Ticketmaster gift certificate for Christmas. I hold on to it, as I'm diagnosed with cancer two days before. My 59th birthday was September 7. There's a single front row center seat on Ticketmaster to see my favorite act, Tedeschi Trucks Band, opening night of their Beacon Theatre residency October 5 for $699.00 before fees. To me, this show is worth the price. My son gives me a $500.00 for my birthday to make my wish come true. I go to buy the seat, shaking with excitement.

Can't complete the sale, and spend two days before I get a Ticketmaster customer service rep on the phone. Well, it turns out you can't use a Ticketmaster gift certificate to purchase a seat on the Ticketmaster website if it's a Ticketmaster resale. I've been paying the resale prices for years. Never would have my son waste his money if I knew about this policy. You have to dig through the gift certificate FAQ's to find this information. Also found out you can only use one gift certificate per show. I've attached a copy of my gift certificates to show you how deceptive the actual gift certificate looks.

I used twitter for the first time this week, posted on their Facebook page, my Facebook page, my public Instagram www.instagram.com/colleenrubinophotography and have responded to two emails with no success or resolution. That ticket is still for sale. Ticketmaster is a monopoly. They didn't care about my situation, and I will do my best to purchase my resale tickets from StubHub going forward. I am still passionate about live music, but fed up with these schemes. Thank you for listening. Love your work!

Colleen Rubino

______________________________________

From: Corey Spears
Subject: Re: The Ticketmaster Nightmare

I find it interesting that the article leaves out how it affects artists. As a bass player for a developing country regional act, we make our money off of touring. We get paid on guarantees. We justify our guarantees with ticket sales, alcohol sales, and other forms of generating revenue for the venue so we can get paid. We have had 500 plus people in a show drinking constantly and get paid 1-3k. If they make 10k or more we are getting a small portion of that.

Although the author is well meaning, they seem to be void of a solution to combat these issues. The "solution" is limited to "scalping is evil ohhhh fake accounts" without looking at how much venues screw us. Or how much pay to play is in the industry with media purchasing.

Our band gets lectured on our overall numbers even if the venue itself didn't promote the event. Honestly, the secondary ticketing sites fill a gap. The gap being poor promo by the venue/promoter/talent buyer.

As far as the fans go, this is how we get good deals because the idiots at the door try to upsell way too much. Then the price goes down and they take a loss, which we get blamed for.

These guys should worry more about how to help the artist and less about the poor venues which they are calling "fans". If they were doing their job correctly we wouldn't have to rely on scalpers to promote our shows.

"Well hey Corey shouldn't that be in your rider?"

Yeah, good luck getting them to sign it unless you are big.

"Well, contracts?"

Generally, you have to go to court in the venue's area for litigation. It's way too expensive for us to even bother with. Artists are getting screwed constantly. Again although well meaning, they offer no solution. Scalpers help us put asses in seats since society decided music was free, but God forbid we hurt the precious venues.

______________________________________

Subject: Ticketing and your upcoming event at City Winery

Bob, we are looking forward to having you at City Winery on your tour—very cool. We wanted to make a comment about ticketing, as this is one of the many reasons that since opening, City Winery ticketing has been paperless. 10 Years ago we looked around but decided to build our own ticketing solution to serve our fans. We've offer a loyalty program called "VinoFile" where the fan doesn't pay any service fees and gets 48-hour advance notice of concerts before the public on-sale. It's been tough and we've had lots of challenges, as we are not a technology company, but a music venue (that also makes wine:) and in 6 cities now and growing, but we're proud to keep ticketing in-house. While not giving Live Nation or AEG a run for it, we are now selling over 500,000 tickets a year, we make most of our money from the sale of Food and Beverage, and let the artist take the disproportionate amount of the ticket income. It seems a good balance especially to our older audience who appreciate an intimate, yet luxury concert setting and great wine list, real food, and wine served in Reidel glasses, not plastic cups. We look forward to hosting your event here at City Winery NYC next month! https://citywinery.com/theloft/lefsetz-vs-flom-at-the-loft-10-18.html

Michael Dorf
CITY WINERY | FOUNDER & CEO

______________________________________

Subject: Re: Hot Tuna At The El Rey

Bob,

Thanks so much for the wonderful telling of your experience seeing my old friends Jack Casady and Jorma Kaukonen. I too, went to see their show in Seattle, and visited them backstage before the show. I have a beautiful story to tell about myself and them.
Before I was ever in Santana, there was a possibility that I might be playing in Jefferson Airplane. I first saw both Jefferson Airplane and Santana at a concert at a small park in Palo Alto CA. Silicon Valley now. A free concert that blew my mind. The San Francisco scene was already happening and in full bloom. I must have been 17 years old. An aspiring jazz drummer, but this hippie scene was strong and compelling. Actually, it was the music that got me. Anyway, Santana was really something. I had seen them, literally, at a church dance in San Carlos with my brother Kevin, and was impressed enough to proclaim to him that, "This is the band I want to play with!". And later, at that day in Palo Alto, I observed Carlos from a distance, at this concert, again with my brother Kevin, and Carlos. was dressed in a blue fishnet t-shirt and strange big bell bottom type of jeans with a big black belt that was really long and hung down the front of his pants. It, and he, I noticed, were different. Like, really different. That moment made a strong impression on me.
Then Jefferson Airplane came on. Everybody knew this music at the time, even though they were up and coming. They were already big news, but as a teenager standing there watching this band, and looking at Jack Casady, with his hair, and his shades, and his clothes, and that big electric bass, the one thing that I remember thinking was, "What does it take to be THAT cool?" I was already familiar with Jazz cats like Miles Davis and Roy Haynes who embodied severe coolness, in style and fashion, but this was a different thing. Plus it was white guys!
OK, cut to I don't know how long later, but Jack and Jorma contacted me to get together and play. Apparently there was talk of finding another drummer for the band. So, up I went to the infamous Airplane mansion at 2400 Fulton Street in San Francisco, and proceeded to have a series of all night jam sessions with the two of them, and others that would come in at times. As you can imagine, this is heady stuff for an 18 year old aspiring jazz drummer..
Cut to the San Francisco Airport, where things seemed serious enough that Jorma and Jack invited me to fly down to LA with them and observe them recording. This was my first time on an airplane and I'm flying with Jefferson Airplane! ...Hello!!!
I stayed with them at the Landmark Hotel (confirmed last week by Jorma). So here's my Forrest Gump story...
Jim Morrison drops by to visit! I kid you not. Mind you, this is before Jim Morrison was an icon. He was just another singer in a popular band. Eric Clapton dropped by with a reel to reel tape (I though it was a cassette, but Jorma confirmed last week that it was a reel to reel) Of course, This was BEFORE cassettes!. Anyway, Eric was very excited about this new group called "The Band" and this was there first record. So, let me stop here and tell you that my brother Kevin, a great guitar player , and I devoured, like everyone else, the John Mayall Record with Eric Clapton. Everyone did.but, lest you think I took this stuff lightly, you would be wrong! This was all absolutely amazing to me. But Jack and Jorma were so chill, so cool, in the way they just let me be there with them.....But! That's not all!!!
So we go to the recording studio that night. The year was 1968. The album was Crown of Creation. Who walks into the studio? None other than David Crosby!! Now, I could literally post a photo here of me in high school with a photo of the first Byrds album that changed my life. I'll spare you that. But I
What I did observe was David showing Jefferson Airplane the most beautiful song. It was called "Triad" Later, years later, David and I became close friends, sharing our respect for writers like Dylan Thomas and musicians like John Coltrane. These relationships still last to this day. I am grateful, appreciative and have the most respect for all these guys.; My last conversation with Jack was how do you keep in shape? And man, this guy does miles of hiking and biking. I think that is so cool that these guys are setting new examples for us all. Much respect.

Much Love.

Michael Shrieve

______________________________________

From: Jorma Kaukonen
Subject: Of Cabbages And Kings

Dear Bob...

Jorma here, but you probably figured that out anyway. Needless to say thanks for the writeup. About a hundred of my friends sent me emails with a link to your site wondering if I had seen it. Good stuff. I look forward to having a longer conversation with you at some point if you're still into it. I think we'd have some fun. Now, as I'm fond of saying, where I live is a destination not a waypoint but we do occasional Pho dinners at the Fur Peace Ranch. I've eaten a lot of Pho in my time and ours is as good as any and better than most. In addition, my friend John Hurlbut (who is our Ranch Manager) and I play for the supper crowd. It's a lot of fun.

In any case, again thanks for the heartfelt review. I say about our music the same thing I tell people about my book. You may or may not like what we do, but we are always honest.

Nuff said...

I look forward to seeing you down the road.

Be well

Jorma

ps I can't believe my old buddy Steve actually stayed all night.

jk

______________________________________

Subject: Re: Leon Bridges At The Greek

One of the best first lines I ever heard from an artist was when Ludacris played my venue. With just over 4,000 people in the crowd, only 3 were black. He said "Where are all my peeps" Everyone died laughing and the show began. That's exactly what I was thinking when Leon Bridges played my venue Labor Day Weekend. (3700 people and I think 6 black.)

Where are all my peeps???

PS The show was AMAZING!

Will Korioth
Owner/Buyer Whitewater Amphitheater

______________________________________

From: Ritch Esra
Subject: RE: Eagles At The Forum

Bob,

Great piece - 1 Thing though - Seven Bridges Road was a single. They issued it as a single, with "The Long Run" (live) as its B-side; It reached #21 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 becoming the group's final Top 40 hit until "Get Over It" by in 1994.

"Seven Bridges Road" also became the third Eagles' single to appear on the Billboard C&W chart, reaching #55 there.

At the time Eagles charted with "Seven Bridges Road" the song's composer Steve Young commented: "I didn't like the Eagles' version at first. I thought it was too bluegrassy, too gospel. But the more I hear it, the better it sounds."

______________________________________

Subject: Fwd: Eagles At The Forum

They truly are a band that keeps getting better….I promoted that first show at the Forum 43 years ago…it was their arrival into the major leagues..…and played them in shows all over the US including putting them on California Jam in 74….saw and worked with these guys and Irving from the very begiinning…and their chops kept getting better….no matter how many years they took off, or who was added or left the band. I Had the opportunity to see them both at the Garden and Forum on the last tour with Glen…and they were spectacular…and got a great backstage hug at the Garden from Glen after some 30 years of separation which I will always remember…..Can't wait to see them this time around…Glen will be there somewhere smiling that this vision is still rolling down the highway……they truly were too great to go away.

Sepp Donahower

______________________________________

From: Seymour Stein
Subject: Re: Second Try

Totally agree!!!

Savoy Brown were one of the best of several British Blues bands produced by Mike Vernon. Another great Blues band Mike produced at Decca was Ten Years After.

Mike was at Decca, back in the mid-60's. Like most staff producers, Mike could do just about anything. He produced David Bowie's first recordings, released under his real name David Jones.

Perhaps best known for producing John Mayall's Blues Breakers which provided launching pad for Eric Clapton. Other members included Peter Green, Mick Fleetwood and John McVie. The Blues Breakers we're responsible for starting the British Blues movement in the UK. When any members asked Mayal for more money he would promptly fire them; seems there was always someone new ready to fill their shoes.

When Peter, Mick and John all confronted Mayall for a raise, thinking there might be strength in numbers, he fired them all. Mike Vernon suggested they start their own band
and launched Blue Horizon Records, as home to Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac, and the rest is history.

On Blue Horizon, Fleetwood Mac's early hits included, "Albatross," "Black Magic Woman" and "Need Your Love So Bad."

Soon after, Mike signed Chicken Shack, fronted by Stan Webb with Christine (McVie) Perfect, on keyboards. Christine had her first hit, "I'd Rather Go Blind" on Blue Horizon, before leaving the band and eventually joining Fleetwood Mac.

Other great Blue Horizon artists were Duster Bennett and Johnny Almond.

Mike also brought Fleetwood Mac to Chess studios in Chicago and co- produced with Marshall Chess, an amazing set of recordings with blues greats Otis Spann, Willie Dixon and many of the other Chess blues players.

Mike Vernon is very much responsible for the British Blues movement in the UK.

In addition, Mike produced Sire's first million selling single, "Hocus Pocus" and Gold album "Moving Waves" both by Dutch band, Focus, I signed to Sire.

Mike also produced an amazing album with Sire artist, Martha Velez, "Fiends and Angels,"
which featured Eric Clapton, Stan Webb and Paul Kosoff, all on guitar, Christine Mc Vie on
piano, Jack Bruce on bass, Brian Auger on organ, one of two fabulous albums Martha released on Sire. The other was "Escape From Babylon" produced in Jamaica by Bob Marley, early on in his career. Her version of "Get Up, Stand Up" was I believe, first recoding of the song.

In my opinion, British Blues do not get enough credit for their contribution to music in the late 1960's and beyond and most certainly Mike Vernon was greatly responsible for this.

All the best,

Seymour

______________________________________

From: Joel Selvin
Subject: Re: Tom Johnston-This Week's Podcast

No. 1 influence on the Doobies?
Moby Grape.
They literally styled themselves after the Grape in the earliest days. At "Stampede," they added Jeff Baxter on guitar to get that three-guitar, three-voice Grape sound. Once heard Tiran sing the living shit out of "Fall On You" during a sound check.
Also interesting that you thought they were Rolling Stone darlings. They didn't. They thought Rolling Stone ignored them and belittled them. I was supposed to make up for the magazine having disrespected the band with a cover article around the release of "Stampede," just before Tommy collapsed. The rehearsals for that tour I sat through at Winterland remain some of the best rock and roll I ever heard.
You're right -- the Doobies get no respect. Good one.

______________________________________

Subject: Re: The Emmy Ratings

Bob

You are so right about the things we take for granted that the kids don't care or even know about.

https://www.google.ca/amp/amp.kcra.com/article/expert-millennials-can-t-find-stamps-don-t-mail-in-ballots/6428798

This echos a story a friend told me a few months ago about her intern. She wanted him to mail a thank you card. He was completely befuddled. The envelope was "the white thing". He don't have any vocabulary to articulate that he needed help writing "the destination" (address) and where could he get one of those "government stickers" (stamps)?

But why should he know? When I was a kid there was still such a thing as a telegram but I had no clue how to send one and didn't need to know any more than how to shoe a horse.

Best,

Michael McCarty

______________________________________

From: Edgar Koshatka
Subject: Re: Fergusons

Got a 40' Motor home a couple years ago. LOVE IT. Great for all kinds of special outdoor events, as well as music festivals (where tens-of-thousands of CD's are sold for CASH, all over the country, that Billboard or IRS knows nothing of), dog shows, weedmaps camping, and on & on.

______________________________________

From: Amanda Moore
Subject: Re: Fergusons


Please don't publish this, but this line is so disappointing to read from someone I've spent my entire career following that I had to say something.

"I hate Vegas. It's got no class. Money talks, and only money."

I've lived in San Francisco, LA, NY, Nashville and, for the past 5 years, Vegas has been my home. This statement could not be more incorrect. Perhaps it applies to tourists on a casino floor at 3 am, but not to the local community, who will without fail scoop up that belligerent human celebrating god-knows-what to get them to their room safely with a water bottle on their bedside table.

We also take care of our own and accept everyone as they are and rally around those that need help outside of the neon strip. This is the most philanthropically active city I have ever lived in - by far - and that world is not exclusionary. Though of course, like the rest of the world, the generosity of our wealthier residents is an important aspect of it, volunteers sustain the plethora of local charity needs - and EVERYONE volunteers.

Vegas Strong is truly representative of the soul of our city. The people that live here are educated, creative, savvy, kind, fun, supportive, and non-judgemental. Perhaps that last part is why a statement that is the antithesis of who we are upset me so. Or perhaps it's because, as we prepare for the one-year anniversary of the extraordinary tragedy that took place at Route 91, a remark so glaringly ignorant and insensitive about my home stands out even more.

Either way, you're as wrong about our city as you are the "huge llama" at Fergusons that is actually an average-sized alpaca (roughly 150 lbs - about 250 lbs less than an average llama).
https://www.inkari-alpaca.com/en/blogs/thealpacablog/10-differences-between-llamas-and-alpacas/

Amanda Moore
VP of Marketing
Live Nation Las Vegas

______________________________________

Subject: Re: Lefsetz Live!

BTW, your story about Louis CK (and now Les Moonves) - I've lived it. Was a lawyer, got excommunicated (i.e., disbarred) over basically sex harassment, and only because I (along with my wife) happened to make millions of dollars before all this went down am I able to keep my life. No, not the life I had (I'm much more isolated now, so-called friends abandoned in droves), but a very nice life nonetheless. Not sure what happens to all other offending males who don't have safety net. Something though should/needs to be done.

I mean, are we at the point where we are tossing men outside the city gates? On accusations alone? Sure seems that way. Someone needs to tell the story. I thought about writing a book, I've got time on my hands, but let's be honest, nothing good ever comes to those who get more publicity. My name is already perpetually tarnished on the 'net …. another truism, never read your press, good or bad. Folks treat #metoo offenders worse than rapists and murderers, at least those folks get second chances ... People went crazy over Louis CK and for what? Because he got out of his house and tried to ply his trade once again. Thanks for shining a light. I for one am not a boy scout; I fucked up, paid the price and still pay it daily. But still, aren't we too entitled to another chance?

Restless in Midwest! (If you print this please do not print my name or email; thanks)

______________________________________

From: Barry Lyons
Subject: Another tragic death

Bob -

It is with great sadness that I must pass along news of yet another tragic death that has struck the ranks of beloved music industry legends. Yesterday, at about 7:20PM, my beloved Kenwood KR-V9020 surround sound receiver/amplifier passed away quietly, in a corner of my living room. Purchased in 1975, it's acquisition inspired by audio classics such as CRIME OF THE CENTURY and THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON; it had spent most of the last 2-3 years alone in a corner, collecting dust. Possessed of an iron will, and 130 watts of awesome power, it had been little-used in its final years. Rather than "going out in a blaze of glory", it went quietly, pushed aside, despite its awesome sound, by a relentless tide of smaller, lighter, and yes, mostly inferior new technologies. Time marches relentlessly onward.

The receiver is survived by its offspring, a pair of still-spry Yamaha NS-10 speakers. Services will be held at Mesnikof Funeral Chapel on Friday. Those attending will receive a copy of WHO'S NEXT and a freshly rolled doobie.

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Fergusons

"I'm just a son of a son, son of a son
Son of a son of a sailor
The sea's in my veins, my tradition remains
I'm just glad I don't live in a trailer"

"Son Of A Son Of A Sailor"
Jimmy Buffett

But I do now! I'm spending the weekend in an Airstream at Tony Hsieh's downtown Vegas experiment in small living. That's right, the Zappos king lives in a trailer park.

People and access. That's what it's all about. Wankers think it's about acquisitions. Oldsters think it's all about lifestyle. But if you want to get excited, if you want to surf the possibilities, you've got to know people, you've got to work the connections, you've got to be in the right place at the right time.

Happened to me by accident. I was on the Summit Series cruise. Those guys tracked me down, they were buying a ski area, that was the draw. And I was speaking on the aforementioned cruise and a friend knew Tony, and we went up to his suite.

Funny with rich people. It allows them to live life on their own terms. Go where they want to go, talk to who they want to. And one thing about the rich and famous, you don't want to fawn, you want to treat them normally, because nobody else does. And when we went to dinner I engaged Tony in conversation and heard about his Harvard roots and how he got from there to here and when we were back on the mainland he shot me an e-mail inviting me to come stay in his trailer park.

REALLY?

He said to really get it, I had to stay for a week. And what is the right week in Vegas, the summer's really damn hot and the winter is the ski season and then I tore up my arm and needed surgery and I got pemphigus and had to go to the hospital and there was never a time until...

Now.

I'm here in Vegas for the Life Is Beautiful festival. I figured it was a good time to stay in the trailer park. But it turned out it was full up. But Tony e-mailed me Monday night and asked if I wanted to stay, he had a vacancy.

You've got to know, I'm bad with quick decisions. If we're in a crisis, I'm good. If it's life and death, you want me on your team, I'm a good survivalist. But if it's a notch below that, I want to evaluate all the possibilities, I don't want to get it wrong, and as a result it takes me a long time to make a decision, sometimes too long. Felice is impulsive. She doesn't always get it right, but she moves forward whereas I get stuck. Sometimes a whole list of decisions piles up and I realize I'm not moving forward but the OCD shrink is working with me to decide, knowing that I'll get it wrong sometimes, I hate to get it wrong.

So I'm e-mailing Tony and Mimi for more details. It's like "Let's Make A Deal," do I want to give up my hotel room for a trailer? That's another problem I've got, I've learned the first room the hotel gives you is often substandard and you have to negotiate for a better one, so I'm always anxious when checking in, but all Airstreams are the same, right? So I took the leap.

And I also like to prepare for trips, get myself psyched. But I've been so busy I just showed up at the airport and sat next to a sick man on the plane raising my anxiety ever so high, and it was a very hard landing and then here I was, in the City of Sin, the Desert Oasis, Viva Las Vegas!

I hate Vegas. It's got no class. Money talks, and only money. But in the past few decades the food has improved and the entertainment has become first rate and up-to-date but we took the long way home, far from the strip, in a stretch limo with only me in the back.

And the limo driver couldn't find Fergusons, i.e. the trailer park, and was driving the wrong way down a one way street when we were pulled over by security which took me to the vaunted yellow door. Whereupon I...

Entered an area little different from the house on "Big Brother." Trailers circled around fake grass and a bunch of space age furniture and a pool and I knew I wasn't in Kansas anymore.

Tony told me it was his second trailer park. The first one was across the street. They worked out the bugs and started over, they realized they needed a pool and then he thrust a carrot in my hand and told me to hold it in my dominant hand. I was completely flummoxed. Was I supposed to eat it?

But he steered me forward until I encountered a huge black llama that I was supposed to feed the carrot to. DOESN'T HE KNOW I'M AFRAID OF ANIMALS? I've never had a good conversation with an animal, and they can smell my fear and are always drawn to me and the llama started chomping on the carrot and I was afraid it was gonna bite my hand and then I dropped the rest of the orange vegetable on the ground and everybody was talking to me and I was overwhelmed. I had to pee and eat, did I talk now or later? That's another thing about life, do you stay where you are or take a chance on something better which might be worse? But I still had my suitcase and computer and then I was taken to my trailer. That's right, I'm not lying, I'm staying in a trailer. We never did this growing up, my father was not the camping type.

And after quizzing Mimi and Garrett about what was going on here and how the trailer worked we walked to the common area where there was food and conversation and the air of summer camp.

I talked to the head of marketing for T-Mobile. He told me that iPhone prices are high because Apple has gotten rid of incentives, that if I'm looking for a deal, I'm not gonna get one. And that the new iPhone works on new spectrum and this is great for the company.

And then I bonded with the guy who's #2 or close to it who's in charge of the brand. After hearing I was in the music business, he told me all about the acts he's worked with. Justin Bieber was exceedingly nice, music was very important to T-Mobile.

And then I was introduced to this couple who'd just sold their company Skip Hop to Carter's and made a bundle and the husband told me he was in tech in the nineties in New York and that's how he knew...

Everybody.

It's a community. It looks big, but it's not. Just like music, although music is a bigger pool than it used to be.

That's how Mike knows Tony.

And Ellen told me they spent a lot of time in Asia and we compared travel notes. And I know it sounds elitist and feel free to judge me but this is manna from heaven in my world. You don't know how many unfulfilling conversations I have. My generation is retiring, they're on the downside. And people are proud of their little worlds. But these people are going somewhere. Sure, they're younger, but they're still hungry and can analyze the issues and this is the modern world, where you wiggle your way up the food chain. Pedigree only goes so far, prestige education only goes so far. You ultimately enter the world and then...

WHAT HAPPENS?

When done right music touches souls, but it's a dumb business. Ask a bigwig if they can define "algorithm."

And I don't want to go into banking, I don't want to be an entrepreneur selling a product, but I love to hear the stories, I love to learn how people got from there to here. I love talking to smart people no matter where they come from.

And this is a conclave of smart people.

FOT. Friends of Tony.

Hanging out in a trailer park.

"Tour Entrepreneur Tony Hsieh's Airstream Park - HGTV": https://bit.ly/2NrYdoZ

(This is the old trailer park in the video. The new one is very similar, but with a built-in pool, more fake grass and a covered dining area/living space.)

"Son Of A Son Of A Sailor": https://spoti.fi/2QQeulw or https://bit.ly/1KrUFVK


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Your New Stereo

Echo Sub Bundle with 2 Echo (2nd Gen) Devices - $249.97: https://amzn.to/2O0P0DI

It's 2003 all over again. When hardware was king and just as you got used to your latest iPod they improved it, only this time Cupertino is behind the curve selling niche items for mucho dinero and Amazon is going downmarket to own the world.

In case you missed it, Amazon just announced a tsunami of Echo products. Everything from a microwave to a car device and a DVR. This makes Tim Cook's overlabored two hour pronouncements look like yesteryear. That was Steve Jobs' game in an old era. Today Amazon dumped so many products it'll take weeks to digest them.

Voice control. Apple was there first, and now the company is last. That's the power of the individual, as in Jobs is gone. But Jobs was famous for turning on a dime, missing the memo and then leapfrogging the competition. Whereas today's Apple is all about the niche ecosystem based on its brand, and how long will that last? You can't even play Spotify on your HomePod, and why buy one of those when you can get a whole music system for two hundred fifty bucks!

I like the cheap plugs, for $25 anything electrical can be voice-controlled. Forget mixing and matching technologies, to quote the seer, "It just works."

Unlike Tesla. The cars are riddled with defects in a world where we expect the first iteration to be perfect.

But this is a stealth move by Amazon, with its ecosystem of commerce and entertainment attached, did you see the bigger screen in the new Show? Amazon is gonna own your world, to a great degree it already does. I'd rather order from Prime than go to the store where too often my chosen product is not in stock.

The future is here now. Video took over from text and now voice is trumping them all.

Imagine just speaking the song you want to hear...

Well, as a matter of fact, that ability was pioneered on Amazon Music's app and now Spotify has copied it. Your library is in the cloud. Your playlist is in the cloud. You just have to ask for it!

And unlike Apple, Amazon is offering its products for cheap. Apple is so busy protecting its margins that it's leaving customers out. Do I really want to invest four figures for a phone? I know, it's a computer, but you do feel a bit ripped-off, right?

Instead of establishing a monopoly and defending it, the Apple Way, Amazon is opening their devices to everybody with the hope that through sheer ubiquity and ability to interface they'll end up with a monopoly anyway.

And whereas only a couple of Apple products have ever failed, Amazon and Google fail all the time, but they keep plowing forward. They get it wrong, and they get it right. Like with the Fire Phone. Most companies would hide their tail between their legs and retreat, but not Amazon.

Is this good for the world?

Voice control is. Make things easier and people will pay, especially if they're perceived as cool.

But so much power in the hands of one company under the direction of one man?

Bezos seems to be able to accomplish more than anybody in Washington. And he single-handedly resurrected the "Washington Post."

Just when you think we've seen all the tech tricks...

There are more.


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The Emmy Ratings

Goin' down...down, down, down, down, DOWN! As Don Nix so famously wrote.

What did they used to say, tweeting would save event television? That live was everything?

Utter hogwash.

You've got to read the pundits' comments on why the Emmy ratings tanked. The shows were too sophisticated, they didn't feature meat and potato actors, the performers are left wing... Bottom line, NOBODY WANTS TO WATCH!

The music business got over this. They learned it was a world of niches, other than the Grammy Awards, which are coasting on the payments of CBS and will lack innovation until the contract runs out and the whole enterprise craters.

Welcome to corporate America, where no one has a stake and as long as you're getting paid, you don't care and the goal is to hit your bonus. I was at lunch the other day with a futurist, he specializes in disruption, he's been advising banks, telling them that within five years the banking landscape will look completely different, the internet will rule, that most millennials have never been in a branch and they're sick and tired of the charges and what do the CEOs say they're gonna do? NOTHING! Because they're all on short term contracts and if they take action it will hurt their numbers and their stockholders will freak.

That's how the techies stole the country in the first place. Everybody in charge was asleep at the wheel, believing change was never gonna come, that they were entitled to their business.

What kind of crazy fucked-up world do we live in where the hottest medium, i.e. television, has horrific ratings for its awards show?

One in which we all watch different shows and need another life just to watch television there's so much product.

And why watch? If you're interested, the highlights will be all over the web and you can find out who wins instantly.

This is a funny process to watch. Sports were king. But as soon as people get the right to cancel ESPN they do. That's the main motivation for cutting the cord, the ridiculous fee paid for the sports channel that nobody watches. Hell, the old wave sports ESPN covers are uninteresting to the millennials. They'd rather watch gaming on Twitch or wherever.

Awards show are obsolete. And as Howard Stern said they're for wankers. If you need an award to validate yourself you've got much bigger issues. The best so often don't win, and the winners aren't remembered. So why do we need awards shows ANYWAY??

With my precious viewing time I don't want to be locked into a multi-hour self-congratulatory show. At least MTV had it right in the old days, the awards were secondary to the show. But now not only have the VMAs been eclipsed, but MTV too. Who wants to wait to see a video? Those are on demand items online. Same deal with radio. But every time I say radio's tanking I'm inundated with lifers who tell me I don't get it and their stations are burgeoning. Then I go to an event and ask how many people's kids listen to the radio AND NO ONE RAISES THEIR HANDS!

Radio can be reinvented, be about news and talk and interaction. And the music stations need culture, but we see none of this on the terrestrial band. As for digital, do you know ANYONE who listens to Beats 1? I'm sure Zane Lowe is regretting his move to the service. Hell, Tuma Basa had a far greater impact at Rap Caviar. Then again, Beats 1 was hatched under Jimmy Iovine, hear his name lately? He's been banished to the backwater, because he's just too old and doesn't get it. He not busy being born is busy dying.

And contrary to the ridiculous concept that today's audience has a short attention span, look at the bingeing of multi-episode shows. People just have an incredible shit detector. They tune out if it's not great. Come on, admit it, how many times have you pulled up a vaunted show and watched an episode, or even ten minutes, and shut it off and never returned. But you're supposed to tune in at an appointed time to see this lame show that is so self-centered it appeals to nobody? And even if it appealed to the audience, few would still watch it, because WHY?

Why should I?

TV is not scarce. Awards are not scarce. And we're all stars of our own movie. Just look at the number of YouTube videos uploaded every day, every MINUTE!

Maybe awards shows are history, like vaudeville, like variety shows. To everything there's a season, turn, turn, turn. Unlike the Oscars, TV is in its heyday, we're all addicted. Fewer movie tickets have been sold every year, grosses only go up because prices are higher. And the content is narrow.

But on TV you can see EVERYTHING! There's a channel, a show for every interest. I'm not big on research, but at least Netflix uses its data to make the shows people want to watch. Netflix knows what I like. Do the Emmys know what I like? Of course not, they're holier-than-thou. That's the entire entertainment industry before disruption.

Then again, the music business believes we're only interested in a narrow slice of product, at this point hip-hop. Give Netflix kudos for making a broad spectrum of shows and PROMOTING THEM! Do you see Spotify promoting that which is not popular, just because it's GOOD?

No.

So ignore the caterwauling. The TV business is healthy, and will only be more so in the future. Because it reflects real life, even better than the old king, music. Sure, some channels are gonna go by the wayside, there's a limit to how many outlets a customer will pay for, but we live in a nation addicted to the flat screen.

But that does not mean it cares about the Emmys.

I LOVED Merritt Wever in "Godless." Jeff Daniels played against type and knocked it out of the park in the same series. They deserve awards, they were better than the show itself. You're' telling me we're reverting to the millennial ethos where everybody gets a trophy? That the tripe on the networks should be rewarded? If you think the people propping up those shows don't have high-speed internet and DVRs and Netflix you're wrong. Ain't that Hollywood, they've got contempt for everybody else. But the truth is the audience is more sophisticated than the purveyors. It was no different during the era of Napster. But oldsters still want fans to buy and listen to entire albums, it's like they're living in 1979.

We live in an overbooked, on demand culture. It takes a lot to reach us and if you don't hook us we move on. We're willing to go deep, but only when we want to. We need entertainment, but not necessarily yours.

Welcome to the new reality.


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The Ticketmaster Nightmare

"'A public relations nightmare': Ticketmaster recruits pros for secret scalper program": https://bit.ly/2MLd4ps

The pubic doesn't understand ticketing. People believe they're entitled to a front row seat for face price to all shows. Furthermore, they've been abused. They used to line up and now they've got to get up in the morning to find out they can't buy tickets and all the seats are bought by bots. Those damn scalpers, they're the problem!

Only they're not. First, blame the acts. Second, blame Ticketmaster.

Music is opaque. The most immediate medium, only the song is for real. After that... Well, there's studio trickery and lies. But this is an industry built on hype and image, and no one wants to mess with that. They say the show is sold out when it isn't. They say the act has reached a milestone when it hasn't. Meanwhile, you still want to go and experience your favorite act live.

Recorded music distribution has been worked out, with streaming. But acts HATE IT! Because it reveals truth. I.e. nobody is listening to your music. Used to be you could fake it, with radio play and artificial statistics. Now you're not in the top fifty, not even in the top hundred, and people cherry-pick the hits and you're not making what you used to and somehow it's the streaming service's fault.

But the streaming services are run by youngsters praying to a different god. Tech is all about transparency, there's a different playing field. I'm not saying there are not shenanigans, but much fewer, and the music business HATES THIS!

Music has been a thug business. Based on intimidation forever. Music wants no light shined upon it the same way Trump doesn't want you to see his tax returns. If you saw how the sausage was made you'd be horrified. And heads would roll.

Will heads roll at Ticketmaster?

Now what you have to know is all the money is in ticketing. Once Clear Channel became Live Nation and Michael Rapino failed in trying to get the acts to take a haircut, promoters have overpaid the acts, given them all the ticket revenue, the profit is in the ticketing itself.

The fees. Those don't all go to Ticketmaster. They're shared with the building, the promoter, sometimes the act itself. But almost all the profit is in selling the ticket itself. That's the essence of the CBC article, one people will miss while they rail at the damn scalpers.

"...resale tickets are particularly lucrative for Ticketmaster because the company charges fees twice on the same ticket.

So, for example, if Ticketmaster collects $25.75 on a $209.50 ticket on the initial sale, when the owner posts it for resale for $400 on the site, the company stands to collect an additional $76 on the same ticket."

That's all you need to know.

All this Verified Fan hogwash, all these paeans to the customer, they're all secondary to the bottom line. It's very simple, this is a business, Ticketmaster is part of Live Nation, and the company is public and the numbers have to go up. How can they?

Well, via festivals and sponsorships. Festivals are owned by promoters and there's tons of money left over after paying the acts, assuming the gig is successful. And sponsorship is the hidden profit center. But really, it's about those fees. All those shows promoted by Live Nation, think of all those profits on those resold tickets, that's GOLD!

So what happens now?

The acts are afraid of looking greedy. They don't want to charge what the ticket is worth. There's been some improvement, with gold circle/I Love All Access, great seats for their true market value. But the rest of the house?

Then there's flex pricing. Works for the Stones, but they're in a league of their own, and they've been seen as mercenary for decades. As for Taylor Swift... The grosses were high, but fans were pissed off at the prices and sales were soft, especially in the U.K.

So what's the solution?

Either sell the tickets for what they're worth or go paperless.

But no one likes these options. Ticketmaster makes less money, the act is seen as ripping-fans off and these same fans want transferability, they don't want to be tied to the ticket, in some cases the fans are trying to resell the tickets themselves, although this is a fool's errand in today's bot culture.

But, once again, all the blame is put upon the scalpers. The bad guys. Who are giving people what they want, the ability to pay fair price to attend shows. The scalpers are not going away as long as tickets are underpriced. And now that Ticketmaster has integrated the scalped tickets with the primary scalping has been institutionalized.

You might see this as an inability to stop technology, but really it's nothing of the sort. This is all about making MONEY!

Will there be a Congressional hearing? Will there be laws? Elected officials can't understand the ticketing business and the laws always get it wrong.

Since Live Nation is a public company will heads roll?

Possibly, look what happened after the #MeToo movement.

Furthermore, especially in this era where experience is king, don't expect fans to hold back, they want to go.

So I don't expect any real change.

But there could be.


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This Week's Podcast-ME At The Capitol Congress

I was supposed to be the moderator.

Every couple of years, when the schedule is full, when the hammer is about to be put down, Steve Barnett unites the worldwide Capitol/Universal team for a confab in Hollywood. With new releases by no less than Troye Sivan and Paul McCartney in the pipeline, this year's Capitol Congress was slated for August 8th.

It's held at the ArcLight Hollywood. One theatre is...the theatre, the adjacent one is the green room. And in the middle of said afternoon, I got a text that my panel was delayed, because of the appearance of a special guest. But when I connected with Ambrosia, Capitol's PR majordomo, she hinted if I wanted to come meet this special guest...

I decided to come early.

But just before I got on the freeway, I started to get texts wondering when I was going to arrive. Huh? I didn't need to be there for hours, I was coming EARLY!

And I did. I hung around the green room conversing until suddenly they switched the schedule, could I now go on before the special guest?

SURE!

It was quarter to three, they said my team would go on at 3:10.

Oh, by this time my team was only two, Tim Ingham and myself. It had gone from a moderated panel to a conversation. Which was cool, but I was worried whether Tim would ask me questions, but he seemed nice and gracious in e-mail and it was all copacetic until...

Ten to three. When I was asked if I could vamp for a few minutes because Tim was running late.

OF COURSE!

Although I was worried what to cover and what not to before Tim's arrival.

And then minutes before three they said Tim was not coming, I had to do it alone. And we were gonna go on at 3:02.

Hmm...

I was walking from one theatre to the other saying to myself THIS IS SHOW BUSINESS and THE SHOW MUST GO ON and when I hit the stage I winged it.

This podcast is the result.

P.S. In case you don't know, the special guest was Paul McCartney. You can hear his Capitol Congress interview with Marc Maron here: https://bit.ly/2OmR1Hf

Listen to me at the Capitol Congress on...

TuneIn: 
https://listen.tunein.com/CapitolCongressLetter

Apple: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/capitol-congress/id1316200737?i=1000419963548&mt=2

Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/m/D2bbl5gndsfkwews4pelk43v5dq?t=Capitol_Congress-The_Bob_Lefsetz_Podcast

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

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/bob-lefsetz/capitol-congress

Overcast: https://overcast.fm/+LBr8fNeHM

Castbox: https://castbox.fm/episode/Capitol-Congress-id1099656-id92617645?country=us


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Lefsetz vs. Flom ON TOUR

Roll up for the mystery tour!

That's right, for the benefit of Mr. Kite there won't be a show tonight, but starting in October there will be. From Boston to Toronto to Brooklyn to Manhattan to Los Angeles to San Francisco. That's right, from Beantown to T.O. to the Big Apple to Tinseltown to the City by the Bay, Jason and I will be taking our show on the road.

What does this involve?

An up close and personal with personalities who refuse to hold back and will speak the truth about not only the music business, but politics and law...did you know Jason's a driver of the Innocence Project and has gotten numerous wrongly convicted people out of jail? YOU DO NOW! And you think you know everything about me, but this newsletter is an edited take. Come to the show and...

Jason will be interviewing me and I'll be interviewing Jason and we'll answer the questions you want to know, like how did Flom sign all those acts and how did I go from zero to where I am now.

How did this happen?

Jason said he got a bigger reaction doing my podcast than all the other press he's done previously COMBINED! It was his idea to go on the road. I decided to go along. You see Jason doesn't always hit, but his ratio of success is legendary, and I want some of what he's got.

So we were in Toronto at Canadian Music Week, having a long conversation with Canadian rappers, there is such a thing, and Jason proffered this idea. And when I awoke he already had an agent and the tour was already rolling down the pike.

Marc Geiger is the majordomo agent. And he and his team have booked this experiment to see if you want to come, DO YOU?

Prices are low.

Buildings are small.

I guess you get to decide.

But I've gotten an education. I thought I knew a lot about the business, but only when your own show goes on the road do you really learn what's involved. The offer process. The ticket pricing process. The routing process. Actually, we were gonna do Chicago and D.C. too. But then the dates flipped, so instead of playing D.C. and then Chicago, which makes logical travel sense, it became the reverse. You see every venue is not available on every evening. And the new routing required we twiddle our thumbs and burn time in between gigs so this time around we decided to pass on those cities.

And then there was copy and artwork.

Copy is my department.

As for photographs, they were shot on the eve of Rosh Hashanah by attorney Ken Hertz, photographer extraordinaire. But if you think this is a shoestring operation, you'd be wrong. Boston and Toronto are promoted by Live Nation and Brooklyn is promoted by The Bowery Presents and Manhattan is City Winery and L.A. is Spaceland and San Francisco is Goldenvoice. So this is a professional production, the only amateurs are US!

Then again, Jason is famous for his keynote speeches and jokes, a couple of which he's sure to tell on stage. And I've done tons of live dates too, but I can't guarantee Gene Simmons will show up...

Now hype is not my forte. But in this world if you don't tell people, they don't know. And if you don't believe in yourself, nobody else will.

So...A SPLENDID TIME IS GUARANTEED FOR ALL!

Saturday October 13 - Boston - Tsai Center at Boston University: $30 - http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/0100552AD856A2FA

Sunday October 14 - Toronto-Phoenix Concert Theatre: $75, $50, $35 (CAD) - http://www.ticketmaster.ca/event/10005525EB259B45

Tuesday October 16 - Brooklyn- Rough Trade - $25 - http://axs.com/events/361234/lefsetz-vs-flom-no-holds-barred-tickets?skin=roughtrade

Thursday October 18 - New York - The Loft at City Winery: $35, $28, $22 - https://citywinery.com/theloft/lefsetz-vs-flom-at-the-loft-10-18.html

Monday October 29 - Los Angeles - The Regent - $20 ($27 day of show) - http://www.ticketfly.com/event/1760739

Tuesday October 30 - San Francisco - Great American Music Hall - $25-$49.95 - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lefsetz-vs-flom-no-holds-barred-gamh-tickets-50004121674

Of course there will be fees on top of these prices, but we don't control those!

Needless to say, we couldn't do this tour without not only the promoters, but Marc and his assistant Jesse Robbins, who has done yeoman's duty shepherding these novices down the slope.

So, this is a cheap night out. And they tell me it's all about experiences these days, and you're gonna have one!

P.S. You know me, but just in case you don't know Jason...ah, what the hell, I'll print all the hype:

Jason Flom is one of the most successful A&R people of all time, having signed everybody from Kid Rock to Katy Perry, Tori Amos to Lorde and now Greta Van Fleet. "The Lefsetz Letter" is read by a who's who in the music business, from Michael Rapino to Drake, from Irving Azoff to Steven Tyler. Come see Jason and Bob debate the issues that matter in today's cacophonous music business world, from getting signed, to marketing and distribution. Expect a no-holds barred conversation where names are named and foibles and successes are illuminated. If you want to hear how the music business really works, THIS IS THE PLACE!

Jason Flom is the Founder and CEO of Lava Records, Lava Music Publishing, and Lava Media, LLC. Flom previously served as Chairman and CEO at Atlantic Records, Virgin Records, and Capitol Music Group, and he is personally responsible for launching acts such as Katy Perry, Kid Rock, Lorde, and Greta Van Fleet. He is a leading philanthropist and expert on criminal justice issues and an internationally recognized and celebrated public speaker. Flom is the founding board member of the Innocence Project and serves on the boards of numerous criminal justice reform organizations. He is the host of the hit podcast, Wrongful Conviction, now in its sixth season, which features interviews with men and women who have spent decades in prison for crimes they did not commit, some even sentenced to death. Flom's love for animals inspired his latest project, the children's book Lulu Is a Rhinoceros, co-written with his daughter Allison Flom and released in June, 2018. The book explores social themes addressing individuality, tolerance, and most importantly, acceptance, and launched with partnerships including Bonobos, Zappos, and the African Wildlife Foundation.

Bob Lefsetz, Santa Monica-based industry legend, is the author of the e-mail newsletter, "The Lefsetz Letter." Famous for being beholden to no one and speaking the truth, Lefsetz addresses the issues that are at the core of the music business: streaming, ticketing and the music itself. His intense brilliance captivates readers from Steven Tyler to Drake to Deadmau5 to Quincy Jones to music business honchos like Michael Rapino, Jay Marciano, Steve Barnett and Irving Azoff. In these days of turmoil, "The Lefsetz Letter" is a must-read. Never boring, always entertaining, Mr. Lefsetz's insights are fueled by his stint as an entertainment business attorney, majordomo of Sanctuary Music's American division and consultancies to major labels.

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