Time was, I went to a lot of concerts. Working in radio, print and music retail afforded me ample opportunities to see shows. Over the years though, my interest waned. These days, it’s rare that a group excites me much these days. 2009, however, brought two very exciting acts.
Both groups are at once very similar, and yet starkly different. Appealing to my love of ‘80s era synth-pop, Owl City and LIGHTS make music that is reminiscent of that decade. The tunes are not only energetic, but listenable and catchy as well. Much of latter day electronic music lacks the latter two attributes.
Owl City’s solo member, Adam Young, grew up in a rural Minnesota town, and had scarcely ventured beyond the land of 10,000 lakes until a he started making music. LIGHTS, whose real name is Valerie Anne Poxleitner, was born and raised in Canada. Her parents, who were missionaries, took her all over the world. Both picked up a guitar around the age of 11, and began writing songs. Both switched to electronics to fully realize their musical visions. The two also love the baby Jesus, though they are not Christian rockers. LIGHTS is bubbly and instantly engaging. Young seems shyer, and still seems to be adjusting to all of his new-found adoration.
The two groups, along with a band called Deas Vail, played here in Cincinnati this past Wednesday. What an incredible show! Deas Vail started the evening with their brand of rootsy Midwestern rock, and the crowd was quite responsive. After the show, they managed to sell quite a few CDs to the exiting crowd, while shaking hands and autographing their wares. A nice bunch of young people.
LIGHTS took the stage next. Slinging her “key-tar” for most of her set she favored the crowd with songs from her debut CD The Listening. Assisted by another keyboardist as well as a live drummer, the Toronto native kept the crowd bopping with her songs “Saviour,” “February Air,” “Lions!” and “River.” She too hung out after the show, meeting fans and signing merchandise. A lovely young woman who hopefully will start to get the recognition she deserves.
Owl City hit the stage right at nine o’clock. Those who had seen live clips of the group on YouTube were in for a pleasant surprise. Instead of Adam Young, one partner and several computers doing the work, a full live band strolled on stage. First out were two young women, one playing the violin, the other playing the cello. The backing band was rounded out by a live drummer, two keyboardists and of course Young.
With just the strings playing, most of the audience recognized the song “Umbrella Beach.” After a few bars, the rest of the band kicked in and Owl City exploded through their one hour set. Though Young admittedly doesn’t know OMD from ODB, he figured out what many synth pioneers figured out years ago. Groups like Thompson Twins and Heaven 17 learned early in their careers that having a live band on stage was far more interesting than a bunch of people poking away at keyboards while one band member sings. Indeed, Young even broke out an electric guitar for several tunes.
“Fireflies,” of course, got the biggest response and had the crowd singing along at the top of their lungs. However, the crowd sang along to several other songs as well. This made me wonder. The sponsoring radio station, top 40 Q-102, has yet to play another song from the current album Ocean Eyes. Or anything by LIGHTS. It seems unlikely the crowd reaction will change their minds. Why lead when you can follow?
Tin-eared radio programmers aside, and in spite of the travesty of them not being nominated for a Grammy, it’s been a very promising beginning for both artists. We’ve seen this before, though. A group rockets out of the gate with a great debut, only to fall to Earth a few months later. I’d be a little heartbroken if that happened to either LIGHST or Owl City.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Phrases that must go
I have had this list for ages, and have tried to sell it as a magazine piece with no success. Still, I believe in the work and thusly present it here.
There are thousands of magazines and newspapers in North America, featuring the works of thousands more journalists and writers. Yet a look through many of them would have you believing they all learned to write from the same insipid handbook. Here now, is a list of pre-packaged phrases that must be stricken from all media.
Drink the Kool Aid
I almost forgot this one, but when I remembered it I put it right at the top of the list. Employed to describe a situation in which people follow someone’s line of thinking, without examining all of the facts.
It is derived from the so-called Jonestown massacre of 1979. You’ll recall cult leader Jim Jones convinced his followers to commit mass suicide at their settlement in the jungle of Guyana. The plan was carried out by poisoning tubs of Kool Aid from which the cult members drank.
Look, I don’t care how carelessly people subscribe to someone’s thinking, I don’t need to be reminded of dead woman and children in the South American rain forest. But if you think about it, it really is the same thing. A difference in philosophy and 918 dead people? Yeah, that’s exactly the same thing.
In another notable cruel twist, Jones actually used a different brand of drink mix for hideous deed. Bet the folks at Kraft Foods (makers of Kool Aid), love that.
Mother of All
Deceased dictator Saddam Hussien launched this one during Gulf War I in 1990, when he proclaimed the coalition invasion of Iraq would result in the “Mother of All Battles.”
It is now the catch phrase of choice for people describing some huge, or allegedly, huge event. Ironically its infiltration into our language has done for more damage to this country than any WMDs Saddam could possibly have had.
…From Hell
As near as we can tell, this one can be traced back to comedian Richard Lewis, who in the mid-80s said, in his stand-up routine, mentioned that his Grandfather had “breath from Hell.” It’s not his fault, of course.
But now “morning zookeepers” everywhere get the “caller from Hell,” everyone has a “day from Hell,” and we of course, are forever saddled with this, “the cliche from Hell.”
Got…?
Created as a slogan for the California Dairy Processing board, this single word has permeated the language like no other. Everyone from high school drama clubs to knitting circles now use it on t-shirts and bumper stickers, though they cleverly replace milk with softball, yarn, snacks---everything except an original idea.
Not Your Father’s…
Another ad slogan gone awry, and oddly, it was one that wasn’t that brilliant in the first place.
The late GM nameplate Oldsmobile, and its advertising agency, desperate to prove the automaker’s cars were young and hip in the ’80s, came up with this ditty. It now is the pre-fab saying of choice for those trying to sell you on the idea that something old is really hip, or has a new twist when this very phrase proves otherwise.
Baaaack
When some celebrity, or other newsworthy individual has been absent from the public eye for any period of time, and then resurfaces, his or her return is announced with this little annoyance.
Knicked from the 1982 (!) film Poltergeist thousands of hacks have used this as a headline for some lame article detailing the triumphant return, and journalists (or his editor’s) own (un)-cleverness.
15 Minutes of Fame
Spin Magazine called for an end to this one almost 20 years ago. Journalists and other media types, however, read, “let’s never, ever let Andy Warhol’s quote die!”
People still try to give it a fresh coat of paint by rewording it, or only merely mentioning the 15 minutes part. Is it possible that they think this mindless cultural reference will help them become famous?
Fear and Loathing
Reporting on some gathering and need a funny title? Can’t think of anything original? You’re not alone. How about borrowing from the late Hunter S. Thompson, and morphing the title of his famous book, and subsequent movie, into something you can use.
It’s hard to figure out which is more irritating. People using this to title some dreadful magazine article, or the words “Gonzo Journalist” being tacked on in front of Thompson’s name any time he turned up in the news.
-gate
It’s the suffix everyone reaches for whenever a political scandal breaks. Ironically, once the event has been in the news for a few days, people start asking when we will stop attaching “gate” to words in order to describe scandal. Apparently no time soon.
There are thousands of magazines and newspapers in North America, featuring the works of thousands more journalists and writers. Yet a look through many of them would have you believing they all learned to write from the same insipid handbook. Here now, is a list of pre-packaged phrases that must be stricken from all media.
Drink the Kool Aid
I almost forgot this one, but when I remembered it I put it right at the top of the list. Employed to describe a situation in which people follow someone’s line of thinking, without examining all of the facts.
It is derived from the so-called Jonestown massacre of 1979. You’ll recall cult leader Jim Jones convinced his followers to commit mass suicide at their settlement in the jungle of Guyana. The plan was carried out by poisoning tubs of Kool Aid from which the cult members drank.
Look, I don’t care how carelessly people subscribe to someone’s thinking, I don’t need to be reminded of dead woman and children in the South American rain forest. But if you think about it, it really is the same thing. A difference in philosophy and 918 dead people? Yeah, that’s exactly the same thing.
In another notable cruel twist, Jones actually used a different brand of drink mix for hideous deed. Bet the folks at Kraft Foods (makers of Kool Aid), love that.
Mother of All
Deceased dictator Saddam Hussien launched this one during Gulf War I in 1990, when he proclaimed the coalition invasion of Iraq would result in the “Mother of All Battles.”
It is now the catch phrase of choice for people describing some huge, or allegedly, huge event. Ironically its infiltration into our language has done for more damage to this country than any WMDs Saddam could possibly have had.
…From Hell
As near as we can tell, this one can be traced back to comedian Richard Lewis, who in the mid-80s said, in his stand-up routine, mentioned that his Grandfather had “breath from Hell.” It’s not his fault, of course.
But now “morning zookeepers” everywhere get the “caller from Hell,” everyone has a “day from Hell,” and we of course, are forever saddled with this, “the cliche from Hell.”
Got…?
Created as a slogan for the California Dairy Processing board, this single word has permeated the language like no other. Everyone from high school drama clubs to knitting circles now use it on t-shirts and bumper stickers, though they cleverly replace milk with softball, yarn, snacks---everything except an original idea.
Not Your Father’s…
Another ad slogan gone awry, and oddly, it was one that wasn’t that brilliant in the first place.
The late GM nameplate Oldsmobile, and its advertising agency, desperate to prove the automaker’s cars were young and hip in the ’80s, came up with this ditty. It now is the pre-fab saying of choice for those trying to sell you on the idea that something old is really hip, or has a new twist when this very phrase proves otherwise.
Baaaack
When some celebrity, or other newsworthy individual has been absent from the public eye for any period of time, and then resurfaces, his or her return is announced with this little annoyance.
Knicked from the 1982 (!) film Poltergeist thousands of hacks have used this as a headline for some lame article detailing the triumphant return, and journalists (or his editor’s) own (un)-cleverness.
15 Minutes of Fame
Spin Magazine called for an end to this one almost 20 years ago. Journalists and other media types, however, read, “let’s never, ever let Andy Warhol’s quote die!”
People still try to give it a fresh coat of paint by rewording it, or only merely mentioning the 15 minutes part. Is it possible that they think this mindless cultural reference will help them become famous?
Fear and Loathing
Reporting on some gathering and need a funny title? Can’t think of anything original? You’re not alone. How about borrowing from the late Hunter S. Thompson, and morphing the title of his famous book, and subsequent movie, into something you can use.
It’s hard to figure out which is more irritating. People using this to title some dreadful magazine article, or the words “Gonzo Journalist” being tacked on in front of Thompson’s name any time he turned up in the news.
-gate
It’s the suffix everyone reaches for whenever a political scandal breaks. Ironically, once the event has been in the news for a few days, people start asking when we will stop attaching “gate” to words in order to describe scandal. Apparently no time soon.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Privacy
As Americans we have always been concerned with privacy. Some site the fourth amendment, search and seizure, as an example of the value our founding fathers placed on privacy. Of course that amendment deals primarily with the power that law enforcement officials have to obtain evidence in the investigation of a crime, or indeed, a suspected crime. The matter has been debated ever since, with various laws and legal opinions being issued. However, all of these arguments have primarily addressed government’s handling of our personal information. Businesses, or fellow citizens are another matter.
Which bring us to the greatest clearing house of personal information, our old friend the Internet. Like a giant black hole, the ‘net sucks in information about us, no matter how cagey, or guarded we are. What’s on the other side of the black hole is anyone’s guess. Of course businesses have been doing this for ages, well before the web sank its roots into out cultural soil. Direct mail thrived on this gathering of information. The things you bought with your credit cards, how much you bought, where you bough it, the magazines you subscribe to---are all good indications of the kind of junk mail you might like to find in the post. Or not.
While the practice had a hint of creepiness, it was, for the most part, viewed as innocuous. So I buy a Cleveland Browns jacket, and I get an NFL catalog in the mail from a separate company. Big deal. I might even look at the catalog, and order more stuff. Nice marketing.
The Internet has made this a bit more worrisome, perhaps because of how vast it is. OK I don’t mind an NFL catalog showing up in my mailbox, even my e-mail inbox. I have “junk email” account for such things, and I often find some nice deals and coupons that way.
What bothers most people, I think, and this may be stating the obvious, is that we just don’t know exactly what information about us is out there, or who exactly is looking at it. Even to a marketer I’m a dull guy. I like my pro sports, the new wave music and comedy. It’s other stuff that I’m not real sure anyone needs to know, even if it is equally has harmless. Stuff I bought my wife, newspaper stories I looked up---come to think of it, what about stuff taken out of context? Things I looked up to parody or satire in the course of my comedy writing or journalism pursuits? Do I trust just anyone to discern why I’m looking up say, a map of Central America? Am I up to no good, planning an escape, a vacation, or curious about pre-Colombian civilization. It’s the latter if you’re wondering Ms. or Mr. marketer.
Businesses argue that Facebook and Twitter show that your garden-variety Internet user talks a good game when it comes to privacy, but is really just hypocritical. I disagree. With Facebook and Twitter you have some measure of control over who is seeing your posts. Some people are exhibitionists of sorts, and don’t care who sees what. Others just like to keep friends, family and some acquaintances up to date.
Someone once said “don’t so anything online that you wouldn’t do in the town square,” and that’s probably sound advice. However, a lot of people might view a one on one conversation in public as still private. We’ll never get the genie back in the bottle, and folks appear to be willing to expect a certain level of risk in exchange for the convenience and power of the web. If the worst should come to the worst, you can always just opt out---totally.
Which bring us to the greatest clearing house of personal information, our old friend the Internet. Like a giant black hole, the ‘net sucks in information about us, no matter how cagey, or guarded we are. What’s on the other side of the black hole is anyone’s guess. Of course businesses have been doing this for ages, well before the web sank its roots into out cultural soil. Direct mail thrived on this gathering of information. The things you bought with your credit cards, how much you bought, where you bough it, the magazines you subscribe to---are all good indications of the kind of junk mail you might like to find in the post. Or not.
While the practice had a hint of creepiness, it was, for the most part, viewed as innocuous. So I buy a Cleveland Browns jacket, and I get an NFL catalog in the mail from a separate company. Big deal. I might even look at the catalog, and order more stuff. Nice marketing.
The Internet has made this a bit more worrisome, perhaps because of how vast it is. OK I don’t mind an NFL catalog showing up in my mailbox, even my e-mail inbox. I have “junk email” account for such things, and I often find some nice deals and coupons that way.
What bothers most people, I think, and this may be stating the obvious, is that we just don’t know exactly what information about us is out there, or who exactly is looking at it. Even to a marketer I’m a dull guy. I like my pro sports, the new wave music and comedy. It’s other stuff that I’m not real sure anyone needs to know, even if it is equally has harmless. Stuff I bought my wife, newspaper stories I looked up---come to think of it, what about stuff taken out of context? Things I looked up to parody or satire in the course of my comedy writing or journalism pursuits? Do I trust just anyone to discern why I’m looking up say, a map of Central America? Am I up to no good, planning an escape, a vacation, or curious about pre-Colombian civilization. It’s the latter if you’re wondering Ms. or Mr. marketer.
Businesses argue that Facebook and Twitter show that your garden-variety Internet user talks a good game when it comes to privacy, but is really just hypocritical. I disagree. With Facebook and Twitter you have some measure of control over who is seeing your posts. Some people are exhibitionists of sorts, and don’t care who sees what. Others just like to keep friends, family and some acquaintances up to date.
Someone once said “don’t so anything online that you wouldn’t do in the town square,” and that’s probably sound advice. However, a lot of people might view a one on one conversation in public as still private. We’ll never get the genie back in the bottle, and folks appear to be willing to expect a certain level of risk in exchange for the convenience and power of the web. If the worst should come to the worst, you can always just opt out---totally.
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