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Post by adderallrx on Mar 17, 2009 18:01:58 GMT -5
I am currently working on a piece with the working title of "Rye Whiskey and Adderall": How the THS has changed the live venue scene.
I would like to solicite some useful quotes from members about the band and the live music scene in the US.
Thanks
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Post by kim on Mar 17, 2009 21:23:03 GMT -5
What are you looking for, exactly? Personal experiences? Opinions? The topic and "useful quotes" is pretty broad.
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Post by adderallrx on Mar 17, 2009 22:04:23 GMT -5
Ok
How about personal experiences
Comparing/contrasting THS shows and crowds to other bands and crowds
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Post by semihollow on Mar 17, 2009 22:48:22 GMT -5
I'll say this, they smile and it makes me smile. I've only been to one show (the south gets no love). The entire time the people behind me were thrashing, which isn't a bad thing, i did my share for sure, but they were being very unpleasant about it. A girl beside me who was about 19 probably 5 feet nothing got elbowed in the face and when i asked them to be careful they poured beer on me and tried to knock me down the rest of the show. That experience doesn't leave me with a single bad memory because Franz shook my hand, because Craig pointed at me when i sang lyrics the rest of the crowd didn't know, and because Tad was more than willing to take a picture with me before the show. This band, more than any other I've ever heard, makes you want to be happy, it's an infectious thing. I brought people with me to this show who didn't like the band/want to be there, we ALL left happy. The Hold Steady has that effect on people.
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Post by mitch71 on Mar 18, 2009 12:03:13 GMT -5
I've only made it to one show as well, but I've been to plenty of other concerts. THS make the crowd respond to their show. People are singing with the lyrics, responding to one another, and the general vibe is great. They're coming out west in a couple weeks and I've been doing everything in my power to adjust my schedule to follow them. Like semihollow wrote, "they smile and it makes me smile" couldn't agree more.
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JonnyJay
True Scene Leader
It's official: US #180, raging at a show near you.
Posts: 809
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Post by JonnyJay on Mar 18, 2009 12:09:21 GMT -5
"We're all The Hold Steady!"
Pretty much sums it up.
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Post by mike on Mar 18, 2009 12:14:51 GMT -5
THS have "changed the live music scene" now? okay...
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Post by campfirewood1980 on Mar 18, 2009 14:48:20 GMT -5
You could make the argument that The Hold Steady are at the vanguard of a wave of live music that manages to erase walls between "performer" and "audience." Whatever change they may legitimately lay claim to in the live music scene, the secret seems to be in the illusion of averageness. Despite the brilliance in Finn's wordplay or the skill in the band's playing, the band seems to empower their audience with a feeling that they, too, could do something great.
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Admin
Midnight Hauler
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Post by Admin on Mar 18, 2009 15:45:14 GMT -5
"We're all The Hold Steady!" Pretty much sums it up. No, no, you forget JonnyJay, it's "were all the hold steady" |
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Post by kim on Mar 18, 2009 16:21:26 GMT -5
I don't know if THS has changed anything. Unless you have some points and examples, I think you could ask a fan of any band how that group is changing the live scene.
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lee
Hoodrat
unified scene #503. that's portland, everyone.
Posts: 411
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Post by lee on Mar 18, 2009 16:49:10 GMT -5
You could make the argument that The Hold Steady are at the vanguard of a wave of live music that manages to erase walls between "performer" and "audience." you mean like punk rock and hardcore did and does? look, i'm not trying to be a negative creep (ha!) here, but i am saying that they are not necessarily at the "vanguard" in this respect, but more of a continuation of the tradition that punk rock has been working on since its inception, more or less. i think that the band members would probably agree with me in this interpretation. jus' sayin'. |
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Post by campfirewood1980 on Mar 18, 2009 17:18:02 GMT -5
You could make the argument that The Hold Steady are at the vanguard of a wave of live music that manages to erase walls between "performer" and "audience." you mean like punk rock and hardcore did and does? No, I mean like garage rock did before that. While I agree that punk rock did pretty much what I've described, I would also argue that this is an expansion into an audience that might not have been in a position to have had this experience with punk. To at least one generation, if not two, "punk" and "hardcore" means less about Joe Strummer playing in a garage band from garageland or the Minutemen or any other band that Could Be Your Life than it was about "rebelling" via the Hot Topic at the mall and Fat Wreck Chords. The egalitarian message that the Hold Steady carries may be a rekindling of a previously-dwindled fire, but they are, unabashedly, carrying this message beyond the confines of "punk" or "hardcore" subcultures. For this, I'd say they're at the front of a change, even if it's a change that is similar to ones attempted in '77 or in '91. |
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lee
Hoodrat
unified scene #503. that's portland, everyone.
Posts: 411
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Post by lee on Mar 18, 2009 17:26:57 GMT -5
you mean like punk rock and hardcore did and does? The egalitarian message that the Hold Steady carries may be a rekindling of a previously-dwindled fire, but they are, unabashedly, carrying this message beyond the confines of "punk" or "hardcore" subcultures. For this, I'd say they're at the front of a change, even if it's a change that is similar to ones attempted in '77 or in '91. that is probably true, as far as the expansion goes, but i think the commodification aspect you bring up is a problem for any subculture with larger ambitions, and i think we are seeing the growing pains of ths' incarnation of the tradition with the reactions to their recent concert choices. inclusion is sticky, no? |
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Post by campfirewood1980 on Mar 18, 2009 17:34:17 GMT -5
Indeed it is.
With that said, I think that what we're seeing is much less of a crisis of integrity or a betrayal of philosophy than a forgivable decision in the name of paying the bills. Remember, The Clash toured with The Who after Moon died- hardly a "punk" touring partner for The Only Band That Mattered.
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lee
Hoodrat
unified scene #503. that's portland, everyone.
Posts: 411
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Post by lee on Mar 18, 2009 17:35:16 GMT -5
Indeed it is. With that said, I think that what we're seeing is much less of a crisis of integrity or a betrayal of philosophy than a forgivable decision in the name of paying the bills. i agree with you completely on that. i mean, far be it for me--who is not currently and has never been in a touring band, trying to make my living doing so--to tell anyone who is in that situation what is the right decision for them to make in that pursuit. i wish everyone made decsions like fugazi does, but i don't begrudge bands who do not. i will be hugely supportive when they do, and will try to be reasonably understanding when they make choices otherwise. |
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Post by campfirewood1980 on Mar 18, 2009 17:53:21 GMT -5
I don't know if the Fugazi model is workable when band members have dependents... Could the $5 model be adjusted for inflation?
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Post by mike on Mar 20, 2009 6:40:51 GMT -5
they are not necessarily at the "vanguard"...but more of a continuation of the tradition. i think that the band members would probably agree with me in this interpretation. all that needs saying, if you ask me. superb band? of course. cultural trailblazers? not really. |
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Post by brldsguise on Mar 20, 2009 7:06:33 GMT -5
Comparing THS (who I have seen 10 times) Bruce Springsteen (who I have seen 80 times), I would say that THS fans are more there for the moment. A good analogy would be comparing a Bruce Springsteen concert in NJ with one in Europe. In NJ there is a lot more thought as to the setlist, comparisons with previous shows etc. In Europe it seemed the crowd was there to simply celebrate the music.
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Post by campfirewood1980 on Mar 20, 2009 11:24:31 GMT -5
they are not necessarily at the "vanguard"...but more of a continuation of the tradition. i think that the band members would probably agree with me in this interpretation. all that needs saying, if you ask me. superb band? of course. cultural trailblazers? not really. They may not be trailblazers... but they're doing a much-needed job of clearing out the brush that had grown up over that particular trail in the last couple of decades. |
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Post by mike on Mar 20, 2009 11:35:14 GMT -5
all that needs saying, if you ask me. superb band? of course. cultural trailblazers? not really. They may not be trailblazers... but they're doing a much-needed job of clearing out the brush that had grown up over that particular trail in the last couple of decades. not really. a good band forming doesn't make all the crappy bands go away. i'm really a big, big hold steady fan, i just think people should have a bit of perspective. there's been kick-ass rock'n'roll bands playing great live shows that make people feel good since way before i was born, so the idea that they've "changed the live venue scene" seems utterly preposterous to me. edited for unnecessary grumpiness. |
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Post by kim on Mar 20, 2009 12:00:43 GMT -5
They may not be trailblazers... but they're doing a much-needed job of clearing out the brush that had grown up over that particular trail in the last couple of decades. not really. a good band forming doesn't make all the crappy bands go away. i'm really a big, big hold steady fan, i just think people should have a bit of perspective. there's been kick-ass rock'n'roll bands playing great live shows that make people feel good since way before i was born, so the idea that they've "changed the live venue scene" seems utterly preposterous to me. edited for unnecessary grumpiness. Agreed. As much as I adore THS and their live performances, it's nothing revolutionary. It's five dudes rocking out and having fun and connecting with their fans. I'd say the Flaming Lips have done more to change live music in more obvious ways. |
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Post by hoodrat on Mar 20, 2009 12:06:52 GMT -5
i realize "changed live music" is probably more than a bit hyperbolic. but they changed it for me. like many people here have said, i was not really going to shows or keeping up with new music much. THS changed that dramatically. " five dudes rocking out and having fun and connecting with their fans" seemed earth-shattering. even if, in the great scheme of things, it was not.
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Post by campfirewood1980 on Mar 20, 2009 12:20:58 GMT -5
I'd say the Flaming Lips have done more to change live music in more obvious ways. I strongly disagree. The Lips' live show owes a huge debt to bands like the Butthole Surfers. Gibby's not kidding in The Fearless Freaks when he says that, if you've seen a Surfers show, you've seen a Lips show. |
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Admin
Midnight Hauler
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Post by Admin on Mar 20, 2009 12:24:19 GMT -5
I'd say the Flaming Lips have done more to change live music in more obvious ways. I strongly disagree. The Lips' live show owes a huge debt to bands like the Butthole Surfers. Gibby's not kidding in The Fearless Freaks when he says that, if you've seen a Surfers show, you've seen a Lips show. They make that VERY clear in Our Band Can Be Your Life. |
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Post by mike on Mar 20, 2009 12:26:13 GMT -5
I'd say the Flaming Lips have done more to change live music in more obvious ways. I strongly disagree. The Lips' live show owes a huge debt to bands like the Butthole Surfers. Gibby's not kidding in The Fearless Freaks when he says that, if you've seen a Surfers show, you've seen a Lips show. that was definitely true in their early psych-noise days, but i think a lips show now is completely different to a butthole surfers show! they definitely owe a huge debt to the sensory-overload style of bs gigs, but i think they've taken that idea and run a long way with it over the years. |
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