So, Rob called me out (technically he called Darren out too but Darren doesn't have a functioning keyboard right now so I guess it is up to me). Yeah, last week Darren and I and a group of our mutual friends went out to see
Radiohead, live, at the
Verizon Wireless Amphitheater ... and despite the performances being amazing, and the set list being stellar I just couldn't enjoy myself. Every song was awesome. The stage was beautiful, couldn't have been a nicer night to go to a concert outside ... but. What this show did, in all it's magnificence and glory, was show me just how much I hate (HATE) big concert venues. Everyone on the stage was like a centimeter tall, all these people kept moving through the crowd, the ground was still a little wet from the previous night's rain, there was an abundance of smoke (of both kinds) in the air, it was the last thing I want from a concert. When I go to a show I like to be able to sit down and enjoy something resembling an intimate experience with the band I have paid my hard earned money to see. But none of that was to be had. When I go to shows at
The Pageant,
The Creepy Crawl,
The Blue Note,
The Duck Room,
The Billiken Club, hell even at The Red Sea ... I feel like I am in the same headspace as the crowd and the artist and the music itself. When I go to big venue shows I barely feel like I am in the same Zip Code ... but that's just me. I understand that there is no other way to see Radiohead anymore ... I understand that I could have paid more money and possibly have been closer ... I understand, trust me ... it doesn't mean I have to like it though. And as much as I appreciate Radiohead shucking the man off their back and releasing their record themselves and doing it in such a way as to be the opening shot in the revolution (Even though
Harvey Danger did it first) against the way that music has been made available to the masses I still don't think that gives them the right to charge $40 for a t-shirt ...
But anyway.
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