{"id":114,"date":"2005-08-12T09:45:09","date_gmt":"2005-08-12T16:45:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lefsetz.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/archives\/2005\/08\/12\/tour-disappointments\/"},"modified":"2005-08-12T10:09:57","modified_gmt":"2005-08-12T17:09:57","slug":"tour-disappointments","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lefsetz.com\/wordpress\/2005\/08\/12\/tour-disappointments\/","title":{"rendered":"Tour Disappointments"},"content":{"rendered":"

JAMES TAYLOR<\/strong><\/p>\n

Well, can we call 10,000 a night a disappointment?<\/p>\n

Well, if capacity is 20,000.<\/p>\n

This is a classic JT summer tour.\u00c2\u00a0 I mean how many times have you seen it?\u00c2\u00a0
As the man gets ever-blander.\u00c2\u00a0 With too many backup singers and a focus on
sweet singing instead of meaning.<\/p>\n

Tickets ain’t stratospheric.\u00c2\u00a0 This ain’t Sting, reaching into your wallet,
STEALING the cash, winking as if he’s going to engage you in tantric sex after
the gig.\u00c2\u00a0 Before service charge(s), tickets are under seventy bucks.<\/p>\n

I don’t think if you lower the price you get more attendees.<\/p>\n

No, there’s been a shift in the marketplace.\u00c2\u00a0 Baby boomers have money, but
they want ACCESS!\u00c2\u00a0 They want to be up close and personal.\u00c2\u00a0 JT should be playing
living rooms charging $1,500 a ticket.<\/p>\n

Or small halls.\u00c2\u00a0 At even a hundred bucks a ticket.<\/p>\n

Everybody who’s going to see JT has been to an arena show, maybe even a
festival.\u00c2\u00a0 They know what it is to be far away.\u00c2\u00a0 They know what it is to use
binoculars.\u00c2\u00a0 To re-experience this in their fifties makes them feel inadequate, that
they’re just not rich enough.\u00c2\u00a0 They’ve got a 4,500 square foot house and a
foreign automobile, they’re paying forty grand for their kid to go to a private
college and they’re sitting in the nosebleed section?<\/p>\n

Actually, in this case it’s not even nosebleed.\u00c2\u00a0 It’s WAY BACK!\u00c2\u00a0 At the shed.<\/p>\n

This is why the shed is dead.\u00c2\u00a0 <\/p>\n

There’s no mania for JT.\u00c2\u00a0 You might want to relive your memories, but you
don’t HAVE TO!\u00c2\u00a0 Certainly not THIS YEAR!\u00c2\u00a0 And you know James will be back next
year, or the year after.\u00c2\u00a0 And, you know you can always get a ticket.<\/p>\n

We’re seeing a dying industry.\u00c2\u00a0 There’s a thin veil of superstars propping up
the business.\u00c2\u00a0 That people will go to see just to say they were there.\u00c2\u00a0 Like
the Stones and U2.\u00c2\u00a0 But you’re not going to sleep with your secretary by
coming into the office and saying you went to see James Taylor last night.\u00c2\u00a0
Actually, you’re too embarrassed to even say so.\u00c2\u00a0 It’s a private pleasure.<\/p>\n

I’d like to say if JT cut a hit it would make a difference.\u00c2\u00a0 It’s just that
his audience would never hear it.\u00c2\u00a0 They don’t listen to music radio, they’re
completely out of it.<\/p>\n

Maybe if he cut a standards record, like Rod Stewart.\u00c2\u00a0 Or a Motown album,
like Michael McDonald.\u00c2\u00a0 And went on the "Today Show", JT could sell out.\u00c2\u00a0 But
nah…JT made it on sincerity, and there’s no sincerity in those projects.<\/p>\n

Bob Dylan wrote the book on this one.\u00c2\u00a0 Are you an artist or an entertainer.\u00c2\u00a0
Artists slog through the wilderness, on a personal journey.\u00c2\u00a0 Sometimes the
audience catches up with them, sometimes not.\u00c2\u00a0 But artists garner respect.\u00c2\u00a0
Entertainers divert your attention, give you relief from the boredom of life.\u00c2\u00a0 Then
again, on some level James Taylor is bored himself.\u00c2\u00a0 If he’s got nothing to
say, if he’s just playing the same damn music again and again, maybe he should
stay home.<\/p>\n

\n

ALLMAN BROTHERS<\/strong><\/p>\n

The flag-bearers of blues-influenced jam band music have been superseded.\u00c2\u00a0
What’s next, the reunion tour with\u00c2\u00a0 Dickie Betts?<\/p>\n

Unlike James Taylor, the Allmans improvise.\u00c2\u00a0 It’s just that what they’re
improvising on is the same tunes you listened to thirty-odd years ago.\u00c2\u00a0 And you’ve
got to hang with twentysomethings, and feel dirty while you’re doing it.\u00c2\u00a0
You’re confused.\u00c2\u00a0 Exactly why are you going?\u00c2\u00a0 Is it worth it?\u00c2\u00a0 Or can you hang it
up and live on your memories?<\/p>\n

The Allmans are doing half the business of JT.\u00c2\u00a0 3,000-7,000 a night.\u00c2\u00a0 Not
exactly club work, but think of the overhead.\u00c2\u00a0 Think of how disappointing this
must be, how difficult it is to get your dick hard to play, to deliver.<\/p>\n

On one hand I think it’s over.\u00c2\u00a0 Then again, the present-day kings of jam, the
Dave Matthews Band, after stumbling at a few gigs, are selling out
everywhere.\u00c2\u00a0 Doing 20,000 a night, sometimes more.\u00c2\u00a0 If only the Allmans could play with them, take a few decades off the age of their audience.<\/p>\n

But shy of that, they’ve got to team up with another act.\u00c2\u00a0 Sometimes one plus
one is three, or even four.\u00c2\u00a0 Like with Def Leppard and Bryan Adams.\u00c2\u00a0 There’s
got to be an act the Allmans can tour with, to draw some eyeballs, to stop the
slide into irrelevance.<\/p>\n

AVRIL LAVIGNE<\/strong><\/p>\n

She means something in Canada.\u00c2\u00a0 And overseas.\u00c2\u00a0 But in the U.S., she’s close
to toast.<\/p>\n

I mean this girl ain’t doing any improvising.\u00c2\u00a0 How many times can you tour on
the same music?\u00c2\u00a0 How many times can prepubescent girls ask their parents to
see the same act?\u00c2\u00a0 I mean you can’t be over eighteen and see Avril, you risk
being arrested for child molestation.\u00c2\u00a0 I mean why else would you be there?\u00c2\u00a0
Certainly not the music.<\/p>\n

"Complicated" was a great track.\u00c2\u00a0 But that was YEARS AGO!\u00c2\u00a0 Don McLean can
tour forever on "American Pie", but at least he wrote that…<\/p>\n

Avril’s good for about 4,000 a night.\u00c2\u00a0 Not terrible, but anybody who attends
knows this isn’t where it’s at, can smell the stink, and isn’t going back.\u00c2\u00a0
This ain’t no building DMB ten years ago, or Frampton decades back, Avril peaked
at the beginning and it’s been downhill ever since.<\/p>\n

I hope her handlers know what they’re doing.\u00c2\u00a0 Taking all the cash they can
before she’s over.\u00c2\u00a0 Because they’re doing her career no service.\u00c2\u00a0 Then again,
does Avril have a career?<\/p>\n

\n


STEVIE NICKS<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Howard Kaufman formula.\u00c2\u00a0 Tour the shit out of an act til nobody wants to
see them anymore.<\/p>\n

You think her audience didn’t get enough of her on the Fleetwood Mac clean-up
tour?\u00c2\u00a0 With its endless legs to dwindling crowds at ridiculous prices?\u00c2\u00a0 I
mean Christine McVie didn’t participate, it was the Stevie and Lindsey show for
HOURS!\u00c2\u00a0 How much more do you need?<\/p>\n

Just because Jimmy Buffett can sell out every gig, is bulletproof, that
doesn’t mean every act fits this formula.\u00c2\u00a0 Jimmy’s sui generis.\u00c2\u00a0 You feel like if
you met him in a bar you could get down and party.\u00c2\u00a0 Whereas you don’t want to
party with Stevie and Steven Tyler.\u00c2\u00a0 They’re NOT everymen, they’re STARS!\u00c2\u00a0 But
if you can see them whenever you want, they’re stars no more.\u00c2\u00a0 You stop paying
attention, you stop looking.<\/p>\n

This is pure unadulterated greed.\u00c2\u00a0 Could it be that Stevie Nicks has so
little home life that she can’t see that she’s seen as a joke out on the road?<\/p>\n

And bringing along Vanessa Carlson is like Alfalfa bringing along Stymie.\u00c2\u00a0
Someone young and IRRELEVANT!<\/p>\n

This tour pulls in in the neighborhood of 3,500 to 7,000 (and that’s a RARE
great night).<\/p>\n

Don’t tell me that’s good business.\u00c2\u00a0 Especially when sometimes that’s twenty
five percent of capacity.\u00c2\u00a0 If you leave the mania out of rock all you’ve got
is business.\u00c2\u00a0 And if business were that sexy everybody wouldn’t want to be a
rock star.<\/p>\n

\n


EMINEM, 50 CENT, et al<\/strong><\/p>\n

Eminem’s so cold, he can refrigerate a room.\u00c2\u00a0 Unless he develops a sense of
humor about himself, or hands the musical reins to Dre, he’s done.\u00c2\u00a0 Well,
fading out.\u00c2\u00a0 People think his last album is irrelevant.\u00c2\u00a0 It sold heavily during the
fourth quarter Christmas rush, now you probably can’t even remember the
single.<\/p>\n

At the end of the day it’s about music, and Eminem’s facility is with words.\u00c2\u00a0
Maybe he should write a book, or dictate one.\u00c2\u00a0 Judith Regan, Ms. Bottomfisher
under the cloak of being a Vassar highbrow, are you READING?<\/p>\n

And Fitty…<\/p>\n

I don’t want to say too much shit for fear he’ll shoot me.\u00c2\u00a0 If this is the
biggest act in the business, we’re in serious trouble.\u00c2\u00a0 Let him sell his
records, let him swagger and boast, but can’t there be somebody BIGGER?\u00c2\u00a0
Someone who can make records and tour that we believe in?<\/p>\n

This tour is doing around 10,000-12,000 a night.\u00c2\u00a0 WITH Lil’ John included.\u00c2\u00a0
That’s not empty, but the price per gig wasn’t based on THIS number, but
something MUCH higher.<\/p>\n

Hip-hop is a recorded medium.\u00c2\u00a0 It’s good in a club, but you don’t want to see
it performed.\u00c2\u00a0 Live, it’s about musicianship.\u00c2\u00a0 Oh, no, I got it wrong, it’s
about SPECTACLE!\u00c2\u00a0 We want Madonna, Britney!\u00c2\u00a0 God, a rap spectacle…who cares?\u00c2\u00a0
Not nobody, but far from everybody.<\/p>\n

\n


CONCLUSION<\/strong><\/p>\n

It appears those in charge of the live business are just as dumb and out of
it as those running the major labels.\u00c2\u00a0 They think somehow they’re not at fault.
That it’s the PUBLIC!<\/p>\n

No, the public is hip.<\/p>\n

The public wants:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. A clear, final price.\u00c2\u00a0 Which is REASONABLE, which allows them to afford
    more than one gig a season.<\/li>\n
  2. Smaller venues.<\/li>\n
  3. People who can play.<\/li>\n
  4. To feel like they’re at an event, not a barn-raising for some wealthy
    entertainer who’s already got three residences.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    What this business needs is capital investment.\u00c2\u00a0 New theatres.<\/p>\n

    But only AEG seems to realize this.\u00c2\u00a0 Clear Channel is so busy picking up the
    pieces that they don’t realize the system is broken.\u00c2\u00a0 Drop the price of lawn
    tickets all you want, nobody WANTS to sit on the lawn.<\/p>\n

    Until everybody gets a lot less greedy, people will continue to stay away.<\/p>\n

    As far as grooming new acts to replace the aging dinosaurs…\u00c2\u00a0 That’s not how
    it worked.\u00c2\u00a0 Acts developed themselves.\u00c2\u00a0 Through relentless touring and
    endless product.\u00c2\u00a0 You couldn’t predict what would blow up.\u00c2\u00a0 And, the further you
    went out there creatively, the larger your audience, assuming you meant it.\u00c2\u00a0 See
    Tull’s "Thick As A Brick" for instruction.<\/p>\n

    Unfortunately, Kurt Cobain died for our sins.\u00c2\u00a0 He believed you didn’t take
    limos, it had to be punk.\u00c2\u00a0 He was a star, you could believe in him.\u00c2\u00a0 Dave
    Grohl’s no star.\u00c2\u00a0 He’s a guy you drink with.\u00c2\u00a0 Someone who will treat you nice.\u00c2\u00a0 Did
    you have any thought WHATSOEVER that Jimmy Page would treat you nice?\u00c2\u00a0 No.\u00c2\u00a0
    But you wanted to get closer to his flame.\u00c2\u00a0 Because he was following his own
    path, he had something you didn’t have, that you didn’t see every day,
    musical genius.<\/p>\n

    <\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    JAMES TAYLOR Well, can we call 10,000 a night a disappointment? Well, if capacity is 20,000. This is a classic JT summer tour.\u00c2\u00a0 I mean how many times have you seen it?\u00c2\u00a0 As the man gets ever-blander.\u00c2\u00a0 With too many backup singers and a focus on sweet singing instead of meaning. Tickets ain’t stratospheric.\u00c2\u00a0 This […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[3,2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-114","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-live-shows","category-music-business"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p96vPs-1Q","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lefsetz.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/114","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lefsetz.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lefsetz.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lefsetz.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lefsetz.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=114"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lefsetz.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/114\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lefsetz.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=114"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lefsetz.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=114"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lefsetz.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=114"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}