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MELVINS - NIGHT GOAT (1993)

An Open Letter to Concert Venues & Bands,

I've gone to over 200 shows over the years.  It's something I'm happy to do, giving my time and support to a group I love.  Yet over the past decade there's a growing concern that has threatened to dampen the situation.  I speak of the problem of too many opening bands.

When I first began going to concerts I came to expect two things: The main act I paid a ticket to see and the opening, "warm-up" band.  Overall, it was a great experience that demanded very little from me.  Arrive early, find my spot, give my attention to the opening band, and bask in the glory of the band I had come to see.  Around the early 90's a third opening band started coming into the act.  Okay, not my first choice, and now I have to sit through two drawn-out break-downs and set-ups.  As it came to pass I never paid much mind that first band because it meant a longer night and furthermore, the bands I didn't pay to see outweighed the band I did.  Woof.  And yet in the late 90's I experienced my first show with THREE opening bands.  Come-fucking-ON!

Really?!?  Three opening bands?!?!  If you think you're giving me more bang for my buck you're sorely mistaken.  What's happening is you're devaluing the price of the ticket.  Either I have to come early to get a good place and suffer through three bands I could care less about OR I come late and get a lousy seat.  I should have to deal with either.  You don't go to the movies and have someone say "Okay, I know you want to see Movie A but here, sit through Movies B, C, and D beforehand."  Additionally, the less opening bands the more time they band I actually want to see has to play!

Here's what happens when I go to a show with three opening bands:  HATE.  Hate that I have to hear their shitty music when I could care less (three opening bands guarantees the first one always sucks).  Hate that I have to stand there for two and half hours at the very least during three shitty bands and three obnoxious breakdowns.  Hate the band I actually paid to see because by the time they come on I'm drained and don't care anymore!  I'm not looking for a mini-Lollapalooza everytime I go.  Hell, I don't even go Lollapalooza because there's not enough bands I like there!

There are far too many bands out there right now and from what I've seen few have warranted a coveted opening slot.  An opening slot was a badge of honor.  Now it's worthless.

Back when it was a single opening band I was more than happy to give them my attention.  And, hey, guess what?  I actually ended up liking quite a few of them.  I would think, this isn't taking up to much of my time so how about I give them my full attention.  And it worked.  I got into smaller lesser known bands this way.  It gave me the chance to check out a band I had heard of like Melvins, who I saw open for Smashing Pumpkins.  I'm still listening to Melvins but not the Pumpkins now.  Well done!  I saw a good band and that band I came to see yet I didn't get tired until the end of the show at the appropriate time.  Success!

Two opening bands?  Okay... Sometimes it works.  If you can match an opening band well with your main act then, yes.  When I saw Primal Scream last March they had Brian Jonestown Massacre before them!  Excellent!  Who opened before them?  No idea.  Didn't care when I saw them then, don't care about them now.  Last year Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds at the Hollywood Bowl had Spiritualized and Cat Power open up.  Yes, please!  And next Saturday I get to see Butthole Surfers with, well well, the Melvins opening up!  Yay!  Oh, and a band called the Psychic Ills before them.  But guess what?  I already don't care.

But three opening bands?   Fuuuuucccckkkk YOU!  Throw another band in front of the Butthole Surfers and I already don't want to go.  Want proof?  Last night I had a ticket to see Motörhead.  If you know me you know I LOVE Motörhead.  I have a Motörhead keychain, I wear Motörhead Vans shoes, I have a Motörhead T-shirt.  I've searched out Lemmy at the Rainbow Bar & Grill here in L.A.  And I have never seen them live.  So when I read they were coming I bought a ticket good and fast and I was so excited!  Just look at this:  http://everythingisgoingtobealright.posterous.com/motOrhead-tear-ya-down-1979  So there I was ready to go.  When I bought the ticket the Reverend Horton Heat had been on the bill and I was fine... yet slowly they kept adding bands.  Next it was Nashville Pussy.  Then it was Chelsea Girls.  Look, it was a mix of bands I both knew of and hadn't heard but none I had any reason to hate yet at the same time I would never pay to see any of those three on their own.  So assessing that I had to sit through three bands, plus pay that extra $10 just to park, I decided not to go see my beloved Motörhead.

I am poor right now and I ate that $43 ticket price ($33 before Ticketmaster adds their charges).  I would gladly pay $43 to see Motörhead play all alone.  I will NOT pay $43 when I only want to see 1/4th of a lineup.  And by the way, Motörhead's lineup for the UK tour is only two opening bands, and it's The Damned and Girlschool.  Fuck the wut...?!?!  I want THAT lineup!!!

So there you have it.  STOP putting so many opening bands before the headliner.  I've yet to meet a single person who wants more bands and you're hurting the experience.  Get it back down to a single opening band or two-opening bands that compliment the main band and you have yourself a deal.  Until then I'm fine holding off.

Sincerely,
STJ

When I saw Melvins in 1993 they essentially destroyed my ear drums while promoting their album Houdini, perhaps the best in their catalog.  Painful experience, in a good way.  Night Goats comes from that album and emotionally it sounds like I feel on today's subject.  Perfect...

For more info:
Melvins:  http://www.melvins.com/

Listening to Rockets by Cat Power #musicmonday #music

More about Cat Power: http://www.last.fm/music/Cat+Power

god is moving its tongue

• 1am

3 doors down - let me be myself (2008)

handsome boy modeling school featuring cat power - i've been thinking (2004)

CAT POWER - SONG TO BOBBY (2008)

Slowing things down for this Sunday morning...

Look at this picture:

This is Chan Marshall, aka Cat Power, taken by photographer Richard Avedon for The New Yorker about five years back.  Yes, it was during her alcoholism years, so she looks a little haggard and... uh... pubey?  But she's gorgeous nonetheless and also sporting the Bob Dylan T-shirt, which brings me to today's song.

Marshall has always been adamant about her love of Bob Dylan and last year on her Jukebox LP she delivered Song To Bobby, her tribute to Dylan that I couldn't say is autobiographical or not but, man, do I hope it is.  It's one of my favorite songs of last year and it's no doubt helped by a beautiful sound recording the song warrants.

By the way, I only bought The New Yorker for Richard Avedon's portraits of Lenny.

For more info:
Cat Power:  http://www.matadorrecords.com/cat_power/

i feel like an animal/and i don't think i get it

• 8am

Cat Power — Werewolf

all up in a trance in the prophecy van

• 10am