The Observer, August 29, 2008
Volume XLI, Issue 1
Summer concerts prove music industry is not in shambles
While many may believe the music industry is in shambles, with labels falling apart on the spot and the mainstream switching from sustainable artists to single-based throwaway musicians, I can say, without question, that it is far from dead. This summer I witnessed, both from the inside and out, just how spectacular our current age of music is.
I was lucky enough to spend my summer in my hometown, New York City, one of the music capitals of the world. Part of what makes New York such a notable place to see so much music is the fact that nearly every artist comes through it at some point in his or her career. I had a chance to see Philadelphia-based The War On Drugs, who were probably the most accessible noise rock/pop that I've ever seen, open for one of my all time favorites, Bishop Allen, the quintessential indie pop band with some of the prettiest melodies and best lyrics to match.
New York is not known for huge music festivals like Chicago is (Lollapalooza, Pitchfork) so when promoter Goldenvoice (the force behind the famous Coachella) decided to put on a three-day festival with Radiohead headlining two of them, how could I resist? Radiohead blew me away with a fantastic light show, powerful songs, and a crowd that matched the performers' intensity. On top of that, I also had the opportunity to see Case Western Reserve University's own Girl Talk, who lived up to his billing as the party master, mixing on stage while a party revolved around him, complete with 15-foot inflatables and a bevy of crazed fans.
I was also lucky enough to see Times New Viking, the Columbus-based lo-fi trio, at the Whitney Museum, which specializes in modern art. In addition, my mother, of all people, won two tickets to the completely free Coldplay concert that was being held at Madison Square Garden. Similarly, I was able to get some free tickets to see Sonic Youth, the old school creators of the noise genre, play with the legendary, newly re-united The Feelies, whose melodic, bouncy rock has been underrated since the moment they broke up in 1991.
Still, without question the best place to see a concert (and this may come off a bit biased) is the venue where I work, Central Park Summerstage, in the heart of the famed Manhattan park itself. Few venues have as many genres (everything from noise, to rock, to electronica, to classical, to jazz and rap) for free. And best of all, all the acts are big names.
The first weekend of the season was amazing. Vampire Weekend, a hybrid of Paul Simon and the best that indie rock has to offer, performed in the pouring rain, with Born Ruffians, another indie rock band, and Kid Sister, an overblown rapper who has worked with some big names like Kanye West. The following weekend, the highlight had to be Yael Naîm, the songwriter behind the Macbook Air's song "New Soul." She was one of the most charming singer-songwriters I've ever seen.
These concerts solidified to me that the music industry really is not falling apart at the seams. There are still artists with integrity performing for the love of music, not for the seven-figure paycheck.
I do understand that I had really great musical opportunities living in New York, but some of these opportunities are everywhere. Music exists in the highest form no matter where you go. It's just about taking chances, working hard to find it, and letting yourself slip into enjoyment without really judging any of it. Quite frankly, you, the music fan, have the ability to make the music industry grow and flourish.
