Season Pass

This is a great idea.

Michael Rapino says that the average Live Nation customer goes to a show fewer than two times a year. Live music is not a regular habit, but a special event.  Hard to make your numbers on a once a year transaction.  The key is to get people to come more.  And spend more, on merch, peanuts, popcorn, beer…

I’m not talking about those special sales.  Discount tickets close to show date, four packs…  Those devalue the music.  But how about a pass to the club, where the developing acts play, sold in advance, for $150. Or maybe $200.  Suddenly, it truly is a club.  It’s not about where the act you want to see plays, but a venue you’ve got an investment in, that you own.  It’s YOUR PLACE!

That’s social networking in the physical world.  You own a little piece of the rock.  And you’ll go on a Tuesday night to hear an act you’ve only read about.  Or the one with one single you like, but you wouldn’t pay full price to see.

People buy season tickets to the opera or the symphony, why not to a club? Someone in Austin should do this.

Christmas (W)rapping

I have a bunch of gifts I need to wrap. So, naturally, my thoughts turned to -

Christmas Wrapping – The Waitresses

Christmas Wrapping – The Spice Girls

Christmas Wrapping – The Donnas

Christmas Rapping – Kurtis Blow

And two sure to become classics:

Christmas Rap – Boom Chicago

Christmas Rap 2007 - Ce-Real

John Legend

John Legend is apparently some music biz hotshot whose career has taken off in recent years via collaborations with stars like Kanye and Jay-Z. Well, I had never heard of him until earlier this year when I started listening to Estelle’s album Shine, on which Legend is featured.  I read a few things about his work on that album then promptly forgot about him.

Then recently, Legend appeared on Stephen Colbert’s A Colbert Christmas. He sang a goofy song about nutmeg which was actually pretty good.

About two days later, John Aielli played the song Quickly from Legend’s new album, Evolver.  I liked it quite a bit, even though Brandy mostly oversings. Then it occurred to me that, after running across Legend three times this year, I was clearly being directed by the universe to check out his album.

The first single, Green Light (with Outkast’s Andre 3000) is OK. The song he sang at the Democratic National Convention, If You’re Out There, is really nice, and my daughter Amelia (a huge Obama supporter) loves it. There are a few other songs I like, a few I am not that into.

But I really dig It’s Over, featuring Kanye West. I have listened to this one over and over. It has a very Earth Wind & Fire vibe. The song’s only flaw is the part Kanye sings. Musically its all right, but the lyrics about Bobby and Whitney and Pamela Anderson just don’t fit. And frankly, I can do without the whole “shorty” thing in any song. But otherwise, It’s Over is a fantastic song, and definitely worth the time I spent looking more closely at Legend.

Friday Random Ten

Happy happy hour, everyone!

1. I Would Die 4 U – Prince
2. Don’t Fight It – Kenny Loggins
3. Hello – The Cat Empire
4. Midnight Rendezvous – The Babys
5. World Party – The Waterboys
6. Kiss On My List – Hall & Oates
7. Suddenly – Olivia Newton John
8. Hello – JUNIOR SENIOR
9. Big Log – Robert Plant
10. Broadway – Alison Krauss

Friday Random Ten

Oh, hello blog. I forgot you were here.

1. Nothin’ – Robert Plant and Alison Krauss
2. If I Ever See The Girl Again – Happy Rhodes
3. Jukebox Hero – Foreigner
4. Don’t Go – Nouvelle Vague
5. Say That You Want Me – Ice Cream Hands
6. Monochrome – The Sundays
7. Nha Cancera Ka Tem Medida – Cesaria Evora
8. Sanssouci – Rufus Wainwright
9. Mars Needs Guitars! – Hoodoo Gurus
10. L’Accordeoniste – Edith Piaf