The Ultimate Love Song

So after such a great weekend, I find out mid day Monday that Snow Patrol was cancelled, the record people said cause the singer was having vocal problems. I think it was cause of lack of ticket sales and promotion. At least they have rescheduled to the end of Jan, which is better than Matchbox 20 did when they cancelled after September 11th, and never re-booked. Wooses!! That reminded me of around the same time there is a festival in Holland called the Crossing Boarders Music and Words Festival. back in 2001 we paid about 100 guilders each to go because my very favorite author in the world Douglas Coupland was speaking, he talked not about his latest book but about how music and words had always been very important to him and that a few times in his life how music had affected him in a way that left him speechless. I might add that at this festival he only had a measly slot of 20-25 min and that was not nearly enough, and so many of the other authors and performers (especially from the US) cancelled at the last min, citing family issues or what not. Needless to say that in the measly 20 min or so Doug had most of us in tear including himself talking about an expereice when he happend to be in NY, and his publishers happend to get him front row seats to MTV Unplugged where Nirvana happend to by playing. He said that during the cover of The Man Who Stole the World, he said that Kurt sang with such conviction that it felt as though he exposing his insides for the world to see. It was pretty amazing to have that intimate moment with him and at the same time it was so sad that so many others were to afraid to come and share their music or words with all those people who really wanted to see them. I always felt that true "artists" wrote their words and music to be heard and to perhaps make people stop and think for once.. Anyway it does not matter unfortunately the world has not exactly improved since then, I mean apparently over half the US voted the monkey-man back into office, which really is astounding to many many many people.
So onto the present. Wednesday we had tickets to Sarah McLachlan, the venue was a really terrible seated affair, we went with our friend Nadzyra who is also a fan of Sarah. The show was really great, I mean her band are so tight it is quite something to watch, and it is always nice to hear a slightly new version of older songs, as well as all the new ones from Afterglow. What a pity my favorite song 'Stupid' from the CD was really terrible live, because I could not hear even one note from the Guitars.. not one. Whether it was to do with the tiered seating, or the PA I am not sure it was just such a pity cause it should have rocked.
And then we can talk about the audience... now correct me if I am wrong, her music is Alt/rock right? At least that is what my iTunes says. I know she writes some really nice ballads in fact she even said she has always striven to write the Ultimate Love Song, but does that warrant 99.8 percent of the audience sitting there like wax dummies!? It was like they were being held in constraints? Besides myself, my companions and a couple of people down front with glow sticks (whom I have a sneaking suspicion were Canadian) might have been the only people there actually moving in our seats, moving out bodies just enough to feel the beats and singing along to all the lyrics that we knew? It was not only disturbing but I would think insulting to the musicians on stage. After they came back and did Ice Cream and about 15-20% of the audience got up and sang along which was shocking.. only as soon as the song was done the people behind those standing were pulling on their shirts and telling them to sit down (and basically stop enjoying yourselves). Maybe I am making to much of this, In the last 5 years I have seen many many concerts, most have been standing room, with the exception of Marillion and Lamb gigs, the audience is quite either quiet and or stinking drunk enough to make noise at all the wrong moments while you are trying to get your moneys worth from your ticket price. Anyway enough bitching, it was the first time I saw her in 8 years and it was nice to see that she can still sing.. like no one I have ever heard again. Anyway the rest of the week has been spent drinking (lots) wine with some friends, work and fighting off a cold. It's weekend. Enjoy.