This is the second year Chris and I have committed to rocking every single night of Musicfest (I’ve rocked individual shows/nights before). We both obviously love it. We’ve concluded it is the best urban music festival in the United States. And we don’t really care what anyone else has to say about it. Everyone has their hometown bias. The choose-your-own-music-adventure nature of MFNW is a blast. And the quantity of quality acts booked into intimate venues produces one of the most fierce values in live music. I think my per show cost this year worked out to like $8/show. Think about that.
Bobby Bare Jr. is one artist who committed to the whole MFNW experience. This year he played the free KEXP artist showcase, the You Who childrens show, and his own blistering set at the Crystal Ballroom. And who knows what else. In addition, and just as fun, is we saw him rocking shows in the audience of Justin Townes Earle and The Builders And Butchers. Last year, we saw him out at the clubs as well. Dressed down and in a cowboy hat. Just another dude. Pretty cool hitting shows like that.
I do have a point. This isn’t just a mash note to Musicfest and Bobby Bare Jr.
Until a profitable business model emerges again for recorded music, most performers are going to have to rely on live shows and related merchandising for a larger percentage of their income. Sheer survival. Common sense. And with the related decline in centralized mass/traditional (corporate) media, gaining attention from an audience is becoming harder and harder to accomplish. Bottom line. Reaching and making fans is about as hard as it ever has been. As a fan, I am awash in music and infinite information sources. Getting signal from that noise is hard. Trusted sources are hard to come by. Alot of whoring masquerading as love out there (Damn, that is a killer line. I Think I just discovered the opening sentence of a future sex talk with my son). I would imagine alot of people simply give up and focus on their favorite standby music. And they become more and more out of touch with the new. And inventive.
I’m a Bobby Bare Jr fan now. Not only because I dig his recorded music. And I do. But also because he has created a connection with many people in Portland simply by showing he gives a damn about his audience. And specifically, our hometown festival. And really that is all most fans want. Even if we know the artist has a financial motive for doing it. We already like the artists, any little extra respect just solidifies the whole deal. Therein lies the point. In order for artists to survive and/or thrive today, they need audiences coming to live shows. And show attendance requires an extra level of interest. Just listening to music can (and is for may people) be a passive activity. The actual act of going out to see a live show requires a commitment. Alot of effort and opportunity cost. And. An extra level of potential fandom. And this is on top of me just finding the music in the first place.
And that is why festivals like MFNW are so important. They allow people like me to see extra acts I normally wouldn’t dream of shelling cash out for. Gives acts a chance at my wallet if you want to think like a cynical fuck. But, in the altruistic sense, it gives artists a chance at an audience that normally would be somewhere else. Case in point. Mr. Bobby Bare Jr. Last year I saw him play before Black Francis. I liked him alot and listened to his albums. I became a passive fan. After seeing him this year, and giving his new album a heavy listen, I know I’m going to be going to his shows as long as I’m rocking them. Making MFNW (and probably all festivals) a win-win-win for the fan-artist-organizer/venues.
And the festival is a big win for me. The fan. If gorged on, it certainly is an economic win on a cost per show basis. But it also allows me to indulge myself in an approximation of how I listen to music now. Hopping from artist to artist. Genre to genre.
Music is now readily available. It is no longer the Sophie’s Choice for alot of people. Especially kids. Do I buy an album or do I go to the movies? Or buy weed? Please. Music isn’t even a factor (and you know they are buying the weed). So our tastes have become naturally expanded given there is no extra monetary cost in taking a chance on new artists (for many). The only thing most are betting with is personal time. Everyone likes to think of themselves as the Hope Diamond of musical fans. I listen to Fugazi and Fleet Foxes! Aren’t I smart? I rock Ryan Adams and Bryan Adams! Aren’t I precious? Almost all serious music fans now are grazers. Perfect for festival goers. I chose to go to (something “cool”) over (something “lame”), I’m a badass! And, to me, MFNW is the perfect festival. A wealth of up and coming artists. Fucking cool venues. No 100 degree sun beating down on my ass. And I’m not in the middle of some damn field locked down by an organizer’s concessions and rules. Anytime I want to let the freak flag fly? Portland is right outside the doors. Fucking perfect.
So. Bobby Bare Jr. live. Chris called him amazing this year. He doesn’t trot that description out lightly. Here’s the thing. I don’t expect any of my friends to like Bobby Bare Jr. Well, outside of Chris. But he’s living MFNW with me. I’m not a tastemaker. Bobby is a musical grazing artist. Switching genres within an album and maybe even a song. It isn’t really indulgent, or look at me(!) smart. In fact, on the surface it sounds gimmicky. But it doesn’t feel that way to me. It all flows.
I can’t review the Bobby Bare Jr. shows I’ve seen. I’ve only seen two so far, and both times I was in totally awesome or totally piss poor shape depending on the perspective. This year the show was amazing. I was as far away from the stage as I could be at one point. Spinning like Julie Andrews. Shouting nonsense. Really, about as far as I want to go with that. Embarrassing. “The Sky Is The Ground” is right. Solid. Daily gasoline huffers have more intelligence than I did during moments of that set. MFNW2009, same deal. That was the evening SATURDAY NIGHT moved to catchphrase status for me. Catchphrase creation can only happen on the most fun and hazy moments. How we/I roll. Unfortunate for my show diary. Good for my mental fun file.
No doubt. MFNW 2010 was crazy. I had a great time with very few hitches. Very few. Exposed myself to alot of new music. Can’t wait for 2011. Never been a better time to be a fan of live music. Especially in Portland. Damn. I’m jonesing for a show. Bad. I can tell. I just wrote a bunch of paragraphs of blah blah because I don’t want to let last weekend go just yet. Time to check my trusted sources. See what’s up. Find someone new to go see.
