The Archives

• Concerts

  I have this idea…

  08.03.09 | Permalink | 1 Comment

  I have this idea for a concert that some (maybe many, if my readership has gone down..) of you will have heard me talk about at some event or other.
  It involves the audience doing stuff. Stuff that results in sound and the overall experience changing for themselves and their fellow audience member.
  What I’m wondering is: [...]

• Thoughts

  Stepping Stones.

  06.10.09 | Permalink | 1 Comment

  I’m constantly looking for and  thinking about new and (in my opinion!) interesting ways to present new music to people, so when I hear about a terrific one, I’m only too keen to share!
  It is often assumed that the pop world is so wonderfully popular that it doesn’t need to bother with exciting promotion and [...]

• Thoughts

  The Seat of History

  01.15.09 | Permalink | Comment?

  Germany has a long standing tradition of cultural excellence, and, pleasingly, excellent audiences. A pretty rough estimate of Germany’s total concert hall capacity is 24,863 (excluding churches, galleries and other “imaginative” venues). The UK, also with a history of excellence but less so for turnout has 46,698 seats. The US has a whopping 460,866.
  Interestingly, the US [...]

• Thoughts

  Obamarama

  10.31.08 | Permalink | Comment?

  Tomorrow I leave for the US, where Obamarama is gripping the nation. 

  I think this is a great idea - using Web 2.0 sites properly (like Twitter and Flickr etc) to engage the audience in all that is US politics and really getting people behind the voting process. Another great one is VoteHour.
  What’s so astonishing and “proper” about this?
  It’s [...]

• Thoughts

  Borrowing from Behance, but well worth reading.

  10.26.08 | Permalink | Comment?

  This from the always wonderful Behance team
  …in the near term, we will all suffer a bit. However, we must also recognize the many new and exciting opportunities before us.Our economy and country can only thrive if we CREATE NEW STUFF. Bold innovations take a lot of time, energy, and a stomach for risk. But, in these uncertain [...]

• Thoughts

  “Why So Serious?” - Alex Ross

  09.26.08 | Permalink | Comment?

  A perfect example from the NYT critic and bestselling author, Alex Ross.

• Thoughts

  Comfort

  09.25.08 | Permalink | Comment?

  I’m watching The Godfather again tonight (third time), not because I’ve got a bad memory or because I didn’t get it the first time, but because I like it. It’s comfort viewing, and there’s nothing wrong with it.
  But it got me thinking… do we always appreciate that it’s comfort viewing? The film isn’t going to [...]

• Thoughts

  How much for that appetite?

  09.21.08 | Permalink | Comment?

  We consume more media in more formats today than ever before, yet live audiences are apparently struggling.
  Have we, the producers, inadvertently pushed the consumers away from live performance and into the conveniently comfortable arms of recordings?
  I believe it was, as they say, ever thus.
  Whenever something cheaper, faster and more convenient comes along, the buying majority go there. Think [...]

• New Things

  Where it all happens, but why?

  09.13.08 | Permalink | Comment?

  Contemporary music should be relevant and authentic in our society. If it isn’t, what is it?