Recently I have been thinking of the life I lead. At 32 years old and single there have been days where I wonder if the path I have chosen was really for the best but most of the time I think of how blessed I have been to live this way.
I spent a little time earlier this year in Los Angeles with a friend who aspires to be an Actor in Hollywood. For him, watching movies and TV shows brings him joy. I have some other friends who are similar to him and find joy in these forms of entertainment. Others find joy through sports. Some through art, some through endeavors such as photography. I know quite a few who find it by playing music.
I happen to enjoy many, many things. I enjoy a good movie or tv show, I enjoy sports when it involves the great teams from Pittsburgh, I enjoy filmmaking typically in relation to my biggest joy - LIVE music.
I have been blessed to be part of a group who started a venue a little over a year ago called The 86. Prior to that I did my own endeavor at Covenant and have also over the last year or so did shows in the basement of the house in which I dwell (at least I did until recently - sorry on why that ended is posted over at my shows blog - TigerRAWkShows).
Some conversations I have had recently revolved around how one spends their extra money if they happen to be lucky enough to have it and if they don't how they spend the money they don't have but spend it anyways.
For me, ultimately it seems I spend money on music more than anything else. While I enjoy a good movie in the theatre I realized my mindset on this is that I'd rather go to see a band live over going to a movie because that particular show is a one time event and never will happen exactly the same way ever again. Yeah, sometimes it's a disappointment but there are those times when a show has something special that sticks with you forever. There have been many of those moments I can look back to and remember with joy that I was able to be there on that night in that place.
Sometimes, I have been fortunate enough to capture it to some degree on video (and those are posted at my youtube channel - called TigerRAWk). I could watch a movie in a theatre and yes, it's usually a better experience than one can get at home but the movie itself will likely always be there in some form to be watched (dvd or netflix or whatever). The live show itself is only live once. You might be able to watch a youtube clip or whatever and that's cool, As many of you know I have posted over 2,400 videos to youtube and most are of live music so I'm certainly not knocking it but the truth is, video only can capture so much of that experience and the emotion from the moment will never be replicated again.
There are special ones with bands who do happen to share my beliefs or background or I can relate to on some level and happen to put on a great performance that I can get into and enjoy. Those are the best moments and the ones that stick with me as well as other people. Yes, I watch bands of all sorts of styles with all sorts of lifestyles, backgrounds, beliefs, and agendas. I don't always agree with what a band stands for….often times I don't but they may still put on a great show and so I can enjoy the time spent and the money I invested in it. Those are also good times of community with other music lovers and friends and often the artists too but it is the times I mentioned first that make the most special nights that will live in my heart for years to come and for someone who works at a venue or otherwise books shows, it is those moments that make it worth our while and I for one hope I don't become jaded like seems to happen to many who also do this.
Sadly though, it seems such moments are becoming more rare. Things in this life are changing. Some of it could be getting older on my part but I think there's deeper issues than that on a grander scheme. There is the economic impact from both the world economy and the changing of the music industry with the digital age that has made it difficult to make a "living" as a musician today. I have noticed that there also seems to be apathy amongst the "music fans" and the "scene" these days where some folks don't seem to care to support those who make the music they love when they come around and then complain that there's "no good shows anymore" when their favorite band decides to quit touring or quit altogether or a venue (and festivals) shuts down.
For example, one of the places where I've enjoyed seeing some of the best performances from bands was Cornerstone over the last 9 years (counting this final one next week). Due to the increasingly shrinking numbers of folks attending over the last few years, the crappy economy, and the demand of some bands for outrageously large payouts it has killed what I believe to be the best music festival there has ever been. As a Christian, I have attended other Christian marketed festivals in the region I have lived but none compared. Those other festivals were geared toward a certain demographic I never really quite fit…at least not any longer by the time I started attending the festivals. Cornerstone offered a week with a large variety of bands, musical styles, and scenes co-existing for the most part that weren't available at most other Christian marketed festivals (at least not until recently) and the freedom to choose how you wanted to spend your time there…no limits to the space you could claim to be your camp, no shutting down vendors to force you to listen to someone speak/preach, and for the most part freedom to enjoy the bands in whatever fashion you wanted (moshing, etc.) without a security guard stopping you not to mention the freedom of the bands to relatively play their music without the fear of censorship. Yeah, there were some rules of course, it's how a society works to have some sort of code of conduct naturally but it wasn't restrictive as certain other festivals seem to be but this may just be my opinion.
After this coming week that comes to an end and it may be the case with at least a few of those other festivals as well. The economy has taken it's toll for sure along with the evolution of the "music industry, and the aforementioned apathy of the people who claim to love their scene or whatever,
Bands have to constantly "sell" themselves and prove to be something different in the ocean of noise that's out there currently which is definitely hard. It seems everything has been done before and no one seems to be doing anything new so why should we care about this band or that band? For me, you don't necessarily have to be doing something new but doing it with passion and love is what will make you special to me and I believe will get attention of the music "scene" or the fans. My hope is that you will continue despite these obstacles and give us, the fans, something real and something to remember for whatever reason you choose.
I don't say this to point blame at everyone who doesn't go to shows. In all honesty these coming months will probably mean that I can attend very few due to the lack of cash-flow with my current work situation. Nonetheless this is an activity that has brought me joy or entertains me still even as I grow older as it has for like 20 years or so now. Many at this stage in life look back with certain fondness on their days going to the shows of their teenage and college years. So far, I don't have to look too far back to reminisce on these times and have every desire in my heart to continue going for years to come and supporting the bands and the "scene" for whatever the may mean. There is a calling I believe in my life to be part of this that is ground so much deeper than the entertainment aspects of it and though some of the joy comes from being entertained, it comes more so from that place I have been called to be of serving those who love live music and those who make it.
I certainly hope with the end of an era with the death of Cornerstone that the bands I have grown to love don't stop touring. I also hope more bands born out of the scenes will also carry the torch when those older bands do have to eventually quit touring. I do believe it will probably be harder if something doesn't come along to take the place of Cornerstone. There are a few weekend events here and there that are reaching to the demographic Cornerstone once reached. There will likely not be a festival quite like Cornerstone but I hope there will at least be something to bring together some of the people that I was able to fellowship with most every year at Cornerstone for the last 8 years and this one last time next week.
As I look back on what I've written here I suppose it's sort of rambling and may not make sense to the readers so here I will quickly summarize it I guess:
Essentially for me my favorite form of entertainment and what brings most joy to my life in and outside of my relationship with God is live music at this point in time. The live show is a one time experience for good or bad that can never be experienced in it's fullness again whereas say a movie can be watched again and again and again….live music is a beautiful thing that I hope to continue to have in my life for many years to come regardless of where I am in life (in all ways that can be interpreted).
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