Thursday, October 27, 2011

What makes a good live performance?

For most musical artists, the chief source of income is actually the live performance as opposed to their recorded music. Albums and singles do bring in revenue, but with so many groups and individuals taking their piece of the pie, there is very little left for the artists creating the music.

So what makes one live performance stand out among the rest?

Having personally been to hundreds of live concerts, there are many memorable moments, but each of my favorite concert experiences have been great for completely different reasons. To best explain what I feel makes a concert worth attending, I have broken a show down into six distinct categories with their percentage of influence on the show’s greatness as a whole.


The Band or Artist (40%)

Obviously the band or artist has the most to contribute to a show’s success. This category can also be broken down into sub-categories as follows:

The Performance (20%) – There is a distinct difference between playing your songs well and giving them everything you’ve got. Most bands and artists can play their music well, but the few that put their heart and soul into every performance are the ones you will remember forever.

Crowd Interaction (10%) – Anyone who has seen the likes of Coldplay, Billy Joel, or Elvis Costello in concert knows what crowd interaction can do to your level of enjoyment. When a musical artist acknowledges the crowd and encourages participation, the crowd will almost always respond positively.

How Big a Fan Are You? (10%) – If you go to a concert unfamiliar with the music, there’s an excellent chance you’ll still enjoy yourself if everything else falls in place. However, the anticipation that builds before the start of a show and the thrill of recognition when your favorite songs are played live add a great deal to the overall experience.


The Sound (20%)

Have you ever been to a show where certain instruments are completely lost in the mix? If so, you probably remember how much that affected your overall enjoyment of the concert. You might see an artist singing or witness them playing their instrument, but the balance is so poor that they could be doing nothing and your ears wouldn’t be able to tell the difference. Maybe the bass is way too loud or the microphones are causing feedback. Whatever the issue may be, bad sound has the power to completely ruin an otherwise great performance. On the other hand, if the people controlling the faders and knobs behind the scenes are good at their job, the result can be nearly as crystal clear as a studio recording. The artists who spend the most time making sure their live mixes are perfect are the ones you will want to come back and see again.


The Crowd (15%)

Yes, you too have the power to make a concert special. Earlier this year, I saw Fleet Foxes perform at Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, TN. While the performance was unbelievably special, the crowd was extraordinary. There was a hushed silence as the band played their songs; the fans hanging on every word. Then, as each selection came to a close, the air ignited with thunderous applause. You could tell that neither the fans, nor the band wanted the show to end. The crowd gave each member of the band the drive to put on the best show they ever had together and with a less enthusiastic crowd, the night would have been completely different.


The Lights (10%)

If lights didn’t have the power to entertain by themselves, fireworks and laser light shows wouldn’t exist. Big arena shows utilize lights to keep every member of the audience from the front to the very back engaged and there are definitely some acts that utilize them better than others. On the other hand, even small coffee house shows can benefit from a bit of light variation once in a while. The lights certainly don’t hold all the cards, but they can be a treat for the eyes regardless of what the ears are hearing.


The Venue (10%)

There’s a huge difference between seeing your favorite band as part of an outdoor festival and seeing them in a local music venue. The venue not only dictates how many people can see the show, but it can also play a role in the sound and your proximity to the stage. Large and small venues both have potential to produce once in a lifetime concert experiences, but having been to many, it’s clear some venues are more ideal settings for music than others. Ask anyone who has been to a concert at Red Rocks or The Gorge and they’ll tell you why.


The Stage (5%)

Ok, the stage may not seem like it could add anything to a show, but if you’ve seen a show where it has, you might even be arguing for more than 5%. Look up videos for the most recent Muse tour, for instance. It included three giant pillars with the ability to both raise and lower each band member multiple stories into the air. On a smaller, but equally impressive level, The White Stripes used to make sure that absolutely everything on stage was either red or white. The stage’s importance can be anything from huge ramps to artistic backdrops, but when a band takes the time to make the sight of their stage impressive by itself, you know you’re in for some entertainment.


Musicians, if you’re looking to impress your fans at your next concert, follow these guidelines and I promise it will be a memorable night. Forget about just one of these aspects, however, and your performance may fall into the sea of mediocrity that leads to the inevitable demise of countless acts.

Friday, October 7, 2011

Album Review: Wilco — "The Whole Love"

Often labeled as Country-Rock or Americana, Jeff Tweedy and his gang of musicians that make up Wilco quietly evolved little by little with each release following their 1995 debut "A.M." When Wilco released "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot" in 2002, however, they threw any pre-conceived notions their fans had about the band out the window.

Sure, Wilco offered up glimpses of clever experimentation with "Being There" in 1996 and "Summerteeth" in 1999, but "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot" blended experimentation with a supremely well-written and diverse collection of songs to formulate one of the finest albums of the decade by any artist.

"The Whole Love" is Wilco's eighth studio album. Although the band has always been granted a good deal of creative freedom with their recordings, "The Whole Love" is also the first record released on their own label, dBpm, which gave them the time necessary to try some new ideas. From the downbeat of the opening track, "Art of Almost," it is perfectly clear that this is, once again, a new Wilco.

"Art of Almost" opens with the sound of a needle hitting a record as drums, bass, and synthesizers build on a minute-long instrumental loop. Before listeners begin comparing Wilco's new album to Radiohead, however, the electronic loop fades into a vast sea of strings that hold onto an elaborate chord until Jeff Tweedy's unmistakable vocals make their first appearance of the record. As the seven-plus minute opener develops, many new instruments and sound effects are introduced which assist in creating a wave of dynamics that is often lost in most modern recordings. "Art of Almost" is easily one of the most ambitious songs Wilco has ever released and to open "The Whole Love" with such a recording is a statement few bands could make successfully.

"Art of Almost" is followed by "I Might," a track that feels much more familiar, but still holds onto an edge of unproven additions. Balanced by a repeating, catchy hook and weighing in at just under four minutes in length, "I Might" is groomed for radio, but still pushes the boundaries of a customary pop song. Matched up with "Dawned on Me" and "Born Alone," "The Whole Love" begins to feel like a blend of Wilco's popular early hits and critically acclaimed visionary performances from their later years.

Wilco has always had a knack for properly balancing a track listing in an effort to prevent listener fatigue and their art is perfected on "The Whole Love." Typically trading upbeat hits with more emotive slower tracks, Wilco's clever song placement holds the attentions of fans both new and old on a straight through listen.

Never does one particular style feel played out, nor does the urge to hit the skip button ever arise.

Although the album opens with the most ambitious track in the instrumental sense, a 12-minute closing number, "One Sunday Morning" puts Tweedy's heart on his sleeve and takes as many chances lyrically as "Art of Almost" does musically. The beautiful acoustic song is as simple an arrangement as "The Whole Love" offers giving Tweedy the perfect showcase for his talents as a poet. Tweedy's vocals remain quiet and unwavering, never truly capturing the power of his words, but by the time the song finally concludes, the emotions he clearly feels are shared by the listener. It is a truly unique listening experience for Wilco fans and one very few songwriters have ever been able to pull off with any amount of success.

"The Whole Love" is a celebration of freedom for Wilco. They're on their own and have the means to release music at their leisure now. The result, thus far, has been one of their best albums to date. One can only hope this is only the first of many independent releases from this phenomenal American band.

Similar Artists: R.E.M., The Wallflowers

Track Suggestion: "Art of Almost"

Four and a half stars