Concert Etiquette

Hello my friends. I come to you this evening to discuss a couple things. Both topics are spurred by the music events I attended this weekend. I witnessed incredible violations of concert etiquette and experienced some horrendous musical theater cliché. Lets start though with the etiquette. Here are my rules for concerts:

1. Respect the Performer
2. Respect the Performance
3. Know the rules of the performance - e.g. if it is a classical concert, do not clap between movements, clap for the concert master, conductor, and solist everytime they enter the stage.

This past weekend, me and a lovely friend of mine attended a performance of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Yan Pascal Tortelier. The group performed the "Armenian Suite" by Richard Yardumian, Piano Concerto no. 1 by Sergei Prokofiev with Yuja Wang on piano, and closed with "Symphonie Fantastique by Hector Berlioz.

The BSO has matured quite a bit under the new directorship with Marin Alsop. The performed all three pieces with intensity and precision. They presented a concert of such passions that it made you have to move. A man a few rows in front of me was getting into the concert and was doing some small conducting of his own in his seat. This is not unusual especially at a concwert with such rhythmic and all out primal feels such as the Armenian Suite and Piano Concerto (Soloist at one point got so into it she pulled a Jerry Lee Lewis and stood while playing for a bar or two). The man in the seat between me and armchair conductor is getting ore and more agitated for some reason. You must understand that the guys seat was not rocking and hitting his legs, his arms weren't blocking a view and he wasn't making any noise doing this. When the concert finally ended and everyone jumped to their feet to give the group and its conductor a standing ovation, especially the percussionists who were incredible, the man directly in front of me, grabs his wife by the arm, gets in the enthusiast's face and says "He's the conductor not you, and now you know for the next time". He then proceeded to storm out of the hall, not giving the orchestra his respect. Never mind that this is taking place 4 rows from the stage, on the side where the conductor enters. The conductor made multiple nods down to us and could clearly see the scene. I was furious, I was embarrassed for music lover in me. The upset man simply didn't get the passion of romantic music. In his own maneuver to punish a man loving music in demand of having a concert the way he wants, he forgot the key thing that its about the performer and the listener and nothing else. This man was not listening and experiencing the music and in that he disrespected the performer, which violates the first rule and second rule. I had to tell the faux conductor that I appreciate his passion and that you have to let it out. He was so friendly we practically made a new friend on the way out of the concert, with him and his daughter. We walked out together and the jerk was forgotten. The group performed so well and its sad it had such a bad audience. I heard at least 10 cell phones ring and there was a woman two rows back that I swear had tuberculosis. It was gross and rude, and she never excused herself. I could only imagine the level of embarrassment her guests had.

If you've ever been to a classical concert with a soft section you know that coughing spreads like a plague. People have no control or concept that everything in the hall projects and your cough is as loud as a trumpet to someone concentrating. I don't understand why you would come to something like that sick. Also these coughs are normally just throat clears done without covering the mouth or muffling in anyway and its just gross and distracting. COUGHERS OF THE WORLD, HEAR ME NOW WHEN I SAY GET A HALLS, A COUGH DROP AND GET UP AND LEAVE THE HALL UNTIL YOUR THROAT IS CLEAR. Stop punishing us who can control ourselves.

Now that my rant is done, I must bid this post farewell. Thank you for reading, let your meter be simple and cadences be perfect.

A Return...to Rock \oo/

Hello my friend(s) who may still pay attention to this blog. I wish a warm welcome. This blog entry is intended to bring you up to speed on some things lately. Recently, the UMBC Symphony presented a strong, almost professional caliber performance of the 3rd and 4th movement of the Symphonie Fantasique by Hector Berlioz. I was particularly proud. My brass section got a standing ovation. The corwd started standing once we were told to stand alone for applause. One of the best honors I've ever received playing. Also before the concert, the quintet knocked the lobby crowd out with Irish Tune from County Dairy by Percy Grainger, Ashokan Farewell, from the Civil War miniseries by Ken Burns, Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds by the Beatles and Springtime For Hitler from the Producers. Big time hit. The group right now is working on the 5th movement of the Berlioz, and the quintet is working on Open Arms by Journey and Brain Damage by Pink Floyd.

Now to the subject above. I was recently blessed to hear an up and coming power rock band from Australia named Airbourne. I first heard them on the airing of the WWE Royal Rumble. I purchased their CD and it was love. They have all the power, sound, skill, and quality of a young AC/DC. I consider myself lucky to have seen them live, in an intimate setting like the Recher Theatre in Towson, MD. The place only holds 700 and its standing room only. I was also there for another Several Species concert but I had to leave early due to throwing my back out breaking the fall of a guy who blacked out. But, I digress.

The two opening bands were quite...interesting. For $10 to see Airbourne was quite a deal, but we know for $10, the openers were going to be rough. The first band, called Stone Riders. They were pretty good. Sounded strangely like a mix of Zeppelin and Rolling Stones but its missing the technical proficiency. The second band, Endeverafter, sucked big time. They did nothing play fast, guitar licks that sounded strangely familiar with bad lyrics and really my friend Pat and I thought were trying to audition for Guitar Hero. We were convinced when the guitarist did a name that tune section that included "Rain of Blood" by Slayer (Guitar Hero 3), and "Cowboys from Hell" by Pantera (Guitar Hero 1). Their music really sounded like nothing but copy and pasted licks from the video game. No passion, no soul, little skill. I should have known better when the bassist from the band was warming up by playing other peoples music (he warmed up on the bass line to Don't Stop Believin' by Journey. Now you all know I heart Journey the Steve Perry years, but still this is a clue that the group you're about to hear sucks. Besides an on stage warm up, totally unacceptable if you're not a symphony, or in a venue so small theres a parking lot and a stage, and its raining in the parking lot).

So that brings me to Airbourne, where they opened with "Stand Up for Rock 'n' Roll" (thats right I wasn't baked or drunk enough to forget the set). This song has a very similar feel to "Thunderstruck" by AC/DC, except for a massive accelerando, that immediately lets you know this band is going to be in your face for the next 90 minutes. They did every song from their album "Runnin' Wild" but in a more concert appropriate order, closing the set with "Too Much Too Young Too Fast" and "Running Wild". Then for an encore which was demanded so fast they barely got off stage that was about 10 minutes long and was insanely loud because the front vocalist/guitarist turned his stage amps all the way up, which sounded amazing. The song was something lightning. I didn't get the exact title through the screams and his grovely Aussie accent. But rest assured the song kicked my ass, my friends ass, and every ass in there that stayed for the encore. We were pumped. The concert was pure testosterone and adrenaline. I witnessed first hand my first mosh pit, and stage diving. I will definitely be paying attention to their tour location to see them again.

Well my friends I must sign off for the evening. my pals and I are currently in search of more concerts to attend, which I will write about. I apologize for abandoning my blog for so long and I hope you will continue to come back. I will try not to be so distant. Let your Rock be rollin' and your bass drum pedal be double, Rock on dudes. To quote the genius(sic) lead singer and guitarist of Endeverafter, "You are the fuck. Metal is the fuck" Good night