I Saw a Birthday Massacre -- and I Liked It!

So, I promised Ricky that for once I’d step out of my reality TV blogging mode and actually write about something going on in my real life.

On Monday morning, I received an e-mail from Ricky informing me that he would be coming down to SD to see a band that he’s very passionate about play at the House of Blues down here – for the third time in a few weeks. He asked me if Scott and I would like to join him.

Oh yes, and it’s happening the next day. Spontaneity, anyone? ;)

Well, because I rarely get a chance to listen to any music that’s not on the radio anymore (and I use the term “music” extremely loosely when defining anything on the radio), and also since I’ll take just about any opportunity to see my LA friends, I decided to step out of my musical comfort zone and accompany Ricky with Scootz in tow.

I can be 100% honest in saying I REALLY enjoyed the show. The opening band was “theSTART”, which I am seriously tempted to either:

A.) Buy a CD (which I haven’t done since 2002); or
B.) Finally break down and get an iPod so I could download their music, and other indie bands that don’t get mainstream airplay.

I’ve never really been into industrial or electronica music – mainly because I have no opportunity to listen to music in general these days (what with all the craptastic reality TV, and such). ;) But, I thoroughly enjoyed theSTART.

For me, more than anything in a song, it’s the beat that gets me hooked. I think that’s why I’ve always loved hip hop music since I was about 9 (despite the fact that I’m so blindingly white that even white people make fun of how pale I am). theSTART had some fantastic drumming and back beats going on in several of their songs; and, when combined with the heavy industrial sound, they really got me clinched in to their performance.

After theStart, the main act came on: The Birthday Massacre. Ricky informed me that the lead singer, Chibi, was suffering from a pretty nasty cold that was affecting her voice. Still, she was an über trooper, and she put more passion, effort, and soul into her performance than Avril Lavigne could ever hope for, even after consuming half her body weight in speed.

In particular, I really loved how Chibi interacted with the audience. I could see why The Birthday Massacre has such a loyal following.

After the concert, I really started thinking about just how royally mainstream media fucks over the general population, even in regards to something as seemingly benign as music.

You see, the music at the concert, the passionate performances, and the palpable creativity radiating from these artists provokes thought, appreciation for art, and it encourages the listener to create and explore outside of the norm themselves.

This is a very dangerous thing, though, for advertisers – the bread and butter of mainstream radio stations.

So, what do they do? Play completely mindless bullshit that encourages the mind to turn off, and the listener to put on what the advertisers say are the “fashionable” clothes, go to what they say are the “cool” clubs, drink tons of the alcohol that they’ve said to drink, and dance the dances that are shown in the over-priced music videos promulgated on TRL.

Now, this is not to say that I don’t like much of the music on mainstream radio. There are quite a few “craptastic” songs that I love and appreciate the same way I do with my craptastic TV shows. And, really I love both for the same reasons – they allow me to turn my brain off, and enjoy the sugary, empty sweetness that their entertainment gives me.

However, much in the same way as actual diet & nutrition work, it’s fine to treat oneself to the occasional tasty indulgence with empty calories. But, consuming too many of these goodies leads to poor physical health. Consuming too many musical and television “treats” leads to poor mental and spiritual health.

If anything, this experience encourages me to go out and see more indie acts at the local clubs. I don’t even really care what genre the performers are considered a part of. It’s just good to step out of the tiny little box that mainstream culture (AKA: advertisers) try to stick the entirety of the spending American public into.

Even if I should happen to NOT like the act itself, it’s just good to support art, creativity, passion, and thought – all of which the vast majority of mainstream music is severely lacking.

Cheers,


E