In last week's column, I reflected on some current trends in the music industry and ended by lamenting the imminent demise of the album. This week, in order to prove just how out of touch and behind the times I am, I'd like to address another worry I have about the changing tides of the music world: I don't think we've made enough room for live music.
A century ago, there was no "live" — there was just music. Before recording, all music happened live. In its early stages, recorded music was meant to convey the impression of live music, but around the middle of the last century there was an interesting shift; new technologies allowed recording artists to create works that were not merely meant to give the impression of a group playing live, but were original musical works in and of themselves. Since then, artists' focuses have been moving steadily away from playing live and toward recording.
Around the same time that recording began to dominate the music culture, there was a similar shift in dance clubs across America. One sad night, the first jukebox was installed in a local jive joint. Since then, gigging musicians have been steadily losing work to DJs, who offer a greater range of music.
I take no issue with DJs. I think at its best DJing is a vibrant form of live music. It does seem to me, though, that we have divorced live music from dance music. You go to a club to dance to dance music and to a show to listen to serious music. Try to remember the last time you heard live music, not something like the Gamelan ensemble, but at a bar, a club or in the basement of a frat. See if you can recall anyone really dancing. Not jumping up and down or slamming into each other, not just standing there, but actually dancing. I could count on one hand the number of times I have seen real dancing to live music. It seems we only allow ourselves to move to something pre-recorded that we've heard on the radio or our iPods.
So we go out to dance to tunes we could hear in the comfort of our dorm rooms. I know it's not the same; it's about the vibe right? Well, imagine the same vibe, the energy of the room, the moves, the sweat, fortified by an incredibly tight live band, laying down the dirtiest, funkiest grooves you've ever heard.
There is simply a certain energy to live music that a recording can never quite capture. Recorded music can convey the power and beauty of a piece of music, but there is something magical about witnessing music happen in front of you. To get an idea of what I'm talking about, first listen to MGMT's hypnotic "Electric Feel," then head over to Youtube.com and watch them play it on the BBC's "Live at Abbey Road." I think you'll see what I mean.
Live music is vital now more than ever. We spend so much of our lives glued to a screen, communicating through proxies. We all need live music to wake us up to the incredible possibilities that stem from human collaboration. If you haven't seen live music that changed your life, I implore you: Go see your favorite artist. Through recordings, music can be appreciated, but only through live performance can it be truly experienced.
--
Charles Laubacher is a sophomore who has not yet declared a major. He can be reached at Charles.Labaucher@Tufts.edu.
