I had a chance to see Barrage in concert a few weeks ago. Barrage is basically a string band showcasing six violin players, but it also includes drums, bass guitar, and both acoustic and electric guitars. Their performance was ridiculously entertaining, and I loved every minute of it. My favorite player was Kristina Bauch, who not only was incredibly beautiful, but she also radiated a contagious charisma impossible to miss or to remain indifferent at. But the truth is that everyone was very talented, and I think everyone in the audience enjoyed their performance and had a great time. Their music reminded me of Bond, even if Barrage's music was a bit more bluegrassy than the phenomenal string quartet's, and I still like Bond much better. But I had a great time, and I would recommend everyone to check them out if you guys have the chance.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Vivacious Violins
I had a chance to see Barrage in concert a few weeks ago. Barrage is basically a string band showcasing six violin players, but it also includes drums, bass guitar, and both acoustic and electric guitars. Their performance was ridiculously entertaining, and I loved every minute of it. My favorite player was Kristina Bauch, who not only was incredibly beautiful, but she also radiated a contagious charisma impossible to miss or to remain indifferent at. But the truth is that everyone was very talented, and I think everyone in the audience enjoyed their performance and had a great time. Their music reminded me of Bond, even if Barrage's music was a bit more bluegrassy than the phenomenal string quartet's, and I still like Bond much better. But I had a great time, and I would recommend everyone to check them out if you guys have the chance.
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15 comments:
Is "ridicully" some hip new term that you picked up from your girls? Or do your fingers just not keep pace with that lightning-fast brain of yours?
Just curious.
HAHAHAHA! Typo acknowledged and corrected. Man, I did skip not one but three letters in that word! I must have been thinking about Unseen University's Archchancellor, Mustrum Ridcully ;)
Not my favourite kind of music.
Or... well, it's not exactly that. I suppose that I usually reject bands like this one because I can't help seeing them as a made-up-for-the-sake-of-earning-money band. The same I thought of Bond, or of Il Divo, for that matter.
Of course, I'm being unreasonable. I haven't heard a single song of theirs, or yet of Bond, so I'll save my criticism for after I've given them a chance.
And I understand it's a visual show just the same as it's music. That puts the whole thing into a new perspective.
On regarding Il Divo, now they don't deserve a chance. Oh no they don't.
PS.- Sorry about the ranting, but I was making up my mind just as I went along.
Of course, you can like and dislike whatever you want, Hal. However, there is something I don't quite understand, and that is the concept of "a band put together for money". I would claim that, as soon as a band steps into a studio and records an album they intend to sell, then it automatically becomes a band that wants to make money with their music. By that token, then every single band that sells their music is doing it for the money, because, if you don't want the money, why would you put out a CD, unless you are planning on distributing it for free?
At the same time, I don't see a problem with people wanting to make money out of their talents, which obviously applies not to music but to everything else. If you don't want to make money, you'll just keep playing in your garage or getting together with your friends to play music or do whatever, and you won't try to break into the business or sell your wares.
Regarding Barrage in particular, they actually have a grant to go to schools and play for free. When they came to my school, they actually had a workshop with the music students and worked with them for a whole evening. Also, during the concert, the students went onstage to perform two songs with the band.
Barrage's members change on a regular basis, but the project stays the same: to travel everywhere and help promote string instruments and teach and encourage kids to keep playing and improving.
Talk about rants, man!
Hmmm... About the concept "A band put together for money"...
It's right that the same moment a band records a CD, they're expecting to some degree to earn money. I mean, that never hurts.
But what I was not very brilliantly referring to is not exactly that. I was talking about those bands which, instead of being started by the musicians and then hiring a producer, do the thing backwards. First a producer creates the band, and then he hires the musicians that make it up. Then he either pays to a composer to create some songs for them, or pays for the rights of a bunch of old almost forgotten songs. And has the musicians, singers or whatever, perform them.
Of course, you'll never see a single visually unpleasant person on those groups. First, the marketing. Second, if ever, the content.
So, Il Divo.
Okay, I see what you mean. However, I take it you are telling me that:
1. You can just listen to a song and know whether it was created for money or for "love of the craft".
2. No good songs can come out of a band put together for money.
3. Songs made for the "love of the craft" are superior, better or somehow more enjoyable than songs "assembled" by a group of people.
Personally, I would say the answer to all those questions is "no", which would render the difference between these bands irrelevant.
Now consider this. What if I, good ole Fel, had an idea and wrote some amazing lyrics for a song? However, I can't play an instrument, so I get some musicians to put the music together for me, and then, since I can't sing to save my life, I hire somebody to perform it. Regardless of how successful this song is, does this mean my song has no value because it was "engineered" by a group of people?
Discuss! ;)
Hehe. Of course the answer to all those three points is "nope".
Of course I can't tell if somebody has written a song that resonates deep within her or him. Or if s/he is or isn't singing something to his/her heart (well, sometimes it definitely shows).
Of course there are good things that can come out of one of those bands (and I'm thinking Robbie Williams here).
Of course not every song made, as you put it, "for the love of the craft", is going to be better or more enjoyable than every one of those made "for the love of the cash".
So, just like you, yes, I think that all your three statements are false. And still I agree a hundred percent with every single syllable of my previous comment.
IMHO, the difference between the two types of bands is not irrelevant. At least not to me. There are the ones that try to make profit by adding something (more or less) worthy to the world, and there are the ones who try to make it by adding nothing. Zero. Nada. De nada.
And what's worse, they prevent from making it to some of the people who are trying to contribute something of worth.
So, in my opinion, it's not the final product that counts. It's the intention that you make it with (and usually intentions are what shape the outcome).
BTW, my third comment in a row. Must be Saturday. ;)
Then I guess you would have to define what "something of worth" is to music. What is a worthy contribution and what isn't? And I guess it would be easier to recognize what definitely isn't, but I'm not sure we can be objective when we get to a place like this. Maybe a catchy tune is worthy to me but not to you. Maybe being experimental is worthy to you and not to me. Hmmm...
(And had I known you were going to have so much free time today, I would have posted tomorrow's post today instead! Oh, well...)
No, hehe. I suppose we're not exactly entering Objectivity Land here.
I don't know what contributions to the field of music are worth more or less (okay, maybe Mozart has influenced way more people way more permanently than... I don't know... Wham!).
What I do know is that there are people who try to get benefits by giving nothing themselves. Except a flashy advertising campaign, that is.
And please don't give me the 'being experimental' elite crap (don't want to sound too harsh, but I can't resist using that very word right there, hehe). I'm against it just the same as you. Don't you ever forget you're talking with me, a human being who loves catchy tunes and has a Milikito record at home. ;)
Hahaha. You manage to mention both Milikito and Wham! in the same entry! Awesome!
Yep. That's how profound I am, hehe.
Anyway, seriously, I enjoy the so called lesser art(ist)s (yeah, well, maybe it's just me that calls them that) as much as the next man. But there is music and there is music.
Okay, again with the sailing the Subjectivity Seas. I'll better stop typing like right now.
Again, I think it would depend on your personal taste, your likes and dislikes, what you would consider great and what not. Fortunately, we're not trying to convince anyone of anything, so let's all enjoy whatever we like!
Okay, so I'm going to enjoy some, errm... Britney Spears goodness them. Without fear for retaliation. ;P
Hahaha! And Miss Spears does have some cool songs...
Yeah, right...
:P
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