Music in the Air

Musicians and the (lack-of-)pay issue:

I don't mind playing some stuff for free - charity, donations, etc. Because I do enjoy it and I don't mind giving back a little to groups that deserve it. (Heck, Brazen Brass played a free benefit last night). But organizations, even non-profits, have budgets. That (should) include entertainment. They pay for other services, food, space rental, etc.

Musicians are offering a (good) service. The more they choose to play for free, the more people expect it. And playing for free devalues music in general. (I've heard professional musicians argue that amateur groups playing for free also drive down their prices, making it harder for them to compete and make a living).

Musicians put work into creating our product, collectively and individually, to bring an experience to our audience. We should be compensated for our work, our time, our talent. This goes for any musician or artist.

Live Holiday Music!

I have a handful of gigs left this month - all featuring holiday music of course!
All events are FREE to the public, so come out and enjoy some great holiday cheer in the form of live music!

The Living Christmas Tree
Highland Baptist Church, Grove City OH
December 6 @ 7:30pm
December 7 @ 7:30pm
December 8 @ 7:30pm
December 9 @ 6:00pm

Brazen Brass
Easton Towne Center
December 15 @ 1:00pm

TUBACHRISTMAS
EJ Thomas Hall, Akron, OH
December 16 @ 4:00pm & 6:00pm

TUBACHRISTMAS
Mees Hall, Capital University, Columbus, OH
December 17 @ 5:30pm & 7:30pm

(www.tubachristmas.com for all your TUBACHRISTMAS details).

Brazen Brass
Easton Towne Center
December 21 @ 6:00pm

Carbon Leaf 2.21.07

I finally got to see Carbon Leaf again - it's been over a year since I drove all the way to Ann Arbor for one of their shows. The show was absolutely killer. Maybe because I hadn't seen them (or any great shows) in several months, or maybe because they really do put on a fabulous live show.

I took some decent photos, considering I wasn't using flash and had my little point & shoot that doesn't do too well in the dark, especially with bodies flailing across the stage as they rock out on their guitars or tin whistles or accordians.

This was my favorite photo after a smidge of color tweaking:



(click for big)

(click for all my show photos on flickr)

I also shot a few videos with the same camera. They are ultra-lo-fi but still get the Carbon Leaf vibe across. The entire playlist can be found here. Individual links to the YouTube videos follow, in recommended order:

American Tale - Carbon Leaf 2.21.07

The War Was In Color - Carbon Leaf 2.21.07

Learn to Fly (Acoustic) - Carbon Leaf 2.21.07

Life Less Ordinary - Carbon Leaf 2.21.07

The Boxer - Carbon Leaf