The Silver Cord from your ears to your soul

Had the pleasure of attending a free concert last night with local band turned popular "A Rotterdam November" and Fireflight. The sound for Fireflight was a little off but of course it was free and in a high school auditorium but all things considered it was a pretty good show. I hope Fireflight comes back to somewhere like the Knitting Factory because I would definitely pay to see them again.

Music is amazing! It is one of the biggest parts of my life and there is nothing like seeing a live show. Not only is it fun but it also defines the artist, taking them out of the studio without mixers, soundboards and all the technology to make them sound better. Its just them and you get to see if they are really as good as they sound on CD or if its all cover-up. For me the bands live performance is the most important part of their career. I could love a band tremendously, but if they suck live I will hardly listen to them anymore. This has only happened to me a few times, most of the bands that I have seen live have been amazing but their are a few that have just been terrible.

I saw these guys quite a few years ago while they were on tour with Sum 41. I almost left the concert house before Sum even got on stage because these guys were so bad. I mean this video doesn't do it justice. It was at the Knitting Factory too so bad sound was unacceptable. When you are at the best venue in the valley and you sound like poop, that might be a sign to quit embarrassing yourself and quit while your ahead. But then again the consumers don't help things either. I swear some of these people are in straight denial, cheering on the band, having a so called good time when clearly, the band is terrible. Quit encouraging them people! Maybe you should go to a concert sober every once in awhile. The music industry is bad enough these days without tons of crappy bands making it worse. But still for all the Unwritten Laws and Panic at the Disco's you still have your amazing bands that put on great performances every night but they are starting to become far and few between. The music industry is turning into a cookie cutter, all the new bands sound the same and standout bands are scarce. This is not only the secular industry either, the Christian scene is just as bad if not worse then the secular. Anyone listened to Air One lately? We are not suppose to conform to the world right? So why is it that when I turn on a Christian station I hear the same songs being played several times a day and they almost all sound the same? They use the same strategy as top 40 radio playing the same songs over and over and over again until I want to shoot the radio. Now don't get me wrong, there are some popular songs that I like so not all of them are bad but then everything in moderation is fine anyway, well except for drugs they are no bueno all the time. I mean I am a sucker for Taylor Swift's "Love Story" myself, I know thats weird and yes I know I am a guy but come on the girl writes all her own lyrics and the one's in that song just get me every time. Crap I need to stop talking about it otherwise I am gonna start bawling anyways, what I am trying to say is that we as consumers need to say enough is enough. All of us have different views and different tastes, I understand that but still when you have people like Justin Bieber making it in music something is wrong people. The kid doesn't have any talent whatsoever and he sounds like a little girl, where is the substance in that? (Sorry Ashley) We have let the secular mindset and strategy's sink into our lifestyles. We have let the Disney channel raise our kids and now the Jonas Brothers/Hannah Montana era has hit full swing and both secular and Christian markets are benefiting from it. Now I know the Jonas Brothers are Christians and I know that they write their own music but they need to wake up and realize that they are being used. Disney is using them to take advantage of our kids and we need to take a stand and say enough is enough. Thats all I have for now, until next time God bless.

Here is a recommended listening list of some bands/albums that I enjoy.

House of Heroes-"The End is Not the End"

The Classic Crime-"Albatross" "The Silver Cord"

Coheed and Cambria-"Year of the Black Rainbow" "Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth:3" "No World for Tomorrow"

Circa Survive-"Blue Sky Noise"

Pink Floyd-"Dark Side of the Moon"

A Perfect Circle-"Thirteenth Step"

Chevelle-"Sci-Fi Crimes"

City and Color-"All albums"

Burden of a Day-"Blessed be the Everafter"

Attack Attack!-"Someday came suddenly"

Project 86-"Drawing Black Lines" "Truthless Heroes"