At 07:11 PM 9/13/2000 -0700, Ron Jeremy wrote:
quoted 6 lines If the "performer" is using a laptop their workload has probably been>If the "performer" is using a laptop their workload has probably been
>simplyfied a great deal. It's not like they are playing really fast drums
>or traditional instruments...they are in many cases just clicking a mouse.
>
>As far as performance...it is often nonexistant. Watching someone click a
>mouse is not a performance.
This isn't just a response specifically to this or Mr. Jeremy, but
the one thing I've been thinking the whole time I've read this thread.
Generally people are comparing IDM shows to rock shows. Watching some guy
click a mouse isn't exciting. Watching someone like Lexaunculpt isn't
riveting, but I find watching four guys plucking strings and hitting drums
to be just as boring. Watching musicians grimace and lean into the
microphone and spin in circles while playing guitars isn't even remotely
entertaining to me. Musicians aren't more exciting when they jump up and
down or wave their hands.
Seriously, I'm really not being glib when I say that most IDM
shows should turn the lights up a little, provide more tables to sit at,
and let people sit down and read or talk quietly in the back while they
listen. Some music demands and rewards attentive listening, but most of it
is froofy melodies and tricky little chiastic beats. There's not enough
there to just stand and listen for hours on end. If there were screens to
look at, or I had a book to read, I would be more ready to sit through
every performance. Standing there in the dark with my arms crossed staring
at some laptop, or standing by a speaker dancing by myself (since dancing
seems to be forbidden at hip idm shows) both get boring quickly.
As much as we're all expected to hate and scorn raves on this
list, I've always found more to do at parties with a big space, room to
walk around, a crowd that is actually reacting overtly to music,
playstations hooked up, and whatever else promoters do to be nifty. If I
could go raving and hear interesting music (and there's plenty of stuff
like Cylob that is simultaneously pocket pen protector-friendly and funky
and danceable) that would make me pretty happy. The rock show format is
boring. I don't want to spend $9 for a little tiny drink, and I don't want
to stand around amidst a bunch of Hollywood hipsters trying hard to look
bored. I dunno what shows are like in the rest of the world, but there must
be some happy medium.
quoted 3 lines Now we know where your pre-idm tastes...eeew.>Now we know where your pre-idm tastes...eeew.
>You guys can keep attacking rock or rock pardigm. etc,
>There has been a long tradition of live music before rock. Such as classical.
I want to see a laptop orchestra. That would be hott. If there
were no beats, or maybe everyone were synched to the same midi tempo
controller ... would that be doable? Ten guys with laptops, each tweaking
their software synths and patterns. Hmm. It could be very cool for
improv-microsound music (which is a currently running topic on that list),
and maybe give things a more spontaneous feel than just one person
arranging the sound.
quoted 4 lines You obviously have not seen any really good djs. Typically, I hear more>You obviously have not seen any really good djs. Typically, I hear more
>sounds and variation when I see a good dj. Some artist's use the same
>sounds in all of their tunes. So I guess that's another reason to choose
>a dj or a mouse expert.
Some DJs use the same sounds in all their tunes, for years on end.
DJs are glorified jukeboxes. They play prerecorded material for people to
dance to. But when you have people who hit 'play' on the laptop and we go
to see them for purposes of hearing the new tunes (most of the reason I go
to shows), I guess you could argue it's not really any different from
seeing whatever big name junglist for the sake of dubplate fetishism.
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