Aural Sects

Well it’s out! If you’d like to Try Before You Buy, you can stream the entire album on Spinner.com here (the songs are mislabelled though, if you want to know what your listening to look at the track listing on Amazon instead). If you like what you hear, then you’ll be pleased to know (if you’re in the US) that Amazon’s MP3 store has the MP3 album

on sale for $3.99 for today (April 21st) only.

I’m streaming it now. I’m enjoying it so far. Not madly in love right of the bat, but not turned off either. And if the labels weren’t waging such an unrelenting war against their customers I would probably buy it right away. Especially at the sale price. But I’m having a real hard time justifying spending money that will go, primarily, to supporting corporations that are so dedicated to ripping off both fans and artists.

I’ve paid for Wrong, and I don’t regret spending that money. It’s a wonderful song. But more than that, I don’t know.

Thanks labels, for pissing all over me in your pathetic attempts to save your dying business model.

ETA: I went ahead and bought it. I feel dirty, and I apologize to the guys of Depeche Mode for not being able to afford the actual cd - which I am certain you get paid more for. Not a lot more, of course. Maybe I’ll just send them $10 later or something.

To say I was excited about getting to see this concert would be such a vast understatement as to be meaningless. Fall Out Boy is my very favorite band. They’re the reason I’m listening to music at all anymore. I am so entirely, shamelessly, unironically in love with this band and their music that I’m not even embarrassed about how far gone I am.

That said, I had to go to this concert alone since I don’t have any local friends that are into the music I’m into. I did get lucky in that there were some internet peoples going to the show too, and so I got to hang with them in line. That was really nice. It kind of sucks to not have other fans to talk to when you’re excited about something.

I had to rent a car to get to the venue since Grand Prairie doesn’t allow public transportation in their city and taking a taxi would be extremely cost prohibitive. That experience, renting a car, was extremely fucking stressful. I was so freaked out when they sprung a mandatory $250 deposit on me on the day of the concert. We were able to make an arrangement with them, but good god damn that was a shitty way to start my day. Still, that was the only bad thing that happened and the car was more than adequate.

So I get to the venue about 3-4 hours before doors open. I never would’ve thought to go that early myself, but R (one of the women I was meeting there) said she was going to be there that early to ensure a good spot in the pit. Turns out, unsurprisingly, that this was a good idea. I got to park SO CLOSE and dear god by the end of the night that was a life saver. There is no way in hell I could’ve walked further than I did to get to my car. I still hurt. It’s so awesome!

The rain had more or less stopped by the time I got to the venue, but there was a big overhanging thing anyway. The venue, Nokia Theatre, failed to adequately direct people waiting in line for Early Entry, VIP, Meet & Greet (of which there were two groups, one for FOB and one for All Time Low) and Will Call/Box Office. So that side of the front porch area was a HUGE ass mess. Which was stressful since I needed to pick my ticket up from Will Call. Not long before the doors were to open the venue finally sent someone out to direct traffic and so I was able to get my ticket and then go back to hang with the net girls in line. At the front of the line. \o/

Doors opened about 10 minutes late, and I had to pit stop before going down into the amphitheater’s pit area. Still, I managed to get a spot pretty close to the barrier (only two bodies between me and it) and I was just a little left of center. I stayed there for all of Hey Monday’s short set, but I had to go get a drink after their set and lost my spot. Pete came out briefly during HM’s set, to help hype up the crowd. It was all sorts of adorable.

The venue’s concession choices were really, really shitty. Water, soda or alcohol. Water’s okay and all, but some electrolyte-type drink would’ve been much, much better. And, of course, they couldn’t even give me my water in a bottle. I am really, really sick of the asshats that throw bottles at bands and fuck everyone else over in the process. Whatever, I drank my water and thought about standing in line for some merch, but the lines were stupidly long and I wasn’t about to miss Cobra, so instead I went back in.

And I wound up seeing most of All Time Low’s set. They’re pretty decent live. Great crowd interaction. One of the guys, Jack I think, slipped off the stage and got himself up onto the first level of seats and started playing from there. It was kind of hilarious. Plus, the pit all moved back toward Jack, which let me slip a little closer to the barrier, so that was awesome. My new spot was about 7-9 bodies back. Not the best, but still pretty damn good.

Cobra Starship time, and let me just say it was so awesome to see them inside. Trying to enjoy them at Warped was a challenge I was not up to. Gabe just owned the crowd, very, very magnetic. And not at all acting like someone who had severely hurt themselves recently, or who had just gotten over a serious stomach virus. He’s a great showman. The only thing ‘wrong’ with their set was Victoria’s mic. It was either down super low or wasn’t working at all. Cassadee came out to sing along for Bring It and that’s about the only time I got to hear Victoria, when Cassadee shared her mic with her. tsk However, the rest was just perfect.

I’m going to be sappy here for a moment. I am really shy and self-conscious off-line. The depression and anxiety/panic issues make it even harder for me to just go out and enjoy things. When I got a ticket to go to Warped (again, alone) I was kind of overwhelmed. But the main thing that helped give me the courage to just go and enjoy myself was the attitude that Gabe and the rest of Cobra Starship projects. Their whole “just get over yourself and have fun!” attitude, the lyrics from “Guilty Pleasure” and the way they treat fans (no matter what we look like) really, really makes me feel welcome. It’s so incredibly wonderful for me to have found a band like them.

Anyways, so their set was shorter than I would’ve liked, but I enjoyed the hell out of it. The whole pit was jumping and bouncing around and it was just fucking awesome. I was totally able to let go and just join in the fun. It was great.

Next up was 50 Cent. That was interesting. There were lots of kids in the audience who seemed to be fans of his music. Several of them around me were singing along even. I can’t begin to express how hilarious it is to see middle-class, pampered white kids singing those lyrics. 50 Cent kept throwing clothes into the audience, two different jackets and hats. That was amusing. One of his..um, hype men?, was more than a little hot. That set went a little long, imo. By the end most everyone in the audience had grown a little sluggish if not completely still. I think this was more a matter of sheer exhaustion than lack of interest, however.

Finally, finally it was Fall Out Boy’s turn. The urge to label this post “It’s Not A Concert, It’s An Endurance Test” was nearly overwhelming, just so you know. Seriously, I was so damn worn out by the time FOB came on that I was worried I wouldn’t be able to enjoy their set. That concern evaporated pretty quickly.

Putting what happened during Fall Out Boy’s set into words is difficult for me. The intensity of my emotional reaction swamps me and mostly what I can recall are flashes of moments not in any particular order. Furthermore, the intensity of my reaction is a little bit embarrassing to admit to. I am continually amazed at just how much this band entertains me, and on how many levels. And admitting to that, to loving something so much, is not easy for me.

I knew ahead of time about the MVP dramatization. I knew ahead of time (because I do read Pete’s blog and twitter) what they were trying to accomplish. I agreed with their goals, thought their method was interesting. And, actually seeing it, found it quite effective and impressive.

You know, that **** Live in Phoenix dvd has to be one of the most awful things ever made. It gives such a completely false impression of how well Fall Out Boy performs live. I’m actually offended by it. Because live, they’re fucking amazing. Patrick’s voice just is unfuckingbelievable. I mean, I kept just…staring. I could not believe his voice. Live, I can hear Pete’s bass much better. And that’s a bonus for me. A big one. Now, I suck at identifying guitars (like the difference between ‘lead’ and ‘rhythm’) unless I’m in a calm spot and can carefully watch the player’s hands and hear the music with no distractions. However, the guitars were awesome too. And I don’t even know how to put how awesome Andy’s drumming is into words. It was all so fucking awesome. And the lights! There were lights at the back of the stage that flashed and stuff in time with parts of the music and wow! That was really cool. My senses were totally overloaded. It was great. :D

I’m going to stop there, because I have nothing more (coherent) to add that I want to admit out loud.

After the concert ended I hobbled up stairs and got a shirt (actually a Clan shirt, but whatevs) and a cd (Hey Monday’s, which I’d almost bought last year at the Bill & Travis’ Bogus Journey tour). And then I hobbled out to the car. Seriously, best part about going early: great parking space. On the way out some kid handed me a Victory Records sampler cd which I’ll get around to eventually. I drove home, stayed up the rest of the night talking with friends online, returned the car in the morning and fell very, very hard asleep.

Yes, I’m still sore. Yes, it is totally worth it.

Fall Out Boy’s amazing songs brought me back to music, and seeing them in concert was all I could’ve hoped for and more. It was an amazing night and I still can’t quite believe I really got to see them. I want to see them again and again, but I’m glad I at least got to see them this once.

ahomeboyslife: SPOILER ALERT: dont read this if you want the BND show to be in anyway a surprise for you:

IM GOING KANYE AND GOING ALL CAPS ON THIS ONE. SPELLING AND GRAMMAR SHOULD BE IGNORED AS WELL (AS I ALWAYS DO). THE ONLY THING I TAKE OFFENSE AT FROM THIS REVIEW IS “CUT THE POLITICAL CRAP” AND THE IDEA THAT OUR FANS ARE EITHER TOO YOUNG OR TOO STUPID TO GET IT.

and

WE JUST FELT LIKE BECAUSE WE HAD THIS STAGE IT WAS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO SPEAK TO SOMETHING WE BELIEVE IN.

I really admire and appreciate their passion. Despite most interviewers asking idiotic questions, every time these guys are given a chance to show what intelligent, compassionate people they are…they do. Celebrity seems a bad fit for all of them. Not because they don’t deserve fame for their efforts, but because they all fail miserably at being shallow and mindless.

The more I’ve learned about them, mostly from them via their blogs and twitters and other such things, the more impressed I’ve been with their intelligence. And more, their desire to inspire other people to educate themselves about the world and the issues facing our species.

Which isn’t cool, or easy, or mindlessly entertaining. But I never got the impression that those were things they aspired to be anyway. So if someone who is too cool to care has a problem with the show Fall Out Boy is putting on during this tour, well, that someone needs to get over themselves.

So…

AmazonMP3 Follows Suit… $1.29 Pricing Spreads

The dominant iTunes Store sets the tone for the paid download space, a field that includes Napster, Rhapsody, and AmazonMP3. Already, a shift towards variable pricing on iTunes is rippling across the sector, and causing at least one early shift. A quick gander onto AmazonMP3 reveals more than few $1.29 downloads, a change first noticed by C|Net journalist Matt Rosoff.

Thanks to Apple, Amazon and its competitors are now faced with higher wholesale costs, a shift that forces higher pricing. The end result is quite predictable, especially considering the razor-thin margins that paid downloads afford. But at least one competitor - eMusic - has flatly refused to elevate its payment structure, one that bundles download allocations into monthly subscription charges. Then again, eMusic mostly sells songs from independent labels, a group that has show more willingness to accept lower price points.

I’m done buying mp3s. The labels have ‘won’ this one for sure. I will no longer purchase MP3s from any source at all. CDs, should I desire them, will be bought used. I’ll still support the bands that I love most, but everyone else just lost any money I might spend on them. Good job labels! You’ve driven me right back out the door.

Oh, and in related news, despite bullshit claims that most of the ‘new’ prices on iTunes would be of the $0.69 variety:

Apple Shifts iTunes Pricing; $0.69 Tracks MIA

I know, I’m totally shocked too!

Fall Out Boy is my favorite band. They made me care about music in a way I had never cared about it before. They made me passionate about music. They inspire me every single day. And, thanks to lable greed, my ability to purchase their music has just been jeopardized.

First, this bullshit variable pricing fuckwittery is not limited to just Fall Out Boy (of course). It’s something that labels have been trying to force iTunes to do since the start. And in exchange for making all iTunes items DRM-free, they’re getting it.

Back on March 26th the LA Times ran an article about variable pricing:

Hottest tracks to cost $1.29 at iTunes starting April 7
The online music store, under pressure from record labels, is abandoning its 99-cent-only strategy.

The move, part of a new “variable-pricing” strategy that will also lower the price of selected songs, is an attempt by the music industry to wring more revenue from digital downloads in the battle to offset declining CD sales. Label executives contend the new pricing will allow them to offer packaged downloads of songs that might entice consumers to spend more on music.

Some music industry veterans are criticizing the 30% hike price, saying the timing is tone deaf because it comes in the midst of a recession and at a time when spending for online music appears to have reached a plateau.

It’s now April 7th, and those variable prices have come into effect:

Elevated Pricing Arrives at iTunes Store…

The anticipation is now over, as music fans everywhere can now pay more for their favorite tracks on the iTunes Store.

Naturally, the first thing I did was run right over to iTunes Store to see how many of my favorite bands were being fucked with. A quick search of my top-played bands only showed one band being manipulated in this manner. Of course, it’s my very favorite band so I’m more than a little pissed off.

I will not use subscription music services. I cannot afford a monthly bill for music, it’s hard enough to pay my monthly cable tv/internet bill. I have yet to hear anything that would reassure me that buying from Rhapsody wouldn’t require infecting my computer with Real (audio, studio, etc) malware. Which means, for purchasing MP3s, I’ve been using the Amazon MP3 store. Now it’s not a perfect fit, it’s only for the US, doesn’t tend to have singles, never has music videos and there is never a PDF (or similar) with liner notes like there is on some iTunes albums. But it’s good enough.

So I went through the Fall Out Boy tracks that have had their prices tampered with and compared them to the Amazon versions of the same tracks/albums. You’re welcome.

Beat It (feat. John Mayer) - Single
iTunes:
http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=276328441&s=143441

Beat It (feat. John Mayer)   —   $1.29

vs Amazon (not sold as a single, but available for individual purchase off the **** Live In Phoenix album):
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0016Q45XK/ref=dm_dp_trk9?ie=UTF8&qid=1239096967
price $0.99

Folie à Deux (Deluxe Version)

iTunes:
http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=299508502&s=143441
whole album price $9.99 (includes video for I Don’t Care & Album Only bonus America’s Suitehearts remix)

America’s Suitehearts   —   $1.29
I Don’t Care 3:34 Fall Out Boy Folie à Deux (Deluxe Version) Alternative   —   $1.29
(other 11 regular tracks are $0.99 each, America’s Suitehearts remix is album only, I Don’t Care video is $1.49 [standard cost for music video])

vs Amazon (no Deluxe Version, regular album):
http://www.amazon.com/Folie-%C3%A0-Deux/dp/B001NB6IN8/ref=sr_shvl_album_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1239096853
whole album price $9.49/tracks are $0.99 each, does not include any bonus tracks and Amazon does not sell music videos

From Under the Cork Tree

iTunes:
http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=59950798&s=143441
whole album price $9.99

Sugar, We’re Goin Down   —   $1.29
Dance, Dance   —   $1.29
(other 11 tracks are $0.99 each)

vs Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/From-Under-The-Cork-Tree/dp/B000W0YXIS/ref=sr_shvl_album_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1239096451
whole album price $9.49/tracks $0.99 each

Infinity On High

iTunes:
http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=213526614&s=143441
whole album price $8.99

Thnks Fr Th Mmrs   —   $1.29
(other 13 tracks are $0.99 each)

vs Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Infinity-On-High/dp/B000W0AG8O/ref=sr_shvl_album_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1239096285
whole album price $9.49/tracks $0.99 each

Infinity On High - Deluxe Bonus - EP

iTunes:
http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=268367386&s=143441
whole album price $2.99

Dance, Dance (Live From Hammersmith Palais)   —   $1.29
(other 4 tracks are $0.99 each)

vs Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Infinity-High-Deluxe-Bonus-EP/dp/B000YNGDYU/ref=sr_shvl_album_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1239095913
whole album price $2.70/tracks $0.99 each

Infinity On High (Deluxe Edition)

iTunes:
http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=268582103&s=143441
whole album price $11.99

Dance, Dance (Live From Hammersmith Palais)   —   $1.29
Thnks Fr Th Mmrs   —   $1.29
(other 17 songs are $0.99 each)

vs Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Infinity-On-High-Deluxe-Version/dp/B0013XP7Z6/ref=sr_shvl_album_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1239095913
whole album price $9.49/tracks $0.99 each

**** Live In Phoenix

iTunes:
http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=276715932&s=143441
whole album price $9.99

Dance, Dance (Live)   —   $1.29
Beat It (feat. John Mayer) [Studio Version]   —   $1.29
Sugar, We’re Goin Down (Live)   —   $1.29
(other 12 songs are $0.99 each)

vs Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Live-In-Phoenix/dp/B0016Q8G4E/ref=sr_shvl_album_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1239095722
whole album $9.49/tracks $0.99 each

Thnks Fr Th Mmrs Hit Pack - EP

iTunes:
http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=253742414&s=143441
whole album price $2.49

Sugar, We’re Goin Down   —   $1.29
Thnks Fr Th Mmrs   —   $1.29
A Little Less Sixteen Candles, a Little More “Touch Me”   —   $0.99

vs Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Thnks-Fr-Mmrs-Hit-Pack/dp/B000VZFSHY/ref=sr_shvl_album_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1239095360
whole album price $2.71/tracks $0.99 each

Thnks Fr Th Mmrs Remix - EP

iTunes:
http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=259598464&s=143441
whole album price $5.99

Thnks Fr Th Mmrs (Lenny B Long Term Memory)   —   $1.29
Thnks Fr Th Mmrs (Lenny B Club Remix)   —   $1.29
Thnks Fr Th Mmrs (The Lindbergh Palace Remix)   —   $1.29
Thnks Fr Th Mmrs (Lenny B Short Term Memory)   —   $1.29
Thnks Fr Th Mmrs (Lenny B Radio Edit)   —   $1.29
Thnks Fr Th Mmrs (The Lindbergh Palace Radio Edit)   —   $1.29

vs Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Thnks-Fr-Th-Mmrs-Remix/dp/B000VZFSNI
whole album price $5.94/tracks $0.99 each

So if you buy the whole album of Folie à Deux (Deluxe Edition), or the Thnks Fr Th Mmrs Hit Pack EP or the regular Infinity On High from iTunes you’re still doing okay, though not by much. In fact the only real deal there is the Folie à Deux (Deluxe Edition) and it is an awesome deal, well worth the money. For the rest of that, however, Amazon wins hands down.

Now, in my case, this doesn’t currently affect me. Why? Because I’ve already bought all of these songs/albums. But in the future? And now that they’ve introduced variable pricing, I have no way of knowing just how variable they’ll end up getting.

I might understand variable pricing when it comes to physical goods with scarcity issues. However, we’re talking digital goods. There is not now, nor will there ever, ever be scarcity issues. A digital file can be copied infinitely with no degradation. This means the rules of “supply and demand” that physical goods are subject to DO NOT FUCKING APPLY.

And honestly, I would bet every penny I have ever made EVER that not one more cent is going to the artists. Will Fall Out Boy be getting more money for each mp3 of Sugar We’re Going Down sold through iTunes? I sincerely doubt it. And that, right there, is why I’m almost at the breaking point when it comes to paying for music.

I want to support the artists I love. I want to pay them back for the happiness they have brought me. The only way I can reasonably do that is to purchase their music/merchandise and go to concerts. I want to spend my (very limited) money the best way, ie: the way that will most benefit the artists. Increasingly the best way appears to be to send the artists a check and download their music from ‘friends’. I’d be happy to be shown to be wrong.

But from what Trent Reznor and Amanda Palmer have been saying, I really don’t think I am wrong.

This sincerely cracked my ass up. I’d been amused by their official flickr page for awhile, but this just really made me laugh hard. Now I need to go find what film festivals happen in my part of the world. *giggles*

(the text under the video is from the filmmakers)

MOUSTACHETTE TRAILER #1 (HD) from MOUSTACHETTE MOVIE on Vimeo.

MOUSTACHETTE is a tongue-in-cheek, satirical look at a group of unabashedly pompous and misled young artists. Overwhelmed by the naivety and selfishness of his best friend, Eugene searches for truth, integrity, and/or a blueberry milkshake.

Join the MOUSTACHETTE community on Twitter (http://twitter.com/moustachette), facebook (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Moustachette/29644015101), myspace (http://www.myspace.com/moustachettemovie), and Flickr (http://www.flickr.com/photos/moustachette-movie/). If you want to see MOUSTACHETTE, check out the online community to find links and contact info for festivals around the world. Then, call/email your local festival and tell them you want MOUSTACHETTE!

Most importantly, share this trailer with your facebook friends, email it to your grandma and your cousins, embed it on your blog, link to it on Twitter and tell your friends to reTwit, add it to delicious, vote for it on Buzzfeed, tell Vimeo you “Like” it, etc. Get it out there! Every view of the trailer is a vote for MOUSTACHETTE. We’ll keep a tally of the results so you can share those with the festivals in your emails requesting MOUSTACHETTE!

- moustachette

“A quest for truth in a blanket of stupidity.”
(16min, 35mm, Color)

www.moustachette.com
http://twitter.com/moustachette
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Moustachette/29644015101
http://www.myspace.com/moustachettemovie
http://www.flickr.com/photos/moustachette-movie/
www.thirtysevenclick.com

My primary reaction to music/songs is not analytical, thoughtful or rational. Generally I have a purely emotional response that is, at best, difficult to put into words. Sometimes I also have a visual response. And many times that visual response, the images that the song/music evoke in me, has very little logical connection to the music/song itself.

For example. Last night Ryan Ross, of Panic at the Disco, shared a music recommendation via twitter. He said, “This is how you write a song.” and he linked to the song Say You Don’t Mind by Colin Blunstone on Grooveshark.

My initial reaction was primarily visual, I saw specific imagery. But it wasn’t just that. Thinking back to the song later, more senses came into the ‘image’. To start at the beginning though, what I saw first was the interior of an elevator. Brass walls, shiny but not perfectly mirrored, something like this:

And the carpeting inside was similar to this, though less damaged and dirty:

The lighting was yellowish, recessed, dim and there was a single brass handrail along the back of the elevator cab.

When I revisited the memory of the song, the scene became even richer. Now I could feel that it was late afternoon, but before any dinner rush. This elevator was in an older hotel located somewhere warm, not arid, but not horribly humid or hot (at least at this point in time). Perhaps near an ocean. In fact, yeah, it feels a bit like a hotel down in Florida on the Gulf Coast side. It’s an internal elevator. That is, it’s inside the hotel far enough away from any external door so that none of the outside weather really impacts the climate inside the elevator itself. It’s cool, but not air-conditioner-cold. There’s no elevator music, it’s quiet and though the elevator isn’t silent, it’s not groaning or creaking.

And this is why I have to work really hard to apply my analytical skills (which I do actually have) to music. Either I have a wave emotion swamp me or I have an interesting visual/tactile response that doesn’t really seem to directly relate to the music. Neither of those reactions are easy to push aside or translate into words. Especially when I don’t know the vocabulary of music.

But I am trying to learn how to reflect on my emotional response or translate my visual/tactile response so that I can find the words to express my reactions to the songs and music that I love.