Playing "Tag" & "Connect the Dots" @ the Same Time

The title of this post may, understandably, confuse you.  Read on though, and hopefully you'll see where this writing leads, and how you can play "tag" and "connect the dots" all at the same time.

As kids, we've all played "Tag" at least once.  The game where one person is "It", and chases the other players around.  If the designated person "tags", (touches), a player, that person is out for the rest of that round.  Or in another version, the tagged person is the new "It", and play continues.

Either way, as stated, it's a game that kids everywhere play at one time or another.

As we age, we begin noticing other types of tag, like price tags.  This theory leads us to "Dot 2" of our connect the dot game.

We become aware of  material things we want, and need, and what it costs to have these things.  Price tags, of course, are a way of telling prices, and if we can afford the item or not.

No matter the size, shape, or color, if there's something that shows the price of an object, it's a price tag.


One of the items that usually comes with a price tag is paint.

   T

There are 101 uses, at least, for paint, and probably as many, or more, types, colors and prices of that paint. The type of paint most associated with "tag" however,  is probably spray paint.  If you're still following along, we've reached "Dot 3".

What used to be called "graffiti", is now referred to as "tagging".  It's still basically the same graffiti that's been around for eons, though over the years there have been cases where the paintings have become quite elaborate.  With this change came the name change of the art to "tagging."

Like graffiti, tagging is usually done on the sides of buildings, railroad cars, overpasses, and wherever the tagger is able to get to, to create their unique art.  Some of these designs can be very elaborate and beautiful; it's just too bad it's usually done in places it's not supposed to be.  That's a subject for another time though; on to "Dot 4".

"Dot 4" is the sole reason I've written this post.

In social media, blogs, etc., "tagging" means to label something with key words.  These words will help others find your musings when searching for things on the internet.  For example, if something has been tagged with the word "hippopotamus", and someone does a search using that word, anything tagged with the word "hippopotamus" should come up in the person's search.  At least that's how *I* understand it to be!

When having a blog it’s good to tag each post as soon as it’s written. Tagging should not be put off  for say, 4 1/2 years, or 293 posts into blogging.  I learned this lesson first hand a couple weeks ago, when it dawned on me that I hadn't ever tagged anything I'd written.

This discovery has lead me to going back through all 293 posts, and tagging each one, (no matter how big or small the post), with as many keywords as possible.  

Along this new journey, I’ve learned how much I’ve written about the weather and that I sometimes repeat things in a different way.  I’ve also refreshed my memory on some of the posts I’d forgotten about.

The bright side?  I guess that would be there aren’t more posts to go back through; STILL working on back tagging!  Also good:  I’ve been tagging the most recent posts as soon as they’re written. 

Sometimes even things that can be embarrassing, one needs to share with others, because even though it’s a stupid thing, it is kind of funny.  

Still not sure how "tag" and "connect the dots", can be done at the same time?  Me either; but the thought sounded good in my head, so I wrote this post. The game, "tag", is what I thought of  in addition to tagging; things just kind of spiraled from that to "connect the dots", and so on. As I explain it, it's just how my brain malfunctions. ((SMILE))

 Rather than just delete this post, I decided to share it with readers anyway.  Maybe someone out there will help figure the connection out!

REVIEW--"The Big Revival"--Kenny Chesney

On September 23, 2014, Kenny Chesney released "The Big Revival", his fifteenth studio album in his twenty year career.

While it's safe to say Chesney has changed and improved over the years, it's also safe to say that his past few albums haven't changed much. There's always the fun songs, the beach songs, the reflective songs; a mix of tunes that has served Chesney well, maybe too well.

It seems that Chesney has become complacent in the music he puts out.  He's found what works, and rather than expanding and improving on it, he seems happy to just keep putting out more of the same.  Even his descriptions of songs don't seem to change from album to album.  Each one seems to be about his life, touches his feelings, tells the story of small towns, growing up in those towns, and so on.
That's not to say Chesney's music isn't good, it's just not as new and fresh as it was a few albums ago.

"The Big Revival", like Chesney's previous albums, follows the same groove and path that his fans have come to expect.  While this makes fans happy, it's not necessarily gaining him more fans, and may even possibly drive a few fans away with the tediousness of his musical choices.

"American Kids", the first single released to radio, is the typical, catchy, feel-good song that plays well on radio.  It's upbeat, all-American, small town fun in a three to four minute package.  It's the kind of song that catches your attention and makes you curious to hear more.

Unfortunately for "The Big Revival", "American Kids" is the highlight of the album.  While there are a few stand out songs, on this CD, including the title track, none quite equal the first single.  In fact, Chesney's next single, "Til It's Gone", doesn't seem as good a choice for radio as say, the title track.  Where "American Kids" is an upbeat, lively tune, "Til It's Gone", just kind of drones on and on, with nothing in the lyrics really standing out to catch your attention.

Chesney did team up with Grace Potter once again, this time for the tune "Wild Child".  This song is actually not too bad, and would be a good choice for a future single.

That's pretty much "The Big Revival" in a nutshell.  Just change the title of the CD, the song titles, and twist the music around a bit, and that's it, you've got a Kenny Chesney album; nothing really new to hear, but good if you like to stay in a comfort zone with music.

Concerts + Crowds = Chaos

I've been going to concerts for as long as I can remember. I'd also estimate that at least 50% to 75% of those concerts over the past half century have been general admission seating.

For those who may not know what general admission seating is, it's where everyone pays the same price for a ticket to a concert, regardless of whether they're in the front or back of the concert venue.

I remember in the late 70's large venues held concerts that featured "festival seating".  In other words, it was general admission, with everyone scrambling for a seat when the doors opened.

There were often injuries that resulted from this; and in 1979, at a Cincinnati, Ohio Who concert, eleven people were killed in a stampede for seats.

Despite this tragedy, to me at least, it always seemed once the rush for seats was over, the crowds at any given concert were fairly decent and friendly.

Then again, maybe it was the types of concerts I went to back then.

I was more into oldies, pop and country rock at the time.  Probably the most "hard core" rock act I'd seen by then was when Aerosmith opened for Three Dog Night in 1974.

By the 1980's, there were some rock acts that were known for having rough crowds at their shows.  Most of those artists and bands though actually catered to that type of audience, so it was almost expected that things would get crazy at concerts.  In fact, I went to college with a guy at the time that spent his weekends at various local hangouts.  If he didn't have at least one bruise or cut by the time he was back in class Monday, he considered it a bad weekend for fun!

By the 1990's, my concert going was at it's peak.  There was always some artist or band, new or old, that I just had to see. 

This is when I circled back to listening to country music more, while still enjoying the other music I'd grown up with.  It's also the time I started noticing a shift in how concert crowds were behaving.

The rough, rowdy crowds that had once seemed confined to the punk scene, had started spilling over into the more mainstream rock and pop world.

A perfect example was when Weird Al Yankovic performed at the Clark County Fair, in Ridgefield, Washington.

The shows were free then, with fair admission.  My son, Josh, was approximately 6 years old at the time, and a huge fan of Weird Al.

I took him to the afternoon show, and got him right up to the stage; unfortunately, we didn't stay for the show.

Before the concert even began, several audience members began throwing things, ripping up stuffed animals, and generally caused a riot.  It actually got dangerous enough that we left.


Despite this incident though, most of my concert going was uneventful, as far as the behavior of the crowds was concerned.

Fast forward to about the past 5 years or so; around the time country music really started to be more pop/rock oriented.  With this new trend, it seemed country concert goers were also picking up the habits of rock audiences from years past.

At first I didn't really notice it where I live in the Pacific Northwest.  Yes, there were always those few in the crowd who would get drunk and rowdy, but were still considered harmless.

My first real glimpse of a rough country music concert crowd was in Fargo, North Dakota.  I would never have expected a concert featuring Julie Roberts, Chris Young and Emerson Drive to draw the type of crowd I encountered.  These people made the crowd at Weird Al look tame!  Poor Julie Roberts was just trying to get through her set, when someone in the middle of the crowd threw a gallon size drink container at her, almost hitting her in the face. 

The same crowd pushed, shoved and elbowed people in front of them, trying to make it to the front of the stage.  At one point, during Emerson Drive's set, security actually had to stop the show, until order was restored.

At the time, I just chalked the crowd's behavior up to being a "North Dakota" thing, (for lack of a better phrase).  Though there had been an incident or two at country concerts in my home territory, they were nothing like in North Dakota.  Then came the year the Bull, (KUPL at the time), reintroduced Countryfest.

  

Unlike the Countryfests of the past, this one was held in the "Ro-Zone" during Rose Festival in Portland, Oregon.  The show was general admission, and like usual, concert goers began lining up in the morning for the afternoon/evening show. 

The difference with that crowd was, trouble started brewing before the gates were even open.  There were those farther back in the line who felt it wasn't fair that they weren't in line first.  Several were plotting how they could rush the ones in the front, to get past them and gain a better vantage point; and they very loudly let this fact be known to anyone within earshot.

Meanwhile, there were others who, despite a no smoking rule, lit up while in line, complained about others not liking it, and any number of things they felt should be different so they would be happy. Then the gates opened and the real  "fun" began.

I'm not opposed to people drinking; if it makes their concert going experience better, so be it.  However, when these peoples' behavior impairs the enjoyment of those around them, it's a problem.  Long story short on this incident; all chaos broke lose, and there were some really mean, nasty, rude people there, who didn't care about anything other than that *they* had a good time. 

Even after that incident though, I still felt like country concert goers were the best of any other genre; until recently.  More and more frequently I find myself not having as good a time as I used to at concerts.  It isn't due to the shows not being good;  90% of the time it's because of an unruly, rude crowd.

 I really feel that there's a direct correlation between country concert goers now, and the turn towards pop/rock that country music has taken.   The way I see it,  with the change in country music, it's attracting listeners who used to listen to other genres; genres where crowds can be a bit rougher at live performances.

At first I thought maybe it's just because I'm getting older; maybe I'm becoming less tolerant.  I really can't compare how I'm feeling with most of my fellow concert goers, since we're all pretty much in the same age bracket, give or take a few years.

My age is also what held me back from writing this post sooner.  I didn't want someone reading it, and thinking exactly that; that it's just the rambling complaints of an old lady. 

I emailed Jake Byron from 98.7 The Bull with my concerns, telling him how I felt, and what I wanted to say.

While Jake said that there will always be those who will see my post as one from a cranky old lady, my feelings, and those of my fellow older concert buddies are valid.  He then validated my feelings more by letting me know that *he* feels the same way I and my friends do. 

Jake is only in his 30's, (the average age of current country music listeners), and doesn't like the rough trend that's entering the country genre. That was good enough for me; it was time to write my blog post, which you've just read.

 It's not that I don't understand wanting to have fun; I totally get that.  I also understand that an artist feeds off the vibe of the crowd.  The more worked up the crowd, the more energized the performer.  I just wish it could be both ways.  I know it's possible, it's been done before.

New Music: Kristian Bush--"Trailer Hitch"

If you've been listening to country music within the past decade, you've no doubt heard of Sugarland.

Originally a trio, Sugarland hit country airwaves in July, 2004 with "Baby Girl", and have been on a roll of hits from then on.

In 2006 group founder, Kristen Hall, left the group, leaving Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush to carry on as a duo.

The end of 2011 also brought an end, (at least temporarily), to Sugarland.  Though both Nettles and Bush say the duo has not split up, they've taken a break to pursue solo projects.  Nettles has put out at least one single, "That Girl", and gone on the road to promote the single and CD.

During the Sugarland hiatus Bush has been writing songs and touring the country.  Whether this is the reason it's taken longer for him to release a song to radio, I don't know.  What I do know is, his first solo contribution to country music was worth the wait.

"Trailer Hitch" is an upbeat, almost tongue in cheek look at life and it's excesses.

The singer tells how much happier he'll be with less things in his life to worry about; and the over all emphasis of the tune is that you can't take things with you when you die.  Or as the song itself states, "never seen a hearse with a trailer hitch".

Though Kristian Bush may have been almost silent as a member of Sugarland, now that he's chosen to let his voice be heard, it seems he'll be making a big impact on country listeners everywhere.  Give "Trailer Hitch" a listen and see what you think.