I’m old and not cool! At least not cool in the traditional sense. I realized this as I was scrolling through the schedule for SXSW (that’s the South by Southwest Festival for all you people who are even more uncool than I am). SXSW takes place here in Austin every March and it’s a big deal. It used to be just a music festival, but now it’s expanded to film and multi-media. It’s pretty off-beat (like Sundance used to be in the olden days). Mister loves live music and is always dragging me to concerts and bars. I’m not a fan of live music. I hate paying to listen to the songs I can hear for free at my house (while sitting down). Or worse, listening to a band that isn’t very good. I’m unimpressed with the celebrity aspect (“oh my gosh, Bono was, like, ten feet away!”) and I especially hate being around people who are drunk and/or rowdy and/or trying too hard to be stylish. Basically, everything having to do with live music. Austin calls itself the Live Music Capital of the World, and that seems to be an accurate title. (Although I imagine that New York has just as much live music.) Most of the music here is in clubs or bars and I’m just not into that scene. Poor Mister. Being a good wife has its limits.
Anyway, back to my lack of coolness. After looking at the list of several hundred bands/musicians I realized that I had heard of one. One band. And that was Echo and the Bunnymen. What are they doing here? As much as I love them (I did have a couple of their tapes, after all) , their time has come and gone. I will also not be waiting up til 12:30 a.m. to see their show. Which you know will start late. Honestly I don’t really care about anything at 1 a.m. except having sweet dreams.
I do like World Music in general, but again, not enough to brave the clubs. I hate just ordering a Coke. It makes me feel like I have the word “dork” written on my forehead. Maybe everyone just assumes I’m in The Program (that would be AA for all you people with righteous relatives). Who am I kidding? Not with my dumb haircut and lame jeans.
Mister will probably get me to go to a few movies with him. Those I can get behind; no standing up required, they start punctually at a decent hour, and Coke is the acceptable drink of choice.
Ah SXSW. You know James is required to go to some of these things for his work, maybe you should tell Mister to give him a call and they can parade about in the local bars in the wee hours of the morning together. I tried to go with James one time, but who is going to watch my kids from 11pm to 2am? Nobody.
I guess that I will just be watching the footage that James gets after he has edited it all. I guess that makes me the lame wife that never gets out again.
Well, I must admit that I have seen my share of live bands in the past, and that Sting in person still gets my heart racing, but since I sing in a band, I don’t really listen to music too much—weird, huh? I guess that I would rather be performing than listening…
But movies—-heart them—thats another story!
Welcome to the club of people who don’t club. I’m totally with you in regards to the whole concert thing. I hate the atmosphere, love the music.
I am clinging desperately to my youth. I think that is the draw towards concerts.
But they do take it out of me.
EATB does put on a good show.
I’ve never really been into live music either. I really like concerts of people who I REALLY like (their music, not them, usually). But otherwise, forget it. But let me know if you see any good upcoming movies.