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Support Live Music

In this world of technology, where you can listen to music anywhere and at anytime, seeing a live performance is a dying art form. We can download any type of music we want at a touch of a button. We live in a world of instant gratification. Are we really enjoying the full benefits that musicians can give us?
I don’t believe we do. In the last couple of years I have gotten back into listening to live bands. I don’t consider myself a groupie…like back in the day, before hubby and kids…but I really enjoy watching musicians sing and play their instruments. Wisconsin has some real talented musicians and after watching them perform and witnessing their interactions to the audience, I began to wonder, “Why do they call it, ‘playing the guitar’?” When you watch these guys’ fingers, it is far from playing. The skill that goes into it doesn’t come from just picking up the guitar. It takes hours, no, it takes years to make the strings sing their notes. When you first start playing you get blisters on your fingers and if you can get past that they turn to calluses. Those with true love of playing keep practicing and can make their guitars truly sing.
Then you have guitarists like Dave Steffen, who can play with his teeth and not miss a beat and Bobby Evans who uses a small beer bottle as a slide on his guitar. They take their musical talents to new heights.
What do musicians get in return for sharing their talents with us? Yes, they do get a paycheck, but like the rest of us that does a job well done, they need positive feedback. For performers it’s as simple as an applause and in my opinion I don’t believe they get enough.
I encourage everyone, if even just once a month, to go see a local band perform. Look forward to the anticipation of seeing them. Watch them closely and see the skill they put into their music. Don’t forget to applaud and during break or after the evening is over go up to them and let them know they are appreciated. I bet you will reconsider the merits of instant gratification and realize that it has its drawbacks.
Join me next week and I will give a review of a band and an insider tidbit about one of its members.