Thoughts on fandom in C-U
Watching the Illini narrowly defeat the Hawkeyes tonight reminded me yet again of why I absolutely love college basketball. Does it get any better than two hours of sweaty palms? It sure does! In tonight's game, I received a bonus 30 minutes in the form of an overtime period. Gotta say, the Illini looked stiff and tentative on offense. Part of that is due to some stellar D on the behalf of Iowa. But, why oh why did we continue to feed the post when it was obvious that James Augustine and Roger Powell simply did not have it going on this eve? They missed several gimmes close to the hoop.
And, what’s up with Deron Williams? I really have a problem with this kid’s play so far this season. Earlier in the season he was forcing up shots and missing open looks; now, he’s reverted back to his freshman form in looking to create open shots for others. The later is fine, except at times we need him to be more of a scoring threat, like the way he put the team on his shoulders last year in our big win at home against Illinois State. Thanks to the inconsistent play from our big men and Dee Brown's foul troubles, tonight was one of those times. Instead of driving toward the basket and dishing the ball off to Augustine or Powell (who were a combined 3-for-21 in the game), Williams needed to pull up for a few mid-range jumpers. Of everyone on this team, Williams seems to be forcing the action (and possibly his agenda) more so than anyone else, instead of simply playing fluid ball and using his noggin. He’s capable of more production—and if we’re going to make it to St. Louis by year’s end, he’ll need to start delivering night in and night out.
That said, tonight was a huge win. There was nothing trademark about the victory—it wasn’t raining threes, there were few transition buckets, our defense was uncharacteristically poor at times, we didn’t pass (or catch) the ball as well as we usually do, and open looks were few and far between. So, I guess that goes to show that this team just has “it,” that ability to pull out a victory from the hands of defeat, in any way possible. However, if this was a road game, it would probably have been our first “L” of the year.
But, getting back to fandom, last night’s benefit concert—the debut of The Living Blue (aka The Blackouts)—was a lot of fun. It was my first time on a stage since my theater days in college. I (and the other DJs, too) was really more of a sideshow distraction than a main act, so being on the stage was a bit odd and also made me a bit of a nervous Nelly (or is it Nellie?). The highlight of my set was when Damon, drummer for The Situation, decided to test the mic on his snare drum in time with “TNT”. That was good for a laugh, for at least the two of us. But the real fun was had when I was off the stage, enjoying some fine sets from local bands and some fine company from a few friends that I rarely get a chance to see, from Erik to Damon to Steve to Luke to Rob.
Some gossip was shared, as usual. I learned that American Minor has completed work on their forthcoming full length, which is due to drop in May. All that’s left is the mixing and completion of the artwork. Rob reports that there will be a couple ballads among the bunch; I secretly hope that “Something You Ain’t Got” is one of them, but I didn’t ask. And The Living Blue will be in the studio in late February working on their debut for Minty Fresh. World-class producer/partier Adam Schmitt will be doing the honors once again, but this time they’ll be recording in a Chicago studio instead of in Champaign. The band is anxious to wrap up the record and hit the road. They debuted several new songs last night, and introduced a new tempo with their closing number, which was a welcome change. Joe, the maddest axeman this side of the Mississippi, still needs to turn his ass up in the mix, while the rest of the band could stand to come down a bit. But, I feel I’m beating a dead horse in making that suggestion yet again. I really haven’t heard the band outside of this town in a while, so maybe they sound a bit different on other stages in other locations. But the sound people in C-U seem fixated on pushing everything into the red (possibly at the band’s bequest), and that can work against a band like The Living Blue, who really could utilize a bit of clarity considering that each of their guitar parts (and bass) is worth hearing in all its detail. Not to mention, Steve's a pretty damn good vocalist. Blah blah blah, I’m certainly no expert on mixing a live band. So, I should probably just shut up.
The turnout at the benefit was sort-of crappy. Lately there has been a bit of debate around town between fans and promoters: the fans want better touring artists in town, while the promoters want more people in attendance. It’s a catch-22, of course, because the better the bands, the better the turnout. But, when promoters can’t afford the risk inherent in a $500-plus guarantee considering how flaky turnout can be, it’s difficult for them to put their paycheck on the line and give the fans what they want. To the promoter’s credit, we’ve had some good shows recently (Magnolia Electric Co, The Arcade Fire), but they haven’t been frequent enough. And, as last night might have indicated, locals might be fed up with seeing local bands—even the best—as many of them play out once or more per month.
Plenty of locals yearn for the days of the early-to-mid ‘90s, when C-U was hopping thanks to several C-U bands firmly planted on the national map and the desire of touring acts to play in town. The scene, as most agree, was firing on all cylinders then. Things have been on the upswing as of late, with American Minor signing to Jive and due to make a big splash soon, The Living Blue earning their nation-wide stripes (5-outta-5 review from Alternative Press, who has named them a “band to watch” in ‘05), The Headlights providing a steady backbeat, The Beauty Shop earning rave reviews overseas, and original bands like Terminus Victor rounding out the scene. But, it’s not quite on par with the scene of a decade ago, when the Poster Children, Braid, Menthol, Suede Chain, Castor, Adam Schmitt, etc. were making huge waves. It’s quite possible that C-U will never return to those glory days, as there were certainly unique circumstances on the national level—a healthier music landscape across the nation, for starters, thanks to the search for the “next big Nirvana”—that led to a small town like Champaign, which really had no musical history of significant note, popping up on the nation’s radar.
Regardless, for whatever reason, it seems like banking on the kind of turnout that promoters received at that time is probably not a wise bet for today’s promoters. And that, unfortunately, makes it frustrating to be a music fan living in C-U. Our expectations have been lowered to the point where we can only hope for a handful of shows each year that really get our spirits up. If we show up en masse to shows that we don’t really want to see, and pay the modest cover expected of us, maybe we can provide the necessary confidence to local promoters needed to see a few of today’s next big Nirvanas within city limits. But I, for one, just don’t have the drive needed to make that a reality. Maybe I’m not as big of a fan in general as I used to be, when going to two or three concerts a week seemed normal (even if I didn’t know the band or wasn’t particularly interested in them). Certainly, my priorities as well as my internal clock have changed over the past few years. I don’t recover from a late-night out the way I used to, and I now have to be alert at 8 in the morning, five days a week.
So, my comfort zone has shrunk to the confines of my apartment on most evenings. That probably makes me uncool in the eyes of some, or selfish in the eyes of others. But, I’m only human, and even my style of intense fandom has its limits. I’m not much of a risk-taker anymore. Part of that I’d like to credit to the fact that my taste has evolved to the point where I don’t find enjoyment in seeing bands that are simply bland and acceptable, even if they are in fact considered good by many. I readily admit that the style of bands that get me off now, more so than ever, fall under the category of “niche market”. And that only feeds my frustration, as my niche isn’t being serviced by the promoters in town at an acceptable frequency. That’s ultimately my problem, though, not their’s. Their job is to book bands that, while unique in the sense of being a group that has not played in C-U over-and-over again, have a more mainstream or widespread appeal. That’s common sense. Unfortunately, those bands usually don’t interest me.
Alas, hopefully I’ll rid myself of this problem by eventually moving to a larger city. Or, at least moving to a town that’s within closer proximity to a larger city. In the meantime, I’ll continue to cross my fingers and hope for the best, both in terms of the roster of bands that play in town and the success of the No. 1 Illini. At least one of the two seems to be worth fretting over this year.
N/P—The Fall, "Eat Y'self Fitter"
And, what’s up with Deron Williams? I really have a problem with this kid’s play so far this season. Earlier in the season he was forcing up shots and missing open looks; now, he’s reverted back to his freshman form in looking to create open shots for others. The later is fine, except at times we need him to be more of a scoring threat, like the way he put the team on his shoulders last year in our big win at home against Illinois State. Thanks to the inconsistent play from our big men and Dee Brown's foul troubles, tonight was one of those times. Instead of driving toward the basket and dishing the ball off to Augustine or Powell (who were a combined 3-for-21 in the game), Williams needed to pull up for a few mid-range jumpers. Of everyone on this team, Williams seems to be forcing the action (and possibly his agenda) more so than anyone else, instead of simply playing fluid ball and using his noggin. He’s capable of more production—and if we’re going to make it to St. Louis by year’s end, he’ll need to start delivering night in and night out.
That said, tonight was a huge win. There was nothing trademark about the victory—it wasn’t raining threes, there were few transition buckets, our defense was uncharacteristically poor at times, we didn’t pass (or catch) the ball as well as we usually do, and open looks were few and far between. So, I guess that goes to show that this team just has “it,” that ability to pull out a victory from the hands of defeat, in any way possible. However, if this was a road game, it would probably have been our first “L” of the year.
But, getting back to fandom, last night’s benefit concert—the debut of The Living Blue (aka The Blackouts)—was a lot of fun. It was my first time on a stage since my theater days in college. I (and the other DJs, too) was really more of a sideshow distraction than a main act, so being on the stage was a bit odd and also made me a bit of a nervous Nelly (or is it Nellie?). The highlight of my set was when Damon, drummer for The Situation, decided to test the mic on his snare drum in time with “TNT”. That was good for a laugh, for at least the two of us. But the real fun was had when I was off the stage, enjoying some fine sets from local bands and some fine company from a few friends that I rarely get a chance to see, from Erik to Damon to Steve to Luke to Rob.
Some gossip was shared, as usual. I learned that American Minor has completed work on their forthcoming full length, which is due to drop in May. All that’s left is the mixing and completion of the artwork. Rob reports that there will be a couple ballads among the bunch; I secretly hope that “Something You Ain’t Got” is one of them, but I didn’t ask. And The Living Blue will be in the studio in late February working on their debut for Minty Fresh. World-class producer/partier Adam Schmitt will be doing the honors once again, but this time they’ll be recording in a Chicago studio instead of in Champaign. The band is anxious to wrap up the record and hit the road. They debuted several new songs last night, and introduced a new tempo with their closing number, which was a welcome change. Joe, the maddest axeman this side of the Mississippi, still needs to turn his ass up in the mix, while the rest of the band could stand to come down a bit. But, I feel I’m beating a dead horse in making that suggestion yet again. I really haven’t heard the band outside of this town in a while, so maybe they sound a bit different on other stages in other locations. But the sound people in C-U seem fixated on pushing everything into the red (possibly at the band’s bequest), and that can work against a band like The Living Blue, who really could utilize a bit of clarity considering that each of their guitar parts (and bass) is worth hearing in all its detail. Not to mention, Steve's a pretty damn good vocalist. Blah blah blah, I’m certainly no expert on mixing a live band. So, I should probably just shut up.
The turnout at the benefit was sort-of crappy. Lately there has been a bit of debate around town between fans and promoters: the fans want better touring artists in town, while the promoters want more people in attendance. It’s a catch-22, of course, because the better the bands, the better the turnout. But, when promoters can’t afford the risk inherent in a $500-plus guarantee considering how flaky turnout can be, it’s difficult for them to put their paycheck on the line and give the fans what they want. To the promoter’s credit, we’ve had some good shows recently (Magnolia Electric Co, The Arcade Fire), but they haven’t been frequent enough. And, as last night might have indicated, locals might be fed up with seeing local bands—even the best—as many of them play out once or more per month.
Plenty of locals yearn for the days of the early-to-mid ‘90s, when C-U was hopping thanks to several C-U bands firmly planted on the national map and the desire of touring acts to play in town. The scene, as most agree, was firing on all cylinders then. Things have been on the upswing as of late, with American Minor signing to Jive and due to make a big splash soon, The Living Blue earning their nation-wide stripes (5-outta-5 review from Alternative Press, who has named them a “band to watch” in ‘05), The Headlights providing a steady backbeat, The Beauty Shop earning rave reviews overseas, and original bands like Terminus Victor rounding out the scene. But, it’s not quite on par with the scene of a decade ago, when the Poster Children, Braid, Menthol, Suede Chain, Castor, Adam Schmitt, etc. were making huge waves. It’s quite possible that C-U will never return to those glory days, as there were certainly unique circumstances on the national level—a healthier music landscape across the nation, for starters, thanks to the search for the “next big Nirvana”—that led to a small town like Champaign, which really had no musical history of significant note, popping up on the nation’s radar.
Regardless, for whatever reason, it seems like banking on the kind of turnout that promoters received at that time is probably not a wise bet for today’s promoters. And that, unfortunately, makes it frustrating to be a music fan living in C-U. Our expectations have been lowered to the point where we can only hope for a handful of shows each year that really get our spirits up. If we show up en masse to shows that we don’t really want to see, and pay the modest cover expected of us, maybe we can provide the necessary confidence to local promoters needed to see a few of today’s next big Nirvanas within city limits. But I, for one, just don’t have the drive needed to make that a reality. Maybe I’m not as big of a fan in general as I used to be, when going to two or three concerts a week seemed normal (even if I didn’t know the band or wasn’t particularly interested in them). Certainly, my priorities as well as my internal clock have changed over the past few years. I don’t recover from a late-night out the way I used to, and I now have to be alert at 8 in the morning, five days a week.
So, my comfort zone has shrunk to the confines of my apartment on most evenings. That probably makes me uncool in the eyes of some, or selfish in the eyes of others. But, I’m only human, and even my style of intense fandom has its limits. I’m not much of a risk-taker anymore. Part of that I’d like to credit to the fact that my taste has evolved to the point where I don’t find enjoyment in seeing bands that are simply bland and acceptable, even if they are in fact considered good by many. I readily admit that the style of bands that get me off now, more so than ever, fall under the category of “niche market”. And that only feeds my frustration, as my niche isn’t being serviced by the promoters in town at an acceptable frequency. That’s ultimately my problem, though, not their’s. Their job is to book bands that, while unique in the sense of being a group that has not played in C-U over-and-over again, have a more mainstream or widespread appeal. That’s common sense. Unfortunately, those bands usually don’t interest me.
Alas, hopefully I’ll rid myself of this problem by eventually moving to a larger city. Or, at least moving to a town that’s within closer proximity to a larger city. In the meantime, I’ll continue to cross my fingers and hope for the best, both in terms of the roster of bands that play in town and the success of the No. 1 Illini. At least one of the two seems to be worth fretting over this year.
N/P—The Fall, "Eat Y'self Fitter"