Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Woodstock 50's Sinking Ship: More Evacuees; "Old Town Road" Breaks the Hot 100 Record (SNS week of 7/28/2019)


It's really too bad that I only do one blog a week, because it seems this story changes by the day (or in the case of Woodstock 50, by the hour).  In a week where Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus' "Old Town Road" sets a new Billboard Hot 100 record by nabbing its 17th week at number one on that chart (and near-history on my personal SNS 100 list, more on that later) the latest on Woodstock 50, the purported celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the most iconic rock festival in history, is falling apart at the seams.    And which, in my opinion is much-deserved.

"Woodstock or Bust" is painted on a van back in May when the mega-festival was confirmed to be back on after being threatened to be canceled.  However, in the light of recent events, "Bust" may be more likely.


As I had reported last week, the organizers of Woodstock 50, a planned mega-concert celebration headed by original festival runner Michael Lang, has suffered setback after setback.   Investors and sponsors backing out, and the struggle to get replacements,  a denial of a  permit for Watkins Glen International Speedway, where all of this was to take place, on the same weekend in August that the original in Bethel took place.    Then came four attempts to secure a permit at a horse racing track in Vernon, NY, all denied as well.    After that came both rapper Jay-Z, and original performer John Fogerty, dropping out of the lineup.   And finally, Lang and company deciding to move the festivities to Merriweather Post Pavilion, an amphitheater in Columbia, Maryland, about halfway between Baltimore and Washington, DC, a venue that seemed to be welcoming, in spite of a not-yet filed permit

I wrote that blog on Friday, July 26.   It is now Tuesday July 30, and much has happened in just those four days.

Right after I reported the above, a third act withdrew from the festival:  Dead & Company, a band which included three former members of original festival performers The Grateful Dead, pulled out of the lineup.    After that, Lang made some drastic changes.   Assuming the concert takes place at Merriweather, which, presumably has only one main stage (as opposed to the four that the planned festival was supposed to have), Lang released all of the remaining performers out of their contract, and announced that the new venue would be a "free concert", with only suggested donations.   This echoed the original 1969 festival after attendees crashed the fencing at the Yasgur's farm site, rendering it very difficult to collect admission.     Also, it appears that instead of a three-day event, the event might take place on two, or even just one day.  

After that announcement, several other acts pulled out:  The Raconteurs, the current band headed by Jack White (formerly of The White Stripes), Miley Cyrus, The Lumineers, plus three more originals from the 1969 festival;  Country Joe McDonald, Santana, and John Sebastian, indicated they will not perform at Woodstock 50.   The Raconteurs are now headlining another event in Niagara Falls' Rapids Theater.  And as an insult to injury, a permit hasn't yet been secured from the state of Maryland to hold the festival there.  Many other performers, now released from a contract, are reportedly pulling out as well.

This all has to be an embarrassment to Lang and his fellow organizers, especially since, other than Jay-Z, Cyrus, The Lumineers and The Raconteurs, these are all original performers from 1969, which should be the nucleus of this festival.    Granted, to have a three-day festival of this proportion (77 acts were to perform at four stages over three days) is tumultuous to pull off,  long running festivals like SXSW, Lollapalooza, Coachella, Bonnaroo, and many others have been doing this successfully for years.   While the last major festival with the Woodstock name---Woodstock '99 which turned out to be the antithesis of the original, with concertgoers destroying booths, stands and setting things on fire to go along with rape and sexual assault, was a big embarrassment---even leading some pundits to proclaim the 'togetherness' that rock music was to bring together died on that day,  Woodstock 50 has to be a big embarrassment in a different sense.

To honest, I do not have any sympathy for Lang and the others who put this together.   Knowing that this marked the big anniversary of the original concert, the original  site, now occupied by Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, was given a "cease and desist" to promoters Live Nation regarding the golden anniversary of the original concert.     The main theater there---an amphitheater similar to the proposed Maryland site, could have held a decent sized three day festival featuring mostly original performers, along with perhaps current artists that fit into that original style and spirit.  And since it was on the original site, complete with a museum, the weekend would be all about the anniversary of the iconic festival---not a whole new mega concert with mostly current acts with the "Woodstock" name slapped on it.   And then to hold it at a venue, Watkins Glen,  more noted for another big concert which actually drew more fan than Woodstock---1973's Summer Jam, therefor usurping that concert's legacy---must less a far distance away from the original site, turned into another slap in the face.

While Bethel Woods, as expected, is, indeed celebrating the big 5-0 on its home turf---Santana and Fogerty are still expected to perform there, along with other originals including Edgar Winter (who performed a few songs with his late brother Johnny), and Arlo Guthrie, as well as performers from that era (Ringo Starr, The Doobie Brothers)---it could have been a bigger event with music going on from morning until the late night hours each day, instead of one concert with two or three performers.   Blood, Sweat & Tears, another band that performed at the original, will return (albeit unlikely, BS&T, an "institution" band with constant turnover of members, will have any originals perform).   The Tedeschi Trucks Band, and SNS favorite Grace Potter will also perform that weekend at Bethel Woods.  Ringo will be appearing with his "All Starr Band", a conglomerate of musicians who have had success in their own right; one member of this year's group is Gregg Rolie, who performed with Santana in 1969.

And now, not only is Woodstock 50 threatened to be reduced to one day and presumably one stage (if it will take place at all), and is now free, but it's not even in New York State.     And instead of an open-area space in the Catskills, a couple hours away from the very busy New York metro area, we now have a proposed venue smack in the middle of suburbia between two large mid-Atlantic cities, 350 miles south.    Some garden, right?

The promoters have yet to apply for a permit for the new site, which has limitations aside from the previously mentioned one stage.     Because it is near a university, only 20,000 seats would be available  on Friday.  On Sunday, the band Smashing Pumpkins---who, despite their popularity in the 1990's, never played either Woodstock '94 or '99--were scheduled to perform a concert then.    They  would either have to join the festival (the only 90's based band in the lineup), or reschedule their date.

While Lang was the mastermind of the original festival, his insistence that the 50th anniversary be a mega-festival with mostly newer bands, stepped on those at the original site who wanted to do a more proper tribute to the "half-a-million strong" that headed to the garden for peace, love and music.    While I wish that some kind of event marking the 50th anniversary would go off, in what is now just two weeks way, much of the damage has already been done.


A NEW RECORD:  As expected, "Old Town Road", by Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus has broken the record with its 17th week  at the top of Billboard Hot 100.   It smashed the record set in 1996 of "One Sweet Day" by Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men, and equaled by 2017's "Despacito' by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee.    A fourth remix had come out featuring the South Korean boy band BTS to go along with all the other remixes that had come out prior, ensuring the continued top position.

The Driver Era--Ross and Rocky Lynch--nab their first SNS #1 song with "Low"


While history was being made on the Hot 100, one almost was made on my SNS 100 list (see below).  "Old Town Road" makes a big jump from #19 to #2.    It actually was tied in points with "Low" by The Driver Era, which in itself jumps from #4 to #1.    Had "Town" gotten one more point, it would have set a record for the biggest jump to #1 on my blog.   The song is definitely going through my mind these days.   Unfortunately, in spite of its continuing popularity, none of my friends have posted the song on Facebook, thus, in spite of it's big standing, still lags behind popular-with-friends songs of the blog area like "Happy" and "Uptown Funk", just to name two.

No doubt, "Town" is certain to hit #1 on my list next week.   If it stays on the top of the Hot 100 for an 18th week, it will become the ninth song since I started my blog in August 2010 to top both lists, and the first since Ed Sheeran's "Perfect" in early 2018.   It would also become the time both a father and child combination would hit my top spot:   Billy Ray's daughter Miley Cyrus hit #1 SNS with "Malibu" two summers ago.

"Town", as mentioned in prior blogs is part of the hip-hop country hybrid movement, which is officially called "Country Trap".    Another song in that genre, Blanco Brown's "The Git Up"", also reaches my top 10 this week, moving 16-10.  On the Hot 100, it moves from 19-14 and could still very well be the song that eventually replaces "Old Town Road" at the top of the Hot 100.   The country trap movement actually started in 2017 with a mixtape called Beautiful Thugger Girls, by Young Thug, one of the artists on a remix of "Town"".  The following year, a song called "Like a Farmer"by Lil Tracy and Lil Uzi Vert made some inroads.


A RACE WITH ALL WINNERS:   As I prepare to announce my future involvement regarding the blog and with new music, it seems there are many songs that have tried to move up my SNS 100 and a record number have had big point values but have to jostle for position in order to make any significant moves.     While I'm planning on eliminating my following of new music after this year, the current selection that I'm listening to is pretty much going to make that very hard to implement.   Shannon Marsyada, Amber Arcades and The Horrors all debut in my top 20 with awesome songs, while the new ones by Foster the People, Band of Skulls and Kungs are also future top 20 material.  Further down are some other awesome songs, but don't move up as much (some even pushed down) because of all the competition.

Last week's Top Debut Nick Waterhouse's "Song for Winners" is a song I plucked out of his current self-titled album which is a winner in itself.   The second single, the follow-up to "I Feel An Urge Coming On", is actually "Wreck the Rod", and while the song is good, the video breaks it up into interviews, which pretty much ruins the song.    So, I am going for "Song For Winners" next.


NEWBIES:  Cage the Elephant grabs the Hot Debut slot at #70 with their third single from Social Cues, the title track.  It's a little more emotional than their #1 Alt hit "Ready to Let Go", but still very relevant.   It's up to #12 on Billboard's Alternative chart this week and should continue their streak here, and top their disappointing #29 SNS peak with their duet with Beck, "Night Running".  


Brittany Howard of Alabama Shakes released her first solo effort, "Jaime", featuring the first single, "Stay High", debuting at #79.


There's been a noticeable lack of activity with Alabama Shakes, who haven't released anything since 2015, but leader Brittany Howard releases her first solo single, "Stay High".   It is a winner as it has that vintage soul groove, reminiscent of Leon Bridges' "Coming Home" (a #1 SNS hit).  The song features  Terry Crews and he and Howard make a great duo and complement each other.  It's from her first solo album, Jaime.   Another act I hadn't heard from in awhile, The Heavy, who hit my list with the #2 with "What Makes a Good Man" and the #7 "Since You Been Gone", is back with "Better As One", which features a James Brown-funk/R&B groove and it comes off great.    Wilco, whose last album was a bit of a disappointment for me, is back with "Love is Everywhere (Beware)", which sticks to its alt-country roots but is more flavored yet doesn't resort to the straight pop of its SNS #1 from 2011 "I Might".   A good comeback for them.  Clairo, real name Claire Cotrill, is a 20-year old singer-songwriter from Carlisle, Massachusetts.  Her first full length album Immunity features this cool track "Bags", which is worthwhile effort which reminds me a bit of Liz Phair.  Joywave's latest, "Like a Kennedy" rounds up the debuts.


Scenes ‘n’ Soundwaves 100

July 28, 2019


This Week Last Week ARTIST-Title Weeks on List
1 4
NUMBER ONE: 

Album: X
9
2 19
MOVER OF THE WEEK:


Album: 7
6
3 1 Winnetka Bowling League - Kombucha 8
4 5 Meg Myers - Running Up That Hill 12
5 2 Telekinesis - Like Nothin' 9
6 3 The Big Takeover - Shy 10
7 8 The Black Keys - Go 7
8 6 Pageants - Will-O'-the-Wisp 10
9 9 Lana Del Rey - Doin' Time 8
10 16 Blanco Brown - The Git Up 5
11 7 Elton John and Taron Egerton - I'm Gonna Love Me Again 11
12 15 Molly Burch - Candy 14
13 10 Lil Peep and IloveMakonnen f Fall Out Boy - I've Been Waiting 17
14 18 The Lumineers - Gloria 12
15 21
TOP 20 IMPACT OF THE WEEK: 


Album: Oceans
4
16 12 Ava Max - Sweet But Psycho 11
17 24 Amber Arcades - Something's Gonna Take Your Love Away 7
18 11 The Blue Stones - Be My Fire 12
19 22 The Horrors - Point of No Reply 7
20 20 Phantogram - Into Happiness 7


21 34 Foster the People - Imagination 3
22 13 Jonas Brothers - Sucker 16
23 28 Band of Skulls - Love is All You Love 5
24 14 The Black Keys - Lo/Hi 18
25 26 Absofacto - Dissolve 6
26 35 Kungs ft Olly Murs and Coely - More Mess 5
27 17 Beck - Saw Lightning 12
28 29 Fitz and the Tantrums - I Need Help 4
29 23 Ed Sheeran and Justin Bieber - I Don't Care 9
30 27 Billie Elish - Idon'twannabeyouanymore 11
31 32 Of Monsters and Men - Alligator 9
32 45 Shannon Marsyada - Oceans 18
33 51 Donna Missal - Transformer 3
34 46 Maybird - Gonna Lose Your Mind 5
35 44 Fitz and the Tantrums - Don't Ever Let Em 4
36 42 Lovelytheband - Maybe I'm Afraid 16
37 41 Panic At the Disco - Hey Look Ma, I Made It 13
38 49 Tame Impala - Borderline 6
39 31 Dana Jones & the Bruce Caldwell Project - I Count the Tears 11
40 50 Blake Shelton - God's Country 13
41 30 Nick Waterhouse - I Feel An Urge Coming On 15
42 33 The Holiday Band - Yours 12
43 38 Cage the Elephant and Beck - Night Running 10
44 25 Jade Bird - I Get No  Joy 17
45 55 Cold War Kids - Complainer 4
46 40 Beck f Robyn and The Lonely Island - Super Cool 15
47 53 Vampire Weekend- This Life 5
48 48 Wild Belle - Rocksteady 7
49 52 Local  Natives - When Am I Gonna Lose Ya 9
50 36 Thomas Rhett - Look What God Gave Her 12
51 59 The Revivalists - Oh No 3
52 73 Nick Waterhouse - Song For Winners 2
53 56 Saintseneca - Feverer 7
54 57 Cayucas - Real Life 5
55 43 Fitz and the Tantrums - 123456 16
56 39 AJR - 100 Bad Days 17
57 62 The Raconteurs - Help Me Stranger 6
58 63 Slothrust - Peach 4
59 37 Tame Impala - Patience 14
60 65 Young the Giant - Heat of the Summer 7
61 47 Too Much Sylvia - Got the Rhythm 13
62 71 Zac Brown Band - Someone I Used to Know 3
63 80 Wargirl - Mess Around 2
64 70 Florence + the Machine - Jenny of Oldstones 4
65 54 Alex Zhang Hungtai - Pierrot 16
66 66 Bastille - Joy 8
67 64 Bebe Rexha - Last Hurrah 14
68 91 Billie Elish - Bad Guy 4
69 74 The Struts - In Love With a Camera 4
70  ---
TOP DEBUT: 



Album: Social Cues
1
71 75 Foals - In Degrees 5
72 58 James Hunter Six - Whatever It Takes 13
73 69 Silversun Pickups - Doesn't Matter Why 11
74 60 Hozier - Almost 10
75 86 Middle Kids - Real Thing 2
76 61 Foxygen - Livin' A Lie 11
77 67 Slothrust - Rotten Pumpkin 20
78 88 Michael Kiwanunka - Money 2
79  --- Brittany Howard ft. Terry Crews- Stay High 1
80 95 The Head and the Heart - Missed Connection 2
81  --- The Heavy - Better As One 1
82 87 Sleater-Kinney - Hurry On Home 4
83 84 Katy Perry - Never Really Over 3
84 82 Kid Rock - Sugar Pie Honey Bunch 8
85 90 Another Day Dawns - Psycho 3
86  --- Wilco - Love is Everywhere (Beware) 1
87 72 Foster the People - Style 16
88 77 St. Paul and the Broken Bones - GotItBad 19
89 93 Barns Courtney - You and I 2
90 79 The Kooks - Chicken Bone 22
91 94 Keane - The Way I Feel 2
92 96 Mini Mansions - I'm In Love 2
93  --- Clairo - Bags 1
94 68 Courtney Barnett - Everybody Here Hates You 7
95 78 Phoebe Ryan - A Thousand Ways 6
96  --- Joywave - Like a Kennedy 1
97 76 Christina Taylor - Settin' Myself on Fire 10
98 81 Lil Peep - Star Shopping 6
99 83 MISSIO - I See You 14
100 85 Elle King - Baby Outlaw 25






Songs with the greatest increase in favorite points over the prior week.

    Songs with 25 or more plays on my iPod.

     Songs with 50 or more plays on my iPod.   

¨    Songs with 100 or more plays on my iPod.


 

The “Scenes ‘n’ Soundwaves 100” is a list of current and recent song playlist which I am listening to.










































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