The hysteria and pandemonium have died down in the past two weeks, so it doesn't seem to be a big deal now (that teaches me to hold this back a week or so), but New Jersey's own Bruce Springsteen had announced a 2023 tour with The E-Street Band. The price for tickets? Try $4,000! What?
 |
| Bruce Springsteen was recently in the center of a controversy regarding initial ticket price costs for his planned 2023 tour with the E-Street Band |
Say what you will about The Boss. He pretty much put the Garden State on the rock map, and he is one of the most respected musicians of all time. He has some great albums and songs over the years and has kept a high profile for the last five decades. He's paid his dues, being in several bands, formulating the "Jersey Shore sound", playing clubs all along the shore, in particular Asbury Park before making it big.
Yes, there are many that don't like Springsteen. Whether they don't like his gravelly voice, or just his style of music, or, in recent years, his political views, he is not their cup of tea. But to his many fans, he is definitely a hero of sorts. There is a shore group, called the "Spring-Nuts" that is a devoted fan club; a few months ago, they toured the places where he grew up, honed his songwriting craft, the venues where he paid his dues, and even got to meet him in person.
But, two weeks ago when it was announced he was going on tour next year, his many fans put in for tickets, and then were in for a shock. And then the news came out that they were selling for $4000. You read that right...Four Grand. Many were outraged, thinking they were being taken advantage of, and while they remained fans, to say they were grossly disappointed was putting it mildly. Especially from a musician who has written about the heartland, the everyman paying their dues just to make ends meet.
But apparently there was an explanation for this outrageous pricing. Ticketmaster has something called a "dynamic pricing system", which in real time adjusts the price based on demand at the time. Thus, the initial rush to buy tickets resulted in that four grand cost.
And while some of the front seats on the floor near the stage did exceed four figures, just over one percent actually paid that much. Most of the fans paid about $200 or even less for their seats, which is pretty much in line with what concert tickets cost these days. Still, the initial outrage had fans tying the at-first high prices to Springsteen himself, which is in direct contrast to the average-to-low prices that he usually charges for concerts. Could it just be corporate greed on Ticketmaster's part? It's the same, fluctuating prices used for airfare and hotels, just to name two.
Many of those initially outraged fans settled down and purchased tickets at much lower prices, and all is well. And it seems that Bruce has survived another controversy which has been blowing over, remembering his arrest in November 2020 for DWI after downing several shots of tequila at Sandy Hook National Recreation Area. But with a low alcohol blood level, that all blew over. As apparently this ticket pricing fiasco seems to be as well. While the water seems to have settled, one wonders if Springsteen, or his longtime manager Jon Landeau, could have taken the bull by the horns and confronted these policies rampant in corporate America, rather than looking the other way. And while, no doubt that life will go on, and this fiasco will all be forgotten by next year, fans--and opponents--will probably not forget this initial issue with corporate pricing, especially since Bruce's music and demeanor always resonated with the working class trying to make a living.
I have never been to a Springsteen concert. It perhaps has been on my bucket list, and while I'm not an overt fan, I have several of his albums, as well as his book Born to Run. I also, back in 2009 during a visit to The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum in Cleveland, saw a big exhibit devoted to The Boss. Of course, if I should decide to attend one, I'm at the mercy of that "dynamic pricing" scheme, not to mention dealing with traffic and all of the other fans going in and out of the arena, especially in this COVID era.
I wish I was old enough to see Bruce in his early bands when he was playing the clubs in the late 1960's and early 1970's. And to be honest, I would nowadays, at the age of 65, rather go to local clubs to see aspiring, up-and-coming artists hone their craft, and paying a cover charge of, at most $10, to see somebody new. Running a blog has definitely helped me do that, as seeing last year's ScreenAge (and hopefully soon, its spin-off Colorjoy), as well as the likes of Jersey artists like The Outcrops, Sarah Teti, and countless others. Those artists are hungry, trying to get their foot in the door, much like Springsteen did fifty-five years ago.
 |
| Nominations for the 2022 Carolina Beach Music Awards (CBMA) were announced last week. |
BEACH BLITZ (CONTINUED). With more than a quarter of the songs in this week's blog playlist, coming from the beach music variety, I am taking much notice in the recent nominations for the 2022 Carolina Beach Music Awards (CBMA). While I am very weary of award shows in general, I am also very interested in this genre, not only because I've been following these songs and artists, but though social media, I have made friends with many of them. And while this all takes place several hundred miles to the south of where I live, I have learned that the beach music community is very close-knit. Seeing these artists post their nominations on social media has an added intrigue, as I have spent much of this year following (and listening to) these artists, so I am rooting for them. Unlike, say The Grammys, where I am mainly listening to nominations in Alternative rock, or, more rarely, pop artists, which have crossed over into my SNS 100, and rooting for the few that make it, much of these nominees which I have supported, or up against each other.
Here are just a few of the categories listed in which at least one artist or song has made a mark on my blog.
Female Vocalist: Deb Browning, Karen Clayton (of The Castaways), Lesa Hudson, Rhonda McDaniel (of the Carolina Coast Band), Sharon Woodruff (of the Main Event Band), Terri Gore.
Who do you root for when four of the six are Facebook friends and five of them have already reached my top 20 (and three of them are currently in my Top Five)? I guess I need to check out Karen Clayton soon.
Male Vocalist: Jerry West (Cat 5 Band); Gary Lowder (of Smokin' Hot); Rick Strickland, Steve Long, Glenn Tippett (Cat 5 Band), Chuck French (Band of Oz). Again, all but one (that would be Steve Long) have made my blog playlist, and both Cat5 and Strickland have been in my top 20, the latter doing it twice, including this week's "Sandy" moving into that area.
Rising Star: This was the category that Deb Browning won last year. This year, the nominees include Andy and Onieta, Bridger Warlick, Sharon Woodruff,, Rivermist Band, Sylvia Johns Ritchie, and the Pink Slips Band. I have heard of most of them, but Ms. Woodruff has made the most impact thus far (two songs in my current top 20) so I'm rooting for her.
Song of the Year: Lesa Hudson, "Breathless", Jim Quick and Coastline, "Buzzin' and Swingin'", Doyle Wood & Sylvia Johns Ritchie, "Days of Sandy Toes & Salty Kisses", The Castaways, "Never Found a Man", Wayne Free, "Tequila on Ice", Too Much Sylvia, "That You Hear in a Song", and Band of Oz, "You to Me Are Everything"
"Breathless" has made the most noise here, peaking at #11 just a few weeks ago. The Wayne Free song is moving up my list, and the Band of Oz debuts this week. The Too Much Sylvia made a brief appearance on the list. I have heard the Castaways' song, but couldn't get hold of a download, thus wasn't able to add it.
National Dance/Shag Song: Keb Mo, "'62 Chevy", Teddy Swims, "Blowin Smoke"; Elton John & Dua Lipa, "Cold Heart"; Zack Brown Band, "Old Love Song", Delbert McClinton, "One Scotch, One Bourbon, One Beer".
With the exception of the Keb Mo song, all of these have made the SNS 100, with Elton and Dua hitting #7--long before I thought of it as a beach music song. Zack Brown has had a lengthy run with 24 weeks currently, peaking at #26. The Swims and McClinton also made brief appearances on the list.
Group of the Year: Band of Oz, Cat5 Band, Embers ft. Craig Woodlard, Gary Lowder & Smokin' Hot, Rick Strickland Band, Too Much Sylvia.
All nominees in this group have made the SNS 100 with the exception of longtime beach music legends The Embers. The Rick Strickland Band also includes Lesa Hudson, they've combined for four Top 20 blog hits.
Music Video: Deb Browning, "3 More Minutes"', Sylvia Johns Ritchie, "Burning It Up for Your Love", Gary Lowder & Smokin' Hot "I Got this Feeling", Lesa Hudson, 'Sunny Days', Too Much Sylvia, "That You Hear in a Song", Cat5 Band, "Want You In My Life".
All except the Sylvia Johns Ritchie and Gary Lowder have made my list. The key songs are, of course, Deb Browning's "3 More Minutes", which made #1 here, and "Sunny Days", which went top 5 here and introduced me to Ms. Hudson. Cat5's song is moving up the list at #45 this week.
There are many other categories, such as best Radio Show, Live Production, Instrumentalist, Songwriters, Collaborations, Radio Station, Internet Station, Music Venue, Live Event, and many more. I just want to give a shoutout to Pat Gwinn, who garnered a nomination for his "At the Beach w/ Pat Gwinn" for Syndicated radio show and "Midday Beach Party" for Internet Show. Gwinn has provided me with many songs that aren't normally available commercially, enabling me to feature them on my SNS 100. You can hear Gwinn middays right here in New Jersey on WOLD, 107.9 FM. It gives Jersey a taste of what goes on down in the Carolinas.
Congratulations to all the 2022 nominees, and good luck!
TO THE CHARTS: It's pretty much status quo both on the Billboard Hot 100 and here on SNS. The top five songs hold steady on Billboard, including a second week at #1 for Lizzo's "About Damn Time"; "As It Was" by Harry Styles, and "Running Up That Hill" from Kate Bush. Over here on my blog, the top six hold steady, as the Kate Bush stays at the top for a second week. Styles remains at #2, while Rhonda McDaniel and Sharon Woodruff, hold at the #3 and #4 spots with their bands, and Deb Browning stays at #5. Lizzo's "About Damn Time" holds at #6 but is still bulleted, closing the gap between it and the top five.
Einstein's Dad grabs Impact honors as "What Shoulders Lace and Leather" moves 22-18, and Rick Strickland gets his second top 20 with "Sandy" (21-19). Styles' national top 10 follow-up, "Late Night Talking" (51-30) and last week's Top Debut, King Tappa's "Are You Feeling It?" (73-51) share Mover honors.
BACK ON GUARD: The Top Debut this week belongs to "B.L.U.", the new single by the Long Island-based Off Guard, their first single in about a year. The band, led by Matt Weiss, is now a three-piece, and delivers a melodic, but rock-filled jam. The band has tread on emo and there are touches of the sub-genre as well. This is a very palatable and accessible pop/rock effort, well-done. Weiss' voice is well suited for this song, and while he has cut a lot of EDM songs recently, he seems very comfortable getting back to rock music. It reminded me of early Plain White T's (i.e., before "Hey There Delilah"). The band has scored three top 10's here on SNS, but none since 2019's "Lights". Debuting at #78, it should easily outdistance the #73 "Cut Me Off". Great to see them back in form.
Next is "Stay Out of It" by Michigander, a six-piece band from...you guessed it...Michigan, is a nice jangly pop/rock song. The band has made the SNS before; "Let Down" reached #85, this one debuts a notch lighter, but should go way up the chart.
Dirty Heads are another one of those bands that have made the list many times, but never cracking the Top 20. They enter this week with "Life's Been Good", a cover of a Joe Walsh hit from 1978, done in the band's trademark rock-reggae hybrid style. Unique enough for many spins.
Also added this week is beach music group Band of Oz, making their blog debut with "You to Me Are Everything", a horn-punctuated, rhythmic, song that, like much of the beach music out these days, owes a lot to 1970's disco. The harmonies are outstanding. Speaking of the 1970's, the band called The 1975 return with "Part of the Band". Another band that usually toils in the middle of my list, this one is a cello-driven excursion, that could catch on with multiple listens.
Finally, we have "Hey You" by Disturbed, which attracted notice with many friends with their cover of Simon & Garfunkel's "The Sound of Silence" a few years back. The band was borne from the nu metal of the late 1990's and early 20000's but since have moved more squarely into traditional heavy metal. While I'm not normally a fan of that genre, it's worth several spins.
Scenes ‘n’ Soundwaves 100 Playlist
July 31, 2022 (Week ending August 6)
|
This
Week |
Last
Week |
ARTIST-Title |
Weeks
on List |
|
1 |
1 |
NUMBER ONE:  "Running Up That Hill (A Deal WIth God)" Albums: Hounds of Love / Stranger Things: Music From the Netflix Original Series, Season 4 (2 weeks at #1) |
8 |
|
2 |
2 |
17 |
|
|
3 |
3 |
Carolina Coast Band ft Rhonda McDaniel - The Thing About You |
7 |
|
4 |
4 |
10 |
|
|
5 |
5 |
13 |
|
|
6 |
6 |
9 |
|
|
7 |
8 |
7 |
|
|
8 |
10 |
Jerry Powell and The Carnival Band ft. Dave Sandy - Merry-Go-Round |
12 |
|
9 |
12 |
8 |
|
|
10 |
11 |
10 |
|
|
11 |
9 |
20 |
|
|
12 |
7 |
16 |
|
|
13 |
17 |
6 |
|
|
14 |
13 |
15 |
|
|
15 |
18 |
13 |
|
|
16 |
14 |
10 |
|
|
17 |
16 |
11 |
|
|
18 |
22 |
TOP 20 IMPACT OF THE WEEK:  "White Shoulders Lace and Leather" Album: Six for June (EP) |
5 |
|
19 |
21 |
9 |
|
|
20 |
15 |
13 |
|
|
21 |
23 |
7 |
|
|
22 |
28 |
4 |
|
|
23 |
20 |
8 |
|
|
24 |
19 |
11 |
|
|
25 |
27 |
6 |
|
|
26 |
37 |
4 |
|
|
27 |
33 |
9 |
|
|
28 |
32 |
10 |
|
|
29 |
35 |
8 |
|
|
30 |
51 |
CO-MOVER OF THE WEEK:  Album: Harry's House |
3 |
|
31 |
25 |
17 |
|
|
32 |
34 |
Winnetka Bowling League & The Knocks - I Like
to Hide in the Bathroom at Parties |
9 |
|
33 |
40 |
5 |
|
|
34 |
24 |
13 |
|
|
35 |
42 |
7 |
|
|
36 |
26 |
11 |
|
|
37 |
39 |
15 |
|
|
38 |
29 |
17 |
|
|
39 |
43 |
Rev. Bubba D. Liverance and the Cornhole Prophets - In My '64 |
6 |
|
40 |
44 |
6 |
|
|
41 |
30 |
11 |
|
|
42 |
41 |
11 |
|
|
43 |
45 |
5 |
|
|
44 |
52 |
5 |
|
|
45 |
50 |
7 |
|
|
46 |
47 |
10 |
|
|
47 |
49 |
6 |
|
|
48 |
31 |
16 |
|
|
49 |
36 |
10 |
|
|
50 |
38 |
13 |
|
|
51 |
73 |
CO-MOVER OF THE WEEK:  Album: 9 to 5 |
2 |
|
52 |
54 |
7 |
|
|
53 |
59 |
6 |
|
|
54 |
70 |
3 |
|
|
55 |
56 |
7 |
|
|
56 |
48 |
20 |
|
|
57 |
63 |
5 |
|
|
58 |
46 |
17 |
|
|
59 |
68 |
4 |
|
|
60 |
67 |
5 |
|
|
61 |
61 |
6 |
|
|
62 |
53 |
27 |
|
|
63 |
57 |
9 |
|
|
64 |
55 |
21 |
|
|
65 |
66 |
8 |
|
|
66 |
69 |
5 |
|
|
67 |
87 |
2 |
|
|
68 |
64 |
6 |
|
|
69 |
85 |
2 |
|
|
70 |
76 |
4 |
|
|
71 |
78 |
3 |
|
|
72 |
77 |
3 |
|
|
73 |
74 |
5 |
|
|
74 |
83 |
3 |
|
|
75 |
71 |
12 |
|
|
76 |
60 |
12 |
|
|
77 |
58 |
11 |
|
|
78 |
--- |
TOP DEBUT:  "B.L.U." (Single Only) |
1 |
|
79 |
62 |
16 |
|
|
80 |
72 |
33 |
|
|
81 |
90 |
2 |
|
|
82 |
65 |
19 |
|
|
83 |
80 |
4 |
|
|
84 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
85 |
86 |
3 |
|
|
86 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
87 |
96 |
3 |
|
|
88 |
82 |
16 |
|
|
89 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
90 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
91 |
75 |
7 |
|
|
92 |
79 |
16 |
|
|
93 |
84 |
24 |
|
|
94 |
88 |
3 |
|
|
95 |
98 |
2 |
|
|
96 |
93 |
47 |
|
|
97 |
81 |
10 |
|
|
98 |
91 |
21 |
|
|
99 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
100 |
89 |
22 |
Tremors:
101. Pink, "Irrelevant"
|
|
Songs
with the greatest increase in favorite points over the prior week. ●
Songs with
25 or more plays on iTunes/iPods ▲ Songs with 50 or more plays.
Tremors:
Songs which have steady or increasing points but no enough to chart on the SNS
100.
No comments:
Post a Comment