Soul Food

Last week we took our daughters to New York City for an early Christmas present, tickets to The Naked Brothers concert at the Blender Theatre at the Gramercy. We also wanted to do a quick, drive-by visit of NYU, Fordham and SUNY Purchase for my oldest daughter who will be, hopefully, attending college in 2010. It’s the concert that got me thinking though and no, The Naked Brothers weren’t actually naked. As a matter of fact the tour was called “The Fully Clothed” tour. Plus the kids in the band are like 10 and 14.

So, the concert.

Before this economic meltdown, we Americans just loved buying stuff. Stuff to use, stuff to hold, stuff to consume. We laid down our money and walked away with . . . stuff. Have you ever thought that when you go to a concert, you don’t really walk away holding onto anything? All you have (unless you buy the CD or a t-shirt) is just a memory, some feelings and maybe emotions. For such a consumer oriented, I want to hold onto my stuff society, we sure pay a lot of money for music we listen to in person and then leave without any stuff.

I think that speaks to the power of music. I’ve often marveled at the idea that no new notes or scales have been invented and the basic instrumentation hasn’t really changed and yet we still, for the most part, play music on guitars, pianos, woodwind, string and brass instruments and so forth. Music has been with us for hundreds and perhaps thousands of years and yet there are always new melodies and lyrics with new ways to move people through the artistry of music.

And it’s very personal. People have their likes and dislikes. I’m sure you’ve all been part of a discussion that goes something like “I love all kinds of music except . . . ” and this is where you fill in the blank with country, opera, bluegrass or whatever.

Ultimately, music is like any art form. It can move you, make you think or take you to a place in your heart, mind or soul that is very personal. You can’t physically hold it but where does your mind go if you hear Johnny Mathis singing “The Christmas Song” or John Lennon singing “Imagine?” Have you seen the beginning of the movie Platoon? Doesn’t “Adagio for Strings” just make you weep?

I think it also speaks to us as humans that we hold this art form in such high regard that we spend a lot of money on it and yet can’t hold it like a commodity. And yes, okay, I know you can hold onto it with your iPod as do I. But there is nothing, absolutely nothing, like hearing music you love, live and in person. Way before the computer, video games and the internet, live music is the ultimate interactive experience.