Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Music Box: Blondie

My friend Jesse and I were debating the virtues of these recent concert tours to celebrate "anniversaries" of albums. The concept is a fairly new one to me: the Go-Go's brought their beauty and the beat to NYC back 2006 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of their classic debut. Then came word of the 30th anniversary of Blondie's seminal "Parallel Lines" (see video advert above). Now today I got an e-mail about Liz Phair's "Lost in Guyville" 15th birthday. Needless to say these tours are gimmicks to get people to come out and see them in concert -- again. It's not like any of their acts have been short on tour dates in recent years.

While Jesse had a point when he said:
it's a pretty funny gimmick. and i understand why it works. but i wonder if it wouldn't be kind of dull -- you know exactly which song is coming next. takes the spontaneity out of it, the whole "oh i hope she plays THIS ONE," all that.

I countered by saying:
true, although at the "Beauty and the Beat" one and the upcoming "Parallel Lines" show it's more like I CAN'T WAIT TILL THE NEXT ONE -- I've NEVER heard them do THAT ONE live before!

I leave you with three "Parallel Lines" classics I can't wait to see them do live for the first time -- which is to say nothing of "Will Anything Happen," "I'm Gonna Love You Too" and "Just Go Away" ...

"Picture This"


"Sunday Girl"


"Fade Away and Radiate"


"Pretty Baby"

1 comment:

Lady Hooligan Kat said...

Pretty Baby is one of my absolute Blondie favz!