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the time, ironically stuck in the 80's

i just got back from seeing morris day and the time. it was entertaining. and a bit odd. i don't think i've ever been to one of those sorta revival shows. i never saw the beach boys, or the four tops, or the monkees (even though in my childhood the monkees were better than the beatles. i had never heard the beatles, but somehow i just knew). i never quite understood the appeal of music frozen in an era, the disco revival; the 80's craze; artists who essentially say, "i'm going to make a living performing the same songs for 20 years." i don't blame them, i don't think it's wrong. if i had a couple hits i'd hit the road every couple years myself. still, it's odd.

we ran into a couple who'd been at the show at a restaurant afterwards. the man said he saw them in the 80's. i asked the question that had been in my head since the third song, "is it the same show?" his answer, "yeah, pretty much." i knew before i had asked, but i couldn't imagine. being a bit easily bored, that's just unfathomable to me. still, i understand the appeal a bit better now, the power of music perfectly preserved, like an antique, or a mint comic in plastic, and its pull on us toward a simpler time when we were too naive to realize how little we knew. i might even recommend it.

what i understand a little less is that thing that jerome beat on throughout the show. it was obviously unamplified. we couldn't hear it. could he? and if not was it just there to give him an excuse to bounce drumsticks off the floor all night? which makes me think, live hip hop shows should borrow a page from morris day and the time. instead of having all the randoms on stage not really doing anything, have them pretend to play instruments. it's more entertaining.

sharon jones and the dap kings opened. they were good. she's incredible. instead of playing their 30 year old songs, they make new songs that sound 30 years old and hot. see them if you get the chance.

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