'bout time you brought that in

(boring)
With the long-awaited copyright court decision finally being handed down (March 19th, 2007) regarding the publishing royalty rates to be delivered to copyright owners by digital music providers for permanent downloads (8.8% of retail cost); its still quite disappointing, to comprehend this small percentage going into the pockets of the songwriters themselves, good thing for us most are focused on their art over the commerce, leave that to the silk tie shoppers. Legal buyers hear me, all this small talk means to speak is that the price of online downloads is about to be hiked.

And as the RIAA continues, with some bewildering goal in mind, its unrelenting yet grossly unpopular pursuit of suing all you illegal file-sharing music lovers. I've decided to take insight into a less spoken benefit of music being easily accessible for $0, via the internet.

(getting there)
While attending concerts, I used to be disappointed when my favoured musicians were debuting new material. Not that I imagined I wouldn't grow to love it, rather the opposite, that I knew I couldn't love it the first time through. With a live performance, there is the need to connect and sense familiarity with the music. Yet, I have always had a sense of respect, that the artist them self is tired of playing the past and want to predominately focus on the present. So, while touring is scheduled ahead of upcoming releases as an outlet of promotion, concert going fans can frequently be left in the dark, while bands find timid reception in delivering new music. Enter, the beautiful world of the internet, where 'yet to be released', simply means 'who cares for cover art, look what I've been leaking into my ears'. Now when bands bravely strum the first chords of the suspected unknown, a raucous uproar can be deafening as fans who threw down $45 (65% going to Ticketmaster) to be the first in their city to hear the beloved new LP live, realize their reward.

(okay, here we go)
Gather the girls, gather your boys, I've found it, I've found it! A unique, unique concept, how it was not mastered before is beyond me. It follows, as taking musicians out of the usual spectrum for demonstrating their music and throw them into a more natural everyday environment. To elaborate, the creations are pure, pure art; all the business of selling with a sexy, commercial music video is muted in favour of donning stripped down naked, magical, impromptu, unrepeatable, instrumentally innovative, scenery showering, cinematographically charming and passerby pleasing showings. I present to you... 'Take Away Shows' www.takeawayshows.com

For those clicking and viewing in the mtl region, I look forward to sharing in the joyous reception with you on Monday, June 4th when 'the national' debuts "start a war" for this city.