OLESYA SALNIKOVA
Staff Writer
I admit that I was initially hesitant to go see a concert that featured bands that were practically unknown to me. “Wait, who’s playing?” was the response I got from most people, accompanied by an eyebrow raise, when I told them about going to see a concert last Friday. Despite this, I decided to ignore my inner skeptic and take advantage of the opportunity and go see Guster, with special guests Nada Surf and Tristan Prettyman.
I was not disappointed: The bands rocked. From the soft rhythms of Tristan’s acoustic guitar to the hard electric resonance of Nada Surf, the bands that introduced Guster proved themselves everything that I did not expect from unheard of and, as of yet, unknown musicians.
Guster proved to be the most talented of the three bands because of their remarkable instrumental variation, creating a rich array of sounds not excluding cowbells and bagpipes. The entire crowd went crazy with excitement when the guys played their most famous single, “Amsterdam.”
In my state of euphoria, I scolded myself for even thinking of not going to this performance and wondered how many small shows people pass up just to save enough money to go see a band that is by popular culture’s definition “the best.”
This incident led me to think about the bands we never hear about and our hesitation concerning new things. I realized that going to see musicians who are unfamiliar provides me with a unique opportunity to experience something innovative and different. It gives audiences a new perspective on music.
Some people limit themselves by only going to highly coveted shows, like John Mayer, not even realizing that shows at smaller venues can be just as entertaining. After going to this concert, I can see why it is more fun to listen to music that you might have never heard before than to listen to the same tired lyrics on your iPod.
The fear of unknown bands is related to the qualms we have about small venues. “Well, it’s not a Roxy or it’s not a House of Blues, so it’s probably not worth it.” Thoughts like these limit our opportunities to find concerts.
Worthwhile alternate locations include the Malibu Inn and Hotel Café in Hollywood. Small venues are fun and new, oftentimes attracting an eclectic crowd of people. Guster performed at the Wiltern, a theater in the heart of downtown Los Angeles, where the crowd was entertaining and brimming with a variety of different people.
And what about our inclination to pay at least $100 to go see someone perform? Smaller venues are frequently easier to find and tickets are less expensive and more available than for a concert at a bigger venue.
And attending a huge concert is not as personal as when you go to a show at a smaller venue because the musician is less accessible and further away. At smaller shows, people seem to be more relaxed — the mood is comfortable and laid-back, with everyone simply enjoying the music and having a good time with friends.
Upcoming shows at the Inn include Wired All Wrong, tonight at 8, and Fishbone on Oct. 7 at 8 p.m. Hotel Café will feature Pepperdine favorite Soundmind at 10 p.m. followed by Buffalo Roam at 11 p.m. on Oct. 6.
So while your mother told you to never talk to strangers, don’t hesitate to cozy up to a new, unknown band. In this case, the smaller, the better.
10-05-2006
