Warped Tour

Yikes is all I can say about this one. Have you heard of the Warped Tour? I had, but didn't know about it in any great detail. So NAMM, which is the association for the global music products industry, is a sponsor of the event. Progressive is a NAMM member, so we were able to give away some free tickets to the show as well as received some VIP passes to go and check the event out.

OK, so I felt old there yesterday. I'm 26, but this was definately a show that catered to the 13-17 year old crowd. They have around 100 up and coming bands play all throughout the day and several different stage. The show was at Post-Gazette Pavillion and was totally packed!!!!!!!!

So, we arrive and meet up with the NAMM rep who tells us a little about the tour and shows us around. She then tell us we can go on stage to see a band perform. So, we picked a band and went on the stage. Well, I was far from prepared for what we were about to witness.



We were actually on the stage behind the band - see picture. More pics will be posted on the Progressive site soon. Anyway, standing up there was seriously the loudest thing I've ever heard in my life. I don't have any idea what the band was singing, it was all so loud. But, as you can see from the picture, there were tons of poeple watching this band!!! It was actually kinda cool to be on stage to see the performance. Well, I was amazed to see so many mosh pits in the crowd as well as how much body surfing was going on. BLEW MY MIND!!!! Anyway after the 30 minute performance, and after the 30 minutes it took to be able to hear again, we walked around and looked at all the vendors. I was amazed at how many people were there all over the place, how many people were selling everything under the sun there and how many body piercings people actually have!!

We spent a little bit in the air conditioned VIP tent. That was nice - haha

Bottom line - it was an interesing adventure. I can't believe how many people were there and so into this music.

Speaking of NAMM, I am happy to say that I have been asked to serve on a NAMM advisory board. The board will deal with what NAMM can do to better serve independant retailers like Progressive Music. I am very excited about the opportunity for lots of reasons. 1) NAMM does some wonderful things and it's great to be invloved in it. 2) It will be great to step out of my usual environment and talk about the music business. 3) California - here I come!! Yep, the meetings will be in Southern California - one of my favorite places!!!!! One trip will be in October and the next will be in January. Should be fun!!!!

A Return to Normal - maybe

So this week, I was once again dogsitting. Yes, the adventures with Lorry's dog Xu Xu. It's interesting as always since she is so very high energy. Here's the story the tells you all about her.

A friend and I took her for a walk in South Park on Wednesday night. Xu Xu (pronunced shu-shu BTW) basically took us for the walk. She was pulling us through the park. So, we get back to the cars. We give Xu Xu some water. I pull her leash to get her to go back to the car. Noting doing - she wasn't going to move no matter what. I had to carry her to the car like the princess she thinks she is. So, I get her in the car, within 2 minutes she is at the window barking at other cars and everything. So much for being tired. She was a wild woman once we got home too. I guess you can't tire her out - though I tried. She is a trip, that's for sure.

It's near impossible to sleep when Xu Xu is around btw. No matter what position you get in, no matter how big the bed is, she will find a way to make you move on the bed. Apparently, she likes to have her body touching you in some way when she's sleeping. It's doesn't make for a very sound night of sleep if you're not used to it I guess.

Yesterday was a visit to the Vans Warped Tour. More about that in a following post.

The Xu Xu watching is over as of the morning and I am going to try to return to normal - ie. staying at my apartment again where I have wireless high speed internet!! I was living in dial-up world all week - EEK!!!!! What did we do without the internet?

Tonight is hopefully a trip to the Pirates game. Weather providing of course. The night isn't panning out as planned so far. But, we'll see what shakes down over the next few hours.

I hope to take the weekend to de-compress etc. from the dog watching - lol and then next week is crazy again.

Monday - DCI show at Baldwin - Progressive will have a table set up with lots of freebies so stop by.

Thursday - oral "surgery". I have a tooth issue that requires "surgery" and I am nervous beyond words for that.

Then the week after band camp starts!!! Football season is here before you know it.

Need File Cabinets?

We've found ourselves with some extra file cabinets here. Do you need any? They are used, but certainly still useable.

If you are interested, send an e-mail to info@progressivemusiccompany.com

Connected - Part Two

Found this posted on another blog - it relates to my post of a few days ago about being connected.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/16/magazine/16wwln_lede.html?_r=1&ex=1153368000&en=d401e0c0aa26aeb3&ei=5070&oref=slogin

Warped Tour

Looking for something to do next Thursday, July 27th?

Check out the Vans Warped Tour at the Post-Gazette Pavillion.

More info at www.warpedtour.com

The trade organization for the global music products industry, NAMM is a sponsor of the tour and Progressive Music is a member of NAMM so we'd like to bring some awareness to this tour which helps to foster some great up and coming bands. You never know what kind of talent you will find on the tour. Bands like Blink-182 owe their success to the tour. It may be worth checking out.

Karaoke = Good Business Practice

Imagine if this were the case in the US...

In Vietnam, karaoke is not only a recreational pursuit but also business etiquette, and not joining in can cost you.

TienPhong newspaper reported that the state oil monopoly's financial arm PVFC ordered 21 officials to make "self-criticism reports" for failing to sing karaoke at a contract-signing ceremony near Hanoi. At least eight department heads were facing suspension, said the newspaper, which also published a letter by the group of officials protesting the decision as unlawful.

~ Source: Reuters UK

More Connected than ever?

Just some observations...

I have 4 e-mail addresses that I check everyday - constantly throughout the day. I would die without my laptop and the internet. I have a Treo phone that allows me to use the phone, e-mail, txt messages and the internet. I have CNN on around me all day etc etc etc. I think I'm pretty connected. And I think it's fair to say most in my generation (Gen Y I think) are the same. I'm talking like 18 - 30.

We are all more connected than ever before - e-mail, phones, myspace, facebook - I'll save you from the whole listed.

Point being - we are so connected by technology - but I think we're less connected than ever. We talk to people more via electronics than in person. Do we even know how to interact in person anymore? It's only getting worse too.

I don't know if this is good or bad. Obviously there are goods and bads here - you can figure them out for yourseld and how they apply to you individualy, but it concerns me that the new obstacle to friendships is technology. We're overloaded with it and it gets in the way. Make sense?

Hey, I'm as guilty, if not more, than everyone else - see above. I don't know the solution. Adapt I guess?

Just a random thought I've been having recently.

DCI

Great DCI show at EF last night - hope you were able to make it out. Absolutely perfect weather for a Friday night in July.

Some quick impressions of the corps - since I was announcing, I don't get the greatest perspective or the ability to give my full attention to all the performances.

But here's some quick thoughts. Lots of use of the audio mixers to mic the pit. I guess it provides a better overall sound, but seems too risky for me. What do you do on a rainy night? Let those cords be in the rain? What if there's a tech problem? I guess that's a risk you know going in - live by the electronics - die by the electronics.

Crossmen looked cool - a very fun show - cool use of the pit and some voices there. Fun show.

Glassmen made their debut in the USA last night after being in Europe. Looked good to me. I've always liked the Glassmen - they pick some great music.

Spirit did a cool show - old new borroed and blue. Some music lots of fans recognize and put together well.

Magic looked alright- the show will clean up in the next few weeks. We're still pretty early in the season here.

Boston - good show - always a good corps!

Carolina Crown - show is pretty clean and they did come in third - but I just wasn't into the show.

Phantom - clean - looking good - drum line looked good!

Cadets - sorry, love the Cadets - but I don't get it. Well, I do because I read enough about the show ahead of time and I saw the show last year, but it's just a bit too abstract for me. Dani, Alice etc. etc. I don't know - maybe I'm wrong - just is very odd to me. Executed well - but odd.

That's my thumbnail review - off to the dentist!

Just for Fun on A Friday

Letterman has stupid human tricks - here is Pittsburgh's version of stupid reporter tricks. Remember, I used to do TV news - so I am allowed to make fun.

WPXI - http://www.wpxi.com/video/9484128/index.html?taf=burg

WTAE - http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/video/9479908/index.html?taf=pit

KDKA - http://kdka.com/video/?id=17901@kdka.dayport.com

Kimmell Center

Here's an interesting story about the Kimmell Center in Philly.

http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/news/14932789.htm

Just an interesting article about funding a place like this. If you ever get a chance to go to the Kimmell center - go there!!! I was there for a Philly Pops Christmas concert last year - it was great and such an amazing facility!!!!!!!

Friday

Wow - I actually got complaints from people that I haven't updated the blog in a while. People actually read this? Who knew?

Tonight is the DCI show at Elizabeth Forward High School. Get out there to see a great show - last year's world champion Cadets will be there and I have the privledge of announcing the show for the 4th straight year. (I think it's 4.)

As you may notice on the Progressive homepage, we are sponsoring the Cabaret Pittsburgh Inspiring Artist series. This is certainly something for all of you to look into. Not only will this be so entertaining, anyone interested on a career in music (especially vocal) will want to take part in these events. I am personally very excited for the Ann and Liz Callaway event. I've seen Ann live maybe 5 times and she is such an amazing performer. Can't wait to see her perform with her sister.

Band updates - practices continue as we work on the competitive field show and the Macy's music. The 4th of July parade was WET! - Enough said.

I've been busy getting a brochure ready to pass out at cabaret events. We (well mainly Joe) have been preparing for a visit next week by a rep from the Newark, NJ public schools. We're going to be donating a good bit of older method books to that district. Music and arts budget cuts have apparently affected them so we're glad to be able to help them out like this.

Weather has been weird here - hot then rain then hot then rain... But, I did enjoy the sun yesterday a bit. I took the day off, Nicole and I went to 7 Springs for lunch followed by mini golf and go karts at the Caddie Shack. It was a good diversion for the day.

Back to getting brochures ready etc. See you all at DCI tonight!