- Club owners = operators
- Media oulets and civic boosters = ropers
- Musicians = insiders
- Bouncers, bartenders, servers = shills
- Patrons (particularly out-of-towners) = marks
Soho the Dog links to a PDF of an interesting academic paper by sociologist David Grazian, “The Production of Popular Music as a Confidence Game: the Case of the Chicago Blues.” Having been both an “insider” and a “shill” in the Chicago blues scene, albeit years ago, all I can say is HOLY CRAP THEY’RE ONTO YOU GUYS.
Matthew notes that the analogy works for just about any type of musical performance:
Classical music breaks down in almost the exact same way, except that the “authentic” experience being promoted isn’t gritty and “working-class” one, but plush, refined, and “upper-class.” And the downside is the same: an ossified repertoire.
In Irish music situations, particularly St. Patrick’s Day, I flat-out refuse to sing “Danny Boy.” Okay, I have done it on a few occasions, but those mainly involved ninety-year-old people requesting it—and who am I to deny some granny who’s turned out for the gig, respirator and all?
I’ve been tempted to make a sign like this one from Preservation Hall in New Orleans:
Requests for traditional tunes are $2, others are $5, and “The Saints” will set you back at least $10. (Trumpet guy’s head’s in the way; maybe it’s $25 or more.)
But I guess classical musicians don’t often take requests.
Update: a persuasive defence of inauthenticity as the defining characteristic of great popular music
years ago i danced in heat in a backtown bar, where the trombone slide blocked the door, and the sousatuba player raised both eyebrows to greet friends as they arrived. that was new orleans. then i saw malcolm x, many years later, with its exhilarating dancehall sequence finally showing me what i’d been hearing wrong in the wild downbeats of 30s jazz, and photographs and tales of bodies pressed too tight to move solo in city music crowds, and i thought of charles burnett’s docudiary of his visit south in the 50s, to his crazy blues fanatic uncle, what was it called, it was in the series the blues and it was called warming by the devil’s fire. like a window.
why aren’t there any early hip hop crap tourist spots? that’s what i want to know. some lameass ll cool j animatron standing there. table servers dressed like salt’n'pepa. like, the breakin’ bar’n'grill some crap all thing….
“But I guess classical musicians don’t often take requests” - You bet we don’t! Speaking of “popular” classics….
Upon announcement that we are to play the “TacoBell Canon”, the cellists and bassists prepare for stark raving madness, having to play only 8 notes - over and over again.
When the conductor hands out parts for “Bolero” , we groan loudly, and the 1st Trombonist contemplates suicide because of his difficult solo. Many bone players have insertions in their contracts for a higher “Bolero” fee.
And no matter how many times you play them, the “William Tell” Overture and Beethoven 5th Symphony are enjoyable to play, as long as we get to play the whole thing, and not excerpts.