GERIATRIC PERFORMERS AND GREEDY CLUBS

Yesterday I went to watch my son perform in a show at one of the many clubs in sydney and he was of course BRILLIANT!!
There were three acts, and he was the first performer, and after he was finished the next act was introduced and wheeled on stage (the rest of the acts were senior citizens). I have been to so many shows and am constantly amazed at the age of the band members and some of the performers. I know some of these musicians are very good but if they never retire when do the younger generation of musicians ever get a go? There is work out there for rock bands but there are a whole range of other acts that need work as well, and they can't get any because Sydney clubs refuse to change thier old acts.

When are the people that book the acts for these places going to give the younger entertainers a fair go and give them a decent amount of work ?

I have seen so many fantastic young performers over the last few years and they need to be seen. I know that the older entertainers need work as well but they have also had many years of work out of a small industry and its time to showcase some of the younger talent we have in this country.
Yes there is a healthy live scene in Sydney for bands and dj's but what about the kids that want to do cabaret ot theatre? Surely we can't go on losing them to other countries when they are so good. I think if people went along to some of the talent quests and saw whats out there they would be very surprised by the standard of some of these young people.
I don't believe for a minute that the big clubs can't afford to do something to promote these artists. They must be making a fortune from poker machines and they just keep hiring the same old 2nd rate acts that have been around forever. WHY?
Is there some old entertainers mafia we dont know about? They shouldn't treat audiences, even old people, like idiots that will watch and enjoy any old crap that's put in front of them because they don't want to spend any of their pokie profits on getting a really good standard of shows in Australia going. Surely if they spent some of their dollars on TV advertising and promoted the hell out of these young people there would be an audience for the shows, after all people don't know how great these kids are if they dont see them!! So in closing I say, agents and clubs get your shit together and rejuvinate the industry. IT'S TIME.

PLUG YOURSELF IN

I think my most cherished possesion would have to be my mp3 player. Last week I had to do a lot of walking and so I put some new songs on my player and away I went. I got up, got dressed and plugged myself in to my music. What joy I feel when the music invades my head. I started out strutting along to the drums of Cloudbusting by Kate Bush who is always a revelation to me. Then the song finished and the smooth sounds of Marving Gaye and "Let's Get it On" crooned through my body, as I slowed from a fast march and found myself gliding along and soothed by his voice. I always feel like the notes are dancing through me when I block out the world and plug my ears in to my wonderful music. It's my release from the world when it gets to harsh. And so I continue along and the beautiful, beautiful song "This House is Empty Now" by Elvis Costello and Burt Bacarach fills my ears, if you have never heard this album "Painted From Memory" you need to. It is one of the best albums I have ever heard, two genuises together. The next selection is just for fun, "Spirit In the Sky" and I have to stop myself from singing and dancing in the street with strangers all around me. Oh how I would love to just sing out loud and break into a mad dance just to see the looks on thier faces, but I just speed up my steps and move my head in time to the beat and keep my enjoyment my little secret. I near my destination and I slow down because I don't want to turn my little happy machine off. I would rather spend my day lost in these wonderful sounds that sink into my bones than listen to the bullshit people want to throw at me in some meaningless conversation. And so I enjoy one last song before returning to the real world, what should I listen to out of my songs? I choose the bluesy voice of Joe Cocker, I love the voice and I just love his old stuff, Darling be Home Soon, Feeling Alright, Deta Lady, I Stand in Wonder !!
I can never understand people who don't just love music, any kind of music, I just don't get them at all. To me it's as essential as food or air. So if you haven't got an Ipod or MP3 player get one now and plug yourself in to the music, you will get so much enjoyment out of it.