Covering Van Halen concert in Indy Wednesday night

8)

This should be fun.

 

I almost had to do this with a different act.

Is it for a review? That's what mine would have been. How do you do that? We had (don't laugh) Richard Marx here, and no one to cover it. We wound up not sending anyone, so I was safe, but I honestly had no idea how to have gone about it.

Do you compare? If so, to what? Other concerts? Old music? It's not like I had seen the guy live before.

What if you're only vaguely familiar with the act? Does that make it easier or harder to be objective?

I have to say, I was fairly relieved when I wound up not having to do it, but it did make me curious about the "review" process.

 

Yeah, I'm doing a review. Never done one before, but how hard can it be?

Fortunately (unfortunately?) I'm old enough to have been around during their heyday. Just so happens I'm the only one in the newsroom familiar with VH at all.

I'm afraid it's going to be a hot mess but hey, it's a cheap date.

 

Slow down. What?

 

Our newsroom is full of 19 and 20 year olds. I'm like the 3rd oldest person there and I'm not even 40 yet.

 

Tell the idiots you have dibs on Bruce and the Roilling Stones for their stupidity on this.

It seems like VH is made up of a bunch of borderline retards, but those brothers were so great on the drums and guitar. Just so, so great.

 

I would go to willing local bands and ask them if they were willing on camera to try and play Eruption and Hot for Teacher.

 

Might as well ask J-School grads to try to mimic "The Old Man and The Sea" or "Death of a Racehorse."

Eruption should never be attempted by anyone except Eddie.

 

I don't care if they're 19 or 20, a chance to review an arena rock concert is gold. You do not turn that assignment down.

 

Always envied the concert reviewer something fierce. Gets to see the best shows for free, no ticket hassles etc.
Didn't realize papers still did them considering deadlines getting pushed ever earlier (aren't most feature sections put to bed by 5 p.m.?) Let alone the need figuring that most shows are sold out and gone by the time it appears in print and it isn't like someone is going to read a review and say, "Hmm, maybe I'll go see that show" like they would a movie or a play.
Figured most papers do the "pre-show" parking lot scene now, if anything.

 

You recognize that that's what the general public thinks about sportswriters covering live events, too, right?