Don't let good intentions result in bad policy

Read the Free-Trade Paradox in the May 26, 2008 New Yorker.

A Radiohead Rant

from http://www.radiohead.com/themostgiganticflyingmouthforsometime/

"Where to play? Where to play? The Best Foot Forward report identified fan travel as the single biggest contributor to our carbon footprint. Public transport moves further up the list of importance, but venue availability, power, space, truck parking etc etc are still priority. A nice clean, sterile arena would have been sufficient, but having more adverts than character is not appealing to any of us. So the needs of the product override the ideals of the project and thus this plan came together."

My rant:

Ok, I really like this band. No, really, I really like this band. And I appreciate how they wish to pull off a rather "green" tour. Green is the way to go. And apparently they like the greenery of an amphitheater. Yes, an amphitheater out in the suburbs. (Oh, you should read Paul Krugman's recent opinion piece in the NYT.) A place where I'm not convinced all of Radiohead's attempts at a low carbon footprint will offset all of our driving to the venue.

And what is wrong with a "nice clean, sterile arena"? More adverts than character? Sorry guys, if you think there is some special aesthetic about the suburban shed I question your artistic depth. Except for the incredibly well designed and well kept Blossom Music Center, all amphitheaters in the suburbs and located close to theme parks are all dreary parking lots with a dirt pile they call a "lawn". Maybe backstage areas are nice for all you guys in the band, but you see, we don't get to see that part.

Acoustics? Well, maybe amphitheaters win on that one. But if you have good equipment you can make the best arenas sound like a concert hall. Ok, I exaggerate. I would definitely prefer to see Radiohead at MSG than at Jones Beach or PNC. I'd rather see Radiohead at the Q than Blossom. I'd rather have gone to the Verizon Center rather than Nissan Pavilion.

Still, guys, back in 2001 I saw you play Suffolk Downs in East Boston. I'm sure MOST people arrived by T. Now that was a great venue.

I got tickets for the Camden NJ show. Yeah, not really suburban, but the same thing: a mound of dirt and a nondescript pavilion in a nondescript section of urban blight. You get a nice view of one of those bridge thingerdoodles in Philadelphia, but you're in Camden. Enough said.

Radiohead, I'm just not convinced you're doing this as right as you want to.

Nissan Pavilion is a Bust

Just for all you DC folk and good intentioned Radioheads, the Radiohead show on 5/11 should have been cancelled. Nevertheless, Nissan is a crap shed in a parking lot. No one has been able to do an amphitheatre like Blossom Music Center. All the rest of you LiveNation sheds, just go away. I'd just as soon see a summer show in an arena or a parking lot.

http://dcist.com/2008/05/12/morning_roundup_255.php

http://www.radiohead.com/deadairspace/index.php?a=371

As one blog commenter notes, its tough to be "green" when you play your shows out in the suburbs. No public transportation there. Just streets and parking lots. Come on. (Last tour they played BankAmerica Pavilion in Boston. The best bet is public transportation. Play venues in the city, you're more apt to go green.)

My two cents.