Sun Blogs:
Hold Steady For Slope Day '08
August 8, 2007 - 1:18pmI've been thinking about Slope Day. It's early, I know, but I can't help thinking that last year's less-than-stellar concert showed how much potential greatness can be had if the right group shows up. Rap is out, I think, for fairly obvious reasons. For one, the biggest names (Jigga, 'Ye, Fiddy - can you tell I'm down with the street?) are pricey or have already played Cornell recently. Also, much as I love rap -- who doesn't enjoy a little Biggie bumpin' in the car? -- the genre is not always conducive to live performance: the music overwhelms the vocals to depressing effect. Then there's the risk you'll be forced to listen to the sounds of fake gunshots for five minutes.
What would be ideal, I think, would be a group that can manage to play loud but still sound good. We need something that rocks, and not in the KISS sense either. I've been thinking of a band that fits that description that Cornell could maybe afford and one name came to mind: The Hold Steady.
I'm not going to wax eloquent about their rough-and-tumble, Bruce Springsteen-on-steroids sound. Instead, I'm just going to ask (or order) you to listen to "Boys and Girls In America" and tell me I'm wrong. Or tell me who ought to come instead. I'm open to ideas.
The Hold Steady are a
The Hold Steady are a shitty, overrated bar band. I say we go with Yellowcard as a headliner - they are cheap, more well known, put on a great show, and play a lot of college shows - especially at the end of the year. I think we have to have some kind of hip-hop act to keep the variety. And a better choice than Catch 22 would have been Streetlight Manifesto, who I also propose for Slope Day '08.
slip-sliding on the slope
rap is not out. people like kanye west and snoop dogg have had extraordinary performances. Not every rapper can fit the slope day feel though.
I suggest people like the roots, black eye-ed peas, and sa-ra project, who potentially use live band to pump up live performances (like snoop).
T.I. was a bad choice, but don't let that force you to generalize the genre.
thanks
p.s. biggie has been dead for 10 years...he can't perform.
Slope Day suggestions
The Hold Steady...ah they're playing a free show tonight for thousands of hipsters and hipster wanna-bes in Brooklyn tonight, but doubt im gonna go schlep to see that. In my opinion, Red Hot Chili Peppers would be the ULTIMATE slope day band (altho I'm not sure if we want to COMPLETELY EXHAUST the Concert Commish and Slope Day budgets). They're hip, all around well-liked, and the perfect rock band for a bunch of drunk ragin' college kids. You tell me what's better than seeing a keystone-light fueled mosh pit to "Suck My Kiss".
Another would be Dave Matthews Band. Yeah I know, its not middle school anymore, and his stuff has gotten pretty mediocre lately, but you gotta admit, if he sticks with his old standards, I think that would get the crowd pretty happy and rockin. He should just play a 20 minute extended version of Ants Marching during the set. That would be worth it.
Other suggestions:
-The White Stripes
-The Flaming Lips
-Broken Social Scene
You might be on to something
Actually, KISS on slope day would rawk
Journey for Slope
Journey for Slope Day...Don't stop believin'.
Slope day is not just a
Slope day is not just a concert.. it's a party. It's a celebration. What type of music do you put on to dance and have a good time? Most of us put on some hip-hop music. Of course all of those bands mentioned would be a kickass concert, but Slope Day is much more than a concert. Keep that in mind.
Slope Day
As a Cornell Mom, I gotta tell ya that if you had Journey, KISS, or DMB, I'D come, and I don't think you want parents there!
Old news
The Hold Steady have already performed at Cornell. They played a show sponsored by the Fanclub Collective at Appel two years ago (see http://www.rso.cornell.edu/fanclub/olds.html for more information).
KISS rocks! Bring 'em to
KISS rocks! Bring 'em to the Slope!
Slope Day again
It's a high time to start thinking about Hold Steady For Slope Day '08 ;)
p.s. rap is not out (imho), it just seems to be out