Solo Tour?

While our movie is floating around in pre-production, I’ve been keeping myself occupied with the new Record Label. It has been fun, but still has its fair share of ups and downs. Last night, for example: Way down. One of my A&R guys (who is now fired) suggested that I go with him to see a Dashboard Confessional Concert. I only agreed because they were one of my favorite bands in college and I used one of their songs on my very first movie soundtrack. It was a hit, and this is how I get repaid:

This tour is called the Dashboard Confessional Solo Tour. I thought, “Great, I’m busy and don’t have to time watch some shitty opening act anyways.” Turns out, I was wrong in my assumption, then wrong again. You’ll see. First thing I noticed was that our ticket said “With Special Guest: Jack’s Mannequin” I thought it was a solo tour? Turns out, this was a one time thing since they were both in LA at the same time, and the Jack’s Mannequin performance was actually for charity. So I guessed that Dashboard let them intrude on their “Solo Tour” because it was for a good cause. I’m fine with that.

Here’s what I’m not fine with: Disappointing the hell out of all of your fans with the definition of a “Solo Tour.” Apparently what the Band meant by “Solo Tour” was that there would be no Band at all. Yeah, Chris Carrabba, the lead singer would go on to play the entire concert by himself. I go to concerts for the full band; I want to see an array of musical talent displayed. Not just one guy playing a guitar. He’s talented, but what if I went to Disneyland, paid to get in, was excited about the whole park, and Mickey Mouse walked up and said, “Hey! Now that I have you all in here and have collected your money, I wanted to let you know that all the rides, shows and other things that make this theme park a fucking blast… will be closed today. But, don’t worry I’m still here!” Well, Mickey, I’m sure you are really awesome as the front man for Disneyland, but you're not even close to only thing that makes this park fun. Come to think of it, with out the rest of the park, you kind of suck.

And that’s how I felt about the Dashboard Show. I was extremely let down. So I just spent the rest of the show pointing out everything else that was pissing me off. While slouching down in the seat trying to un-gay myself in the midst thousands of moist girls who were all dolled up just to see Mr. Carrabba, here are a few things I noticed:

1.“We Love you Chris!” Yes, we heard you. So did he…the first eighty times. That’s what he does. He plays the Guitar on stage and even tells you how sexy he is in between songs. But you already know this or else you wouldn’t have paid the 40 bucks to see him play. Spare us the annoyance.
2. Carrabba insists that the audience sing in place of him for about 40% of every song. It’s a good thing all the fans studied up on their Dashboard lyrics before the show, or the rest of us would have been sitting there in total silence wondering why the fuck we bought a ticket. Oh, to sing the songs back to the person that wrote them? Ok. Sign me up.
3.This one actually goes for Jack’s Mannequin. If you have a hit song, or one in particular that is popular and catchy enough to get people to come to your show, you should do them a favor and play that song. Not some bullshit cover.

Done.

AJ