Recently during my time in NYC, I had the pleasure to meet and interview renowned harpist and Avery Fisher Career Grant winner, Bridget Kibbey. I had seen Bridget perform at last year's Fringe Atlanta and was blown away by her music.

In this interview, Bridget and I discuss why modern music matters to the average person, the balance between emotion and intellect in music, and how her music contributes to culture making. read more »

I may be getting older but I still love a great rock concert. Recently I went to a show and was so blown away that I realized that it was one of the best concerts I have ever seen.

So what makes a great rock concert? There are many criteria that someone might use to rate a show but it all comes down to one thing for me - energy. Am I moved? Do I get goosebumps? Do I scream my lungs out to the point of losing my voice? Am I utterly exhausted at the end? Is that moment cemented in my mind forever?

I started thinking about all my favorites and then decided to do a little research. To my amazement, I found a handful of videos online from great shows I had been to. So I give you the Top 10 Concerts I have been to. These aren't necessarily my favorites bands but ones that left an incredible impression on me.

1) New Order @ The Reading Festival, Reading, England - August 1993

The setting was everything here. In 1993, my brother and I went to the Reading Festival aways outside of London. The last show of the night was close to midnight. I'm standing in an English pasture. Full moon overhead. Someone asked me today if it had anything to do with anyone I was with. I don't think I even noticed a person around me I was so entranced.

This video was taken at the exact show I was at. read more »

Last week a friend of mine sent me a link to this New York Times review of Andrew Keen's new book "The Cult of the Amateur". Keen is often referred to as the leading contrarian and critic of Web 2.0. and ironically has his own Typepad hosted blog to discuss his disdain for blogs, social media, etc. (I wrestled with linking to his blog or not.)

This from the NYT review:

"Mr. Keen argues that what the Web 2.0 revolution is really delivering is superficial observations of the world around us rather than deep analysis, shrill opinion rather than considered judgment. In his view Web 2.0 is changing the cultural landscape and not for the better. By undermining mainstream media and intellectual property rights, he says, it is creating a world in which we will live to see the bulk of our music coming from amateur garage bands, our movies and television from glorified YouTubes, and our news made up of hyperactive celebrity gossip, served up as mere dressing for advertising. This is what happens, he suggests, when ignorance meets egoism meets bad taste meets mob rule.

I couldn't disagree more with Keen. Not because I blog. But because Keen is wrong. read more »

I recently read one of the silliest journalistic exercises I have ever seen. In the current issue of National Review, John J. Miller writes about the "50 Greatest Conservative Rock Songs". Some of the selections include "Won't Get Fooled Again" by The Who, "Taxman" by the Beatles, and "Don't Tread on Me" by Metallica. read more »