music: Charles Mingus- Mingus Plays Piano
This past Tuesday was Live Live’s 100th radio show. Despite my incredibly busy and demanding schedule, I was determined to make something of the evening that was a little more than me and Andrew sitting around the studios playing our cds. I sent out an email invitation to everyone who had been on Live Live at one point or another, asking them to stop by the station for out 100th show. My expectations were very low; I really didn’t think that anyone would make it out. I got a call from Pete Pidgeon earlier in the week. Excellent. There would be at least one. I convinced M. to stop by, promising free beer. Two. It would be something more than normal, but by no means a blowout.
Maybe it was because my expectations were so low that I was so surprised when Ryan Montbleau and Colin from hi8us also dropped in on the show. Completely unexpected, completely unannounced, but completely welcome. It was great reinforcement for me. It was very affirming that I haven’t been blowing hot air about the live music community this and that for all these months, that this community that exists around music does exist and consists of some good people. And talented. It’s cool to see some of these folks, past guests and Live Live alumni, really getting places in their musical careers. Hi8us is about to embark on a national tour down the coast; Ryan sells out Harper’s on Saturday nights. It would be very easy for these folks to forget about a small radio show on a rinky-dink community radio station in Allston, but they didn’t. They showed up, and turned our 100th show into a modest celebration. If you build it, they will come.
I can’t say that the night made for good radio. I can’t say that things weren’t chaotic. But I can say that the night exceeded my every expectation. That it was a radio show was fine, that it had to do with music is a cool bonus, but that it brought people together was excellent. Again I am reminded that it doesn’t matter what you do, it’s about the people you meet. And again I am amazed at what I have created with this little radio show, what it has become, what it represents, and most of all, what it does for people other than myself. With the small congregation in our humble studios at 451 Cambridge Street, I can safely say that Live Live has accomplished everything I have intended. 100 shows is a milestone, but perhaps a more significant marker of success is the fact that it brings people together around such a wonderful thing as live music. For that, I can’t say enough.
Posted by davidtaus at February 12, 2004 09:18 PM