Real Concert Reports

Today The Beatles go intergalactic.

A confluence of anniversaries are driving the event. NASA is celebrating 50 years as an official administration this year, their "Deep Space Network" of radio antennae have been in operation for 45 years, and today is the 40th anniversary of The Beatles hit, "Across the Universe."

To celebrate, Beatles fans are asked to play that song at 7:00 p.m. EST this evening. At that same time, NASA will beam an MP3 of the song, literally, across the universe to Polaris, the North Star.

It should arrive in about 430 years.

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COLLEGE KIDS REPORT ON MUSIC CONCERTS

"I felt as though the last piece was an excellent way to end the concert."

"The music was slower and seemed dark. There were often spots where dissidents dominated the song."

"For the most part I enjoyed the more upbeat songs. They gave a more 'Beep Bop' flavor to the audience."

"The men's voices were deep and constant and the ladies' voices were coming through in brief exerts."

"The Theatre is set up so that there are many seats on the floor, some that are very close to the stage and others that are farther away."

"I preferred the piece by Mozart ... his music touches nerve endings."

"I sat in the balcony so that I could look down on the performers."

"According to the program, this piece was extremely new when it was first composed."

"Dr. B. played the piano and her husband."

"The program said the Shubert piece was unfinished, which was ironic, because it went on and on...."

"The Haydn piece was nice, but not very moving or memorable. I understand this is one characteristic of classical music."

[selected from Clemson University's website]

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WORD for YOUR WEEK: Sticking with a musical theme today, and since I'm working on a couple for my band, where does the word "gig" come from? It has been in use by jazz musicians since the early 1900s. The word was in use long before musicians appropriated it, and at one time referred to laughter or merriment (as in giggle), it was a joke, and - here's the relevant part - at one time it also meant dance. Since most musicians cut their teeth by playing for dances, my sources say that it is the most likely explanation for its origin. "I'm playing for the gig," which eventually shortened to just, "I'm playing a gig."

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