Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Columnist Spencer Patterson: Sometimes, commercial success hits right note

Spencer Patterson covers music for the Sun. His music notes column appears Fridays. Reach him at [email protected] or (702) 259-2309.

Just before the Rolling Stones took the stage Saturday night at MGM Grand Garden Arena, I couldn't help overhearing a conversation in the row behind me.

A girl who appeared to be in her early teens was telling the rest of her group -- all adults wearing Stones' Fan Club official VIP passes -- that she only knew two songs by the band: "Satisfaction" and "Start Me Up."

Somewhat sheepishly, she conceded that she was only familiar with the latter because it is featured in a Ford television commercial.

Now, like many out there, I've never embraced the concept of musicians leasing their songs to hawk cars, computers or cell-phone plans. My opinion has long been that true classics by such artists as of The Beatles or Jimi Hendrix should be kept as sacred as possible.

But lately I've started coming around to the idea of advertising, wondering if maybe there's some value to setting commercials to rock music.

With more and more Americans turning to television, the Internet or video games to fill their limited free time, radio listening has declined. And it occurred to me Saturday night that, were it not for Ford's commercial, the girl sitting behind me might never have been exposed to "Start Me Up."

With increasing frequency, the general public is getting a chance to hear great music via commercials. This week alone, I heard Hendrix's "Ezy Rider" (a song rarely played on FM), John Lee Hooker's "Boom, Boom" and the O'Jays' "Love Train" while sitting in front of my television.

Such songs make commercial breaks more bearable, and while they rarely case me to remember the products being advertised, they do sometimes prevent me from changing the channel.

Of course, I still think there is a line that shouldn't be crossed. For me, seeing a respectable artist such as Dr. Dre actually appear in a Coors Light commercial softens the impact of his music for me. And I'm still not wild about the idea of using songs by deceased musicians such as John Lennon or Hendrix when they aren't around to be consulted first.

But in general, anything that funnels quality music to the masses can't be all bad, even if it still occasionally makes my skin crawl.

Music notes

Winterfest: Festival tours might be most associated with warm weather, but don't tell that to the organizers of SnoCore. The tour, which revels in both hard rock and the nation's winter sports scene, stops off Tuesday night at the Huntridge Theatre.

Teaming for the eighth installment of SnoCore are Sparta, Glassjaw, Hot Water Music and Dredg. Tickets are $17.50 for the 7 p.m. show.

Sparta, which features ex-members of popular El Paso, Texas, outfit At the Drive-In, released its first album, "Wiretap Scars," in August. Glassjaw, one of Spin magazine's "Bands to Watch" for 2003, released its major-label debut, "Worship and Tribute," in July.

Hot Water Music is the veteran band in the bunch, having played together on and off, since 1994. The Gainesville, Fla., quartet put out its eighth album, "Caution," in October. Dredge, which will open the show, released its second album, "El Cielo," in October.

One Osbourne out: Kelly Osbourne has postponed her show at the Huntridge, originally scheduled for March 8, reportedly to add several dates to her European promotional tour. She has also postponed ticket sales for March shows in Pomona, Calif., Tempe, Ariz., and Minneapolis.

Kat Kellams, director of promotions for the Huntridge, said Osbourne has indicated she will likely make up her American dates -- including the Las Vegas concert -- in April. Tickets have not yet gone on sale for the Huntridge show.

Kelly's father, Ozzy, is still slated to play The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel on March 14.

Quick hits

A look at a few of the shows scheduled to hit Southern Nevada in the next week:

Fans of 1980s hair metal are in for a triple treat Saturday night at the Mandalay Bay Events Center. The Scorpions, Whitesnake and Dokken will perform in succession at the venue, beginning at 7:30. Tickets are $25-$55.

The tour marks the first time Whitesnake has played in the United States since 1990, back when the band's risque videos featuring model Tawny Kitaen crawling over the hood of a Jaguar were in constant MTV rotation.

For Dokken singer Don Dokken, the tour also marks an opportunity to play alongside the Scorpions for the first time since he contributed backing vocals to the Scorps' 1982 album, "Blackout."

Insane Clown Posse brings its unique live show and blend of rap and hard rock to the Huntridge Sunday night at 7. The duo have been known to set fires onstage and use chainsaws as props during their performances, among other stunts.

Opening the show will be another act known as much for creating controversy as music: 2 Live Crew. Leader Luther Campbell is simply known as "Luke" these days, after losing the right to go by the moniker "Luke Skywalker" in a publicized courtroom battle with "Star Wars" creator George Lucas.

Tickets are $25.

Jam band fans who don't have tickets to sold-out post-Phish shows by moe. and Particle might want to head over to the Huntridge Saturday night. Improvisational combos Big Wu and Tea Leaf Green will share a bill at the venue, with showtime scheduled for 10 p.m.

On sale

Tickets are on sale now for three concerts added this week to the March calendar at the House of Blues at Mandalay Bay.

R&B singer Macy Gray plays the venue on March 1. Tickets are $17 to $22 and available at the House of Blues box office, at Ticketmaster outlets, by phone at 632-7600 or 474-4000 or online at hob.com or ticketmaster.com.

Up next are 1980s throwbacks Berlin on March 5. Tickets are $20 and available through the House of Blues and Ticketmaster. And on March 8, alternative rockers Oleander play a $12 bill.

Tickets for seven Huntridge shows go on sale Saturday at noon through Ticketmaster or at Balcony Lights records, 4800 South Maryland Parkway: Atom and His Package (March 5, $8), Death Cab for Cutie (March 10, $12), Audio Karate (March 11, $8), SX-10 (March 15, $10), Defiance (March 26, $10), Black Label Society (April 3, $18) and Taking Back Sunday (April 15, $12).

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