Yet another tirade about the radio and music

I like music. There is no secret about that. I can handle most kinds of music. I prefer hard rock, basically the so called "hair metal" but enjoy harder stuff too. I can handle some old rap and even country. The blues are very good. I even have a bunch of classical music CDs. About the only thing I despise is dance music. Totally meaningless to me.

One of the best things about living in Milwaukee is Summerfest. The world's biggest music festival. Stages of music and dozens of beer tents. It is a beautiful thing. So as we are about to get hit with a couple inches of snow, I figured I would look forward to the summer. It was just announced that Kenny Chesny would be playing yet again. When I first saw the headline I thought sarcastically "Great. Like the last 4 years weren't painful enough". Then I read the story and yes, it is 5 years in a row. I guess he brings them in.

See, I don't mind that this guy is playing yet again. That means he brings in the cute country chicks. Eye candy is dandy. What I will not like is the 2 or 3 other big country acts they will bring in. Then it becomes a waste of space.

But there is the conundrum. I couldn't tell you of any major rock act out there that could fill a 24000 seat amphitheater. I guess I have no complaint. I wouldn't be shocked if somehow Bon Jovi was playing yet again, but that doesn't do it for me personally. Just perusing a list of who is on the road at Pollstar tells me I probably won't be seeing a show in the Amphitheater again this Summerfest. I wouldn't be shocked to see Mellancamp playing yet again, maybe Clapton, probably something like Coldplay, and of course, the Bodeans. Come to think of it, I haven't seen a show in the Amphitheater during Summerfest since Poison played there 3 or 4 years ago.

I miss the annual Poison show. It always seem to kick off the summer. Plus, it was a good time. Funny how this city loves that band, yet they rarely get played on the radio unless it is the Top 40 station spinning Every Rose.

This year I once again have my hopes up. The side stages have the potential to be even better. I thought last year was good for the 80s metal head. Whitesnake, Night Ranger, David Lee Roth, Deep Purple, Cardboard Vampyres and Chevelle. Those shows were good.

With 2 radio stations now claiming to play 80s rock, the side stages at Summerfest hold some promise. Then again, they think we want to hear Journey or ZZ Top at least once an hour. Whether they will deliver or not is yet to be seen.

Oh yeah, I mentioned radio too. Those geniuses at the Hog are running a contest where you are the station manager for a day. You pick the songs among other things. I ask you, isn't this the perfect opportunity for the Head Hog to call me out? I already told him what they could play to improve the station. Let me show it. I did submit my application. Somehow I feel like my calling Milwaukee radio a suckhole has already disqualified me. Hey, I am not asking for much. I just want them to play Anthrax. Thrash does not stop with Metallica or Megadeth. Maybe I need to keep calling and requesting Indians.

One thing I do know, is that any station that is going to proclaim themselves to be a rock station should not be playing Jethro Tull. Yes, the Hog is playing Jethro Tull. WTF? That is proof that Milwaukee is a suckhole for radio.