You can't take this away, technology!

The feeling, the thrill, the pounding of your heartbeat mixed with the pounding of the drums or the strum of a guitar. The moment you first catch a glimpse of your favorite musician on stage or the goose bumps that follow after the first vocal chords are sung. Most of us have had those moments and the truly great ones are never forgotten. It's true that the technological advances have changed and re-shaped the musical world as we know it, but if there's one thing that it can't change it's the affect of a live performance on a fan.

There are the obvious changes that the digital era has made on the music industry, and among the most talked about would be music sharing and piracy. Some of the ways that don't share in the limelight as much is how it has opened up the opportunity for artists to connect with their fans on a closer level through various methods, but the most popular would the personal learning networks such as Twitter, Myspace or Facebook, to name a few. Along those lines, the technological advances have also allowed a fan to learn a lot more about the artist in ways that weren't available in the past, thus creating more of an attachment to them. It has broadened the ability for tickets or merchandise to be sold, webcasts or interviews can be broadcasted online or even lessons on how to play an instrument are conducted on the internet.

Although there have been several changes that have allowed the whole experience of music easier for consumers to grasp there is still a need for live music. Meg Carter, in the magazine New Media Age  (http://www.nma.co.uk/features/vertical-focus-live-music/3001718.article) goes on to say that "live performance has been called the last unique experience left in music." No matter how well they enhance a digital experience for a concert, nothing can replace the possibility of a personal interaction between fan and artist or even the feel that you get while you're there. To be of close proximity to the artist or that chance to actually touch/hug them is probably one of the largest defending points against things such as live podcasts of concerts and things of that nature, which Carter explains as a direction it could be heading. I will never forget the autograph signing that I received a ticket for after purchasing one of Gavin Degraw's t-shirts at his concert, not only did I get an autograph but in a fast paced line where we were told to keep up the speed, he actually held a conversation with me in which HE started. I couldn't wipe the smile off of my face for days and still fondly think about that brief moment in time.

Those moments can not be missed, those are the moments that provoke people to chase after their passions or give them something to be passionate about. That is one of the largest motivations I have had to become a part of the music industry, to be able to help and affect people the way that people in the music industry have done for me. As the character Aaron Green, in the movie Get Him to the Greek, explains to his record executive boss "well that's why we're all here isn't it? Because we're all fans."

Clearly, there have been certain advantages for the changes that have been made in the music industry. It has opened up such an availability for fans to get a hold of more things but there are some things that can not be recreated through technology. Those memories, those moments in time, the goose bumps that were generated from the first live vocal chord, the mixture of your pounding heart beat and the drum. So, although I am thankful for certain options it has opened up... You can't take this away, technology!