There has been much speculation on the idea that concerts won’t be as popular this coming year as they were in 2008. It is reported that live music drew in something like 3-4 billion dollars in revenue last year, which is pretty impressive considering the state of the economy.

However, look at it this way: when I bought concert tickets last year I wasn’t thinking about the recession, I just wanted to get out and see a few bands. Last year, everyone was doing the same thing, buying tickets and not caring about the economy. This year, I can see using my wallet a little more conservatively.

Oh, there will be shows that I will no doubt want to go to, but in the big picture I have to think about saving a bit. If you put it in another perspective, musicians are working, too, and need to eat, so when I buy tickets or albums I’m paying them. It is a vicious cycle.

Truth be told, this summer could be very sparse for many people unless prices for tickets drop significantly. Does this mean I won’t go to any shows this year? Don’t be silly, I’ll be out there, it had just better be a show worth seeing.

It seems that many artists today are trying to create music that sets them apart from the rest of the musicians. While it is a valiant effort, I wish the musicians would be reminded not to compromise their own talent for their new diversity. Heroes and Thieves is nothing more than a mediocre attempt at something new. Some parts of the album really shine, a perfect mixture of voice and harmony, like the title-song “Heroes and Thieves.” Yet, the majority of the album feels like it’s just reaching, hoping it passes for something better than it is. Carlton has never sounded comfortable in the range she sets herself up for, but I’ve let that slide because the melodies are great… This time the melodies were just “okay” and, honestly, sometimes her voice becomes downright painful (”My Best” and “Home”).

If you’re not familiar with Carlton, I’d definitely recommend that you check out her website. The graphics are very unique and intriguing, but you also will get a chance to listen to some clips to get a taste of her music. If you like it, I’d say that her first two albums, Be Not Nobody and Harmonium are the safe options to buy. Only buy Heroes and Thieves if you’re still in love, but be warned, it could break your heart.

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The nominees were released, and I sorted through the list. Below are my picks for some of the 109 categories listed on the website. I do recommend checking the site, http://content.grammy.com/grammy_awards/51st_show/list.aspx, and making your list of picks and checking out what I missed.

Category 1: Viva La Vida, Coldplay

Category 2: In Rainbows, Radiohead

Category 3: Viva La Vida, Coldplay

Category 4: Duffy

Category 5: Bleeding Love, Leona Lewis

Category 6: Say, John Mayer

Category 7: Viva la Vida, Coldplay

Category 8: Rich Woman, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss

Category 11: Spirit, Leona Lewis

Category 15: Rise, Eddie Vedder

Category 16: House of Cards, Radiohead

Category 18: My Apocalypse, Metallica

Category 19: 34 Ghosts I-IV, Nine Inch Nails

Category 20: Sex On Fire, Kings of Leon

Category 21: Only By The Night, Kings of Leon

Category 22: Modern Guilt, Beck (my toughest choice)

Category 79: Stephen Colbert, I Am American (And So Can You)

Category 80: It’s Bad For Ya, George Carlin

Category 81: Young Frankenstein; The Musical

Category 82: Juno

Category 83: Wall-E

Category 84: Down to Earth, Peter Gabriel, Wall-E

Category 88: Death Magnetic, Metallica

Category 89: In Rainbows, Radiohead

Category 92: Consolers of the Lonely, The Raconteurs

Category 93: Dangermouse

Category 109: House of Cards, Radiohead

There you have it, those are some of my picks. I do not know much about the world of rap/hip hop, country, or classical and didn’t want to pick in areas that I had no knowledge. I’d like the record to show that Category 22 was my toughest choice between Beck or Radiohead, I hate when so many good artists are in the same category. Into the vault until February 8^th at 8pm.

A few months ago a video came out online, pointing out the similarities in a good portion of the melody of “If I Could Fly” and the chorus of “Viva La Vida”.  The video presents Satriani’s case in a very convincing manner. First, it lets you hear the chorus of “Viva La Vida” then the portion of “If I Could Fly” where Viva’s chorus allegedly was lifted. Anyone with a good ear will find very strong similarities between the two. But the video does not end there. After hearing the two songs separately, you will hear them played together in an overlap. It is a perfect fit, the chorus of “Viva La Vida” and a good part of “If I Could Fly” are identical, from the chord progression and the melody down to the tempo.

I am not saying that Coldplay is indeed guilty of plagiarism.  Probably Chris Martin, and whoever wrote the song with him, unconsciously copied Satriani’s melody. Every tune a person hears is tucked in his memory like any other experience he has. Those tunes are not forgotten, they remain in the subconscious and influence the artist’s creative process. It happened to some great artists before. Look at George Harrison and his song “My Sweet Lord”. It was an unconscious rip off of one of the songs of The Chiffons.

A rip off or not, I think “Viva La Vida” is one of Coldplay’s best songs. As to Joe Satriani, I have nothing more to say except that he is one of the best guitarists the world has produced and Coldplay’s guitarist,  Jonny Buckland is nothing compared to him.

No thanks to Steve Jobs and the iPod, kids don’t buy albums, they buy singles. Jobs has done for the album maker, what video did to the radio star. Who needs $13.99 for one solid single and 12 tracks of filler when you can spend $.99 for that one song. When I enter Newbury Comics my heart breaks a little.

How, you may ask, do I know this for a fact? Well, believe it or not, when I’m not checking concerts and sampling beer, I work as an assistant at a high school. Everyday I’m bombarded with students playing music far too loud and I apprehend an iThing as punishment. That’ll teach Timmy to ruin his hearing.

What really spurred this whole diatribe was a recent exchange I had with a student. He made a comment that he liked the Counting Crows because they write a lot of happy, upbeat songs. I gave him a funny look and asked what albums he had. None, he replied, he had a few songs on his iPod, and that was all.

Ok, anyone that has listened to the Counting Crows knows Adam Duritz is extremely depressed and writes sad songs. Did you ever listen to Recovering the Satellites?

I’m not trying to dissuade his opinion; I was merely displaying a trend: kids aren’t buying albums anymore instead they buy the ‘good songs’ to amass on MP3 players. When I was in high school a discussion about music was a fight for survival.  Nowadays, it all sounds the same, even if it isn’t on shuffle.

Be sure to eat before the show and have some water. When you’re on the floor you may not get a chance to use the bathroom, so don’t drink too much. Leave a water bottle in your car for after the gig, you’ll be parched.

Never wear baggy clothing. Wear a couple of shirts instead for warmth, not a heavy coat. Baggy clothes can be caught in the piercings of other concert goers. Once on the floor, be ready to move when the lights go out, make sure your shoes are tied.

Do not have your hands in your pockets. When everything starts: have one arm up to catch crowd surfers, slap five or wave and the other hand in front to move people, keep balance and check your pockets.

Move with the crowd, do not think like a salmon. You might have been dead center earlier, but when you hit the guard rail you’ll be happy.

DO NOT: be one of those guys that hovers over his girlfriend all night. Get seats, and cuddle somewhere else.

You may want to sing along all night. Try to ration your oxygen; you could be out of breath quickly from moving.

Remember: the guards are there to help you and the fastest way off the floor is always over the front rail.

After the show stick around to try and grab drumsticks, picks, set lists, etc. Meet up with your friends, and head toward your car where your water bottle awaits.

Keep these things in mind and your next gig could be a lot more enjoyable. If you have seats, disregard this message.

I actually came across Alter Bridge only about half a year ago. When I heard “Open Your Eyes” for the first time, I immediately was taken by the band. I was surprised at my early attraction; it usually takes me three or four good songs to get me hooked. My quick affinity had a simple explanation: three of the four members in Alter Bridge were in fact members of my former-favorite Creed. That made a lot of sense.

Members Mark Tremonti, Brian Marshall, and Scott Phillips, with the addition of Myles Kennedy, make a strong band. Together, they are able to produce an interesting set-list that shows their versatility with beautiful ballads like “Watch Over You” and powerful pieces like “Metalingus.” Whether Alter Bridge is better or worse than Creed is a tough call that I won’t try to make. All I can say is that Alter Bridge is the only one that will be making any new songs any time soon, so they are definitely the band you should be watching.

This incarnation of Nine Inch Nails included: Robin Finck on guitar, Alessandro Cortini on keyboards, Josh Freese on drums and Justin Meldal-Johnsen on bass. I’ve seen Justin play bass for Beck in 2005.

Hitting the stage at 8:45, the band came on as “999,999” ended and picked up with “1,000,000”, “Letting You”, and “Discipline”, the opening tracks off The Slip. Moving to “March of the Pigs” from The Downward Spiral, this was followed by tracks from Year Zero and The Fragile. Of course, we heard “Closer” in there, too.

When I wasn’t being thrown around, the light show was one of the most incredible spectacles I’d ever witnessed. I really can’t explain it, but I’ll try: there were three half-oval shaped light walls that were either above, in front or behind the band. Often the lights corresponded with beats even when Freese used them to create a giant drum machine.

After a four song interlude from instrumental album Ghosts I-IV and a sweet version of “Piggy” we heard “Survivalism”, “Pinion”, “Only”, “Terrible Lie” and plenty of others. “Head Like a Hole” closed the set. When they came back for an encore Trent thanked the crowd. “Echoplex”, “God Given”, “Hurt” and “In This Twilight” capped the whole show, an incredible night of music and lights.

Opener Health from Los Angeles was living proof that I wouldn’t need real musical ability to be famous and go on tour.

Henley sings about roads and beaches being empty and the summer being “out of reach”. The weather is getting cold, and his summer romance is over. This song sounds great when you drive by a forest of trees turning color.

Funny how these two songs can be linked. You have to think that Henley and Lizzy are having some kind of conversation only a DJ could understand. Also, I’ve thought about this point for far too long, and I had to share it with somebody.

After you’ve hibernated through the winter and listened to Zeppelin’s “No Quarter”, we come to spring. While the radio thaws out a familiar bass riff fills my car, and I’m reminded of many summers I spent working in a seafood restaurant frying fish. Thin Lizzy’s song of restless youth on a few warm nights always gets me pumped.

Each song is different, yet they each serve their meteorological purpose. When I hear Thin Lizzy, break out the shorts, and get ready for baseball season. If Don Henley is singing, give me a leather jacket, and close up shop.

Whether it’s Everclear or the Ataris covering those tunes, they still have the same meaning, and they really don’t sound too bad. Dylan Thomas may have seen the boys of summer in their ruin; I see them as a bunch of welcome friends.