photograph by anna traverse fogle
On a recent Saturday morning, a very polite crowd gathered at Crosstown Concourse. Folks stood around with coffee cups, sat cross-legged on the floor with breakfast pastries, and caught up with pals. Some had been waiting for an hour or more, but no one seemed particularly put out. We were about to see singer-songwriter Jason Isbell, and we weren’t paying a dime for the pleasure. And afterwards, we would go about our weekends free from hangovers, from stiff knees, from the smell of cigarette or pot smoke in our hair. This is morning rock-and-roll, and I want more of it.
In fairness, Isbell was primarily in town to play an evening show that same day, complete with a band, tickets, drink vendors, the whole usual deal. But beforehand, he had agreed to an abbreviated set (and an interview) with WYXR 91.7, the still-newish nonprofit community radio station operating out of Crosstown Concourse. The radio set was slated for 10 a.m.; Isbell rolled in closer to 11. (He’s talked publicly about giving up certain vices, but showing up at the first double-digit time of the day was still a big ask. If morning concerts became more prevalent, though, I bet musicians would adjust.)
Don’t get me wrong: I adore live music, love the feeling of bass resonating in my chest and the energy of a crowd pulsing in unison. I just want that experience in the morning! I don’t know about you, but evening commitments have felt more demanding as I’ve grown older (and since I gave up drinking, in 2010). Saying yes to a morning engagement is easy; if it starts after 8 p.m., I’m gritting my teeth.
Morning shows needn’t mean the absence of evening shows. If anything, artists would draw in different audiences for morning and evening shows, increasing revenues for all involved. And if the same venue is used twice in a day, overhead costs involved in set-up and tear-down would barely change.
After the Isbell experience, I flashed a bat signal on Instagram to other boring middle-aged people who love music but also love being home in the evening. I wrote:
Relatedly, I would like to submit a request to the powers that be for more morning/midday concerts. I would show up at so! many! more! shows! if there were, like, late Saturday morning coffee-sipping shows. Maybe it would conflict with the rock-and-roll lifestyle. But then again, plenty of rockers have gotten clean/sober too. C’mon folks. MORNING CONCERTS.
I recognize that my modestly sized group of Instagram followers do not a representative sample make. I will say, though, that this idea got more traction than anything else I’ve shared lately.
Some practical thoughts for any musicians or bookers or managers out there:
Morning shows needn’t mean the absence of evening shows. If anything, artists would draw in different audiences for morning and evening shows, increasing revenues for all involved. And if the same venue is used twice in a day, overhead costs involved in set-up and tear-down would barely change.
If drink sales are a concern, sell coffee at a morning show. Sell mimosas and Bloody Marys. Sell hot chocolate, sell popsicles, sell whatever you like! It’s still a party.
Think of how much more relaxed and, frankly, well-behaved a morning crowd is liable to be. The security and clean-up expenses would be vastly reduced!
Kids would be able to experience live music without being kept up past their bedtimes, creating a whole new generation of concert-goers. In fact, at WYXR, kids flocked to the recording booth windows and rocked out.
For much of the year in this part of the country, the only time of day that’s not sweltering is the morning. Wouldn’t it be nice to attend an outdoor concert without feeling like you’ve been slow-roasted?
When I was a single woman, I skipped plenty of concerts I would have liked to attend because I felt uncomfortable being out late and alone. From a safety standpoint, fewer shenanigans take place before lunch.
Morning shows wouldn’t work on weekdays, thanks to school and work. But what a brilliant way to begin a Saturday or Sunday morning, full of inspiration and community for the week ahead.
Speaking of community, it’s easier to see and chat with those around you at a daylight concert. Connections can be formed or strengthened, conversations can be fostered, and people might just feel as though they’re part of — a feeling we all crave.
Not every musician would adapt well to getting on stage in the morning. But I bet that plenty are not natural night owls and would relish the chance to do their work in the daytime, to sync their schedules with those of family and friends.
If you would love to see a few more morning and midday shows crop up around town, let me know! If we get good feedback on this idea, we’ll compile your responses and share them with local venues. Email me if you, too, love both live music and evenings on your couch.
