NVinNYC

If you haven’t heard, Live Nation and Ticketmaster are attempting to merge their businesses into one ticketing and promotion super conglomerate.  Needless to say, such a merger would be extremely detrimental to fan and artist by giving the new company monopolistic power over the entire live performance industry.  Hitsville has a great rundown of Five Arguments Against the Live Nation/Ticketmaster Merger.  It’s well worth reading about the chilling effects of such a merger.  Let’s hope that the Obama Administration and Congress step up to the plate and regulate this catastrophe in-the-making.

1. Nine Inch Nails – Ghosts I-IV
   Sure Richard D. James did it first (twice), but Trent and company knocked this one out of the park with very organic ambient music that pulses with life. The fact that it was all done without a label makes it even better.
2. Meiko – Meiko
   The indie folk genera gets injected with wit and charm. She’ll be everywhere in 2009…
3. The Black Keys – Attack & Release
   A rift heavy album that is packed from start to finish with great tracks and not a single bad song.
4. Ra Ra Riot – Rhumb Lime
   My long time favorites finally released their full length this year, a wonderful splash of songs which celebrate life, longing, and love.
5. The Raconteurs – Steady as She Goes
   The boys from Tennessee (as Jack White likes to say) delve even deeper into Southern Rock and mine out one great guitar rift after another layered with some great vocal interplay between White and Benson.

The Amazon MP3 Store is selling Meiko’s new self-titled album for just $1.99 today. Pick it up if you haven’t already.

Ra Ra Riot was on Letterman last night. Here’s the clip of them performing ‘Can You Tell’ from ‘The Rhumb Line’ in HD (89 MB) or for iPod/iPhone (32 MB).

Insert snarky elitism comment here.

Enjoy and be sure to also check out Ra Ra Riot on Conan.

Conan took another page from my songbook last night by featuring Meiko on Late Night. Here’s a HD clip of her performance of ‘Boys with Girlfriends’ for you to savor:

Mieko on Conan (HD 540p, 80 MB H.264)

I’ve also got the iPod/iPhone compatible clip (35 MB).

Enjoy!