Photo by s_mazariego
Ahhh, man! I was hoping the rumor about the Portland gig was false because it's pretty poopy for a band to play shows for people other than their fans. But guess what? It was true. The Beastie Boys performed in Portland, Oregon, last night for the Wieden + Kennedy 25th party, exactly as rumored.
What do you think about the Beastie Boys playing a private, corporate gig? Sound off!
More photos at s_mazariego's Flickr page.
49 comments:
I have been a Beastie Boys fan for a very long time. I have always wanted to see them live.
I live in Portland. I am completely heartbroken about this. :(
this fucking sucks! the beastie boys are sellouts!
They needed the cash because the last album didn't sell so well. lol
When will there be shows that I can go to? I can't go to any of the festivals because I'm not 18. This makes me want to cry.
I'm not sure what to make of this. You might look at it in two ways: (1) They are sell-outs who are in it for the cash or (2) they did it for the cash to finance their work for the fans.
I do have to say that it makes me question their integrity as a band. One of the reasons I like the Beastie Boys so much is because they've always seemed to be more about the music than the accolades, celebrity, and money. A corporate gig does kind of make them look like they're in it for the money.
I dunno. We don't know why they did it. It's possible one of the band have ties to the organization. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt but, for the record, I think it sucks -- especially for the fans in the Portland area.
Setlist anyone?
Too bad for fans who live there. I think it's more about someone knowing somone than money. How much could they make for playing this one gig. Is it that much for them?
I'm working on getting a setlist. So far, all I've learned of is a partial setlist:
Brass Monkey
Check It Out
3 MC's and 1 DJ
Sabotage
i think its sooooo not fair that they don't tell their fans where they are playing and when they are playing.
I don't like this..the fans are the people that have been suporting them all these years...not corporations. The people that saw the concert last nite didn't pay to see it. This summer fans have to pay $200-300 to see the Beastie Boys perform short shows at festivals.
I hate feeling fucked by my favorite band.
DEFINITELY SELLOUTS!
From the stage set-up in the pics, it looks like Fredo and Mark were there too.
How can I get them to play at my company picnic this summer?
so what if they played a show for a company isntead of fans. everybody likes money.
I wish I had known about this show in advance. I would have driven two hours from my home to try to get in or stand outside to hear the show.
i was there...heard the rumor and camped out until i felt the magic moment to sneak in with a security guard. the show was amazing - the crowd = notsomuch.
i'm surprised they played a w+k event for many reasons, mainly because w+k does all of nike's ads....and everyone knows that the boyz are all about adidas. pretty funny, if you ask me.
fredo and mike were there, the energy was good up front (i was in the front row), and that's def. where the true fans were, but i was shocked at how many people were there, and how many of them were just standing around, having cocktails and talking - bummer for all the local fans who would have paid to go see them....and give them the respect they deserve.
regardless, i'll see them and support them anytime, anywhere, despite the occasion. their music moves me, and i could care less about why they're playing or who is paying them for it. btw, i'm sure w+k paid a HEFTY price.
here's what i can remember (in no particular order)
dip dip dive
intergalactic
body movin'
somethin's got to give
no sleep til brooklyn
brass monkey
gratitude
3 mcs and one dj
so what'cha want
root down
alright hear this
jimmy james
something's got to give
sabotage
Hi!
Thanks for the info. Would you mind emailing me at mic2mic.editor@gmail.com? I have a few questions that I would like to ask you privately, so I can document the show properly at Beastiemania.com.
Jimmy James and Alive for a non-fan crowd?
alive was a short sample, mixed in with shake your rump. jimmy james' intro was awesome...adrock said, "this next song....has no sales tax"
i guess they can scratch out that line about selling out to advertisers....
It's sorta funny that they literally sold out to advertisers.
I can understand the disappointment of fans. We do not know the reason they do this show. It is possible they are friends to people at the company.
i work for a record label. artists as well known as the beasties do private shows because they need the money. i heard last year the beasties had financial problems because of their movie.
inside scoop is that the payout was 250K
I was there too. My boyfriend works for WK. We had fun at the show but the crowd was stupid. People talked on cell phones and were yelling to talk to their friends during the show. But the band sounded amazing!
beastie boys took the money because they know fans aren't going to buy an instrumental album
I would like to thank Miramanee and Midzi for all their work for the fans. I would be clueless about what the Beastie Boys were doing if they didn't share. The comment about the Beastie Boys playing for someone other than their fans hit me hard. I am a huge fan - but if their future is going to be about playing corporate shows, I don't think I can remain a fan. It doesn't sit right with me. I'm an old-fashioned rock 'n roll romantic. I want my idols to be all about the music and the fans - not the money.
Thank you for the kind words, Joan. Would you happen to be the Joan I met on the Pageant tour?
I have to say what you wrote about wanting your idols to be about the music and fans hit me hard.
Alas, you don't have to kill your idols if they commit suicide. ;-)
No one who wasn't a wk employee made it in there, security was tight.
And the show was incredible.
www.wklunchbox.com
www.wkstudio.typepad.com
Come on. They got to hang out in one of the coolest cities in the country, play one show and make some really good change. What the hell is wrong with that? You should be happy for them. They need to make a living too. And i was there. There are TONS of fans at Wieden + Kennedy. I personally shook my rump-a the entire time. So quit yer bitching. You telling me you wouldn't be absolutely stoked if they played a show for you? They make good music, they love their fans. Leave them alone.
WK is not exactly "corporate" either. Its more like if all of us here got jobs and wore jeans and fresh kicks to work. The crowd was young, hip, and definitely fans - the legendary rock steady crew was even there. And the beastie boys are frequent collaborators with them apparently. It's all love.
We fans don't have 250k to offer them to play for us.
Hello Anons from W+K! :)
Fans are upset because Beastie Boys' shows don't happen very often. For the first show of 2007 in the United States to be for an exclusive audience is just a little disappointing to "regular" fans. It's nothing personal to the company. I'm sure all the fans think it's cool that your company and its staff like the Beastie Boys.
If either of you have material (photos, video, audio, or even comments on the show) that you would be willing to share with the Beastie Boys fan community, please email me at mic2mic.editor@gmail.com. Your sharing will help fans get over their disappointment of not seeing the band they love perform.
it was fucking awesome. The crowd loved it. And if anyone was subdued it was because they were in such awe that the beastie boys were actually there! Most people aren't sell outs at WK. They're just people who have figured out a way to do creative shit and make a living without working at some sick conglomerate. It's the largest ad agency that's not owned by a corp. And that's rare in any business. I.E. record labels.
To the guy who said "you telling me you wouldn't be absolutely stoked if they played a show for you?"
yes - that's why we are disappointed...because they did not play a show for us
It's funny how people are getting so mad about them playing a private show and getting paid a lot for it. I totally forgot that when they play huge arenas and festivals that they are doing it out of the kindness of their hearts and aren't making any money off the tickets and overpriced teeshirts!
So funny!
The difference between a private show & an arena/festival show is WHO they are playing for.
Should bands make music for the people who love the music & have supported them or should bands make music for the people who can give them the most money & want them because of their name & the bragging rights it gives them?
maybe they want a gold toilet like Russell has
Beastie Boys will be doing cat food commercials next :(
>>WK is not exactly "corporate" either.<<
Your company spent a million dollars on a party. You're corporate.
Excess disgusts me.
Just for the record...at least the gig wasn't for suits or your traditional corporate type tightass. It was for an ad agency, Weiden+Kennedy, one whom used to hire some of the most brilliant minds (read: young and still hip).
so who knows....it most likely was for fans...or at least a large majority of them were.
Funny how upset everyone is. I doubt anyone here would turn down a gig like that if a cool company offered it to you.
Most fans are disappointed, not upset-angry. I don't believe there's anything wrong with feeling any kind of emotion.
The best analogy I can come up with to help explain the disappointment is this: It's like finding out that your best friend got married and didn't invite you to the wedding. Your friend tells you, "Sorry. It was a small family affair. We only invited a small group of people." You accept that explanation because you understand limitations of a special event, but you still feel hurt that your friend didn't include you on their special day. Sometimes, the head and heart are in conflict.
When it comes to the Beastie Boys, a lot of us fans think with our heart, not our head.
I just want to say I was there and work for W+K...Many of us are fans especially me. I would pay to see the Beastie Boys any day of the week (W+K just happened to pay for me last Friday). Though I do wonder how many of you would go if you had the chance to see them at yours or someone elses company for free??? Would you object because it was a private concert??? My guess is "NO", because no true fan would...Sometimes we all do things that others may not condone and perhaps you think the Beastie Boys are sell outs for playing this private concert...(your'e of course intitled to your own opinion, after all this is a blog) However, I just want to set the record straight and say that there were true fans there who apreciated the fact that they came and put on an amazing show (as if the Beastie Boys would do it any other way)...
beastie boys becoming a band for hire is bad news for all fans...whether they are employed at wk or not. when artists produce their art for money instead of for artistic satisfaction, the art will likely suffer & lose its greatness. greatness comes out of the love of doing your art to please yourself - not from what you receive for doing it (i.e. money & fame).
the beasties say they aren't interested in the commercialism of their music. well, i don't see the difference between doing an ad & a corporate show.
you cannot say one thing & do another & not expect your fans to call you sellouts.
I would like to see the Beastie Boys do a cat food commercial. They could change Finger Lickin' Good to Whisker Lickin' Good.
I am amused they did exactly what they claimed they wouldn't. Ain't gonna sell out to any advertisers indeed.
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