I attended the World Future Society’s annual conference this past weekend at the Washington DC Hilton Hotel. Seminars and panel discussions ranged on a variety of topics (PDF of the conference program), from examinations of emerging energy technologies to the future of the religious right. One panel in particular, the End of the Written Word, was especially interesting. Four experts discussed the recent shift away from traditional writing, and its implications for, well, the future.

Since the digital age has transformed how we seek and consume music at least as much as it has impacted the written word, I contacted one of the panel members. I asked Futurist magazine senior editor and WFS Communications Director Patrick Tucker his opinion on the future of music consumption. His generous and insightful response is below:

Within the next thirty years, we’ll become more comfortable incorporating wireless technology into our biological functioning. The success of the today’s cochlear implant provides a great example of how willing we already are to explore electronic enhancement related to auditory stimulation. Cochlear implants are small devices that doctors surgically insert near the skull to improve hearing in the impaired. Today, Cochlears are used solely for medicinal purposes, but there’s no reason why a similar gadget couldn’t be wired to receive phone calls, email, or download music. Because most of what we call hearing occurs not in the ear but in the brain this music wouldn’t have to pass through the ear, it could be directly targeted to new neuron groups [my emphasis].

In the future, we’ll become more adapt at targeting our sound (music) neurons and getting them to fire and spark in all sorts of interesting ways. The notion of making “music” by sending sound waves from radios, through the air to peoples’ ear drums will come to seem as quaint as using a coffee can and fishing wire to make a telephone call. Instead, we’ll send sound or music over a radically-improved version of what we today call the Internet in the form of data. In other words, future downloadable music will contain notes, sounds, and rhythms that would be imperceptible to us today.

We literally cannot even imagine what it might sound like, but some recent neuroscience breakthroughs may give us a clue. According to a study performed by Lizbeth M. Romanski and Patricia Goldman-Rakic, there are three types of auditory neurons. One type (phasic) responds only at the onset of noise and then resets; on a line graph this would look like a spike. Another type of neuron (tonic) has a long sustained response to stimuli; this would look like a wave. A third type of neuron (phasic-tonic) has a strong initial response, followed by a less intense, wave response. Most classical music, unbeknownst to the people that composed it, primarily affects the second type of neuron. If it’s successful, it creates a modulating emotional response in the listener. Dance music targets the third neuron type. What is the 4 on the floor beat pattern, after all, except a series of high intensity jolts re-arranged into rhythmic wave? Now imagine being able to hear, distinguish, and appreciate a dozen different types and pieces of music all at once, along with liner notes and visual displays. In terms of what the liner notes might look like, the outtakes and bonus features that come packaged with todays DVDs will serve as an ancestor.

Curing a hearing disorder, however, is entirely different than improving upon otherwise perfect hearing. For all our technological cleverness, we understand very little about the miracle of the thinking organ, least of all how to augment a design that’s far superior to anything humankind has ever come up with. We are, however, learning more all the time and in the next thirty years, we may finally be able to put our vastly improved neurological understanding to the test.

Heady stuff indeed. And Phasic-Tronic is just lying out there for an aspiring DJ or group to appropriate as a band name…album title…

Soon, I’ll post our conversation regarding the future of music marketing.

Kalani at Gypsy Eyes Records sends news that live music is coming back to Comet Ping Pong. (We’ve covered ANC commissioner Frank Winstead’s antics regarding outdoor ping-pong at the spot, and even paid a visit to his house.) The details from the press release:

For those that do not know, Our shows at Comet Ping Pong were shut down in the Spring by an overzealous ANC Board Member. We had our day in front of the Council and the ABC Board and, with overwhelming community support, were granted the proper licenses to have shows!

So let us begin, once again, to bring you the music we like.

Friday August 8th – 08/08/08 – with a date so special it can only happen once every 100 years!!!
Comet Pizza and Ping Pong
5037 Connecticut Ave NW

Apes
Fiasco
Double Dagger
Doors: 9pm
Tickets $10
All Ages

Medications are playing a surprise show of sorts tonight at the Galaxy Hut. Rumor has it Chad Molter is back in town to do some round-the-clock recordings with the rest of Medications. Molter recently moved out West. So this show is big news for fans of Faraquet and Medications. [You can read Brent Burton's really sweet take on Faraquet's new anthology here and Joe Warminsky's smart take on early Medications here].

See ‘em while you can! The show starts at 9 p.m. It’s only $5!

*photo courtesy of Dischord Records.

Deerhoof is coming to D.C.! One of the best bands around will be playing the 9:30 Club on October 26. Deerhoof’s new album, Offend Maggie, comes out October 7th on Kill Rock Stars. Sheet music has leaked for one song–”Fresh Born.”

Full tour dates after the jump.

Read the rest of this entry »

Sunday’s Rock The Bells show at Merriweather is looking to be a defining moment in the future of the hip-hop tour. In the contracting entertainment market, the economy of scale may be the solution to present this many quality underground hip-hop acts on one stage. It also signals a new era where classic performers join up-and-comers for a true festival setting and culture celebration. And with today’s hip-hoppers being such a critical bunch, and its a nod to the state of the movement that a tour of this caliber and selling out dates and hitting so many cities.

There’s a definite buzz around many of the acts on this tour. Make sure you’re up to date on the latest before you pull up to Merriweather on Sunday:

Rakim - is the new album finally on its way?

A Tribe Called Quest - Rock The Bells rehearsal video

Q-Tip - a few things to say about the blogs and a new album (which he will be performing from with Phife Dawg, Jarobi and Ali Shaheed Muhammed)

Phife-Dawg - responsible for Lil Wayne’s A-Milli?

Nas - Hitting the block for ColorOfChange.org and MoveOn.org… Not to mention a number one record!

MF-Doom - hope he actually shows up, who knows maybe we can hear some of this new Dilla material

Mos Def - did he make the book?

You know what gave The Pharcyde the idea of getting back together? Tribe getting back together. That’s whats up.

New Raekwon!

MURS for President. Get that hat! Cop the new 9th wonder produced collabo!

Dead Prez - M1 weighs in on the presidential election. First time voter??? and did a Real World alumni try to crash their set in Chicago??

Chance of rain???

See y’all sunday. Gates at 11!

My homey’s got a party bus leaving from in front the diner at 9:45… Holla if you need a seat!

In news that’s likely to warm Jason Cherkis’ cockles, Liz Phair has announced that D.C. is one of three cities where she’ll play Exile in Guyville in its entirety. Full press release after the jump.

Read the rest of this entry »

According to Pitchfork today, Wire, those art-snobbiest members of English punk’s first generation, will be playing the 9:30 Club on October 11. News so new it’s not even on the 9:30’s website yet, and plenty of time to cancel those big Columbus Day weekend plans!

For those of you not standing on-line right after work so you can get the best seats for the midnight showing of The Dark Knight: Tonight at Jammin’ Java, Jenny Owens Youngs will be playing sweet songs about love and longing. And maybe stripper poles. Seriously, go listen to “Voice on Tape” (featuring Regina Spektor) and “Fuck Was I”, and imagine the possibilities of hearing that haunting beauty and Nelly. Be there at 7:30 p.m., $10 in advance, $12 at the door.

Hungry for some larks’ tongues in aspic? You’re probably out of luck—not much of a market for meat jellies out here.

However if you’re up for some Larks’ Tongues in Aspic—you know, prog-rock—tonight
the Velvet Lounge will host the debut gig for Wise Light Born–a band featuring members of Baby Killer Estelle, Mass Movement of the Moth, and Bark. They describe themselves as thus:

“Finally the clouds have spoken through their wanting whispers and the group has formed…. WISE LIGHT BORN is a new group featuring individuals of great character, warm hearts,hungry stomachs, and wide smiles. D.C. prog is finally back in a gigantic way . It makes you ask where did it go to begin with? The group includes Leo “Viva Las Vegas” Svirsky (Baby Killer Estelle) on organ, Britton Powell (Hume, Bark) on bass, Christian Brady (Antlers, Meadows, MMMoth) on guitar, and Wilson Kemp (Canopy, Bark) on Drums. We’re looking forward to playing our songs that go like Biggada-Biggada boum boum Biggida Biggida Ba Boum Boum Boum.”

D.C. prog is finally back? But what was D.C. prog to begin with? And who made it?

Zs? Aylers Angels? The members of the Society of Art Rockers (S.O.A.R.)?

July 15th @ Velvet Lounge
9:30 p.m.
$8

Kohoutek
Ryan Jewell
Vialka (more here)
Wise Light Born

According to the MySpace page for Vialka, a “turbo folk micro-orchestra” (their description, not mine), they’re playing at the Velvet Lounge in Washington, Delaware tonight. Let’s explain away this grave offense by saying “eh, they’re French” and move on.

Assuming the micro-orchestra—”micro” being the operative word here, since the band is really just a duo of baritone guitar and drums/vocals—shows up at the Velvet Lounge we all know and love, this will be the place to be tonight (well, ok, Nomo at R&R Hotel should be pretty sweet too). If “micro-orchestra” is a suspect turn of phrase, “turbo folk” describes Vialka perfectly, as their manic compositions draw equally from Eastern European folk, gypsy music, punk, noise and a touch of prog. Those familiar with the French avant-garde or so-called “rock in opposition” will draw immediate parallels to the zany Etron Fou Leloublan, but a more accessible comparison might be Ruins, crazy vocals and all, but more tuneful and with an enormous dose of Frenchness added to the mix.

Drummer Marylise Frecheville—a whirlwind behind the kit—was pregnant last year, but now that she’s had her baby the band is back on the grueling road schedule they seem to have been keeping up for the past several years. This included a stop at The Red & the Black a couple years ago, and if you missed that, don’t miss this.

Vialka plays second on a bill with Kohoutek, Wise Light Born and Ryan Jewell.

photo by Udi Koomran