I recently listened to a series of podcasts about the future of music from The Verge website. The final podcast centered around where live music will be heard in the future. I’ve fully embraced performing music online as you know from my online concerts that I do and love playing for every week. The podcast I heard talked about performing live concerts in the metaverse. This was musicians performing concerts as avatars and characters in virtual reality spaces. Of course this is big production for many of them with full band and the performers flying and bouncing and being underwater as they mix pre-recorded and live elements of music with animated and virtual surroundings and not someone like me standing with a guitar and singing. It is only limited by the imagination of the performer and the people putting together the presentation. It’s almost more of an experience than a musical performance. I’m okay with this although it’s probably not something I will ever remotely entertain doing myself. I think I’m more about affecting the audience in their minds with images from words and harmonies and melodies, but you can see how music has been performed and conceived before in this way with movie and TV that mixed these elements. It just hasn’t been done in virtual reality live like this on a regular basis before. It is an interesting world we live in where this is the future of music for many. I think I’ll always be about one performer and an instrument and a song, but I’d like to try watching a concert like this sometime to see what it’s like. How about you? You can listen to this podcast and find the three-part series here - https://www.theverge.com/2022/10/3/23384883/concerts-metaverse-travis-scott-charlie-puth-iheartland.
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What have I been up to?
I had 9 senior facilities last week, and enjoyed every one as always. It is an honor to get to entertain these folks, and I consider many of them as good friends!
My Wednesday online show was doing the music of Kenny Loggins, Loggins and Messina, and Poco, and it was a great time. Every one of these theme nights where I get to explore someone else’s music turns into an adventure.
Saturday playing at the Deerprint in La Veta was very sweet too. I got to see several people I hadn’t seen in quite some time, and it was a perfect evening with just a little chill in the air and a couple quick rain sprinkles.
Sunday’s online show of favorites and requests was also notable with some really good song requests and a great group of folks in attendance.
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What am I up to this week?
I have 7, make that 6, senior facilities this week (just had one cancel) that I am looking forward to playing for this week.
My Wednesday online show 7-8:30 mountain time will be doing fun songs this week. I decided I wanted a show of just plain frivolous and carefree songs this week, so I’m putting that together for Wednesday evening. Come on out if you can! I am trying to put together a show of songs from the year that each of our Munch Bunch folks were born, but we don’t quite have enough. Hopefully that will be the theme for next week. If you’d like to contribute then please go to the Tom Munch Munch Bunch Concert Group on Facebook and add your birth year and favorite song or songs from that year to that thread. Here’s a link. https://www.facebook.com/groups/398664345396960/permalink/544881160775277/
Saturday 11:30-1:30 I’ll be back at the Littleton Museum for their Harvest Festival. I played this last year, and it was so much fun! I set up next to the pumpkin patch where families come out to pick out pumpkins, and it is such a good time. They also have wagon rides, carnival games, yummy treats, an oddities tent, and much more. Attendance is free, and it’s a great day. Come on out if you’re in the Denver area! https://www.littletongov.org/city-services/city-departments/museum/programs-events/harvestfestival/-fbclid-IwAR0Xaf0xXvwPiWvwbjuGnkAcR7HT6eIoyPGHIuukVi0So8Qv2AG1QALFzn8
My Sunday online show 7-8:30 mountain time will be favorites and requests as always, and I always anticipate it with excitement. We do a Zoom a half hour before the show too. Here's a link. https://www.facebook.com/groups/398664345396960/permalink/546939720569421/ Come on out!
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That’s it for this week. I really like contemplating where music and performing will go. As long as it’s about the music and the way we understand each other and our world it will always be good.
Best always,
Tom
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Details this week:
Who: Tom Munch
What: playing and singing an online concert of fun songs
Where: facebook.com/tom.munch and tommunch.com/online-concerts
When: Wednesday, October 5, 7-8:30 pm mountain time
Who: Tom Munch
What: playing and singing for the Littleton Museum Harvest Festival
Where: Littleton Museum, 6028 S Gallup St, Littleton, CO, 303-795-3950
When: Saturday, October 8, 11:30-1:30 pm
Who: Tom Munch
What: playing and singing an online concert of favorites and requests
Where: facebook.com/tom.munch and tommunch.com/online-concerts
When: Sunday, October 9, 7-8:30 pm mountain time