Pandemic Listening

[The Computer Audiophile]

Given the current global pandemic, I’d love to know if people’s listening habits have change. Many people are staying at home to avoid exposure. Has this equates to more listening for you guys?

 

My daughter’s school was just closed until April 6, 2020. This has actually put a damper on my daytime listening. 
 

How about you all?

[Iving]

Yes similar. We have a lodger who is a school chef. If/when his school shuts, he will be at home. He says he doesn't mind - but I do!

[yamamoto2002]

A concert next weekend is cancelled 😭

Concert in April is not cancelled so far but it will be cancelled eventually ...

[ericuco]

I usually have a sporting event on the TV because I can follow along with what is happening (and avoid the idiot announcers). With practically all sports being cancelled I having to make adjustments. The March Madness being cancelled is really disappointing.

[The Computer Audiophile]

I’ve been listening to more Pearl Jam. I’m bummed the current tour is canceled. Still have tickets to Madison Square Garden show, whenever it takes place. 

[rickca]

I'm doing more listening just to escape the stress of pandemic news stories and financial market chaos.

 

I was eagerly anticipating a Brahms concert next week with Emmanuel Ax and the Rotterdam Philharmonic.  It's just been cancelled due to travel restrictions.

 

The Ultra Music Festival (electronic music) and Calle Ocho (Latin music) have also been cancelled here. 

 

Music is a reliable source of joy in the midst of all this.  

[Jud]

My wife takes care of grade school children in an after school program. Schools are closed for 3 weeks statewide, so she'll be home. She doesn't like listening to music nearly as much as I do, unfortunately, so it will probably actually cut into my listening time. But when I do get to listen, as others have said it's a joy to be able to relax and get away from everything mentally if not physically.

[Jud]

How many have seen notes, Facebook posts, etc., from musician friends talking about their gigs being cancelled? I've seen a bunch.

[Mike Rubin]

3 minutes ago, Jud said:

How many have seen notes, Facebook posts, etc., from musician friends talking about their gigs being cancelled? I've seen a bunch.

Here in San Francisco, all events at SFJazz, SF Symphony, and SF Performances are canceled into April.  In Santa Fe, the Lensic also is on hiatus.  In NYC, same for Jazz at Lincoln Center.  Coachella is reset for October.  I am sure there are a thousand more venues in this country shut down for weeks if not months, leading to a lot of canceled gigs.

 

Some artists are creative, though. I am not a huge fan of hers, but Cecile McLorin Salvant played a set for invited guests in Angela Davis’ living room.  The show must go on!

[sandyk]

1 hour ago, yamamoto2002 said:

A concert next weekend is cancelled 😭

Concert in April is not cancelled so far but it will be cancelled eventually ...

 

In Australia, all gatherings of more than 500 have been banned, as well as most sporting events cancelled, with a few being played (for now) without an audience other than perhaps TV coverage, including the Grand Prix. The Royal Agricultural Society Easter Show in Sydney which was expected to see >800,000 visitors has been cancelled too. A few schools have been temporarily closed for a short period.

[Doktor Avalanche]

Here in Seattle almost all live music is being cancelled. We are limited to gatherings under 250 so that takes care of most venues.

 

Listening to more music with my wife the past week as we avoid news a little. Bunkering down but plenty of albums to listen to.

[Jeff_N]

Mum has postponed their March 26th show at Murmrr Theatre in Brooklyn - they can't get in the country. Pretty bummed about that. I hope Little Dragon can do their show at Brooklyn Steel on April 18th.

 

I'm spending more time trying to figure out Qobuz. I like it, but it's not the most user friendly system.

[Jeff_N]

NYC is surreal. The tourists are everywhere and seem carefree, but the natives seem panicked, they're all staying home. Gym was almost empty today. Grocery stores are getting cleaned out. No chicken in Whole Foods the other day. No toilet paper in Duane Reade or Key Food. Why toilet paper?

[The Computer Audiophile]

1 hour ago, rickca said:

I'm doing more listening just to escape the stress of pandemic news stories and financial market chaos.

 

I was eagerly anticipating a Brahms concert next week with Emmanuel Ax and the Rotterdam Philharmonic.  It's just been cancelled due to travel restrictions.

 

The Ultra Music Festival (electronic music) and Calle Ocho (Latin music) have also been cancelled here. 

 

Music is a reliable source of joy in the midst of all this.  

+100

 

Listening is the great escape and a tremendous source of enjoyment. 
 

 

[Axial]

In Italy they play music live on their balconies. ...Deeply emotionally touching. 

[Gavin]

Unusually I have found myself increasingly listening to Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Tony Bennett... symptomatic of crooner virus I guess!

[Allan F]

There are no NHL hockey games to watch (I rarely watch NBA) so that frees up a number of additional hours for listening. I am also doing more reading and I find that mysteries with classical music playing in the background provide relaxation, enjoyment, and mental stimulation.

[DuckToller]

- The teenage son, who might have his school closed until May. has the obligation to work online and prepare the end of year exams, which haven't been postoponed. yet.

- Listening via speakers is reduced to the 2 days max. when my wife is required to work in the Paris HQ.
As a risk manager, she works on the crisis intervention team of her global operating pharmaceutical group, and her working days at home have suddenly expanded up to 18 h. Not very enthusiastic about "noise" she requires a very calm house when working and trying to relax.
Brings me back to headphones.
Best, Tom

[Digeridoo]

Yeah, I'm listening more into podcasts now since I have nothing else to do.

[semente]

https://www.digitalconcerthall.com/en/concert/16913#

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

3 hours ago, Allan F said:

There are no NHL hockey games to watch (I rarely watch NBA) so that frees up a number of additional hours for listening. I am also doing more reading and I find that mysteries with classical music playing in the background provide relaxation, enjoyment, and mental stimulation.

I actually started watching this last night. 
 

 

[Allan F]

2 hours ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

I actually started watching this last night.

 

Chris, did you grow up as a North Stars fan? If so, what were your feelings when the team moved to Dallas and won the Stanley Cup there?

 

I was spoiled growing up as a Habs fan. Les Canadiens won five Cups in a row during the Jean Beliveau years and four in a row during Guy Lafleur's tenure. Of course, recently deceased Henri Richard holds the never to be equaled record, having won 11 Cups during his career. Sadly, they haven't won it since 1993, and prospects don't look good for the foreseeable future. 🙂

[Booster MPS]

I am all in on music during these times.  I am an Aurender user so I don't have Roon.  I do enjoy having my laptop handy while listening to do Roon like research on artists.  I recently found Chris Dingman via Sasha Berliner who is a peer of hers.  Just glancing at Chris's recordings it became a no brainer for me to buy his stuff (his albums feature Linda May Han Oh, Ambrose Akinmusire, Fabian Almazan, and Justin Brown.  I love all of them).

 

Just take some time to see who your favorite musicians are either listening to, or performing with.  Pull that thread and explore.  With a lot of listening time potentially on our hands, it's a great time to do this.

[The Computer Audiophile]

43 minutes ago, Allan F said:

 

Chris, did you grow up as a North Stars fan? If so, what were your feelings when the team moved to Dallas and won the Stanley Cup there?

 

I was spoiled growing up as a Habs fan. Les Canadiens won five Cups in a row during the Jean Beliveau years and four in a row during Guy Lafleur's tenure. Of course, recently deceased Henri Richard holds the never to be equaled record, having won 11 Cups during his career. Sadly, they haven't won it since 1993, and prospects don't look good for the foreseeable future. 🙂

Don’t get me started. I watched Lemieux sink the Stars at Met Center to win the Cup, then the Stars moved to Texas. I was in high school. It was terrible.  

[Mike Rubin]

1 hour ago, Booster MPS said:

I am all in on music during these times.  I am an Aurender user so I don't have Roon.  I do enjoy having my laptop handy while listening to do Roon like research on artists.  I recently found Chris Dingman via Sasha Berliner who is a peer of hers.  Just glancing at Chris's recordings it became a no brainer for me to buy his stuff (his albums feature Linda May Han Oh, Ambrose Akinmusire, Fabian Almazan, and Justin Brown.  I love all of them).

 

Just take some time to see who your favorite musicians are either listening to, or performing with.  Pull that thread and explore.  With a lot of listening time potentially on our hands, it's a great time to do this.

Bravo.  Our tastes align.  Dingman's seemingly gone in a somewhat different direction lately, but "Waking Dreams" is one of the finest things in my collection. 

 

We in the Bay Area long ago lost Akinmusire and Brown to brighter lights elsewhere, but they continue to stretch boundaries. Akinmusire a few years ago came out against virtuosity and in favor of accessibility in a Downbeat cover story, a crime because he always shot the moon for the stars, but his career arc seemingly has benefited from that. 

 

We also lost Sasha Berliner to NYC, as she left here to attend the New School.  I think she may still be enrolled here.  When we saw her here in the SFJazz High School All-Stars program, I would never have guessed that she, out of that class, would be an emerging star, but her seriousness of purpose since then has become clear. Putting aside her considerable talent with the mallets, her "open letter" to Ethan Iverson about sexual harassment of female jazz musicians generally and her particularly made her a star of the #metoo movement. Google it if you haven't seen it; it is a sad but worthwhile read. 

 

The last time I saw Linda Han Oh, she played electric bass for two-thirds of the set.  My loss.