By: Rinjo Njori

Judas Priest, Steve Wynn & the Miracle 3,Public Enemy, Aerosmith, Motley Crue, the Pixies, ASIA and the Boss all have or will trot out tours, mini-tours, or homecomings celebrating their musical legacy. This nostalgia trip has taken a new form in the last couple of years- performing one specific album from their catalogue (usually on the album's anniversary) from beginning to end. After 30 years Judas Priest are treating us to British Steel. Steve Wynn (Dream Syndicate) took his Miracle 3 lineup to LA and NYC to treat us to the 25th Anniversary of Dream Syndicate's Medicine Show. To rationalize another Pixie's tour, Black Francis and the gang will play Doolittle. Once a gimmick of cover bands (see Judas Priestess, etc.), hardcore punk bands (e.g. Killing Time, Minor Threat) and Phish's annual Halloween concert (covering Talking Heads, The Beatles, etc) most fans were never treated to a live version of an entire album from start to finish.

Somehow over the last few years this gimmick is suddenly becoming the way to celebrate the band's legacy, a singular point in time, and is a "treat" to fans. Sure, everyone's going to get excited when The Pixies open their hearts and mouths to the bass line that opens "Debaser" and backbeat of "Wave of Mutilation." After 45 minutes, are they going to shiver with anticipation for "Gouge Away?" "Heat of the Moment" essentially made Asia, but "Cutting it Fine" might inspire more than a few people to zone out. Realistically, the fans come to hear the songs they love and after 20, 25, or 30 years, playing the more obscure tracks is for the hardcore fan. Though the iTunes generation have pegged us as a music fan of the David Spade variety. During the Kevin Nealon era of Weekend Update he summed it up best, "I'm going to see Laura Branigan tomorrow night at Madison Square Garden, and, uh.. I have some advice for her: open and close with "Gloria." Do it a couple times in between, alright? Thank you very much!"

Labels: Aerosmith, Bruce Springsteen, Pixies, Tour Dates