Steal This Concert

In 1971, Abbie Hoffman wrote a book entitiled Steal This Book as a countercultural manifesto. The equivalent in the digital age is to encourage people to share recordings of your performances:

 

At the Straight No Chaser concert in Fort Wayne on Friday night, the typical ban on recording the concert was lifted.

“We wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for being seen on YouTube,” said one of the 10 singers. “Share all you want.” The 2400 people who paid for the concert, sitting in seats that started at $22 each didn’t seem to mind this permission. In fact, they had paid for those seats knowing that they could watch many of these songs free.

But there is something about live. There is something about together. There is something about being able to share a delightful experience.

I understand copyright. I do. But if you want to share this, feel free.

There is definitely something special about live, and that’s what we at ChoralNet always want to encourage.