Sunday, August 05, 2007

I'll Just Keep Attending "Goyish" Concerts, Thank You Very Much

Seems every blog I turn to is discussing the most recent ban on Jewish Music Concerts. I've never been to a Jewish Music Concert and probably won't be attending one in the near or far future. So, what goes on (or does not go on) at a J-Music concert is beyond me. And, since I've never been to a rock, pop, or rap concert either, what goes on or does not go on is also beyond me (although I have much more of a clue since I have seen the Super Bowl halftimes--boring! Bring me a groovy marching band like Southern or Grambling, please).

Like the Indian Sheital ban, I'm on board for this ban too (by default only). As I get older, I seem to be unable to face the loud music. Unfortunately, I left every wedding this season with a larger than life headache. I can't imagine paying to get a headache, and then paying to get a bottle of advil, and then filling out the paperwork to get reimbursed from our FSA. When I was younger, I probably would have had a fun time attending a big mob scene concert if my parents would have allowed it.

But now that I'm older, I think I will have to stick with the tried and true "goyish" concerts I've been attending since elementary school: orchestras, symphonies, big band/jazz band, and military band concerts.

Admittedly, a good half of the concerts I attended without choice, i.e. I was performing. But, even today I love to catch a concert in the park. Unfortunately, the bedtime routine or the weather gets in the way of catching these small concerts and I miss them.

Of course, it has been made clear to me that my choice in music (Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, or Brahms) is "goyish," and therefore undesirable. But now it appears that the J-Music is also considered undesirable.

So for now I will just say. . . . . .I'll stick to my "goyish" concerts, thank you very much.

11 comments:

Ezzie said...

Wait a second... what do you play?!

Anonymous said...

Are you referrring to the
Tali-chareidi-ban on the concerts in Israel? Avraham Fried, Miami Boys Choir and MBD? Come on, how can you agree with such a ban? Separate seating, Jewish music - some people love it!

Orthonomics said...

I do NOT agree with the ban. A friend of ours is a J-Musician and concerts are his main source of income. This IS how he feeds him family.

I hate to think of the choices he will have to make in the very near future. Does he continue to play at concerts with family seating or does he only play for men or women? Which is the better way to continue to put food on the table?

It is not right that he has to make this decision at all. He is a frum and erlich yid. He conducts himself in accordance with his Rabbis. His Rabbis are NOT issuing the ban, but he will end up having limited parnasah because of the derech of someone else.

I think I will have to write a second post. This was really a "lite" post. Over the years I've grown sick and tired about hearing of the evils of non-Jewish music (including beautiful and musically brilliant music like classical, big band, jazz, dixie, ragtime, march, etc).

Sorry if you didn't pick up that. I'm following up with this post with a more serious post about related issues: narrowing the tent of acceptable through force and threats and leaving little room for parenting.

Yes, while I have no interest in going to J-Music concerts, the ban makes me SICK.

David said...

Wait a second: I haven't seen anything about this supposed "ban" - and it sounds appalling.

R' SR Hirsch said, "When I die, I expect God to ask me 'Did you see my beautiful Alps?'" - this to me is an example of the right way to live: embrace beauty where it can be found.

I am quite glad that I don't live in a community with rabbis who would promulgate a ban of that nature.

Chaim B. said...

>>>I am quite glad that I don't live in a community with rabbis who would promulgate a ban of that nature.

The problem is that the Rabbis who promulgate these bans are considered "Gedolim" by many, so even if you don't live in their community, their influence extends to the broader community at large.

Baruch Horowitz said...

See my post here:

http://mishmar.blogspot.com/2007/08/jewish-observer-on-concerts.html

Baruch Horowitz

Looking Forward said...

I agree, give me a "goysish" symphonic orchestra anyday :-) (some rabbi's actualy say that its kosher, woohoo!)

Anonymous said...

The concert was horrible, MBD DID NOT show up... so that was cheating the paying audience... is that better than the stupid ban? It is pure and simple gnaiva from us the paying audience, and truthfully I don't think we'll try going to such a concert again (we are not chareidi, have never been, and never will be. We prefer to be observant Jews).
Some of the "Gedolim" here are remarkably like the taliban = chareidiban. They stole our enjoyment from us. My husband, who was at the concert said EVERYONE was appropriately dressed, there was nothing inappropriate going on and it was bad, Yerachmiel Begun was po'd....

Anonymous said...

BTW I am also a fan of the HBC marching bands espcally Jackson State. Their are a ton of vidios of them on Youtube which my three year old and I really enjoy.

Anonymous said...

This is one of those areas where everyone is probably better off marching to his/her own drummer. If we want people to have good musical taste, we'll have to instill it in them at an early stage. We can't legislate it later.

therapydoc said...

This is so psychologically damaging to people, banishing music. It should, however, help all kinds of struggling Jewish mental health professionals.