From: owner-precious-things-digest@smoe.org (precious-things-digest) To: precious-things-digest@smoe.org Subject: precious-things-digest V8 #131 Reply-To: precious-things@smoe.org Sender: owner-precious-things-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-precious-things-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk X-To-Unsubscribe: Send mail to "precious-things-digest-request@smoe.org" X-To-Unsubscribe: with "unsubscribe" as the body. precious-things-digest Wednesday, May 28 2003 Volume 08 : Number 131 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Oxygen Breathes Fresh Air Into TV Concerts ["David Michael Conner" ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 27 May 2003 13:28:30 -0400 From: "David Michael Conner" Subject: Oxygen Breathes Fresh Air Into TV Concerts Entertainment - Reuters TV Oxygen Breathes Fresh Air Into TV Concerts Sat May 24, 8:32 AM ET Add Entertainment - Reuters TV to My Yahoo! By Carla Hay NEW YORK (Billboard) - With so many TV networks airing concerts, cable channel Oxygen is working to carve its own niche with its all-request Custom Concerts. Cable network A&E has its long-running Live by Request series, but Custom Concerts take the request format further. Not only do fans get to vote on the set list the artist will perform, but they can also choose what cover song the artist will perform and the set design. Voting is done at oxygen.com. Because Oxygen is a network for and about women, female artists have starred in these concerts. Since the series began in 2000, Oxygen has aired Custom Concerts by artists ranging from Melissa Etheridge (news) and Alanis Morissette (news) to Tori Amos (news). Macy Gray (news) will be the next featured artist, and it will be her first full-length TV concert. The show -- taped April 28 at Webster Hall in New York -- will have its Oxygen premiere at 10 p.m. E.T. June 15. Gray performed an energetic set that included such favorites as "I Try," "Why Didn't You Call Me," "Sweet Baby," and a cover of "Love for Sale." Gray also performed selections from her new album, The Trouble With Being Myself, due July 15 on Epic Records. Songs include the album's first single, "When I See You," and "She Ain't Right for You," which Gray says will be the follow-up single. A highlight came when Gray spontaneously invited audience members onstage during "Sexual Revolution," turning the stage into a house party of sorts. Gray tells Billboard, "I was very surprised at how cool the audience was. When you think of Oxygen, you think of Oprah Winfrey (news) and housewives. But the crowd was young and ready to party. "At first I was really nervous, but it wasn't like a regular TV taping," she continues. "I thought we'd have to do one song, then stop, do another song, and maybe do retakes. But it felt more like a concert than a TV show." Oxygen VP of talent relations and music programming Julie Isogna says the concerts work so well because much of the creative control is handed over to the fans. "The challenge is to not make it a greatest-hits concert. For Macy Gray, interestingly enough, her biggest hit, 'I Try,' didn't get the most votes from fans. 'Why Didn't You Call Me' got the most votes, 'Sweet Baby' was No. 2, and 'I Try' was No. 3." Tickets for the Custom Concerts are not for sale. Instead, Oxygen gives tickets to fan clubs, contest winners (with New York top 40 radio station WPLJ a frequent partner), and Oxygen employees and their guests. "We get thousands of votes and responses on oxygen.com," Isogna says. She adds that Oxygen plans to increase the frequency of its Custom Concerts to about four per year. Reuters/Billboard ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 28 May 2003 01:08:56 +0100 From: "Pete Lambert" Subject: RE: Tori tattoo Johnny: > Also, since I'm a straight guy, it > can't be > too fem. So "Sleeping beauty trips me with a frown" wont make it to the shortlist then? ;-) There's a craze for Latin tattoos in the UK at the moment, I've got a... friend (Jupiter)... who is now a Latin teacher (remember, I come from where they make Gileses), and keep meaning to get him to translate "We Make It Up As We Go Along" - a gorgeously un-emblematic emblem, i reckon. Pete x "Excuse me, are you sure this planet is meant to be here?" - Doctor Who ------------------------------ End of precious-things-digest V8 #131 *************************************