Tajmall

SEE BOWIE FREE... AT A PRICE: The highest-priced tickets for Bowie's Singapore show are $256. "$256? This better be the return of Beethoven," comments an Antique Archivist and Ronson Fan from a capital city in the United States. And he has a valid point -- regardless of whether Ludvig's Van B: the Comeback Tour would not only see the man miraculously recomposed and revived, but with his hearing-impared status fixed too: Beethoveen was deaf. But no more! It could happen. You need only witness both Bowie's return to form and some of the sci-fi earpieces he's sported onstage. (Johnny Ray may sue).

Of course, not everyone has to pay to see Bowie... But now I learn that even a free ticket comes at a price. This tour is brought to us by Clear Channel. And, as you should know, Clear Channel Sucks. Organising and sponsoring 'faux-grassroots' pro-war rallies under the "Rally for America" banner goes on my sinister activity list anyway. But wait. Having identified this then makes me a shoddy hypocrite as I still want to go and see Bowie...

So, someone else said that boycotts never do anything as their justification for going to Bowie regardless of the Clear Channel element. Now, that's just not true and they should know better. Ghandi knew better... but it wouldn't be right for me to give the Bugger-Boycotts Lobby a few volleys of the historical evidence they need as: I still want to go to this cursed concert.... And back in more innocent times (a few days ago), I had no qualms about any of the above because I was given a free ticket. But it was then pointed out that Clear Channel still score as a freebie for me is a tax break for them. (But the ticket has already been issued. That makes it a done deal. So why deny myself? I've not worked out how murky is the water held in that argument).

Not off-the-hook, it now looks like I'm reduced to I'll be damned if I let Clear Channel stand in the way of seeing someone I've been into as long as I can remember. I'll be damned if I let them deny me. I'll be damned... And yes, I probably will.

So, having established that you don't have to take it from me (all-talk-no-action, complicity), you can turn your back and look elsewhere for another account of other Clear Channel activities, this time from a Republican Party "Man of the Year" -- a commended ex-serviceman and soon to be "talk-show war casualty" who has written from the "Land of the Free". Just the ticket.

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P.S: LOOK OUT YOU ROCK'N'ROLLERS: Even if Bowie isn't your cup-of-tea, other artistes on tour with Clear Channel include many I don't know with ironic names like Rise Against and Anti-Flag.

The list is long. Other "rebel rebels" featured include:


Ani DiFranco (you know, the righteous, independent one)
Bad Religion
Willie Nelson
Air
Belle & Sebastian
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
Cassetteboy
Death Cab for Cutie
Modest Mouse
Sonic Youth
Squarepusher
Stereolab
American Analog Set
The Delgados
The Raveonettes
The Strokes
The Vines
The Walkmen

And that's Showbiz.

I would never have known if not for my beloved revolutionary sweetheart... the damsel of dogma. She's a riot.