Who am I?

Last week I had the opporutnity to see The Fray in Charlotte, NC at the grand opening concert of The Music Factory; an outdoor lawn/seated venue that can hold up to 5,000 people.

Jack's Mannequin played prior to The Fray. I've heard some of their stuff on the radio before and never really thought much about it. As they played I started to get into it, until at the end of of one of their songs, the lead singer backs away from his piano, leaps onto the piano, and onto the keys of the piano. He stands on top and strikes a pose to the crowd while on the black and white piano keys. He does this not once, but twice.

After I saw this the first time I was shocked. The second time I was furious. Being a pianist for many years I have respected the pianos that I've played throughout the years. I have gotten to learn how the instrument I play is carefully crafted by hand and the care that is needed to make sure that it plays properly. Having my own piano at home taught me responsibility: if I don't take care of my instrument, my instrument will not take care of me.

Jumping onto the piano keys is not taking care of that instrument.

Guitar rock stars do a similar gesture when they close out the show by smashing their guitars all over the place. Low class, disrespectful, and just plain outright stupid.

I still get pissed at artists who leap on top of pianos for performace moves. The Jonas Brothers has done it and the lead singer from The Fray did it that night. I don't like seeing it. It makes me mad.

Concert artists: don't stand on pianos. It's an insult to the instrument. It offends me. It offends me as a pianist, as a musician, as a lover of music.