Entertainers owe us the hits » Bands should always play their signature song live Cazzy Lewchuk Staff Writer hen we pay money to see live music, we expect a certain amount from the performers. Obviously, we expect them to play music, and preferably music that we know and enjoy. Musicians work hard at their craft, and they have the right to do whatever they want with their creations. At the same time, while being paid to perform, they should be held to a certain standard by fans. I’m mostly speaking of popular musicians who are fortunate enough to make a full-time living doing their art, instead of the many musicians who do not make enough money to support themselves. Most large mainstream bands have thousands if not millions of fans and a higher income than most people. These are bands who sell thousands of seats in every city they visit, and who continue to profit off of album sales even in an era when most music is virtually free. These artists got where they are today by making great : music—and most of the time, : this includes their signature : : song. They may have lots of great : : songs, but there’s almost always: : the one that we all remember. : Bon Jovi may have sold over : 140-million copies of 13 albums, : but what song do we belt out at : their shows and karaoke every : time? “Livin’ On A Prayer.” If you went to a Bon Jovi show and he didn’t play : that song,’would you not feel : disappointed? You pay to hear : the hits. The songs from his : new album may be very nice, : or even better than his old : works, but ultimately, there’s : something lacking without : the signature. Yet many artists : deliberately choose not to play : their biggest hit live, sometimes : for integrity reasons, dislike : of the song, or frustration at : being associated with one song: : instead of their entire catalogue. : Radiohead famously almost never play “Creep” live. Modest : Mouse aren't playing “Float On” : on their current tour. Neither : of these songs are even close to : being the best ones the bands : have to offer, but come on, : those are the songs that you : can name, even if you can’t : name another by the group. : They're big enough songs that : some may very well buy a : ticket just to hear them live. : Some artists get around : the problem by playing that : hit early in the set, and that’s : totally fine. The point is that : it’s heard live. When on stage, : you have up to two hours to : perform whatever experimental, : lesser-known, or new songs you : want. But over go per cent of : the fans in the audience want : to hear your big hit at some Image via thinkstock : point. Big musicians work hard : to get to that level of fame, and : the demands of touring and : musician life are not easy. But : it’s not too much to ask to give : something back to the ticket : buyers by playing your big one. Policing the police » Can we stand up against brutality without looking in the rearview mirror? Elliot Chan Opinions Editor ‘we, S opinions@theotherpress.ca n October 24, acclaimed director and writer Quentin Tarantino stood up at an anti- cop brutality rally, supported the #BlackLivesMatter campaign, and expressed his views on the damaging results of trigger-happy authorities. When unarmed citizens are being shot down, it’s worth speaking up. It’s not a matter to be brushed away as collateral damage. The fear that many experience when being approached by a police officer is genuine. They have guns! Tarantino goes on in his speech, labeling officers who have killed unarmed civilians “murderers.” And perhaps that was what made the Fraternal Order of Police union put Tarantino in their crosshairs. Jim Pasco, the executive director of the Fraternal Order of Police, in mafia fashion, issued this statement in response to Tarantino’s rallying speech: “Something is in the works, but the element of surprise is the most important element. Something could happen anytime between now : and [the Hateful Eight premiere]. : And a lot of it is going to be : driven by Tarantino, who is : nothing if not predictable. The : right time and place will come : up and we'll try to hurt him : in the only way that seems : to matter to him, and that’s : economically.” It’s a little freaky. : It’s almost as if Pasco is an evil : character in a Tarantino movie. When a police official : makes a threat to a public : figure, it cannot be ignored. : When I think of those people : protecting and defending me, : I don't appreciate the fact that : they use intimidation as one : of their tactics. In addition, : to say the police are going to : “hurt” him economically is a petty attack. Apparently we : are living in a world where we : have the freedom to talk about : whatever we want, except : we aren't allowed to criticize : police. Apparently we live in a : world where the police can act : above the law and face little : to no repercussion, and when : civilians take arms and speak : out—especially those in the : public eye—they get accused : for being slanderous. Then : they get outright bullied. The facts are there. There : is no denying that unarmed sR : citizens were killed. Instead : of opening up and saying that : the policing efforts will work : to prevent these incidents from : ever reoccurring, the police : union—or rather the police : mafia—in all boldness goes : and threatens the work of an : artist. In another example of : this, Patrick Lynch, president : of the Patrolmen’s Benevolent : Association, announced that : “it’s time for a boycott of : Quentin Tarantino’s films.” : Guess what? Boycotting a film : is not going to stop cops from : overreacting. It’s such a childish : knee-jerk reaction to target : the person who speaks up : against the corrupted powers : working to “protect” us. That : is always the response police Photo by Patrick Sison give when anyone questions policing methods. Civilians : don’t understand how dangerous : the job is for cops. But guess : what? When you start turning : against us for asking questions : and demanding a response, we : might start believing that you : did all those awful things on : purpose. So you tell me: whom : am I supposed to believe?