A half-dozen cool things in music, from two points of view:
Ian Anderson, Washington, D.C. Mr. Jethro Tull is on yet another small-venue tour supporting his new album, "Homo Erraticus." Defying his age, he has been touring nonstop for the past three years since releasing his fine "Thick As a Brick 2."
Asia, Annapolis, Md. Asia played an inclusive set at the intimate Rams Head on Stage. Although Steve Howe has left the group, Sam Coulson has ably assumed the guitar role, while John Wetton is in as great a voice as ever and Geoff Downes amazingly fit nine keyboards on that small stage.
Rod Stewart, Washington, D.C. At 69 years young, he delivered a timeless performance and kicked at least 30 autographed soccer balls all the way to the upper decks of Verizon Center.
chuck Wagner, Gaithersburg, Md.
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Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood, CMA Awards opening. The veteran co-hosts made fun of politics, health issues and some of country's finest, including George Strait and Blake Shelton. The best bit was a parody song about Postpartum Taylor Swift Disorder sung to George Jones' "Who's Gonna Fill Their Shoes?"
Taylor Swift's marketing of "1989." For every TV appearance to hype her new album, she, um, tailored something special. And the album's packaging — mass-produced photos that look like Polaroids with lyrics written on them with a Sharpie — seems so personal and so Taylor. Too bad I can't say the same thing about the generic '80s pop music.
