David Byrne blogged a response to a negative review of his show in New York Times yesterday, and he mentions something I think about all the time. I’ve italicized the relevant parts, and bolded what hits the hardest:
I still haven’t read the review, and don’t intend to. While taking criticism on board can be constructive, it can also be detrimental to the creative process if it’s considered while that process is still under way. It undermines one’s enthusiasm and will — which is OK, beneficial even, but only after a tour (for example) is over.
I agree with all of that except for the “which is OK” part. How can it ever be OK to let anything undermine “one’s enthusiasm and will”? I’d go even further and say your whole musical existence is one big, never-ending process and it’s pure treachery to your craft to seriously consider any criticism unless the critic reveals to you what you already knew but you didn’t know you knew.
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Miranda July’s sold-out reading at the 42nd street Humanities and Social Sciences Library was much more of a formal event compared to the one organized by 192 Books three days prior. The vibe here was more wine-and-cheese, both of which were present. During the intermission, however, I did spot two young men excitedly having Michel Gondry autograph an orgami bird (or was it a plane?).
More photos, and review continues, after the jump.
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A different kind of show- New York Public Library will a host a night of reading by Miranda July, who wrote and starred in Me and You and Everyone We Know. Her friend Becky Stark of Lavendar Diamond will sing, and though David Byrne has written Arboretum, he will neither perform nor read, but will only ask Miranda questions. I attended her performance of Things We Don’t Understand and Definitely Are Not Going to Talk About at the Kitchen in March, where the adorable Michel Gondry was sitting behind us in the audience, and I truthfully told him Science of Sleep is the best movie ever.
Miranda will be reading from her upcoming book No One Belongs Here More Than You. Tickets are $15.
