Happy Thursday!
Last Saturday night, I was lucky enough to see "Goat Rodeo" perform at the Greek Theater.
Goat Rodeo is a string quartet that's atypical for three reasons: it features a mandolin instead of a second violin, it includes a vocalist, and each performer is a well-known and successful solo performer. The history of collaborative efforts (music, acting, athletics, restaurants) is littered with groups like this: they've looked good on paper but have failed to succeed in practice.
In contrast, Goat Rodeo is clearly succeeding. The passion and enthusiasm with which they collaborate are consistently visible, and they're achieving both critical success and popular acclaim. They're breaking down some genre walls in the process, too. Whether they know it or not :), they're a great example of how working together to ignite minds and awaken hearts can equip artists AND audiences to engage a changing world.
If you have 9 minutes today or this weekend, please take a look at this video for some inspiration. It begins with the group talking about their creative process for one particular song, "Attaboy" -- in a way that's genuine, funny, and taps into a real truth about passion and "work." At the 3:37 mark, the group plays an encore, "All Through The Night," which is one of the most beautiful renditions of that traditional song that I've ever heard.
As an organization, we're ready to make this kind of music together in 2013-2014.
Take care,
Mitch
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