If you quote Machiavelli you will place yourself in a difficult and exposed position. People will think that you are inspired of, or worse, practise the suggested techniques. Italian diplomat, author, philosopher and historian Niccolò Machiavelli wrote "The Prince" almost 500 years ago, which was first published in 1532. He mastered the subject matter. "It ought to be remembered that there is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success, than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things. Because the innovator has for enemies all those who have done well under the old conditions, and lukewarm defenders in those who may do well under the new. This coolness arises partly from fear of the opponents, who have the laws on their side, and partly from the incredulity of men, who do not readily believe in new things until they have had a long experience of them." The book is controversial and debated. It was written as an instruction guide for new princes and royals. Some argue that it only describes real politics. Others argue that it's a manual in the exercise of power, where the ends always justifies the means. Machiavelli acknowledged that goodness and virtue existed, but these cannot provide any guidelines for governance, at least not in politics. There are two main "Machiavellian" techniques, which are so effective that they have survived into our days. First, a prince, is wise to punish rebels against the realm fiercly even after they have surrendered; not primarly because they deserve that punishment, but rather because when they are seen to be so punished, it will deter others from undertaking similar actions, ultimately securing the stability. A modern example, when a new boss removes a critical subordinate manager to keep the other managers in line. Second, to use proxies and let them act on behalf of the prince for unpleasant deeds; these people whom the prince can later turn on and punish for performing those very deeds. The dirty work of politics should be done by others who later can be blamed for it. A modern example, when a boss keeps a proxy between himself and the problem. When problems arise the proxy can be sacrified like a pawn in a chess game. Contrary to popular belief, people will not suspect that the boss is operating in the shadows. The word "Machiavellian" has become a synonym for evilness. As with almost any bold claim, there are nuances. Things have changed since Machiavelli wrote his book, but not as much as you think. You just have to look for the signs. 

You should never try to recreate moments that have already passed. Why not? Because it was the moment that made it special. This rule of life is applicable to places, parties and sometimes people. And it's also true for concert experiences. In 1981, I experienced the best concert ever, read more here (opens in a new window). Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band. We who were there understood that we had experienced something out of the ordinary. Already then, I realized that this moment will never be recreated or surpassed. This was magical and I wanted to cherish this moment forever. I decided not to go to a concert with him again. Until now, that is. When I turned an important age last year, I got two tickets to the last of three concerts in Gothenburg. The concert was also a family gathering moment. Back in 1981, "The River" had just been released and was promoted by a tour. Today, no promotion is really needed. Nowadays, it's arena venues and film screens of gigantic proportions. However, something has probably been lost on the way. Bruce Springsteen is a mega-superstar with a solid fanbase and strong purchasing power. But, not exclusively. People with less purchasing power seems to prioritize this event over other things in their lives. Bruce Springsteen attracts all kinds of people: young and old, male and females, urban and rural and new and old fans. They all got their reasons and stories. 

According to the official statistics there were 65 158 people attending the last concert. Despite the fact that people were in good time and the entry control system was efficient, it took a while to fill up the arena. The weather was warm and sunny, and the atmosphere was friendly. I didn't know what to expect. To be honest, after "Born in the USA", I haven't cared much for his albums. In fact, a couple of years ago I struggled to put together a cd compilation of his later releases. My personal favorite is his first album "Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.", which is an underrated album that not many people know about. I'm a man of principles. My point of reference is the 1981 concert. The show is considered by many to be the best of all the European shows and is very well documented. And a bootleg favorite for old hard-core fans. It's hard not to compare the two concerts, but also unfair. After all, 42 years has passed. And it's rude to look a gift horse in the mouth. Oceans of time has passed since 1981. Death inevitable, time is ineluctable. People age differently. Bruce Springsteen is 73 years old and in great physical shape. Clarence Clemons and Danny Federici have passed away. Roy Bittan, Garry Tallent, Steven Van Zandt and Max Weinberg are very much alive. Nils Lofgren, in my world, is the new guy in the band. He joined the band in 1984. There are many supporting musicians on stage and on the payroll, predominantly on brass instruments and backing vocals. This creates a formidable wall of sound. 

The concert began with "Night" and ended with "I'll See You in My Dreams". You can check out the complete setlist here (opens in a new window). Bruce Springsteen & E Street Band played for three hours without any break. Impressive! Even more impressive is that Bruce Springsteen manages to turn the heat up a couple of notches with each song. The first show didn't get the best of reviews (warming up). The second show got slightly better reviews (getting there). The third and last show got top reviews (magic). Unlike the 1981 concert there were not a lot of interacting with the audience during the show. It was more like 1,2,3,4 and go. The tempo was furious with one song after another. In total, 28 songs and a strong emphasis on his fast and upbeat songs. Personally, I prefer his slower and more epic songs. I would have made some other choices. To leave out "Point Blank" and "The Ghost of Tom Joad" is incomprehensible. In addition, he could also have played some covers like "Fire", "This Land Is Your Land" or "War". The highlights on June 28th were "Prove It All Night", "Darkness On The Edge Of Town", "The River", "Backstreets", "Badlands" and "Because The Night". Especially, the latter was performed with a lot of power and passion. Bruce Springsteen works hard to let the audience get their money's worth. I think he succeded. People were very pleased when they left the arena. He even succeded to impress me, who are traumatized by the 1981 concert and not easy to please. Finally, I have heard some rumours that this was Bruce Springsteen's last tour. This doesn't seem to be very true. Bruce Springsteen leaved the concert with a greeting and a promise "We will be back".

Some say you have a lifetime to make your first album and six months to make the second. The second album syndrome is when a band found success with their debut and are under huge pressure to record and release a follow-up before the hype disappears. On the surface, gothic outfit Swarme of Beese fit the decription. Their first album "Backwoods of my Mind" was released in 2022, read more here (opens in a new window). Now they are back with their second album "Fruits of the Golden Land". However, the second album syndrome is irrelevant here. Why? First, this isn't their first rodeo and the new album is technically their third album. The debut album "A Handful of Locusts" was released in 2010 under their old band name, The Victor Mourning. Second, when "Backwoods of My Mind" was released they were almost done recording the second album. Third, there is no hype to consider here. You see, this isn't a fumble attempt from young and anxious Austin-hipsters. On the contrary, this is timeless music from three experienced and perfectly attuned musicians. From the product declaration: "The album is a collection of sonic postcards from an allegorical road trip through the back roads of the American landscape, with detours to haunted places where memories & dreams intersect. The pastoral journey meanders along the edge of the Okefenokee Swamp, across the prairies & cornfields of the heartland, and through the Ozarks, the Piedmont, & the coal fields of southern Appalachia. The tales woven into the shadows of these places are razor-edged and real, steeped in history & imbued with spirit of place, with an American gothic undercurrent. Honest vocal performances are enveloped in textural harmonies and atmospheric arrangements to form the band’s mutant folk sound."

The album begins with "Turpentine". The lyrics deal with cheerleaders, shovels and graveyards. I don't think the lyric content describes the band's everyday life. "We been talking all night a'drinking. We been drinking turpentine". Well, turpentine exposure causes eye irritation, headache, dizziness and vomiting. Breathing or swallowing also causes kidney and bladder irritation. A shocking and rocking opening song with hilarious lyrics. The first part of the album is a roller coaster ride with fast and slow songs. For example, the contrast between the first and second song couldn't be greater. The second song is "Ashes & Holy Water". Simple song construction, traditional country arrangement and crystal clear vocals. The song is beautiful. "I wanted you to write me a letter on a dusty boxcar wall". The third song is "Angel on Wings of Steel". This song is hard to characterize. On one hand, simple contruction, distinct chords and a groovy beat. On the other hand, there's something contradictory and enigmatic about the song. I can't really put my finger on it. The fourth song is "Bright October Day (Omie Wise)". The song has all the desirable features of Swarme of Beese. Melancholic to the brim and stripped down to the bone. The lyrics is like a knife that cuts right through your soul. "The rich will always crush a poor girl's dreams. I'm not the hero of this story". The arrangement is impeccable. Without any doubt, one of the best songs on the album. The fifth song is "Iowa Dirt". This upbeat and playful song is built upon guitar and violin harmonies. For a while, you want to dance. I don't know if this was the intention.  

The sixth song is "Twenty Eyes". In my opinion, here is where the album really takes off. What can I say? The song is pitch black. A gothic streak runs throughout the song, from the first to the last note. "I'll play the martyr or the wrathful God...Twenty eyes to witness my sin, Lord. Twenty eyes on me". Doom and gloom in abundance. The seventh song, "Year of Dickens" is another great song on the album. Not surprisingly, it has a Dickens-vibe all over it with vocals, guitar and violin in beautiful harmony. The eight song is "Distant Father", which is my personal favorite on the album. The song has everything you can possibly ask for. The songs ends with thunder cracks and rain. The ninth song is "Goldie Pearl (Little White Dress)". This is songwriting taken to perfection. "They say Goldie Pearl, well she weren't much to look at, and never once spoke of any dreams of her own, the pond 'neath the spring that falls from the mountain, was as far as she'd ever been from her home". The pitiful lyrics are sung with emphasis and ardour. The tenth and last song is "Cellar Door". The song structure is odd and quirky, yet catchy. "Lines of oxy on the dash, copper wire in the back. He stole from somewhere down in Tennessee. It's happening like it did before. Knocking at my cellar door. Hearing all the things you used to say. I can't take it anymore. This knocking at my cellar door. Remembering it like it was yesterday". A perfect closing song. 

And finally, the overall assessment. This a another great album from the Austin trio consisting of Stephen Canner, Lynne Adele and Stefan Keydel. It's overflowing with energy, talent and versatility. The songwriting is exquisite and the arrangements are euphonious. Obviously, Swarme of Beese are reborn, reformed and refined. You can listen to "Fruits of the Golden Land" and buy it in the format of your choice at Bandcamp, just click here (opens in a new window).    

A pacifier is a rubber, plastic, or silicone nipple substitute given to an infant or toddler to suckle upon between feedings to quiet its distress by satisfying the need to suck when it does not need to eat. In the old days in Sweden, children were given a piece of cloth soaked in liquor distilled from potatoes, grain, or wood cellulose to suck on when they were distressed, hungry or starving. It was an effective method. They fell asleep without any complaint. Unfortunately, this was achieved at the cost of serious side effects. It was ignorance back then that made them do it. But are we really more enlightened today? We have moved up in the Maslow's hierarchy of needs and nowadays the need for comfort has been replaced by dopamine-driven reward circuitry. We have become mobile or tablet slaves. In a TV news feature from Arlanda airport (Stockholm) two kids were spotted in a sibling carriage, wearing earphones and staring deadpan at their tablets. They were totally absorbed and uncontactable. They might as well be sedated. Maybe their loving parents were prescient and wanted to achieve a smooth boarding process and press the green smiley face to help improve the airport customer experience. What do I know? I'm only a civil servant with an internet connection. Adults seem to have lost their patience these days, especially parents. It doesn't take a lot of complaining, nagging and crying before the modern pacifier is brought out of hiding. No perseverance whatsoever. It's a deficiency with consequences. Perseverance build character.  

Some festivals are more spectacular than others. Muddy Roots Music Festival is a recurrent event in Cookeville, TN. The festival has a distant and less famous cousin, Muddy Roots Europe Festival. It's held in Waardamme, Belgium. The performing artists are an odd bunch. In fact, the only artists that stand out are James Hunnicut, Sean K. Preston and Bob Wayne. Of course, it can be hard to bring artists all the way from the US to Europe. So why not invite the crème de la crème of Europe instead? For instance: The Dad Horse Experience, Oldboy (of the Fens), Reverend Elvis, Salter Cane, Mr Plow, Vivita, Silas J. Dirge, The Dead Brothers, JB Nelson and Tenderloud. And furthermore, why not invite the European branch of Sons of Perdition to play an intimate gig? Or, why not try to arrange an one-time-only reunion with disbanded Viarosa, The Dirt or The Coffinshakers? Am I asking to much? Yes, probably. If you want something to happen, you must make it happen. I don't see myself as a festival arranger, but I can see the logo for the Ambassador Festival: a Burning Man for the gothic country genre. Is the festival concept dying? In January 2023 I wrote a blog post called "The most expensive concert ticket of all time", read more here (opens in a new window). It turns out that the arranger went bankrupt two weeks ago. Well, there is some poetic justice in the story. The arranger wrote an incoherent statement: explaining, claiming and blaiming. What happens now? Obviously, The Devil Makes Three will not make their debut in Sweden and the question is if they ever will. And what about the people who bought tickets to the spectable? I don't think that they are of any primary concern for the trustee. A priority claim is debt that is entitled to special treatment in the bankruptcy process and will get paid ahead of non-priority claims. The ticket holders of the ridiculously high-priced festival doesn't belong to the prioritized group.