It's important to review artists you don't like much

The other day, someone asked me why I review concerts of some artists I don't like. She referred specifically to Britney Spears, but Il Divo came into the conversation.

She inquired because she took issue with my negative review of Spears.

"And I see that you didn't enjoy Il Divo, either," she said. "Why go, if you don't like them?"

Well, there are a few answers to that question.

One is obvious. It's my job.

I review concerts because that's what I do. I get paid to inform people of the big shows that are in town.

The second reason is a bit convoluted.

Let me break it down into two sections.

First: I review shows to inform parents about their kids' music.

Second: I review shows to inform teens (and adults) who are fans about what they might have missed. They might want to catch the act the next time it's in town.

Last: I review shows to inform the performers of what the critical listener likes and how they can improve.

This last reason sounds arrogant. That's not my intent.

I remember talking with Jethro Tull frontman Ian Anderson a few years ago. And he said, "Critics are suppose to tell us what we're doing wrong, so we can fix it."

Unfortunately, everyone can be a critic. With blogs going online left and right, it's sometimes difficult and overwhelming to find a schooled critic, as opposed to an angry hack who takes an artist to task just for the heck of it.

I'd like to think I'm not a hack.

When I critique, I do it, not out of spite, but out of the desire to give good criticism.

In the case of Il Divo, I wrote about the similarities between them and the Backstreet Boys because Il Divo were formed by a music-industry mogul — in this case "American Idol" judge Simon Cowell. The singers come from different parts of the world and have different musical training. Before they joined the group, they hadn't met each other.

Also, they singers were told what to sing and how to dress — just like a boy band.

So that's what I wrote. I didn't make any of it up.

The critique I gave about them needing to dance a bit during the saucy Latin numbers, in my opinion, would have made the show a little more fun. I didn't mean the guys had to have individual variations. I just meant that the music had such a seductive rhythm that it would have been fun to see them dance in place for a few bars.

The audience went wild when Carlos did a few quick side steps to the music. So why couldn't the others do a bit?

As for Spears, well, the criticism was more about the cost of her tickets. Top price of official tickets (not scalper's prices) was $750. And the fact that she lip syncs only added insult to injury. The real criticism of the show was how Spears exploits her fans' pocketbooks.

By the way, those $750 seats were nearly sold out.

Now with this said, there are times when I am pleasantly surprised.

I went to review Backstreet Boys in 2001 and found that I liked the show very much.

E-mail: scott@desnews.com