What's in a Name? MONEY, MONEY, MONEY.

Let's forget for a moment that I'm probably the last one to the party. Let's ignore that perhaps this change took place two years ago, and I just wasn't paying attention (mostly because I can't afford to actually go to anything). Let's focus instead on a few months ago... when I was listening to the radio and heard them say "Coming to the Comcast Center this summer--" and I thought, "Where's THAT?"

Seriously--"The Comcast Center." Is that really supposed to be enough for me to go on? I doubt there's only one.

A little drive up the highway revealed to me recently that the Comcast Center is what USED to be the Tweeter Center. Good God. How does one keep UP? If every time a new corporation buys up the same place they CHANGE the NAME, how is anyone ever supposed to know where the hell they are going? I mean, had they said on the radio, "Coming to the Comcast Center--formerly the Tweeter Center," I'd have been with them. Though still totally aggravated.

Here's my real beef--aside from the fact that I can't actually tell what venue is what anymore: WHY is it necessary to slather your name all over everything? WHY? Do you really need the credit so badly? Have we gone so far with branding and whatever other baloney factors in, that we have to RENAME everything with our corporation name? "Check it out--we bought this. See our name?"

I get that these corporations spend huge amounts of money to acquire these venues. Well, big deal. They HAVE huge amounts of money--they are gonna buy things. I get that the reason they have huge amounts of money is because people recognize them above and beyond "the other guys." But actually I dare say they have huge amounts of money for providing some kind of service that doesn't suck more than the other guys--and THAT'S why anyone cares what their name is to begin with.

Would it not be enough to have banners emblazoned with their name and logo all over the arena or stage? Would it not be enough to have every paper cup and napkin printed with their name and logo? Really? Would that not be enough?

MARK MY WORDS: if I'm ever rich enough (I mean frighteningly, Bill Gates rich), I am buying all the local venues. And I'm giving them all their names back. Great Woods, Harborlights, hell--even the Garden (though the current corporate owners kind of found a way to sneak that back in). I'm giving them back their dignity. And the Worcester Centrum. Because calling it the Worcester Centrum CENTER is redundant--hello? I'm giving them a name that has nothing whatsoever to do with the person paying the rent, and instead to do with what that place embodies in essence. I miss those names. I miss what they represented. Mostly I miss knowing EXACTLY where the show was when it was announced on the radio, instead of having to Google it.

And when I buy up all the venues, and give 'em their rightful names back, I just may put the cover art of my latest CD on all the napkins. But that will be more than enough.