You know what are cool? Robots. You know what is even cooler? Robots that play music. No, not Britney Spears — real circuits-and-wires robots playing musical instruments. So when I received the press-release about the Cincinnati Pops’ holiday program featuring a trumpet-playing robot, I celebrated by doing my famous robot dance (I got pops, yo) all over the CityBeat office for three or four days in a row.
But then my social conscious kicked in and I got pissed. I mean, in these sad economic times when unemployment is skyrocketing, shouldn’t the Pops hire a real trumpeter? Robots! They’re taking our jobs! So I am seriously torn about recommending you go check out Toyota’s Trumpet Playing Robot (which is a horrible name for a robot, so let’s call him “Kenny”) this weekend. If you go, please go around to the back of Music Hall after the show and throw a couple of sawbacks into the hats of the homeless trumpet players huddled around their trashcan fireplaces. Hopefully, at the very least, Kenny is getting a nice paycheck from the Pops. Hey, robots need to buy Christmas (or whatever holiday robots celebrate) presents, too! The Pops, Erich Kunzel and Kenny present their holiday show Friday at 8 p.m., with shows at 3 and 8 p.m. on Saturday and a 3 p.m. show on Sunday. $10-$97. Get details, buy tickets and find nearby bars and restaurants here.
