News

For all of the audiophiles who lament that the industry is simply preaching to the converted, Harman International's Mark Levinson® brand has a response: Wait'll you get a load of this.

The manufacturer of high-end audio and video systems has decided to put its name out in front of a real mass audience, proudly announcing its sponsorship of Paul McCartney's current 26-city US concert tour, which began in Miami on September 16th and ends November 30th at the Staples Center in LA. The brand will maintain a highly visible presence at all 37 shows, and concert-goers will have an opportunity to win a Mark Levinson sound system in an exclusive sweepstakes available at "select concert locations."

"Pairing a great brand like Mark Levinson with Paul McCartney, one of the greatest singer-songwriters in the history of music, is an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," said Joe Pullin, Harman/Becker Automotive Systems vice president of global marketing. "Each continues to demonstrate an unwavering commitment to excellence and an unmatched dedication to being the best in their respective fields."

The fact that a vice president of automotive systems got to give the pull quote does make us wonder if the prize of a Mark Levinson sound system includes the car that contains it—although that would still cost less that a system comprising ML's flagship home audio components. But that's just us.

Author and humorist Dave Barry described the ambience of Sir Paul's tour: "The audience was my demographic, that is to say people who are 300 years old but still yearn to rock, or at least bounce up and down in a semi-rhythmic manner in our orthopedic shoes." Barry also observes that Sir Paul's current five-piece combo [presumably the same outfit that impressed me in the Live 8 broadcast—JA] is extremely competent—managing to sound as good on classic McCartney compositions as his old band, "the Whaddyacallems."

Barry, who is in a band that includes Stephen King, Amy Tan, and, on occasion, Norman Mailer and Maya Angelou, is probably jealous.