Between Chas and Diki lies a pretty thorough synopsis of the situation today. I agree that the mainstream audience has " dumbed down". Why else can mediocre performances garner such acclaim? I know I sound like my parents with the advent of Rock and Roll, but I can't believe people have changed so much that they wouldn't notice the performance of a true musician, everything else being equal.

In my case, I have learned more about playing to the crowd, also. You can't play Mozart in a redneck bar and expect thunderous applause, but a musician can do a better job in the right setting.