A time for hope and promise. A time for embracing the future, a time to put aside past failures and move forward as we go boldly into that undiscovered country otherwise known as tomorrow.

Some say the future will be bright and fabulous, that it will mark a turning point in the history of all mankind, while others predict glorious developments of epic proportions that will truly revolutionize the human condition. Developments that have already been heralded by the performance calendars for Duran Duran, Xiu Xiu and other acts so nice that they went and named them twice. But will the future be so bright that we must don our shades? Is that what’s in store for us once we arrive at the day after tomorrow?

A wise man once said, “Those who relive the past are condemned to remember it.” Sage words, for sure, but how does that apply to the schedule for Hilary Duff or GWAR? Will the itinerary for Keith Urban lead us gently into that next celestial journey around the sun? Or will the routings for Le Tigre and Oasis act as benchmarks for all that we can be in 2005?

Of course, it goes without saying that tour dates always signify what we can accomplish if only we try. Yet, a closer examination of the schedules for Cher and Gavin DeGraw indicate that alternate timelines may already have come into play. That, depending on which shows one sees, as well as who may be seeing those shows, the future could be irreversibly changed and the events of tomorrow may very well depend on the actions of yesterday.

Will 2005 be filled with wardrobe malfunctions, accidental tour bus discharges and the dreded acid-reflux / lip-syncing faux pas? Or will 2005 be the year that humankind breaks away from the shackles of ordinary logic and be gifted with tours by Bright Eyes and Rascal Flatts? What does the future hold?

We may not have all the answers. However, one thing is for certain – It’s a sure bet that everyone will continue to buy tickets and see concerts. After all, why mess with a good thing?