The tax cut picked up some steam last week with Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan’s endorsement that such a cut would result in reduced service charges for The Residents and B.B. King, not to mention an entourage hike for Eminem, which in turn would stimulate the economy and help keep interest rates down.

But haven’t we hear this before? It was only 20 years ago when another president, Ronald Reagan, pushed through Congress a tax cut aimed at strengthening this country’s concert infrastructure and headline defense programs. However, instead of lower prices and better seats for The Doobie Brothers or Average White Band, service charges went through the roof and unemployment hit double digits, resulting in the importation of British bands such as Duran Duran and Irish rockers like U2.

While opponents argue that the Bush tax cut is merely a rehash of Reagan’s “concert side economics,” administration officials are quick to point out that, not only will a tax reduction aid headliners such as matchbox twenty and David Gray, but will also affect artists in the “special guest” slots, like P.J. Harvey and Fuel. “It stands to reason,” says one White House official, “that if we cut taxes, better travel accommodations and longer sound checks will eventually trickle down to Warrant, Ratt and O-Town. And who doesn’t want that?”

Apparently no one. With the Bush tax cut picking up steam, Americans are growing increasing comfortable with an across-the-board reduction, even if it only benefits the top one percent of this country’s promoter and artist manager population. Furthermore, as fans line up to buy tickets for spring shows by The Monkees and AC/DC, they are already looking ahead to summer where a tax cut may very well mean the difference between lawn, pavilion and gold circle seating in the major amphitheatres.

Coming up in our next in-depth report: Will the administration’s proposed “venue voucher” program result in better seats for Chicago and Jimmy Buffett, or does it mean the end of the concert hall as we know it?