Welcome to the Dinner Party download. This is your icebreaker.

All right, this is a musician joke and maybe not everyone will get it.

But how do you get a drummer off your doorstep?

Pay for the pizza, everybody.

I'm Brendan Francis Nuneum.

I'm Rico Gagliano, and from APM American Public Media, this is The Dinner Party Download,

the culture show that gives you an edge in your weekend conversations.

You just got a joke from Michael Fitzpatrick of Soul Pop Band Fits and the Tantrums.

He's not a drummer, but he is a musician, which is why we chose his joke to start this, our super spectacular all-music episode.

That's right, featuring our favorite chats with Lars Ulrich, Gustavo Doudamel, Miguel, Ricky Skaggs, Jenny Lewis, Steve Martin.

Also, David Crosby, Nancy Sinatra, Weird Al Yankovic, Carrie Brownstein, and so many more.

It's like a music festival curated by an insane person.

Us.

But let's kick things off with words of wisdom from Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich.

A while back on our show, he answered a question from a diminutive listener who wanted to know what to do when tall people blocked her view at a concert.

I can sympathize. I mean, I'm closer to 5'7 than I am to 5'8. So I've been in that particular

situation often. I mean, part of, I guess part of the experience of going to a rock show is that

it's supposed to be a collective experience rather than can we, you know, make sure that each one of us has the perfect viewing corridor.

So, I mean, there is, you know what I'm saying?

There was at least part of the reason that I went to shows was because I wanted to belong

to something that was bigger than myself.

It wasn't just necessarily about like, I've got to go and get the best seat in the house

...