I haven’t posted about music in a while, so I thought it might be time. At Coachella time (it was earlier this year, it started April 12), or rather, pre-Coachella time, I was starting to look for those who had any new info on lineup additions. So, I started following a few people on twitter, more than I had at all before. I started following @certain_songs, @coslive, @ihearditon and others. I initially used them only for festival announcements, but now I stalk them for their music suggestions.
Through I Heard It On, I have found some great new music, and been linked to some great mixtapes, and have heard about new albums coming out, that I had NO clue about. I have been extremely pleased with all the selections, and the wide variety of voices I have heard on the site. So, not like you’ll see this, but dudes, I give you props! I Heard It On also led me to The Burning Ear, which gives you the ability to listen to music streaming. It calls itself “a music blog for people who don’t have time for music blogs.” It’s pretty damn good. I’ve gotten some great downloaded mixtapes off there. You can stream them, as well as some are downloadable.
Through Blair, aka @Certain_Songs, I’ve been exposed to more rock-ish music, due to the mixtapes he links to on twitter. And his CraigsList musical dedications. They’re super as well. He also got me into 8tracks – a great website where you can make your own mixes. Good times.
@coslive is mainly about festivals, or at least that’s what I use it for.
Last week, Indie1031, which used to be my favorite on-air radio station in LA, but is now online, had a free show at the Hammer Museum in Westwood (just down the street from UCLA). It featured Amazing Baby and Band of Skulls. I was only able to stay for Band of Skulls, but they seriously rocked the house. I had to do some recon for Blair (he’s seeing them later this month at Lollapalooza), and thoroughly enjoyed them. Just three peeps: a dude singer and guitarist, a chick bassist and a dude drummer. Fun stuff. If I hadn’t had to wake up super early to go to my class I signed up for, I would have stayed longer there, and then gone to the Rokken prom. As it was, I’m old and had to get to sleep.
I’ve also used twitter to start following/stalking/reading a variety of food and drink peeps from around the country. Now I have more followers than people I follow. How did that happen? But, I do enjoy it. Some people are finding it strange, but it’s also strange to meet people you’ve only “chatted with” on twitter. I did that at the Hungry Cat’s crabfest, and I have done it at a few tastings as well. Now I just have to meet a few more peeps and then I’ll feel better.
On a completely different note, I’ve been completely taken over by the Iranian election fiasco. I have followed several people on twitter who seem to be the true voices out of Iran. It is so painful to read and listen to news about. But, it seems that here in the USA, we are so completely ADD that the Iran election news, and the upheaval there, completely went away after Michael Jackson died. Oi.
For the 4th of July, (also a different note!) I purchased a home bar set, with a juicer and a shaker and all of that. It was super fun. I made drinks with mint, lemon, tangerines, grapefruit, raspberries and strawberries. I thoroughly enjoyed being the mix-master for the day. I tried to keep it as basic as possible, so that was fun. But, I know I need some heavy duty classes still, before I can toss stuff in the air, or into a glass, willy nilly. I wish I was better. The peeps I made drinks for really enjoyed the drinks, so I think that speaks well of my beginners talent. That made me happy. I made gin, out of Voyager, drinks for myself, and Vodka for two others, plus some random rum drinks. I want to try some better sipping rums at some point. Maybe when I get back to Seattle the next time I’ll have the courage.
That’s all I am going to put to paper for this morning. Paper, ha!