SXSW

SXSW…
Last month I had the opportunity to go down to Austin, Texas and play SXSW. For those who may be unfamiliar, South by South West is a huge music festival put on by the music industry. SXSW includes everything from showcasing new bands from all over the world, to hosting informational panels during the day, to promoting new companies that you’ll be hearing about in the next year or two. All the way around SXSW is a phenomenal experience for anyone (musician or music fanatic), and I highly recommend taking the trip if given the opportunity.
The entire city of Austin turns into this crazy cluster of music-driven and music-industry people, all roaming the streets on their own schedule to see as many bands as they possibly can. By the way, there are hundreds of bands that perform throughout the five day span, which makes it virtually impossible to catch everyone you want to catch. Even catching up to your own people can be difficult. Often times, people split up and meet up with other groups because everyone seems to know everyone anyways. It’s really a great thing to see that there is such a community of music people, and an incredible thing to see how the various music worlds seem to mesh and blend into one; business, art, technology, writing, parties, networking, performing, working, and more, all in one. Incredible.

It was my first time going down. I had sooooo much fun just being submersed in that energy. I played two shows (duo/acoustic with Josh on Cajon), and we had a frickin’ blast. By far my favorite of the two gigs was opening for the Indigo Girls. I mean, talk about a trip! When I was a kid I used to listen to their albums over and over and over again until my parents would make me shut it off… I must admit I had lost touch with them for several years and was absolutely thrilled to learn that they were touring once again. So you can guess how crazy it was for me to be sharing a stage with two women who had been such an influence in my early music years. They were, of course, phenomenal on stage and I got the opportunity to meet them afterward which was simply icing on an extremely delicious cake!

The music and night-life down there was a really good time. However, the best thing I did while I was there was attend the Quincy Jones panel. I got to see Quincy Jones speak for well over an hour. BLISS!!! There were probably about 1000 people in the room and I don’t think I heard one single murmur of a whisper the entire time. (There was one cell phone that went off, but honestly, in this day and age, (1000 people) + (1 hour and 1/2), usually = more than one cell phone disruption… I was impressed) Listening to Quincy Jones speak about his life experiences and working with everyone from Frank Sinatra to Alicia Keys, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder and Ray Charles… Pretty much everyone I have been obsessed with and admire. Here was the man behind it all. Everything he has ever touched turned to gold. And I got to listen to him, in the flesh, talking about how it all went down. I tried to jot things down and take some notes but quickly came to realization that I really didn’t need to. I’ll never forget it.

Tangible...

Craziness…
I started off taking this blog at a half empty angle. I was interested in the concept and usually learn much better by doing. So here we are. I think I’m still confused as to how I feel about it. Writing to anyone. Writing whatever I want? Anything. Really? Even if it’s as long winded or as cyclical in reasoning as your crazy relative? I wanted to start this blog for a couple different reasons. Then I think I got a bit intimidated when I looked more into it. Not intimidated that I give a crap what someone thinks about my opinion. That’s what those are for, to be called your own. No, I was intimidated because I really am limited with time and didn’t want to half-ass it, or come off as though I was. Which apparently I was. There aren’t a lot of things in my life that are half-assed and this certainly will not be one of them either. I love people, and I love writing. To me, this would be yet another way to combine the two, yes? Yessss J
I guess I felt as though there were so many blogs out there that no one was really going to be interested in reading this little random ramble here. And look! You seem to be interested enough… you’re already 1/4 done! Haaa…
It’s also largely possible that my mixed feelings about blogging correlate directly with my mixed feelings about technology in general. The digitalization-web-electronic-interconnectedness thing is still strange to me, even though I am young and consider myself very much a part of my generation. I don’t watch TV, I don’t like clubbing, or shopping, or anything “reality” except the real thing. I don’t understand why people would be so obsessed with drama that they would actually sit and watch it on TV. (On a side note, I do believe this cycle may explain why people tend to surround themselves with it in their “real” lives. You reap what you sow).
Trying to define or explain my views on this can get sticky, but I’d love to see what you guys think, or if I am just completely crazy. I find it tremendously interesting how culturally attached we are to things and things on screens. I don’t call it materialistic or non-materialistic, because almost everyone is materialistic to an extent. I’d rather describe it as tangible and non-tangible. This may seem confusing so let me explain, because my definition is probably back-assward from what you’re thinking .
The things in your life with buttons, cords, screens, zippers, flaps, probable lack of progression, and one dimension are NON-tangible things. The things with thoughts, emotions and/or emotional outlets, direction, passion, aspirations, or the ability to be utilized are tangible things. The differences lie in what the purpose and ability of whichever thing you are trying to categorize. Oh and let me clarify, neither tangible nor non-tangible things discriminate against whether or not the thing being described is alive or otherwise. Any human being can be just as non-tangible as an earring, or a channel on, oh what’s that stupid channel… oh yeah… MTV. And any canvas or quiet morning can be as tangible as the person that has changed your life the most.
I think I say tangible and non-tangible not to discern between the physical and non-physical aspects of these things. But to discern between how they affect us and what they’re potential is to touch us. And it’s what you choose to do with the tangible and non-tangible things in your life that dictate whether or not you are really touching yourself, when you do. Or whether or not you care to try and be tangible to someone else.
Thoughts?