Hey! Erin here. I've been a bit nostalgic lately (I mean, more than usual)…
I suppose nearly everyone has their own version of “the good 'ole days.” I used to think of the phrase as something only a grandparent would use. But now, as a teacher of very young children, I regularly hear students begin stories with “when I was younger" or “when I was a little kid…" We all have our own nostalgias, be it one year ago or several decades ago.
I've been thinking back on a regular occurrence of my own “good 'ole days” - the simple and magnificent act of listening to an album from start to finish. No skipping ahead after the first few words. No moving along to the next “recommended artist” by an unfeeling algorithm. No. These were the days of eagerly awaiting a new project from an artist. Rushing to my bedroom and popping in the CD (or cassette tape, depending on what year it was). Flopping on the floor, eyes closed, the first notes beginning to play. Me, submerged in it all, a part of the artist-to-listener exchange.
In 2017, ahead of its release, Feist invited fans to host their own listening parties for the album, “Pleasure” with a link to hear it before its official release date. The invitation was simple: set aside sacred time and space for listening to a piece of work from start to finish. The experience was sacred, like a communion of sorts. And the memory of my “good 'ole days” of album-listening, conjured up like magic.
I don't know what the kids are doing these days when a new album drops, but I feel a call to return back to a true listening experience. Fully engaged, fully present.
This Friday, Charlie Maples is inviting anyone that wants to join to share in a listening experience - a celebration of our upcoming EP release, “The Weather.” We will be playing out album before its public release and hope it engages like it has engaged us. It's not a live performance (that's coming up in May!), but an invitation to put on the metaphorical headphones with us. We'll be sharing videos, snacks, and creative prompts to engage with as you listen. We'll have new merch, too - limited runs and our first offering of their kind to the public. We're also inviting you to do live music reviews - jotting down any notes that come to mind as you listen along.
It all takes place at a local downtown favorite - The Generalist! We are so grateful for such a generous community space and hope you can join us there.
Who knows? Maybe one day, we'll look back and say this was “one of the good 'ole days.”
