indie rock

National Public Radio has a new beta site. It's a big site. It's a pretty site.

The site is ... NPR Music.

Live streams, downloads, videos, interviews, profiles, studio sessions, concerts, photos, blogs ... you name it: If it's music, the NPR Music site has it (that is, if it's been on an NPR station). Here's NPR's PR about the launch.

This morning, I found everything from Nickel Creek to Sones de Mexico (Chicago) to MF Grimm to Minus the Bear to Christopher O'Riley, and more. Also, it has links to the NPR Shop, which I think of as Geek One-Stop Shopping Heaven.

OMG though, there's nothing about Pink Martini. And OPB isn't among the stations being streamed, which isn't a big surprise since it's all talk, but still. Where's the West Coast presence? (No, Seattle/Tacoma can't stand in for the whole 2/3 of the country from the Twin Cities on over ... )

ANYWAY, it's a treasure trove of a site. And it's a test run, so I'm sure the, um, alpha site will have some Oregon presence!

Go download or stream something. It's legal. It feels good. Nothing better for a grey little Friday morning!

UPDATE: OK! I sit corrected. Here is the Pink Martini page! (Tip o' the keyboard to NPR Music's maven, Anya Grundmann, for pointing that out.)

Dammit! I had a whole post written and then I ... um ... well, I blew it. Whoops. What it said, in essence, was that I read this neat story over on Pitchfork about the Glass Casters Union, which has collected artwork from a buncha indie rock bands (mmm, new Band of Horses) and created Christmas ornaments with it - and they're selling the ornaments for charity. Currently, their creations are only available through a handful of eBay auctions and via a few of the bands, but there will be more soon. And the really cool thing? The Glass Casters Union is here in Eugene! Those auctions benefit Aurora Glass, and the Union lists, as its interests, veggie burritos from the likes of Burrito Boy. Now how did a bunch of Eugeneans put this awesome plan into action? We'll have to find out.

Good news for all you listeners of fine, Pitchfork-certified music out there:
Eugene has a stellar fall lineup of music awaiting your glassy-eyed stares and mannequin poses.

Look for the following acts in our area in the splendid month of September:

Sept. 6 — Brandi Carlile @ WOW Hall
Sept. 7 — Okkervil River @ WOW Hall (EC wristband; cheap!)
Sept. 7 — Mirah @ McDonald Theatre (EC wristband; cheap!)
Sept. 7 — Shiny Toy Guns @ McDonald Theatre (EC wristband; cheap! Thanks, Leona!)
Sept. 10 — Wolf Parade @ WOW Hall
Sept. 18 — Todd Rundgren @ WOW Hall
Sept. 19 — Built to Spill @ WOW Hall
Sept. 22 — Subtle @ WOW Hall
Sept. 23 — Bright Eyes @ McDonald Theater
Sept. 28 — Arctic Monkeys @ McDonald Theater

and drifting over into October…

Oct. 5 — Frank Black @ WOW Hall
Oct. 10 — Shout Out Louds @ WOW Hall (newly added; thanks Molly)
Oct. 12 — Electric Six @ WOW Hall

and even further telescoping our musical antennae…

Oct. 30 — Aesop Rock @ WOW Hall
Oct. 31 — Architecture in Helsinki @ WOW Hall