# music scene (blogs) — RSS Amplifier Recent posts from the 4 feeds in the RSS Amplifier directory that cover music scene. Page: Feed: --- ## [If I Worked This Hard in My Day Job...](https://jdtorian.com/if-i-worked-this-hard-in-my-day-job/) _2026-08-22 · jdtorian · JD Torian_ A group of us from college work our asses to the bone every year on our tailgates. Football is huge in America, and it's even huger in Texas. And once you start talking about University of Texas football, it's just ridiculous. I'm not a sports guy, but I'm totally caught up and have been since the '90s. We're the last group doing this, and money-for-nothing is in full effect here. We don't get… ## [It's not a Race, Nerd!](https://jdtorian.com/its-not-a-race-nerd/) _2026-08-21 · jdtorian · JD Torian_ If you've been playing long enough to have had a Mel Bay / Hal Leonard part of your musical life, you know these authors used to be lionized. Way back when, Ed Friedland, probably the most famous bass book guy, lived in Austin for a while. He has since toured with the Mavericks and moved to Nashville, then Tucson. Great guy. I would say Zen in the sense that he’s super knowledgeable and a bit… ## [ZZ Top Stories in Honor of Frank Beard](https://jdtorian.com/zz-top-stories-in-honor-of-frank-beard/) _2026-08-20 · jdtorian · JD Torian_ If you're from Texas, and especially if you're from Houston, ZZ Top looms large over the social, cultural, and musical landscape. They were huge in the '70s, and then in the '80s, when they took over the world and MTV with the Eliminator record, you couldn't get away from them. And these weren't sequestered rock stars. They were everywhere in Houston. You'd see them all around. Later, in my… ## [Just Don't Worry](https://jdtorian.com/just-dont-worry/) _2026-08-19 · jdtorian · JD Torian_ It’s definitely not covered really anywhere, but the early ’90s college music scene was super neo-hippie, so much so that there was a term: “neo-hippie frat rat.” I’m not sure there was anywhere in the world more full of neo-hippie frat-ratism than Austin. People were super into the Dead, and Allman Brothers, and Blues Traveler, and other little bands, smaller bands, like Allgood, the Grapes.… ## [Do Your Part and Move Along](https://jdtorian.com/do-your-part-and-move-along/) _2026-08-18 · jdtorian · JD Torian_ In the great pantheon of Austin clubs, live music bars, dives, and dumps, Hole in the Wall on Guadalupe Street looms large. Probably top five. It’s been a thing since the early ’70s, and plenty of people have come out of there and played on the stage and all that kind of stuff. There’s all kinds of memorialization of folks in the front room. Photographs, drawings, paintings. There’s like a 50-head… ## [Here Comes the Singer](https://jdtorian.com/here-comes-the-singer/) _2026-08-17 · jdtorian · JD Torian_ One of the cool things about being a kid in the ’80s is your band could win a talent show in a shopping mall. Anything more ’80s than that? In ’89—I think it was ’90—I joined a band through kind of a takeover in the lunchroom. There was a band playing, they didn’t have a singer, and I got up there and sang. I shudder to think what that sounded like now. But anyway, I ended up joining the band.… ## [Here Comes the Singer](https://jdtorian.com/here-comes-the-singer/) _2026-08-17 · jdtorian · JD Torian_ One of the cool things about being a kid in the ’80s is your band could win a talent show in a shopping mall. Anything more ’80s than that? In ’89—I think it was ’90—I joined a band through kind of a takeover in the lunchroom. There was a band playing, they didn’t have a singer, and I got up there and sang. I shudder to think what that sounded like now. But anyway, I ended up joining the band.… ## [Wannabe or Ratherbe?](https://jdtorian.com/wannabe-or-ratherbe/) _2026-08-16 · jdtorian · JD Torian_ We went out to see a friend’s band last night, and I think it’s official, barring road gigs that must be seen—and you really do have to watch out with some of these older bands. Tracks, original member count, the ability to sing, stuff like that. It’s always a bit of a crapshoot, really. But--the point is that I don’t like being in the crowd. Yes, it’s good to see people, but a lot of these people… ## [Wannabe or Ratherbe?](https://jdtorian.com/wannabe-or-ratherbe/) _2026-08-16 · jdtorian · JD Torian_ We went out to see a friend’s band last night, and I think it’s official, barring road gigs that must be seen—and you really do have to watch out with some of these older bands. Tracks, original member count, the ability to sing, stuff like that. It’s always a bit of a crapshoot, really. But--the point is that I don’t like being in the crowd. Yes, it’s good to see people, but a lot of these people… ## [DJ Life Weave #?](https://jdtorian.com/dj-life-weave/) _2026-08-15 · jdtorian · JD Torian_ One way to look at the whole DJing thing is whether you want to look at people’s fronts or backs. Personally, as a bassist, I wanna see the backs of people. I wanna be making things happen without being looked at directly. This is my issue with playing solo shows. And I think this is a binary thing for a lot of people. You are either lead guitar, lead singer material, or you are bassist material.… ## [AI QA That Opens Fix PRs (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/4sY7R3Pxwjd8) _2026-08-15 · **Sponsored**_ Runs browser QA, files issues with repro evidence, and opens fix PRs. ## [DJ Life Weave #?](https://jdtorian.com/dj-life-weave/) _2026-08-15 · jdtorian · JD Torian_ One way to look at the whole DJing thing is whether you want to look at people’s fronts or backs. Personally, as a bassist, I wanna see the backs of people. I wanna be making things happen without being looked at directly. This is my issue with playing solo shows. And I think this is a binary thing for a lot of people. You are either lead guitar, lead singer material, or you are bassist material.… ## [Why Wouldn’t Somebody Want to Book You?](https://jdtorian.com/why-wouldnt-somebody-want-to-book-you/) _2026-08-14 · jdtorian · JD Torian_ One thing I’ve come to realize as I navigate this world of event people is, if you’re a musician or DJ and have your act together—like, you’ve got a thing, you’re presentable, your equipment is good and all that—you need to realize that it is a seller’s market. There are not enough good, smart, talented people to fill the jobs that need to be done. Only problem being: people don’t know how to… ## [DJing and the Mammalian Undertow](https://jdtorian.com/djing-and-the-mammalian-undertow/) _2026-08-13 · jdtorian · JD Torian_ In my younger days, when I just had one sister, who was three and a half years older than me, she did all the talking. And when I say all the talking, I mean all of it. My mom sometimes jokes that she never heard a peep out of me until I was eight years old. This, combined with a huge inclination toward music, made me a very internal person. Still, to this day, I can--at times-- be so quiet and so… ## [DJing and the Mammalian Undertow](https://jdtorian.com/djing-and-the-mammalian-undertow/) _2026-08-13 · jdtorian · JD Torian_ In my younger days, when I just had one sister, who was three and a half years older than me, she did all the talking. And when I say all the talking, I mean all of it. My mom sometimes jokes that she never heard a peep out of me until I was eight years old. This, combined with a huge inclination toward music, made me a very internal person. Still, to this day, I can--at times-- be so quiet and so… ## [Conditional Conditions for A Lot of Great Music](https://jdtorian.com/conditional-conditions-for-a-lot-of-great-music/) _2026-08-12 · jdtorian · JD Torian_ In an earlier post, I talked about all the ’90s music I was digging up as I was learning it for a solo show this month. Which, by the way, had a complaint. Someone complained about a song. No information, no song, no other things were said, but I’ve never had a registered complaint. I’ve gotten a lot of bad looks and stink eyes and shrugs and over-the-shoulder kind of business, but never an actual… ## [Don't Listen to the Luddites. Ever.](https://jdtorian.com/dont-listen-to-the-luddites-ever/) _2026-08-11 · jdtorian · JD Torian_ Today we call them Luddites and gatekeepers. But back then they were just a bunch of d\*cks. For me, I listened to music in the '70s and '80s, and then became a teenager and found my own music (the Police). It was fine, but generally, all the classic rock people would never not let you know that their music was actually and exclusively real music. Whatever you were doing at the time, and listening… ## [Faith Does Not Work Without Do-The-Work](https://jdtorian.com/faith-does-not-work-without-do-the-work/) _2026-08-10 · jdtorian · JD Torian_ When I was in sixth grade, I can distinctly remember a guy named Todd, who I still see from time to time these days, telling me I should play bass. I was interested in it anyway, because of my love of The Police and Sting. This would have been the mid-'80s. And that was it for me. Bass was my instrument. But I never really fought hard enough to get one. I tried to play upright in orchestra, and my… ## [Stuff and Things Blah Blah ...](https://jdtorian.com/stuff-and-things-blah-blah/) _2026-08-09 · jdtorian · JD Torian_ Welcome to the (continuing) Sunday Ramble© series I was looking back at some music files that I’ve been working on, and it looks like--basically, I haven’t opened Ableton Live all summer. I think I really peaked when I did the South by Southwest show in March, an electronic set. I feel like I did a great job. But it wasn’t, like, 100%-good what I can do. And I think what’s really come up is I’m… ## [Earn Your Dings](https://jdtorian.com/earn-your-dings/) _2026-08-08 · jdtorian · JD Torian_ If you play guitar or have ever shopped for one somewhat thoroughly, you know that there’s a huge market for cosmetically aged guitars. That is, you can go to the guitar store and buy one that looks like it’s from the ‘60s. That looks like somebody’s played it, smoked on it, and defecated on it every day of their life. And it’s showing the battle scars. The idea is that you get the look and feel… ## [Earn Your Dings](https://jdtorian.com/earn-your-dings/) _2026-08-08 · jdtorian · JD Torian_ If you play guitar or have ever shopped for one somewhat thoroughly, you know that there’s a huge market for cosmetically aged guitars. That is, you can go to the guitar store and buy one that looks like it’s from the ‘60s. That looks like somebody’s played it, smoked on it, and defecated on it every day of their life. And it’s showing the battle scars. The idea is that you get the look and feel… ## [AI QA that opens fix PRs (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/qFO8VTMYBYg4) _2026-08-08 · **Sponsored**_ Run a browser QA from plain-English instructions; get GitHub issues and optional fix PRs. ## [Pass The P Test](https://jdtorian.com/pass-the-p-test/) _2026-08-07 · jdtorian · JD Torian_ Back in the mid-90s in Austin, there was less than nothing to do. So we’d all go to school or work and then come home, watch The Simpsons , and then play guitars and talk about guitars. Mexican Fenders were a new thing. And the Japanese Fenders were coming back into the market too. And I remember actively making fun of a guy for having a Japanese Stratocaster. It seems ridiculous now, but this is… ## [Pass The P Test](https://jdtorian.com/pass-the-p-test/) _2026-08-07 · jdtorian · JD Torian_ Back in the mid-90s in Austin, there was less than nothing to do. So we’d all go to school or work and then come home, watch The Simpsons , and then play guitars and talk about guitars. Mexican Fenders were a new thing. And the Japanese Fenders were coming back into the market too. And I remember actively making fun of a guy for having a Japanese Stratocaster. It seems ridiculous now, but this is… ## [August Is Stacked: Moredopemusic Continues Building the Indie Scene Across the Southeast and Beyond](https://moredopemusic.substack.com/p/august-is-stacked-moredopemusic-continues) _2026-08-05 · Moredopemusic · The Indie Scene_ From Atlanta to Nashville, Asheville to Oklahoma City, August is shaping up to be one of Moredopemusic's busiest months yet. ## [Elijah Cruise Releases “Black / White,” a Dark Love Song Rooted in Early 2010s Alternative Music](https://moredopemusic.substack.com/p/elijah-cruise-releases-black-white) _2026-07-31 · Moredopemusic · The Indie Scene_ Nashville alternative artist Elijah Cruise returns with “Black / White,” a dark and romantic new song accompanied by an intimate live performance video filmed at Madison Records in Atlanta, GA. ## [Atticus Roness: Chasing Timeless Rock 'N' Roll](https://moredopemusic.substack.com/p/atticus-roness-chasing-timeless-rock) _2026-07-21 · Moredopemusic · The Indie Scene_ The Atlanta songwriter discusses the inspiration behind "Wives Tale," the making of Rock 'N' Roll Hit Parade, and why great songs never go out of style. ## [The Best Way to Keep Your Local Music Scene Alive? Show Up.](https://moredopemusic.substack.com/p/the-best-way-to-keep-your-local-music) _2026-07-06 · Moredopemusic · The Indie Scene_ Every great music scene starts the same way—not with sold-out arenas or viral TikToks, but with a handful of people taking a chance on artists they haven't heard yet. ## [The $15 Ticket Revolution](https://moredopemusic.substack.com/p/the-15-ticket-revolution) _2026-07-01 · Moredopemusic · The Indie Scene_ There was a time when the dream of seeing your favorite band meant fighting Ticketmaster queues, paying $18 for parking, and wondering whether you’ll be close enough to actually recognize the artist. ## [3 Indie Acts That Should Be Playing Bigger Rooms](https://moredopemusic.substack.com/p/3-indie-acts-that-should-be-playing) _2026-06-08 · Moredopemusic · The Indie Scene_ If you’re lucky enough to catch them in a smaller room, don’t take it for granted. The window where great bands are still this accessible never stays open forever. ## [The New DIY Economy of Indie Music](https://moredopemusic.substack.com/p/the-new-diy-economy-of-indie-music) _2026-06-01 · Moredopemusic · The Indie Scene_ For a long time, the music industry sold artists one version of success. Get signed. Get backed by a label. Hope somebody with money believes in you enough to push your music into the world. ## [There’s something really refreshing about Atlanta indie band Shock Tea.](https://moredopemusic.substack.com/p/theres-something-really-refreshing) _2026-05-27 · Moredopemusic · The Indie Scene_ Their new deluxe EP, Drop The Ball, feels unique in the best way possible — experimental without trying too hard, groovy without sounding overly polished, and different enough to keep you locked in the whole time. ## [Open-source Screen Sharing with Control (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/XDiaheBMNbEe) _2026-05-27 · **Sponsored**_ WebRTC screen sharing with simultaneous mouse & keyboard control; viewers join in browser. ## [The Return to Real: Why Supporting Indie Music Matters More Than Ever](https://moredopemusic.substack.com/p/the-return-to-real-why-supporting) _2026-05-25 · Moredopemusic · The Indie Scene_ There’s something happening in independent music right now that feels impossible to fake. ## [Industrial pop and gothic glamour collide in the world of OUDi, the Nashville-by-way-of-Toronto artist turning heartbreak into cinematic anthems.](https://moredopemusic.substack.com/p/industrial-pop-and-gothic-glamour) _2026-05-21 · Moredopemusic · The Indie Scene_ Following the release of her March 2026 single “Only Tattoo,” OUDi is preparing to hit the road for her upcoming Empathy for Hire Tour — a run of dates that continues building momentum. ## [Artist Spotlight - The Pierce Kingans](https://thevancityscene.blogspot.com/2025/05/artist-spotlight-pierce-kingans.html) _2025-05-07 · Support The Scene · Support The Scene_ A re you ready to be introduced to some of the amazing local talent we have here? We have such an incredible music scene here in the GVA, and there are so many amazing artists just waiting for you to check them out. Kick back, open your music app of choice, and check out today's spotlighted artist: The Pierce Kingans Read more » ## [Artist Spotlight - PINCH](https://thevancityscene.blogspot.com/2025/03/artist-spotlight-pinch.html) _2025-03-24 · Chanel Brown · Support The Scene_ A re you ready to be introduced to some of the amazing local talent we have here? We have such an incredible music scene here in the GVA, and there are so many amazing artists just waiting for you to check them out. The first peaks of spring are starting to show, from grass turning greener, to flowers blooming, to spiders spinning webs in the open again. The cold of winter has broken way to the… ## [Artist Spotlight - Die Job](https://thevancityscene.blogspot.com/2025/03/artist-spotlight-die-job.html) _2025-03-21 · Chanel Brown · Support The Scene_ A re you ready to be introduced to some of the amazing local talent we have here? We have such an incredible music scene here in the GVA, and there are so many amazing artists just waiting for you to check them out. The first peaks of spring are starting to show, from grass turning greener, to flowers blooming, to spiders spinning webs in the open again. The cold of winter has broken way to the… ## [Artist Spotlight - Caerrian](https://thevancityscene.blogspot.com/2025/03/artist-spotlight-caerrian.html) _2025-03-17 · Chanel Brown · Support The Scene_ A re you ready to be introduced to some of the amazing local talent we have here? We have such an incredible music scene here in the GVA, and there are so many amazing artists just waiting for you to check them out. The first peaks of spring are starting to show, from grass turning greener, to flowers blooming, to spiders spinning webs in the open again. The cold of winter has broken way to the… ## [Artist Spotlight - ORRA](https://thevancityscene.blogspot.com/2025/03/artist-spotlight-orra.html) _2025-03-14 · Chanel Brown · Support The Scene_ A re you ready to be introduced to some of the amazing local talent we have here? We have such an incredible music scene here in the GVA, and there are so many amazing artists just waiting for you to check them out. The first peaks of spring are starting to show, from grass turning greener, to flowers blooming, to spiders spinning webs in the open again. The cold of winter has broken way to the… ## [Artist Spotlight - Brehdren](https://thevancityscene.blogspot.com/2025/03/artist-spotlight-brehdren.html) _2025-03-10 · Chanel Brown · Support The Scene_ Are you ready to be introduced to some of the amazing local talent we have here? We have such an incredible music scene here in the GVA, and there are so many amazing artists just waiting for you to check them out. The first peaks of spring are starting to show, from grass turning greener, to flowers blooming, to spiders spinning webs in the open again. The cold of winter has broken way to the… ## [Show Review: Said The Whale](https://thevancityscene.blogspot.com/2025/03/show-review-said-whale.html) _2025-03-09 · Support The Scene · Support The Scene_ Said The Whale played a hometown show, and it was as intimate as a show could get. Playing at the Hollywood Theatre instead of a venue like the Commodore, the Rickshaw, or Orpheum, it felt like they were playing in their backyard. The whole night had a certain air of old friends coming together to just hang out and listen to some music. Instead of having an opening band, they decided to have… ## [Artist Spotlight - Acoustic Eel](https://thevancityscene.blogspot.com/2025/03/artist-spotlight-acoustic-eel.html) _2025-03-07 · Chanel Brown · Support The Scene_ Are you ready to be introduced to some of the amazing local talent we have here, and to be reacquainted with some of your favourites? We have such an incredible music scene here in the GVA, and there are so many amazing artists just waiting for you to check them out. The first peaks of spring are starting to show, from grass turning greener, to flowers blooming, to spiders spinning webs in the… ## [Wacken Metal Battle - VANCOUVER](https://thevancityscene.blogspot.com/2025/03/wacken-metal-battle-vancouver.html) _2025-03-06 · Support The Scene · Support The Scene_ A night full of metal of different flavors all came together to be a feast for the senses! All five Vancouver bands brought everything they had and laid it out in front of the judges. Check out the semifinals on May 3rd; full details HERE . Nokturna opened up the night with classic old thrash metal. They didn't know how loud they could turn up their amps and had a subdued sound compared to the… ## [Artist Spotlight - The Starling Effect](https://thevancityscene.blogspot.com/2025/02/artist-spotlight-starling-effect.html) _2025-02-28 · Chanel Brown · Support The Scene_ H ey Music Fans ! Are you ready to be introduced to some of the amazing local talent we have here, and to be reacquainted with some of your favourites? We have such an incredible music scene here in the GVA, and there are so many amazing artists just waiting for you to check them out. The darkest of the days of winter are finally coming to a close, and with it come the eventual sprouts and blooms…