SculptCycle | Downtown Montpelier

If you haven't had a chance to get to Montpelier to check out all of the sculptures made from old bikes, you should do so. There are twenty of them scattered around downtown and they make me smile whenever I pass them. I was excited about this project when I heard about it last fall but it came out even better than I expected. I doubt I'll be able to afford any of them when they're auctioned off at the end of the summer but in the meantime, it's fun to have them sprucing up downtown.

Kepasa Ukuleles

We spend a good deal of time on this blog talking about local shows and bands. Well, how about someone that makes the instruments?

Apparently, the guy who runs Guitar Sam in Montpelier, started fiddling around with making ukuleles a few years ago and discovered that he was pretty good at it. So, now he has a thriving business making ukuleles for folks under the name Kepasa Ukuleles. Then again, these aren't fun little ukes that you pass around at a party. The guy is getting $500 to $950 for his ukuleles and that's just the base price. Different types of binding and tuners can add another $200 or so onto it.

However, while the prices are high, they are beautiful pieces. I particularly like this Little Mac with the vertical grain. Jens Lekman would look sweet on stage with one of them.

The Age Project

Looking to kill some time on the internet? Enjoy playing the role of carnival huckster and guessing people's ages? Well, if so, this site is for you.

The Age Project allows people to upload their picture and the people guess how old you are. After someone guesses, it tells them what the person's true age (or reported age from the person uploading the photo; not necessarily the same knowing how people lie about these things) and the average guessed age. It's kind of interesting to see how close you can get.

Speaking of aging, this is a cool site that shows headshots of each person in a family every year from 1976 until today. It's funny to watch the mother's hairstyle change every year until about 1995 and the she just seems to stop caring about it. The father is amazingly consistent with his beard. He's been rocking it since the beginning.

How to Embed a Streaming MP3 Player in Your Blog

I've received a few questions from people about how to embed a streaming mp3 player in a blog or website. So, while this is boring crap to the non-bloggers out there, I thought I'd put up a quick post to help folks out.

Aether Everywhere

Is it a discussion board? Is it a label? Is it a blog? Is it a news aggregator? It's a little of everything and a whole lot of VT music.

If you haven't been to Aether Everywhere yet, you should stop waiting. It's the new site from Tanner of Nest Material and Highgate fame focusing on the Burlington music scene and experimental music in general. I'm particularly enjoying the discussion board. The "Upcoming Shows" forum is another good resource for bands coming to the area.

So, sign up for an account and get posting.

No Age | Coming to Montreal

Here comes the bandwagon! Time to jump on!

OK. The blogosphere is in love with No Age's new album, Nouns, and I admit that I'm right there with the masses. It's one of those rare pieces that is as loud as it is beautiful. Envision a more accessible version of My Bloody Valentine shoegaze and you get a sense of the LA-based duo.

Since I'm usually slow on the uptake of the latest and greatest trends, I often find myself slapping my giant forehead when I realize that a band played in the area six months before I got into them. Thankfully though, No Age is still a month away from hitting Montreal. On July 15, they fill La Sala Rossa with lots of fuzz and melodies. Tickets are available via Blue Skies Turn Black. Yeh, it sucks that the show is on a Tuesday night but for this album, it's worth it.

No Age | Sleep Hold | Buy


No Age | Teen Creeps | Buy


photo courtesy of Diana.Wong

Coynadoni | Euro 2008

Why the hell is Wayne Coyne coaching Italy at Euro 2008?

Seriously, Euro 2008 is halfway through the group stage and the attention it is getting around here is amazing for any longtime soccer fan. Not only are all of the matches broadcast live on ESPN2 (along with rebroadcasts at night) but, not one but two, bars in Montpelier are showing the games. McGillicudy's and Positive Pie II are both showing the games. I think Positive Pie is even showing the pre-recorded games during the early evening hours.

Any longtime soccer fan in the US will see that as stunning progress. 20 years ago, there was barely any soccer on TV. Then they started broadcasting the World Cup games but it would be a limited coverage at odd times and without any supporting coverage. Ratings were tiny and fans were left to feel like a leper in society.

Then ESPN fully embraced the World Cup and ratings picked up. However, then they would forget about international competitions until the next World Cup.

The next step was the World Cup in 2006 when I noticed significant crowds showing up in local bars to watch the games. In fact, Positive Pie II was packed for the World Cup final. Now, it appears that enthusiasm is starting to carry over to Euro 2008 which is the championship of Europe. No need to feel like a leper any longer.

Now, if they start showing the Copa Liberatores in local VT bars, I'll feel like I'm truly living in a soccer nation.