A Time to Reflect

One year ago today, I posted my first blog entry, giving birth to The Ghost of Blind Lemon so to speak. A friend of mine planted idea of starting a blog about the local music scene about a month before hand. I initially rejected the idea, but as time went on, I became more frustrated with the direction that the scene had taken. There were only two options: sit around and complain, or try to do something about it. As a result, I created this site in hopes of creating a place where people could be informed about the local music scene and find a way to take part in it by supporting both the bands and the venues.

When I decided I wanted to start the site, the first person I talked to was Cindy Chaffin of Texas Gigs and Fine Line fame. I was saddened to learn last week that she was giving up The Fine Line in order to pursue other endeavors. I have yet to get the opportunity to talk to Cindy about her decision, but I wish her the best of luck in whatever she pursues. When I started, The Fine Line was one of many major blogs about the local music scene. However, much in the way the scene has been hard on bands and venues, it has also been a rough year for the blogs. Boca Tinta went by the wayside earlier this year, and Big D Little D posts so rarely that it might as well be considered dead. Now without Fine Line, that pretty much leaves We Shot JR, Adventures in Live Music, A History of Dallas Music, and me.

I will admit that over the past few months, my output has been irregular at best and infrequent at worst. There have been many things distracting me in the past few months; some are good (like the relationship I am currently in) and some are not (financial stresses). The end of Fine Line, however, has served as something of a wake-up call. It seems that my services are needed more than ever. I am not saying this out of any sense of ego. I am by no means the best one to act as any sort of spokesperson for the Dallas music scene. I do, however, seem to be one of the last ones standing in the local music blogosphere.

This seems to bring me back to that same crossroads I was at last year. I can sit around and complain, or try to do something about it. I can either surrender to the fact that the local music scene is dead, or I can fight to give it life. I can either turn my back on promising new artists like Kristina Morland, The Felons, Binary Sunrise, Elle, The Liking Strikes, and many others, or I can try to help them find the audiences they so deserve. I can either remember the glory days of Deep Ellum, or I can go to shows at Club Dada, Prophet Bar, Sons of Hermann, and any other Deep Ellum venue that supports quality music. As far as I’m concerned, there is only one option.

Okay, okay, I’ll step down off of my soapbox now. Let’s end on a happy note, and there is not much that brings me greater pleasure than the idea of my 1 Year Anniversary show this Saturday at Dada. I have been fortunate enough to bring together eight excellent artists that show everything that is going right with the local music scene. I could easily type for several more pages about the brilliance of each of these artists and why they are so deserving of a spot on the lineup, or I can just tell you that you need to come to Dada Saturday night. I hope you will join me in this celebration of my blog, and more importantly, in the celebration of the scene.