This is going to be a little longer post than usual
The short version: There was a prom-themed party at Alchemize this weekend to support WOXY. I didn’t know what to expect, but when I saw the wonderfully hand painted backdrop for photos I got a little excited. In short order a fella arrived with lighting rigs, a laptop, camera, and printer.
I sat behind the scenes taking advantage of the great light as he snapped photos of lots of folks in hip prom regalia.
A live band poured through covers of songs that fit the flavor of the station, setting the backdrop for an excellent evening.
More Photos hereSupport WOXY? You might be wondering. What’s that all about?
The rest of the story…
I get asked every now and then, how am I mixed up with this alt rock “radio” station? The answer is simple: I helped redesign the site (what seems like years ago) when they moved from the radio airwaves to internet streaming.
I still make graphics and take photos of Lounge Acts now and then. It doesn’t pay much (and even less because I forget to send invoices), but as gigs go, it’s been one of my all time favorites.
Now they’re facing a fork in the road and moving from free streams of music to a subscription model. Well, sort’ve… There’s still a free stream, but folks that sign up for 10 bucks a month get high quality access. It was a tough decision, but a necessary one considering well… lots of things. The long story is on their site.
Many folks have already sent support: becoming members, making contributions, and spreading the word. For that, I offer a fond tip of the hat, on behalf of the four fine folks over there.
Lots of things swirl around this topic. Some of it is covered in an extensive thread over at Slashdot that starts with the question: “Will digital music distribution fall solely to giants like XM and iTunes?” I don’t know the answer to that, I always tend to root for the little guy:
- I prefer to eat at a local joint over a fast food chain.
- I avoid shopping at Wal-Mart (whenever possible), and go to the mom and pop shop.
- I buy things from sites I enjoy: t-shirts, soft ware, art, and other stuff.
- I donate to freeware that is useful.
- Heck, I even click ads on Dooce’s blog ‘cause I think it might be helpful in some small way.
I’m not typing this out to get a back pat or illustrate that I’m a good indie samaritan. I’m typing this out because I believe in the indepedent spirit.
I like people to succeed. And I think there are new opportunities that let folks make a go of it, doing things they’re passionate about.
In this mess of life, it’s something I can get behind.
