Hi. How are you? I think with the minute-to-minute changes that are our new normal it's appropriate to acknowledge the full range of emotions we may all be feeling minute-to-minute. Thankfully, as Anne Litt has been so gracefully reminding us all week, music is not cancelled! One of the coolest things to materialize during these turbulent times is the sheer amount of virtual art. It's incredibly life affirming to see how deep the spirit of performance runs in so many. NPR is keeping a steadily growing list of all of your options, which range from opera to Dawes. We're keeping you updated with a running list of shows as well. Check it out!
We also have a treasure trove in the KCRW vaults. The thought of the temporarily darkened studios has the memory machine working overtime, so I decided to dive back into the charmingly lo-fi sounds of my favorite band The Pastels when they appeared on our air way back in 1998! You'll likely notice many more of your favorite KCRW DJs reminiscing about their go to sessions in the days and weeks to come, and our YouTube channel is always a fabulous place to explore regardless of what is happening in the outside world.
But wait, there's MORE! In the spirit of staying ‘Safer At Home’ with the best concert ever, I pulled a little bit from various areas, eras, and vibes. Give it a spin, and maybe think about putting your own mini-fest together. Tweet us the results if you do!
Ben Gibbard - Live at Home (Tuesday 3/17/20)
American hero Benjamin Gibbard has decided to go live every day for the foreseeable future at 4pm PST to play requests, tell stories, and generally make the world a better place. Kicking things off with the Postal Service's "We Will Become Silhouettes" struck just the right chord (pun intended), and his cover of Radiohead's "Fake Plastic Trees" will quite possibly make you cry. And let's be honest who among us couldn't use a good cathartic cry right now?
Nirvana - "The Man Who Sold the World" (MTV Unplugged performance)
Since you've just enjoyed a new cover of a classic, why not double down with a cover that’s almost as iconic as the original? Watching this performance always brings chills. The flowers, the candles, that cardigan... Hearing Kurt Cobain's guttural rendition of what was a relatively obscure David Bowie song at the time represents a considerable cultural moment. It's just as resonant - possibly even more so - in these uncertain times.
David Byrne - "Once in a Lifetime" (Live on SNL)
I'll admit that my first impulse was to post a video of the performance of "Heaven," from the seminal Talking Heads concert film Stop Making Sense. Alas, I couldn't find one that was officially sanctioned so I had to get creative. Fortunately you really can't go wrong with anything Talking Heads/David Byrne related so I invite you to enjoy his recent performance of "Once in a Lifetime" on Saturday Night Live. Also enjoy this friendly public service reminder to carve out some time to watch Stop Making Sense in its entirety.
Lizzo - Tiny Desk Concert (NPR)
Now, let's end on an extremely high note. It's Lizzo! It's a "tiny ass desk!" It's the best.