Have You Ever Heard Of... A Musical Twofer

This weekend was all about music for me so it's not surprising that I have a second day of music-related learnings.  Yesterday's new facts, and yes it's a twofer, come courtesy of the Pitchfork Music Festival that took place over the weekend here in Chicago. 

I was walking through the vendor tent at Pitchfork when a very enthusiastic guy named Bobby asked me if I had ever heard of CHIRP radio. I confessed that I had not so he filled me in. CHIRP (www.chirpradio.org) is an Internet radio station in Chicago that largely plays indi rock. CHIRP stands for The Chicago Independent Radio Project and according to their website they are “dedicated to providing Chicago residents with a community radio station focused on the representation of local people, events, and issues alongside a wide array of local and independent music.” CHIRP was voted the best radio station in Chicago in the Reader’s 2011 annual best of Chicago poll. Their music is varied; while listening today I heard among other songs “Keep on Pushing” by The Impressions, “Deep Blue Day” by Brian Eno, and “Tico Tico” by Esquivel. It's a great was to stay connected to Chicago and the indi music scene no matter where you are in the world (which for me today is in Miami).

After talking with Bobby I made it as far as the next table where once again I was asked, “have you every heard of…” but this time it was the Chicago Mixtape.  Once again I confessed that I had not, so Casey Meehan explained.  Casey is all about supporting local Chicago musicians and has come up with an awesomely cool way of doing it – through a weekly mixtape (www.chicagomixtape.com). 

There might be a few of you out there who aren’t familiar with mixtapes (probably the same people who aren’t familiar with the Kool-Aid Man, oh yeah).  Let me explain.  Back when cassette tapes were super rad (that should give you a clue as to when that was) if you had a duel cassette deck stereo you could play a song on the first deck and record it on a tape in the second deck, effectively making your own Best of Your Music Compilation.   It was a great way to share music with friends.  But then came along CDs which relegated mixtapes to an old Pepsi crate under the bed. 

Well, Casey Meehan has brought back the mixtape with a twist.  Once a week he sends out an email to his mailing list with a collection of MP3s from local Chicago bands, most of whom are playing somewhere in the city in the coming week.  All Casey asks is that if you like the music you support the bands.  This week’s mixtape includes songs from Unicycle Loves You, Anthony and the Tramps and Panoramic and True among others.  You just open your email and you’re introduced to a bunch of new bands.  It’s that easy.

I think it’s awesome that Bobby and the folks at CHIRP Radio and Casey Meehan are working so hard to share their passion for music with the world, and if you haven’t listened in a while, trust me, Chicago has some great indi music that’s worth checking out.

So, what are you waiting for?