Music Appreciation Mar26 ~ Just Two Things: "I'm With Her" Live Album & How Bandcamp Sets The Bar 07Mar26

Sing Me Alive... I bought the metalic gold double live album from "I'm With Her" upon hearing the first couple of songs, from Atlanta. The field recordings from sound engineers are completely excellent from many stops across the country in '25 ~ of course hearing the ladies live from row 4 in Denver was even more spectacular. The song from 'our' show on the drop was the cover of "Crossing Muddy Waters." The prior two studio drop LPs were great, and different of course ~ respect 1st, then expressive 2nd; hearing the songs live with "where's she gonna take this riff, or trill," is awesome as are the consistent ebullient crowds' reactions. The voices are so fine and the musicianship is sublime. Plus, you know how I am about live; this album is so good.

Bandcamp's Influence... I heard the entire album first through a Bandcamp "listening party" a couple days ago. I've attended a number of these events from various bands I "follow" and this format is making a difference. "Bandcamp Friday" may alter marketing's decisions on release dates. They've hit a breakthrough scheme where you attend, and the band and engineers attend in the chat session simultaneously.  Typically you get to hear the whole album before it's released... maybe even simultaneously to the artists (but likely not before the recording engineer).  You can interact and ask live questions of principals. As you know if you follow bandcamp.com or me that this company's form of artist support and music distribution... is the best going. Artists make more, and it seems Bandcamp is also ensuring we get more. Sure, it's a marketing scheme to sell the music ~ but seemingly an earnest one (please don't let the artists in the stream be 'bots). Streaming giants may have had their day but are incongruous with what music appreciators like most ~ paying fine artists and hearing them unadulterated.

Get the album HERE. They will be at Rockygrass in Lyons, CO on July 24th, but I'm headed to Telluride for the bluegrass fest' there, earlier.