Your regularly scheduled Bandgeeek will return next week.
Until then, here are some other resources to get you by.
Some of this was shared via Instagram. Apologies to anyone rereading.
I have written more than a few obituaries in my career at The Fresno Bee (including just recently). It is both the best and worst part of the job. The best, because it’s an honor (and humbling honestly) to be part of the final telling of someone’s life. And the worst because you don’t wanna fuck it up. There can be some anxiety in that.
But in almost every case, I’ve been awed by the very human ability to keep functioning. Like, you’re talking to someone days out from one of the worst moments of their lives and somehow they’re managing to be coherent (insightful in most cases) amidst all the emotion. The grief and the loss. And I am just thinking, “Wow!” And also “How?”
I am reminded (and still in awe) of this less than a week now out from the death of my own mother as I somehow manage to go about the functions of life (periodic jags of crying notwithstanding). One function I couldn’t quite manage this week was full attention to this newsletter. Here’s some stuff to check out until I get back (hopefully next week).
RADMusic. Local promotions guy puts together a hell of a newsletter. Right now, they’ve partnered with venues to gather donations for victims of the Palisades, Eaton and Hurst Wild Fire in Los Angeles community.
Homegrown. Hammer will be sitting in for me tonight, bring you an hour’s worth of local music (heavy on the indie- and alt-rock). 8 p.m. 104.1 FM or on the NewRock website.
Valley Echoes. Fairly new Substack newsletter (there’s also an Instagram account) with an emphasis on the live scene. Weekly updates on who’s playing where.
Flowing with Famous. Shameless self promotion. This is the monthly Fresno podcast I do with The Fresnan, Mike Seay. For the purpose of this newsletter January’s band of the episode is Kevin Hill.
That’s it for this week. Remember you can now hear me on the Homegrown Show Sundays at 8 p.m. on New Rock 104.1 FM. Follow my other writing at The Fresno Bee. If you have anything you think I need to be looking at or listening to, feel free to let me know: jtehee@gmail.com