Open-Minded Adapting?...Or Lowering One's Standards?

The consequences of my actions were not lost on me. Let me tell you. Before moving to St. Thomas, I understood that in doing so, I deliberately placed myself smack dab into certain discomforts. Indeed, this was part of the point. Almost like manipulating the environment of a Sim chick out of pure curiosity in the result. How will she respond to living without convenient access to things she loves like seasons and sweet corn and art house movies?

While lush in many ways, the Virgin Islands are a virtual desert when it comes to new rock and Pop* music, a Current of which flowed freely in the Twin Cities, and from which I thirstily drank. One could even say I was a bit spoiled in this regard.

If I needed a live music fix, I could see under-the-radar star M. Ward at 1st Ave or news-coverage-grabbing Rage Against the Machine at the Target Center. Since very few nationwide tours skip the Twin Cities, I had the opportunity to catch whatever act excited me at the moment, and easily be home by midnight.

I patronized cool independent record stores, my favorite being the Electric Fetus for its consistent selection, fun location just south of downtown Minneapolis, and long history in the community. Growing up, Mom always pointed the Fetus out to me when we drove on I-35 to the city from Iowa. (More often than not the trip was dedicated to seeing a rock show—few tours stops in Iowa.) She often shopped there during her brief stint in Minneapolis after high school. This knowledge always made buying music at the Fetus an extra special experience, akin to ancestral traditions like eating lefsa during the Holidays.

And, of course, The Current kept my discerning ears stimulated throughout the work day. The MPR rock radio station never failed to challenge my taste and keep me abreast of the best in new innovative and interesting (mostly indie) rock and pop.

Island radio formats consist of mass-appeal pap, Caribbean music, and Christian talk. I was, of course, completely aware of this. To keep somewhat plugged in, I planned to podcast Sound Opinions and Musicheads, read music mags and blogs, and hopefully catch a festival in the States during the summer. Any music shopping would be done online, as I assumed (however, still have not confirmed) that the music shops here don’t cater to rocker types like myself.

I figured the closest I’d get to enjoying live music on island would consist of a mediocre bar band.

So, it was mild excitement I felt when, during a brief listen to the modern rock station that broadcasts from St. Croix, I happened to hear an advertisement for Once, a Pearl Jam cover band scheduled to play on island in early December. Of course, I planned to check it out. A $5 cover and a trip to the East End are totally worth it for rare entertainment like this on St. Thomas. At the very least, I knew it would be a fun blog post to write.

To be continued…


*I mean Pop Music here in the large sense. In my mind, the small pop, defines artists of an inane variety such as Miley Cyrus and the Jonas Brothers, whereas Pop in the large sense can refer to artists as diverse as the oft disturbing Iggy Pop, as well as the anti-sellout Neil Young. Mayhap this makes sense to you. Mayhap not.