Dear Rocka readers,
Welcome to August’s Rocka Mag Recap.
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This month I worked with lovely French Cassettes, got my first discount code to a festival, and visited a few historic LA venues.
“Utah” came up on my Discover Weekly a few months ago and sparked a memory of a little band called French Cassettes. Upon my deep dive (stalking/ research), I realized I had actually heard of the Frenchies many years before through one of their old albums. I listened to their 2020 record “Rolodex” on my drive from Michigan to Colorado after my semester ended. It was a particularly tricky semester, and I almost dropped out in January. So man was it a relief to finally escape the hellscape that is the 10 month Michigan winters and head home.
I remember playing “Santa Cruz Tomorrow” on a loop.
Undo your tongue
Are you as sad as you are young?
Now you can tell me if I'm wrong
But I think you need some sleep
The second line is what I’ve been mulling over for a while now. I won’t burden you with any philosophical takeaways… I just like the lyric.
I’m not sure what higher power I believe in, but for now I’ll say “thanks” to the holy Algorithm that dictates most of modern life. Thanks for reintroducing the Frenchies into my library at a time in my life in which levity and joy was much needed.
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I woke up to an email about the Newground Music Festival in Knoxville this September. It was yet another instance of Knoxville, TN liking me more than my actual hometown. I’ll be in Nashville sometime this fall, but won’t be there for the festival.
BUT:
If you use code “rocka,” you’ll get 20% off of your tickets. As a child of the internet, it is insanely funny and surreal to have my own code. I feel like a Youtuber. I will need at least one person to purchase a ticket and go otherwise this’ll be embarrassing for all of us.
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I went to a few shows in July, but the most notable one was Lime Cordiale at the Troubadour.
I’ve been listening to Lime since 2015! I’m adding an exclamation point because I am even surprised at that fact. I almost got to interview them forever ago when I first started Rocka and sent an email to their contact probably 5 times.
There was a mild disappointment in my life a few days before, and nothing cures a mild existential crisis like a concert. And damn, it was a show. The group came out in embroidered custom suits that looked like a gang of Sgt. Pepper’s newest recruits. The setlist was long and dynamic, mixing their hits with some deep cuts from their old records. Louis and Oli’s dad was even in the audience, up in the balcony surrounded by the crowd. My favorite line of the night was a tasteful “thanks for the sperm, dad!” halfway through the set.
If Lime does anything, it’s have fun. I mean, earlier this year they released an EP with Idris Elba. And it’s awesome. They’re talented, strange musicians and they also have the energy of thirteen year old boys. I have a feeling that the next time I see them, it will be at a much larger venue. Luckily, I snagged myself a setlist.
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This month’s mix has some Frenchies, some Lime, & some folksy tunes as we head into the later part of summer. The spotlight track is “Stay Out of It” by Michigander, which has a sick music video you can watch here. It’s all about the masterful balance of talking and listening, one we can only sometimes strike perfectly. I’m seeing Michigander in Detroit this fall, so let me know if any midwest Rocka readers are going to that as well. Wish me luck as I return back to the midwest.
Stay in the loop with me by adding your email address below. You can add me to your contacts list so my letters don’t get sent to spam. I won’t spam you, mostly because I can barely keep up with what I have on my plate. I’m most active on Instagram, but you can find @rockamag on all socials. Send me a tune, a message, or even a hate note.
Rocka out,
Alexandra
(+the rockamag team of S, J & T)