The sounds of travel 1: Great Lake Swimmers

by Grant Martin on

Welcome to The Sounds of Travel, music that reminds of you travel, the places you’ve been and the things that you’ve seen. We’ve all got that favorite road trip song or mix tape that brings us back to the open road, to the hills of Patagonia or to the rolling waves of the Mediterranean. Listening to these pieces back at home brings us vividly back to that same spot, years later, daydreaming about the beauty of travel, the wonderful landscapes and the luster of freedom.

Here at Gadling we’ll be highlighting some of our favorite sounds from the road and giving you a sample of each — maybe you’ll find the same inspiration that we did, but at the very least, hopefully you’ll think that they’re good songs.

Week One: Great Lake Swimmers — Backstage with the Modern Dancers

Great Lake Swimmers’ third album, Ongiara, had just been released the week before I touched down in Buenos Aires, Argentina for a week long trip with a few close friends. On the bus from the airport into the city, I happened to meet a young Canadian woman en route to her hostel. Knowing that we had a large apartment already booked I invited her to join us and with little deliberation she ended up staying with us for the entire week.

Architecture in Buenos Aires is shockingly beautiful, with narrow cobble stone streets lined with tall ceilinged, ornate buildings on either side. Apart from the exquisite ironwork and stained glass featured on many structures, you could pick up many blocks from Paris, drop them in Buenos Aires and not know the difference.

Our apartment was no exception. With tall ceilings, a broad front room that opened out into the street, an entire wall of stained glass and three bedrooms, the unit was not only one of the best but also one of the least expensive properties that I have ever stayed in.

Throughout my visit I began to explore the depths of Ongiara. At times when the others were napping, out finding groceries or buying antiques, the haunting voice of Tony Dekker filled the tall corners of the rooms, echoing through the hallways and shimmering through the bedrooms.

Now, when I hear Backstage with the Moden Dancers I’m taken back to Buenos Aires, to the young woman I met on the bus and to perching out over the apartment ironwork, peering onto the street as the fall rain blanketed around us. I see the yellows and blues of the stained glass windows, feel the black fabric on her shirt and taste the Malbec that I drank every night for dinner.

“And all of these things I don’t think they should be — released” — Tony Dekker, Great Lake Swimmers.

Civil War driving tours in Southeast Tennessee

by Jamie Rhein on

Here is a part of the U.S. that makes travel to it easy–and inexpensive with planning.

Southeast Tennessee tourism has handily divided aspects of travel to this region of the U.S. into various themes. There’s the Music Trail, the Farm Trail, the Artists and Fine Crafters Trail, the Religious Trail, and the Civil War Trail.

Each theme highlights a unique aspect of Southeast Tennessee culture, traditions and history. Click on the Music Trail link and there you are in a history lesson from Blues to Bluegrass. A calendar provides info about where you can hear the area’s music and purchase music-related items.

The Civil War Trail is a do-it-yourself driving tour that takes travelers past the places where soldiers traveled. There is a mix of museums, battlefields, railroad beds and historic houses that span 10 counties. (Click here to order a brochure.)

Even if you don’t have the chance to head here any time soon, the Web site offers a fascinating trip into the past.

For example, did you know there was a group of female rebels who made up an all female unit? Click here to find out more.

The Steep Canyon Rangers are worth a road trip

by Meg Massie on

My 200-mile list is a collection of musicians for whose concerts I am willing to travel up to 200 miles (and often farther, really). Traveling for music is a great way to discover small towns, eclectic venues, and meet cool people who share your interests.

I’m not talking about stadium headliners — nothing against these concerts or musicians, but with many of these shows, you might as well be watching on television at home. You’re so much more present when you’re part of a smaller group, which is why I especially love the folk scene, hosted by all the best coffee houses in America. All members of my 200-mile list are folk musicians. Of course, “folk” covers a lot of ground.

Near the top of my list is the Steep Canyon Rangers, a young bluegrass band from North Carolina. Winners of the 2006 International Bluegrass Music Awards’ Emerging Artist of the Year title, the Rangers are up for Album of the Year and Gospel Recorded Performance of the Year at this year’s IBMA’s. Their sound is a solid mix of instrumentals, traditional and original bluegrass, and gospel, with lots of humor and fun thrown in.My favorite part of each Rangers show is a toss-up between their a capella gospel performance of Wade Mainer’s “I Can’t Sit Down” and their fan-favorite Nascar tune “Feelin’ Just a Little Like Dale.” Though I couldn’t care less about Nascar, I love how much fun the band has with this one — especially Nicky Sanders’ creative use of his fiddle to impersonate cars on the raceway and police sirens. In this song and all their others, the band has so much fun on stage, it spills into the audience and you can’t help but enjoy yourself (even if you hate Nascar).

In addition to great music, witty banter is a part of every show, and bass player Charles Humphrey will have you busting a gut. Check the Steep Canyon Rangers’ tour schedule to see if they’ll be coming within 200 miles of your hometown. If you want to say hi, you can find me at the Third Annual Mountain Song Festival, hosted by the Rangers themselves in Brevard, NC.

Below is a video of the Steep Canyon Rangers performing the title track from their latest album, Lovin’ Pretty Women.

Lavigne Too Hot For Malaysia?

by Josh Lew on

Malaysia’s main opposition party called on the government to cancel a concert featuring Canadian pop/punk princess Avril Lavigne. Why? The singer’s on-stage moves are too sexy. The Pan Malaysian Islamic Party’s youth wing made the request.

The government wrote off the request as moralist nonsense, right?

Actually, they took the advice seriously and canceled Lavigne’s concert. Aside from being “too sexy,” there was also something in the explanation from the Arts, Culture and Heritage Ministry about the concert being held on August 29th, just two days before Malaysia’s independence day.

How have other “sexy” artists fared in Malaysia in the past? Gwen Stefani was forced to cover up more than usual for a recent show. The Pussycat Dolls were actually fined for indecency in 2006. Beyonce moved her recent concert to Indonesia and Christina Aguilera opted for Singapore. The Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party even protests at some concert by Malaysian artists. One wonders how the censorship is going to jive with Malaysia’s Vision 2020, an ambitious project to join the list of fully developed nations by the year 2020.

Silent raves come to Madrid

by Abha Malpani on

I’ve never understood how the concept of a silent rave ever got popular. People in a club listening and dancing to their own music on headphones. The hook is around the fact that you can dance to whatever music you want in a social environment.

How is this fun? Why wouldn’t you just do the same at home? It’s a social thing, but when do you talk? On drink breaks?

The concept originated in the Netherlands some years ago under the notion of “going wild in silence”, and ever since has been floating around Europe. A couple of months ago, Union Square in New York held a huge “Silent Disco“, apparently the first ever in New York.

In Madrid, it’s come on a small scale. Organized by a youth center at their premises, I can’t imagine it to attract too large of a crowd, but then again, it’s Madrid — you just don’t know.

According to the CNN, the DJ’s involved in introducing the concept say that they are confident that in the ever changing world of clubbing, it’s better to be seen than heard. Hmmm.

I’d go to watch, but I doubt you can get away with just being a spectator to this silliness. Maybe I’ll just go and join in.