The Sunday Chill is Dead
Our old newsletter concept, The Sunday Chill, is dead. It’s dead because it needed innovation, and it’s dead because I kept forgetting to send it out on a set day each month.
From now on, our emails will be focused on one main idea and will be sent out as often as once per week. They will also live in the newly-created Newsletters section of our website. This will mean more timely updates and much better communication about our content and events.
Since there has been so much, this should have went out three times over before our recent show at the Music Farm. This email is really just a jump-starter. I’ll have to keep catching up with further installments later this week or next.
This is a pretty long email, but I hope you’ll stick with me, because I have lots of insights to share.
SXSW 2024 Highlights
Any of you who do keep up with us on Instagram probably saw that I attended SXSW this year. I spent a week exploring Austin and there’s a lot of content that came from that, and more still to come. I’m a little behind schedule on my main writeup, but it is coming soon.
There are two places currently where you can read about SXSW 2024 on Extra Chill. The first is a blog post that contains all the best bands I saw, and the second is my daily notes in the community, taken during the festival.
The Austin Music scene is really special and I had a lot to say about it in my notes, including my personal plans to move cross-country later this year.
Like I said, there is more to come, so stay tuned.
Our Fortress for Independent Music
I first shared our new community forum almost 2 months ago, and now it’s fully up-and-running with almost 150 members. I put a lot of hard work into creating a space for music discussion, connection, and collaboration, and I would love it if you joined us there.
By joining our community, you contribute to the overall cause of Extra Chill, which is to champion independent music and start a movement that we can all be proud of. If you care about what we do here, joining the community is a great way to show love and support for this small business.
And it’s free, so I’m really just asking you to spend 30 seconds of your day to create an account and check out what I’ve built. Can you do that for me? Here’s the signup link.
Would also love some feedback of any kind, even if it’s tough love. I want to make it as good as it can possibly be, and I can’t do it without your help.
Be Part of Something Bigger Than Yourself
One thing that first drew me to the music scene was the feeling of community that came from attending local shows and seeing artists grow and succeed. Being in the crowd is more than just the simple fact of standing there watching a band. It’s a contribution to the greater good and it builds the scene from the ground up. Every person makes a difference, and has something to add.
In a time when corporate control has infected the entire music industry, our local scenes are more valuable than ever. We create a movement by continuously going to shows, meeting people, and collaborating, and over time, it becomes something really cool and special for all involved.
Extra Chill seeks to embody this spirit in our everyday actions, and nowadays we only work with people and ideas that are mutually beneficial, collaborative, and enriching to the story behind the music.
How Can You Help?
Come to some shows. Join our community. Read our articles. Share them. Tell your friends about what we do here. Like I said, every little bit counts.
Our next show is coming up on April 27th at The Royal American in Charleston, SC with Persona La Ave (traveling from Brooklyn) and Abstract – That Rapper (with a full band). Details via the poster below or here.
Stay tuned for more updates, and much love from Extra Chill!
Upcoming Shows
TWEN with Mantra at Charleston Pour House – Sunday, June 9th: Tickets & more info here.
Speaking of Dead
For the heads that made it this far, how about an exploration of Jerry Garcia’s “Mission in the Rain”? One of the most personal Jerry songs out there, and one of my all-time favorites. I can just picture him walking around the San Francisco Mission without a care in the world.
Jerry was known for being fiercely independent, and the Grateful Dead inspired our community-driven focus very much. This seems like a fitting place to send off.
Cheers and thank you for reading Extra Chill!
