Hot-Flash Solstice
& other reasons to celebrate!
My cousin asked me about the Fuck Yeah Friday! zine theme earlier in the week, and I told her I had no clue. Typically, I let the theme bubble up as the week unfolds.
This week’s good-good includes Juneteenth, summer solstice, and a job offer! It feels like there’s a lot to celebrate.
I like to keep my expectations in check, so let’s dive into the deep end of the pool and see what’s next.
What IS Juneteenth?
June 19th is the day the slaves in Texas finally received word via Galveston that they were free.
On June, 19 1865, Union Major-General Gordon Granger read General Order No. 3 to the people of Galveston:
"The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labor. The freedmen are advised to remain quietly at their present homes and work for wages. They are informed that they will not be allowed to collect at military posts and that they will not be supported in idleness either there or elsewhere."
Word didn't travel quickly in those days, plus the folks in charge weren’t in a hurry to give up free labor and power over humans. *This shit is alive and well in our prison systems and many of our public school systems.
Don’t worry, we won’t go there because this is all about positivity, but let’s be REAL-FUCKING-REAL for a moment: HISTORY WILL REPEAT ITSELF IF WE ARE NOT EXTREMELY FUCKING CAREFUL.
In 2021 Juneteenth became a national holiday! Hopefully there will be fireworks included in future celebrations, as a bill was proposed this past March to extend firework sales for Juneteenth. Some cities allowed it without the bill being in place, and I think this is a step in the right direction.
Dig This!
I am admittedly late to Stereolab. I remember a conversation in the 90s with a friend of mine about how he was surprised I didn’t like them on the way to another friend’s college graduation.
It’s not that I didn’t like them, I didn’t know them! I didn’t have aural exposure to their genius and sound at that time. Fast wayyy forward to the early 2000s and another buddy gave me a copy of the 1997 album, “Dots and Loops”, which absolutely blew my mind.
Through the years I’ve become a fan and was absolutely delighted when I had the opportunity to see them play Dallas’ Granada Theater in 2019.
I’m on the Warp Records mailing list and received some emails with information about their latest release, but because I’m weird, I kept putting off listening to it. Well, it came to me last night while I was driving! I was listening to something on Spotify, when a song from their new album started playing. Once I realized what was happening, I said, “Siri, play Stereolab’s new album.”
Y’all! “Instant Holograms on Metal Film” is so fucking good and exactly what you need to dig into on the loooooongest weekend of the year. If you know and love Stereolab you’ll like it, if you’re new to them, it’s a great intro and there’s no way you won’t enjoy the catchy beats and quirky sounds. I love a solid alto female singing voice and Lætitia Sadier never disappoints. You’ll find her croon to be somewhere between uplifting, haunting, and comfortably French. Sounding just as beautiful backed by horns, a vibraphone and synthesizers.
I don’t have a favorite song yet, but many of them made me close the map app while I was driving to see what track I was listening to.
Other Musical Things This Weekend:
Totally bizarrely, Digable Planets are playing TONIGHT, Friday, June 20 at 9:00 pm in Waco, Texas, for free at a park. I might go, just for the hell of it.
Also, PHISH summer tour kicks off tonight in New Hampshire. Next week Phish is playing TWO NIGHTS here in Austin, TX. Friday and Saturday, June 27 & 28 at the Moody Center. See you there? Yes.
For a little pre-planning, put July 19 on your calendar for the next Dallas Ambient Music Night show at the famous Texas Theatre. *And stay tuned as we might have an interview with Cody McPhail at a later date.
Read more about my bad-ass friend and his project here.
Cuteness Overload
I love bats. They’re the neatest and cutest lil flying mammals out there and in central Texas we’re lucky to be surrounded by them. (Partial thanks to the constant flow of mosquitoes, but again this is a place for positivity only.)
Check out the Texas Parks and Wildlife Dept.’s video at Bracken Cave. If nothing else, fast forward to see them flying out of the cave. It’s so freakin’ cool. It’s on my list to check out IRL.
Tell us what you’re up to this weekend wherever you live! What are you listening to this week? What’s keeping you afloat and happy? I’m always looking for new ways to see the world.
Happy Juneteenth and Happy Solstice!
Fingers crossed for you! Happy solstice!