Live Music Friday: Vibes for Free
A Friday Funday edition of Fierce Resilience! Instead of writing about the science of how we feel better, I'm skipping to what actually triggered my own pleasure. Maybe it will do that for you too...
In the immortal words of the Black Eyed Peas, let’s get it started (“…huh! Let’s get it started, yeah!”). [SorryNotSorry, I can’t withhold the urge to quote early aughts chart toppers]
The weekend is mere hours away and it’s the right time to set the tone.
In the frankest of terms, I found myself feeling a bit unmoored and in an absolute cesspool of emotions yesterday. So the inspiration for today's post is completely guttural. It comes from an instinctive place deep within my nervous system. So tthis week, instead of writing about the science of how we feel better, I just skipped to the part where I share what actually triggered my own pleasure. Maybe it will do that for your too.
Here’s a gentle reminder that I give myself when I feel a swirl of emotions: we’re all just simple humans, navigating life and its emotional triggers on a moment-to-moment basis. And to that end, sometimes we crave an outside stimulus that matches our vibe so we can lean into it hard, and other times we reach for a reset to shift our energy into a new, more refreshing direction.
So, taking inspiration from my own week, I’ve assembled what might be the most eclectic collection of five different sounds ever presented in one email.
Because, vibes.
Whether you need to lean into some rock or reset with some nature, here is
THE MOST ECLECTIC MINI PLAYLIST OF ALL TIME
Well, less of a playlist, and more like a grab bag for your emotional turntable. We’re starting off with tracks from 90s darling, Tori Amos.
Quite out of the blue, while driving on a freeway in Austin yesterday, Tori Amos came to mind. Being on this particular stretch, familiar to me since my college days, I’m sure I had a subconscious flashback. And since my college roommate introduced me to Tori Amos way back then, I tell you, I wanted to wanted to play her RIGHT THAT MOMENT. Did I? No, because I wasn't going to try to pull up Spotify while driving 70 miles an hour. But welcome to my indulgence, right here.
We’ve got a video of Silent All These Years, live from the early 90s here. As well as her Tiny Desk concert on NPR from 2022 with "Baker Baker," "Ocean to Ocean," and "29 Years." (Due to the pandemic it was broadcast from her home…OMG, GORG). But if you really need to get into it, here’s audio for a full hour’s worth of Tori badassery. <3
Taking a hard left into a completely different sound… Birds.
If you've been watching The Residence on Netflix, you may be thinking about birds. I know I really want to see a falcon. Similar to the protagonist in the comedy, my husband and I are bird nerds. We simply love birds. We discovered this affliction a few years ago–not shockingly right around the pandemic, when all we could do is look out the windows.
We've been very excited about the emergence of a cardinal couple in our backyard and some baby Blue Jays—I'll say it again, baby Blue Jays1—in the trees flanking our deck. They've since flown the coop, but the sounds of birds still fill the backyard and having moved back to Texas just months ago, I realize there is a certain symphony specific to Texas. I mean, I guess that’s obvious but so often you don’t realize it until you leave and come back. I don't know exactly what I’m listening to in my yard, but this video from the Texas Bird Nerds (MY PEOPLE), replicates my gentle morning reset.
…But sometimes you just have to rock out, ya know?
In truly divine timing, this banger came on while I was stuck in bumper to bumper traffic, taking me back to my middle school days when (cue: “back in my day”) we did *actually* dance (which means headbang) to Metallica at school dances. Sigh….
Ah, now that we’ve worked out our adrenals, let’s give that parasympathetic nervous system a reset, shall we?
I love a sound bath, and singing bowls are often featured prominently in their orchestration. According to some, it’s a vibe reset to a heavenly frequency.
Here’s NINE HOURS worth of singing bowls for ya…
And then, this.
Oh, Dolores.
My heart still breaks for her absence in our world.
But this video celebrates of just how simply astounding and fantastic she is. Dolores O’Riordan’s voice is still unmatched.
I started my week cranking this track at full blast on my living room speakers thanks to seeing a friend share this unknown-to-me clip on Instagram. The Cranberries were my first concert. They, and she, will always have a special place in my heart.
I hope you have a great weekend.
And until next time,
xx M
Though, from recent research, I realize that *maybe* they’re Tufted Titmouse (titmouses?titmice?)