Everything I do in life has music in it somehow, literally like a soundtrack playing. The most amazing thing about music is the way it can see you through the best and very worst times in your life.

The in-between times seem to be when most people listen to the radio or put their iPods on shuffle. But when it really counts, when you know in 20 years you’re going to remember what you heard that day, that’s when you think harder about what you will hear.

For example, choosing the songs for your wedding day can take forever. When it comes to needing comfort or wallowing in despair, it’s strange, but the song choices seem to come easier. A song either resonates enough with the listener to work during this time or it doesn’t.

Today dealt with the latter for me, and as soon as I woke up this morning I put together a playlist. It’s a combination of songs that are just mellow enough to calm me, but happy enough to not be depressing.

I’m curious as to what everyone else would put on a playlist for specific situations. We have a feature on the Weekender page in the newspaper called Mixed Tape. It’s not a list of your 10 favorite songs, it’s a specific list of songs you would put together for a playlist.

Mixed_tape
I would love to have everyone’s list, so please submit one to jmartin@whig.com and we will publish it. Or if that’s to much work, throw one up as a comment on this blog.

Now there’s something I need to say that you may seem a bit bossy, but GO TO A SHOW THIS WEEKEND!

There is no excuse. The weather is supposed to be beautiful and there is nearly every genre of music at several locations to choose from. Everything from acoustic at Spirit Knob to metal at Midwest Fear Fest in Hannibal to an ’80s cover band in Macomb.

Below are the live event listings for the weekend. Pick one and hit it up.


UPCOMING SHOWS


Hairbangers Ball (rock)

WHEN: 9 p.m. Thursday

WHERE: The Forum, 124 S. Lafayette, Macomb, Ill.

INFO: www.myspace.com/hairbangersball

 

Staggard (country/southern rock)

WHEN: 7 p.m. Friday

WHERE: The Grape Festival, Nauvoo, Ill.

INFO: www.myspace.com/staggard

 

Pike Station (pop/Southern rock)

WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Friday

WHERE: Pittsfield Fall Festival, Pittsfield, Ill.

INFO: www.myspace.com/pikestation

 

Anniversary show with Mayhew the Traitor, Dope Boy Allstars, The

Ghostwrite, Katchmare and Black Magic (indie)

WHEN: 8 p.m. Friday

WHERE: The Day Old Basement, 1111 W. Adams, Macomb, Ill.

HOW MUCH: Donations welcome

INFO: www.myspace.com/thedayoldbasement

 

Spirit Knob Winery’s “Wine Down” with Cheeks McGee (acoustic)

WHEN: 7 p.m. Friday

WHERE: Spirit Knob Winery, 2213 E. 640th, Ursa, Ill.

HOW MUCH: $5, patrons 21 years of age and older welcome

INFO: www.spiritknob.com

 

MIDWEST FEAR FEST with NoCeBo, Anti-product, Giant Killing Machine,

Doomface and many more (metal)

WHEN: noon Saturday

WHERE: American Legion, 3819 Highway, Hannibal, Mo.

INFO: www.myspace.com/noceboitsallinyourmind

 

Comatose Kitty, Neighborhood Ghost and The Popular Vote! (rock)

WHEN: 7 p.m. Saturday

WHERE: Music @ the Mall, 300 Main, Keokuk, Iowa

HOW MUCH: $5, all ages welcome

INFO: www.myspace.com/musicatthemall

 

TORQUE and All’s Forgotten (rock)

WHEN: 8 p.m. Saturday

WHERE: Kerley’s, 214 N. Maine, Hannibal, Mo.

HOW MUCH: $5

INFO: www.myspace.com/torquerocks and www.myspace.com/allsforgotten

 

Nigel Mack & The Blues Attack (blues/funk)

WHEN: 9 p.m. Saturday

WHERE: The Club, 1023 N. 10th

HOW MUCH: free

INFO: www.myspace.com/nigelmack

 

The Mudcats (country/rock-a-billy)

WHEN: 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Sunday

WHERE: American Legion, 116 N. Eighth

Don’t forget to come back Monday for another blog. Be safe and have a wonderful weekend!

Contact me at jmartin@whig.com.