I’m back in the boisterous Provo Coffee Pod, a little bewildered. Despite the draw of the Utah Pride Festival this weekend in SLC there are still numerous iPhone metro-bohemians left in Utah County on a Sunday afternoon. I guess the population skews back to the other side of the tracks over the Summer. Much of the ecclesiastically endorsed BYU demographic recedes back out of Zion and we’re left with more tattoos, piercings, and (god forbid) sun dresses. I’m only complaining because I’d rather be tucked away in a nice quiet corner of the public library, but that kind of establishment is considered to be ungodly and an abomination on the Sabbath. Since I’ve lived in Provo so long I had the impression that all libraries are closed on Sundays, to let the dusty, weary books, and their librarian curators, rest their spines. But then I came across a library with its doors unlocked, lights turned on, and literary select diverse – and open on a Sunday. So now I’ve got that pebble in my shoes.

I guess I was pretty grouchy in my last post from months ago. Wow, since February. I had recently launched my little live365 playlist – thanks to anyone who tried it out. I get an email once in a while with the subject “They like you!” if someone adds me to their presets. Anyway, I was also getting cranky about how it can be hard, and most time futile, to find anything interesting. What I do appreciate is the depth of the “long tail” movies and documentaries in the catalog – they’re just not easy to access. Either by dumb luck or focused research I have come across some great music docu-concerts, such as Upside Down (Creation Records), Hit So Hard (Patty Schemel of Hole), and recently Shut Up and Play the Hits (LCD Soundsystem). Each of those was a gem and helped hold onto the dream that there are still many more selections that make it worthwhile.

Speaking of LCD Soundsystem, I admit I just got to know one of their records a couple of weeks ago. I heard Sound of Silver, thought it was incredibly clever and current. I was instantly hooked and pleading with Amazon to, “Take my money, please!” I played it to digital tatters for the next week. Then I realized it’s over seven years old. Then I realized the guy is the anti-thesis of a hipster disco star, he’s a frumpy, middle-age white guy. Then I realized the band retired with an epic farewell concert over three years ago. Then I realized there was an endearing, bitter-sweet docu-concert on Netflix that made me a little misty eyed. As a footnote, members of Arcade Fire joined in for that show, and I only recently began to appreciate them, and I am glad I have caught them before they will host their own “last song, ever.” By the wisdom of Stephen Colbert, James Murphy of LCD Soundsytem was admonished for stepping out of line of the tragic rock start syndrome to get out of the business by either overdose, over-staying your welcome, or indulging in an embarrassing artistic flop (Spiderman Turn Off the Dark). Instead of crash/burn/fade-out, LCD Soundsystem had a brilliant and memorable time for ten years, they’re all healthy and happy, and they’re free to enjoy coffee shops on Sunday afternoons.