Other Stuff You Might Like: Sleepover Shows

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Sleepover Shows is the brainchild of husband and wife duo Kelly and Rob Ribera (with emeritus member Aviv Rubenstein).  The site is dedicated to filming musicians as they pass through Boston in my home state of Massachusetts.  The results are impressive, covering a wide range of styles and settings in much the same vein as They Shoot Music or La Blogothèque.  Here’s how Sleepover Shows describes its mission:

Sleepover Shows are three song sets of acoustic or stripped down versions performed by bands that we love as they make their way through Boston. Though it started as something we did when bands needed a place to crash on the night of their shows, we now mostly film the sessions before or after a show and let the bands find their own ways home (though the offer still stands).

Basically, we try to use our spaces as creatively as we can.  We’ve filmed in the back seats of cars, on top of playground equipment, in doorways and alleys, in bathtubs and stairwells.  We try our best to get the bands to take their music outside of the confines of the studio and have some fun.

And that’s the point: to capture some great music that maybe isn’t always as polished, but shows these artists having a good time doing what they love. We’re doing what we love too, and hope you enjoy the videos!

Gathered here are some of my favorite sessions from the site, but I strongly encourage you to head over and browse for yourself!

Marissa Nadler:

Damien Jurado

Horse Feathers

Boston String Players

Other Stuff You Might Like: Live and Breathing

Continuing our series of excellent websites that serve up live, impromptu music sessions, I bring you Live and Breathing.  The site’s Co-founder, Justin Glanville, describes the site’s mission: “We formed this company because our own lives are inspired so deeply by music, and because we want to create a platform for these hard-working artists to get their music out into the world (and maybe to help fill their gas tanks along the way).”  It’s a noble mission, and a site well worth visiting.  Let’s take a look…

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Other Stuff You Might Like: Daytrotter

Chances are, you already know Daytrotter.  But in a series about excellent music websites, it’s almost criminal not to mention Sean Moeller’s extraordinary website.  Since 2007, the site has been serving up excellent, intimate music sessions for the masses.  Their motto: “One band a day, every day, 28 Daytrotter Session songs each week.”  Here’s how it works: Bands take a couple of hours out of their travels to visit The Horseshack in Rock Island, IL., where they then record a variety of tracks.  Daytrotter puts together some art, and an oft-amusing description of the session, and gives the music away on their site.  It’s an amazingly expansive collection, too, and a true marvel that it’s all done in a not-for-profit enterprise.  And while picking out highlights in this collection is like trying to pick out a favorite piece of sand on a pristine beach, I’ll do my best.

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Other Stuff You Might Like: Mountain Stage

Ages ago, I found this R.E.M. bootleg at a now-defunct record shop.  It was wonderful, and intimate, and full of strange cover versions I had never heard.  Just before launching into “World Leader Pretend,” Michael Stipe says: “We’re really happy to be here at Mountain Stage.  We’re surrounded by really good people, and we’re gonna do a couple songs for you.”  At the time, I had no idea where, or what, Mountain Stage was… but I wanted to be there.  Years later, thanks to the magic of the Internet and NPR Music, I get to experience amazing, live concerts by an enormous array of musicians. And so can you!

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Other Stuff You Might Like: La Blogotheque

Many of the sites I’ve featured in the “Other Stuff You Might Like” series have a common thread: excellent, impromptu concerts by established and upcoming musicians.  We’ve looked at Luxury Wafers, Black Cab Sessions, They Shoot Music – Don’t They, and NPR Music.  (And I’m sure to get around to Daytrotter before too long…)  Now, from France, we’ve got the excellent blog La Blogotheque, and its excellent Take-Away Shows (or, if you prefer, Les Concerts à Emporter).  The site’s catalog of artists is truly amazing, as are the performances, and so I invite you to come have a look…

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