No More FOMO: Go on Couch Tour
As someone who travels full-time and gets to explore the far-reaches of the world, I usually operate on a fairly low FOMO. Having “fear of missing out” makes me feel pretty bratty when I’m off smelling cherry blossoms in Tokyo or SCUBA diving with manta rays in Bali.
But, hey, let’s talk about what’s really important here: live music! Some of my favorite musicians aren’t getting any younger. There’s a limited number of concerts left for some of the best bands of my time — and while I’m galivanting around the globe, some seriously awesome music is being performed.
We’re in the beginnings of yet another epic music festival season, and here I am 12 hours ahead of some of the best performances. Well, thanks to the miracle of live-streaming, I get to enjoy even more music than I would could just attending one festival. In the last couple days, I’ve been waking up to hours and hours of awesome shows streaming live from my laptop. I’ve been jamming out while cooking breakfast and dancing around my living room in between my writing assignments.
I’m in the middle of a righteous couch tour!
Yesterday, I started the day watching a reggae set by Slightly Stoopid, then sang along with the gracefully aging Bob Weir playing with the Wolf Bros at the BeachLife Festival in California. Then with a switch of the wrist, I was suddenly late-night at Tipitina’s in New Orleans for the funky Turkuaz, in town for the Jazz & Heritage Festival. My soundtrack for today’s work? Some classic 80’s punk with the Violent Femmes live!
No, I’m not in the high energy of the crowd. I’m not feeling the direct vibrations of the musicians. The lights that create geometric patterns overhead aren’t shining in my eyes. And sometimes, the video feed is a little weird. But that doesn’t make me love couch tours any less.
Anyone who’s been to a music festival knows that it takes experience and skills to stay feeling great after standing and dancing for hours in the middle of a field surrounded by thousands of your friends. It’s certainly more comfortable to be, literally, on the couch. I just had a snack of a half of an avocado and some green tea. My clean, private bathroom is four steps away.
When listening to music online, I always set up my computer to play out of my speakers for the best sound. If you aren’t halfway around the world and have lots of friends around, then by all means — invite them over! Share some craft beers and make some festy foods. Life can be a festival, no matter where you are.
True, it’s not the same magic as seeing live music. But when you can’t, I give it up to live music streams. Wondering where to find these? The key is to plan ahead. Of course, when Jamiroquai streamed live from Coachella last year, I learned about it five minutes beforehand. Guess who dropped her plans and danced around her living room? Keeping up on your favorite bands, knowing what festivals are on and who is playing will help you schedule your couch-touring and greatly reduce any FOMO you may feel this festival season.
Try these great online resources for finding live streams:
· http://nugs.net (They'll often show one or two songs for free, then ask you to pay for the rest of the show.)
· Facebook — Be sure to follow your favorite your bands, which should let you know if and when they’re broadcasting their set
· Your friends — sometimes, there isn’t an official stream for a show, but there will be someone doing it (illegally) in the audience. Hop on their stream and keep mum so no one official finds out.
And if you’re one of those friends of friends who have hooked me up over the years of watching live music online, thank you! If you have other sources, please share them in the comments below. You know I want to learn — and dance!
