Etree

I love etree. When I have the time, I hit it up four or five times a day. I sift thru it. I study it. I find it fascinating. I find myself spending an inordinate amount of time wondering about things like "Who really needs every single Indigo Girls show from the past 15 years? Did their shows really vary that much? Did they have any other songs other than 'Closer To Fine'?" But that's what's so great about etree. You can get all sorts of questions answered. (Apparently, the IG's DID have more than one song. Ditto for Blind Melon.)

But my favorite part of etree is checking out which bands get downloaded the most. The usual suspects are there: Phish, Dead, Dave, etc. With these bands, as soon as a new show gets posted - either from the previous night or one from the archives - almost immediately there are upwards of 25-30 seeders. But then there are the other bands, coinicidentally posted in a section that etree calls "Other." (Makes sense). I love checking these bands out. Sometimes just for the names (e.g. Electric Apricot). Sometimes for nostalgia (e.g. Allgood). And sometimes for the novelty (e.g. Joss Stone!). Then there are the times when there is a collision between a large amount of seeders with a band that falls into the "Other" category. And that's why I decided to download a Dire Straits show recently.

"Sultans Of Swing" - Dire Straits, 6/20/92 Bedfordshire, England

Like most people who grew up in the 80s, I know a little about Dire Straits. It was called "Brothers In Arms." As I got older, I learned a little bit more. It was called "Sultans Of Swing." And that's where I really was able to appreciate the briiliance of Mark Knopfler, who is truly a great musician. I found this show under "Other" and saw that it was being seeded by about 30 people. I figured, what the heck? I'll check it out. And you know what? It's damn good. I find myself listening to it a lot. It rages at times. It's bluesy at times. And sure, it borders on "smooth jazz" at other times. But it always comes back to Knopfler's amazing guitar work. He's so underrated that sometimes he makes me want to punch Clapton in the face.

Try downloading the show here.

FINALLY!

File this one in the "Better Late Than Never" department. Yes, yes, I have become one of those guys who wants instant gratification, especially when it comes to live music downloads. In college, I used to consider myself lucky if I came across a Phish tape that had been recorded within the past year. But oh how a decade of technical advancement will change a music freak like me. If I don't see a show up on the various sites (etree, archive.org, etc.) within 12 minutes of the final notes being played then I start planning my tri-state killing spree. And when the words "late night" and "Bonnaroo" are involved, well, then that lag time gets cut to 6 minutes. That's why I have been moaning to many people over the past two months, chanting the same mantra: "WHERE THE HELL IS THAT SECRET MACHINES SHOW FROM BONNAROO????" I can finally find peace and zen in my world because someone has posted it. And to them I say a big, fat, funky-fresh "Thank you."

"First Wave" - Secret Machines, 6/11/2005 Manchester, TN

Secret Machines are, without a doubt, the only I band I will tell everyone - I mean, EVERYONE - that they must see live. Umphrey's is just not going to be most people's cup o' tea. String Cheese? Please. Even Widespread I know is just not for everyone (blaspheme!).

Try getting the torrent here.