#Southern Rock Opera

[emotionally-charged-arson]

Transitus Should Be Set In New England (Northeastern United States) - A List

By: A Midwestern American

It’s on my to-do list to spruce up the album’s wikipedia page and I’ll probably ask Arjen about location directly at some point for it. But for now, for fanfiction’s sake: 

It is never explicitly stated where in the world the real-world portion of Transitus takes place. You can glean from basic context that it’s somewhere in the Global West but no real locations are stated by the lyrics, narration or liner notes.

I think the default is to assume it’s set in Great Britain, which is totally reasonable. Daniel’s family is consistently referred to as a “house,” hinting at noble status. The plot and setting are heavily inspired by that of Downton Abbey, right down to the uptown girl character dying horrifically and their racially discriminated servant spouse having a five-alarm crisis about it after the two were cut off financially from the uptown girl’s family. 

That’s how I initially thought of it. Easy (not really), inconsequential Victorian setting. 

But now, after a lot of research and writing and just sitting around and thinking about it, I have an alternate suggestion.

I think the story fits and would actually be more effective if it were set in New England, aka the farthest Northeast region of the United States. Specifically Connecticut but that’s not as relevant as it taking place in this region/country overall. I’ll go through the major arguments for this one by one, getting more plot-relevant as they go. Hopefully, given historical context and narrative themes, you’ll see my point here. 

New England highlighted on a map of the U.S., comprising the states of Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island. The entire west side of the region borders New York State.

Enjoy. 🔥🇺🇸

1. Nationalities of Main Cast

The weakest point, but worth mentioning. Three of the six human characters in Transitus, a majority and the most of any Ayreon album, are played by American singers: Amanda Somerville, Cammie Beverly, and Dee Snider. Dee Snider being the most notable because his character is this staunch, traditionalist patriarch guy who’s on Daniel’s back about the Old Ways, and from there I think it’s safe to assume this guy’s family has been in the spot they’re in for more than a few generations.

I personally really like integrating certain non-personality-related traits from irl singers into their characters, and I think nationality applies to that nicely in this context. 19th century New England aristocrats were usually one of two categories: generationally wealthy European wannabes that take an insane amount of pride in their colonial ancestry, or “self-made” business tycoons that made ungodly amounts of money during the Second Industrial Revolution.

More on that second category in a second, but given the very, very limited information we get on Dee’s character, he gives me more of that high-and-mighty old money vibe.

Also, with almost zero canon evidence: I am completely glued to the idea that The Soprano, played by a very Dutch Dianne van Giersbergen, is the ghost of Daniel and Henry’s mother. Like I will die on this hill. Coincidentally, Connecticut, a state I picked from New England almost entirely at random, was first colonized by Dutch settlers, setting it apart from a few other Northeast states. If we’re keeping with the Nationality of the Parent Characters Carrying Through From Real Life theme, then that would create a very strong tie between Daniel’s family and their home state, further emphasizing the father's prioritizing of retaining status and “proper breeding.”

2. Weirdly Specific Combo of Architectural Styles

I genuinely cannot think of any other place where these three buildings could possibly exist in close proximity to each other, like-

Daniel’s family’s house (bottom right) is by far the strongest visual argument you can make for Transitus being set in Britain, like that is an 18th century English manor house through and through. Fair enough, but:

The East Coast US is a bunch of former colonies that were under British rule in the Georgian period (1714-1837), hence the name “New England.” A lot of the architecture from that time is reflective of this, especially in the older Northern colonies. Southern ones tend to follow the Greek Revival/Neoclassical styles more.

I’d believe the Britain argument here if it wasn’t for the other two houses’ whole situation. Too much US-adjacent design present in this specific region for you to go “yea but the mansion, though” at the mansion that could also exist in said specific region.

As much as I don’t like this as a design choice in the comic: Abby’s parent’s house (bottom left) is a frontier log cabin. These became very, very common during Westward expansion, fueled by the Homestead Act in 1862, the Manifest Destiny Doctrine present throughout the 19th century, the California Gold Rush in 1848, etc… The style wasn’t exclusive to the West though, and a bunch are still standing in the rural East Coast.

Cabins in Blue Ridge, Virginia and Hampton, Connecticut, respectively

As I said, I think it’s just a very odd choice. Among other reasons, the only part of this house that’s plot-essential is that it has a set of stairs for Lavinia to snap her neck on, and these things are pretty much always single floor structures.

Girl, where do those even lead to???

I dunno. I just don't like it, even if it supports my point. It should have been a little two-story rowhouse. Moving on.

These houses existed outside the US. It’s a plain, utilitarian style that shows up all over the place in Europe, even if they’re more synonymous and symbolic to America.

The main house, though, Daniel and Abby’s, narrows it down a bit more. It really reminds me of the Second Empire style, popular in the Northeast and Midwest regions at the time.

The John M. Davies house (Connecticut) and Terrace Hill (Iowa), both built in the mid-late 1860s.

Blocky base, mansard roof, giant statement piece (i.e. a tower) tacked on there somewhere. 

The only issue with that guess is that it would make the house, at best, 25-30 years old. Second Empire was only a thing in the post-Civil War period, and the house is meant to be this ancient, haunted thing. 

I had this idea for working around it a few months ago that it’s like…an older style that’s been updated in recent years? Say it’s originally a colonial era home (also plausible for New England) belonging to Daniel’s family. Makes sense, the base is still symmetrical and flat with two stories, steep roof, all that jazz. 

Washington, Connecticut (ca. 1750) and Hingham, Massachusetts (1721)

They clearly don’t use it themselves so maybe they rent it out? Maybe that’s part of where their money comes from; tenant properties and such. Maybe, understandably, nobody wants to pay to live in it because it’s old and run down and has a cemetery for a front yard, so they gut it and renovate, slapping some new age architecture over the top to make it more appealing.

 It doesn’t work but the house finds a use eventually. It’s still old as hell, still American, plus you get the bonus representations of traditionalist vs progressive styles being combined, like the two people that live there. 

...get it

Anyways, again: these all exist within sprinting distance of each other.  I’d love some other suggestions but the Northeast is the only spot I know all three of them can comfortably exist in.

3. Historical Implications - The American Civil War (1861-1865)

In January I finished this sort of…show bible for any and all Transitus HCs I had as an alternative to sending someone like 300 maxxed out rant-y text messages about it. Congratulations to @ay-miphae for somehow reading all of it.

Since it’s important to certain story elements, a section of the text is dedicated to a consolidated explanation of the American Civil War.

Kindly, a PDF of that section:

It’s deliberately written so someone with no prior knowledge of US history can follow it. That said, even if you are American and have the general gist of the war, I still think you should read it so you can really get where I’m coming from. It’s not something to be incorporated into a story lightly.

If you're not up for it, I at least think the intro paragraph speaks for itself in relation to my point:

The war ended about 20 years before the album takes place and you’d be hard pressed to say it fits with its story’s themes, far beyond the surface level of its very real effect on American race relations (that were much more intense than those of England at the time):

The hypocrisy of the Union, as if the majority of the North wasn’t still segregated and racist as hell long after slavery was abolished.

The tension not just regarding race but socioeconomic class in the war years. Of particular interest was the fact that wealthy men could pay their way out of conscription, often viewing the war as a mere inconvenience rather than the system-altering mess that it was for everyone else. 

Death. Just completely unprecedented amounts of it and unnecessarily so. 

Your pick of the million and one ways it could have affected Daniel and Abby’s parents, and even Henry depending on how old you picture him. 

Et cetera. You want a way to push the “Two Worlds” motif? Set the story in a Northern state two decades after a war fought over whether millions of people got to be treated like human beings or not, so impactful that the two sides of it are still so clearly, ridiculously discernible and will stay this way for another century and a half after.

As far as the possibility of setting Transitus in the South goes, fascinating as that could be, the plot of Act II makes it impossible. Interracial marriage was either void or outright criminalized in every single Southern state, until the ruling of Loving v. Virginia deemed the policies unconstitutional in 1967. There is no room for conflict over Abby receiving inheritance money - she and Daniel would have been straight-up arrested once Henry found out about them.

In the North, laws like this were repealed during or before the 1880s, if a state had them at all. In Connecticut’s case there were no laws ever prohibiting interracial marriage, but starting in the 1840s you were required to disclose your race in order to obtain a marriage license, which could create its own conflict with the risk of Daniel and Abby being exposed. Regardless of legal allowance, the practice was heavily frowned upon wherever you went, and the majority of them are recorded as being ordained in black churches, since white ones would turn them away and be well within their rights to.

A helpful reminder. 🔗

4. Main Setting - The American Gilded Age (1877-1900)

This was the point in my amateur "research" for this setting that I completely dug my heels in.

I mentioned the two sides of the 19th Century New England aristocracy - The dynastic, nobility-adjacent old money crowd, and the new money industrialists that rose to power during and after the Civil War.

Hey look, another (shorter) helpful PDF summary of a historical period:

Emphasis on "the wealthy elite using underhanded, exploitative practices to get what they want with no real consequences for it."

Henry fits...so perfectly into the category of these "robber barons" for me. Even if he's from a traditional, generationally wealthy family, he seems like enough of a greedy little cheat that he would force his way into this new crowd even if he didn't need to. It adds a few extra layers to a fairly archetypal 19th-century douchebag.

Henry being one of these Gilded Age industrialists sets him up as his family's main provider, allowing him to exert even more control over Daniel's life. Old money families had a severe distaste for these people, matching with Henry's extreme desperation to uphold his status. Even outside of higher social circles, these guys were hated by the general public and that was a 100% valid opinion. If Henry is this much more elevated above other characters in terms of wealth and the way he amassed it, it might make the insane jump from "jealous, nosy prick" to "murders an entire lower-class family for personal profit" a little more believable.

And, the most obvious point, the whole idea of this era, that "cartoonishly evil class divide" supporting the Two Worlds narrative.

The difference between Daniel and Abby's situations made all the more drastic, given that Henry may very well be one of (if not the) wealthiest men in the world in this prospective version of the story.

The nature of their wealth puts Henry, and by proximity Daniel, far more in the public eye than any British aristocrat would be. Daniel feels even more pressured and uncertain about his choices, even outside his family's expectations of him. Henry isn't just threatened by monetary loss after Daniel's death but cutthroat social humiliation, given who Daniel's inheritance is being released to.

Daniel is divided even further between his father's quiet, "safe" traditionalist lifestyle and his brother's much more forthright and totalitarian approach to everything. Maybe even tension created between Henry and his father for it.

Again, the stark difference between the post-War North and South, not exactly plot relevant but present in the setting.

The fact that the prosperity of Daniel's family is much more directly a result of the suppression of the poor and working class, the very difficult-to-navigate, set-in-stone power dynamic it creates in Daniel and Abby's relationship and how they come to terms with it.

And a little more on the Making-Shit-Up side: I have a troubling amount of extra characters I've used to fill plot holes that bother me, most of them servants, and trust me. The whole mass immigration aspect of this period makes character-building way more exciting. This is when the US Melting Pot idea really started, and it allows for a lot of different types of people to believably exist in a relatively limited setting. Christ, I even kept Abraham as an Englishman like his respective singer and it still makes sense within the world.

It's just...perfect. Arjen really picked the absolute perfect decade to set this story in for the sake of a throwaway 2084 joke.

5. The American Dream and the Tragic Fantasy of the Middle Class

This one is purely thematic, related to a more general national ideal than any one era or location (though I think the Gilded Age's presence boosts its effect). Oversimplified to all hell:

America is a very individualist society. It was founded on the idea of personal freedom and making your own way in the world with minimal resistance (or support) from an executive power, say, the British Empire. If you work hard and persevere, you can carve out the life you want and enjoy it. On paper, anybody can be anything, free from the restrictions of a tyrannical government or lineage-obsessed nobles. It's the ideal system, that benefits everyone who really wants it to.

Except it's just...not.

This isn't some groundbreaking concept. The American Dream is hypocritical as fuck and most people have figured this out by now. Sure, you can be anything you want in this country, no mountain is too high. So long as you are white, male, Christian, able-bodied and minded, not an immigrant, etc., etc.

Surely it's equal. Surely there are no unfair headstarts for people born into wealth and privilege, just like in Britain, and surely they will not use that advantage to lord power over the less fortunate with minimal consequences because they *earned* it and the government has no right to take it away. And surely, the people who really did work independently for what they have are not in a far more precarious position, as just a little bad luck can send them spiraling with nothing to fall back on.

...

And now, a small summary:

Daniel and Abby come from complete opposite sides of the social ladder, but are able to look past those differences because they care about each other as people. They are ridiculed and ostracized but they persist in the name of the life they chose (bada bing bada boom direct album quote 💃), and after enough time (and some pure luck), they get the house and make it their own. A quiet and steady spot, a safe middle ground between their two worlds.

One bad day and all of it is gone. Literally burned to the ground, and with it the character that all but stood for prosperity, change for the better and genuine human kindness.

The situation is then made exponentially worse when Henry, rich white jackass incarnate, steps onto the scene and twists the horror of it all into something that will benefit him. Doing so, mind you, by stepping on the backs of some select members of the lower class and tricking one through false promises of a shared reward to turn against her own. He fiddles with and fuels that fire while all previously mentioned genuine-human-kindness character can do is watch, and only after death does he get his comeuppance for it.

I figured it all fit together pretty well.

[its-ya-girl-phoeni]

@zay-does-things

Every episode of the GF AU in a nutshell:

Season 1

Tourist Trapped: Local woman gets transported into a sleepy town in Oregon, more news at 11

The Legend Of The Gobblewonker: Bonnie tries to bond with her new friends and they almost get murdered by a lake monster

Headhunters: Bonnie, Dipper and Mabel try to figure out how the wax got axed

The Hand That Rocks The Mabel: Local woman tries to fistfight fat Southern child

The Inconveniencing: Turns out breaking into a haunted convenience store isn't the best idea, who knew?

Dipper Vs. Manliness: Dipper tries to be "manly" while Bonnie thinks it's all a bunch of bs

Double Dipper: Dipper clones himself and Bonnie gets really confused

Irrational Treasure: Local woman and two kids spill some serious tea on the richest family in town

The Time Traveller's Pig: Dipper and Mabel screw around with time travel while Bonnie grows increasingly worried about them messing up the past

Fight Fighters: Dipper brings a video game character to life despite Bonnie's warnings

Little Dipper: Dipper wants to be taller, and discovers a magic height-altering crystal! Oh, and also Bonnie fights a weird alternate version of herself that came out of a cursed mirror

Summerween: A cryptid made of candy tries to eat people and Bonnie realizes she's basically a mom/older sister to the twins at this point

Boss Mabel: Mabel runs the Mystery Shack for three days, and chaos ensues

Bottomless Pit!: Undertale but not really

The Deep End: Mabel tries to get with a merman while Bonnie is the best wingwoman

Carpet Diem: Aw hell nah the goobers got Freaky Friday-ed

Boyz Crazy: Mabel gets her own pet boy band and Bonnie is concerned

The Land Before Swine: Everybody goes on an adventure underground to find Waddles and Bonnie fistfights a T-Rex or some shit

Dreamscaperers: Bonnie meets Bill Cipher and immediately dislikes him

Gideon Rises: Local woman punches child in the face

Season 2

Scary-oke: "GOD DAMMIT, DIPPER!"

Into The Bunker: basically The Thing but if it was rated TV-Y7

The Golf War: Bonnie punts a golf ball dude with the voice of Remy

Sock Opera: Dipper gets possessed and Bonnie is terrified

Soos And The Real Girl: Bonnie has seen enough haunted dating sims to know where this is going

Little Gift Shop Of Horrors: Bonnie is a supporting character in several tales designed to sell Stan's merchandise

Society Of The Blind Eye: "Okay, maaaaybe you guys shouldn't Fuck Around and Find Out with the memory-erasing gun. Just a suggestion."

Blendin's Game: Three goobers try to cheer up their friend on his birthday by fighting to the death in an interdimensional colosseum

The Love God: Bonnie is concerned while Mabel tries to literally drug two people

Northwest Mansion Mystery: The Scooby Gang try to solve a mystery and nearly everyone gets turned into wood and almost die

Not What He Seems: Bonnie watches family drama unfold

A Tale Of Two Stans: Bonnie finally gets to meet the man who wrote the journals

Dungeons, Dungeons And More Dungeons: The gang plays D&D with wizard Weird Al

The Stanchurian Candidate: Stan tries to become president and some morally questionable mind control is involved

The Last Mabelcorn: Bonnie and the girls beat the shit out of unicorns to get their hair as a Dorito Demon repellent

Roadside Attraction: Stan gets catfished by a spider woman and Bonnie has to rescue his dumb ass

Dipper And Mabel Vs. The Future: Bonnie witnesses family drama 2: growing up and the fear of it boogaloo

Weirdmageddon: Dipper and Bonnie try to survive the apocalypse

Escape From Reality: Bonnie and the gang try to free Mabel from her personalized prison

Take Back The Falls: Everything's pretty much the same, except Bonnie spits in the Bill statue's eye at the end as a final "fuck you" to him

[tani-b-art]

“This ain’t a Country album. This is a “Beyoncé” album.”

I understand why she said this! Because the way it seems she created a completely new genre with ‘Cowboy Carter’! The Country is there (and all the elements) and there’s some Blues, Folk, Soul, Zydeco, Bluegrass, a lil Rock, Gospel and Opera and then some (all genres with Black (Black) American origins). Almost like she opened a new sonic portal while helping to reclaim the genre made by Black Americans.

First off — the album cover art. She pays homage to a long-standing Black American Southern tradition of Houston rodeo and rodeo queens. Carrying our country’s flag…the imagery is signifying to her being a Black American woman. Who she is.

The album cover alone set the tone for what she presented with act ii. [and the photographer is Blair Caldwell, a fellow Black Texan, who has such an eye for capturing beauty. all his photographs are visually pleasing].

[Even the promo - the track list design is a nod & historical reference to Black American culture via The Chitlin Circuit promotional posters. I love it. Made my little graphic art heart smile. The nostalgia of it.]

From the opening track title and lyrics and later on within other songs, she wove her ancestral claiming to America with so much pride. Pride for our country and our flag that we absolutely should have.

Then to have Ms. Linda Martell, the trailblazing Black pioneer & legend in the genre who broke many barriers, be a part of this album was so reverent. (Especially her spoken word throughout that spoke to the way that she and Beyoncé have had to navigate this music industry. When their presence wasn’t well-received, in the very genre we created, they set out to move in a “non-traditional” way). They themselves are the embodiment of unconventional. Ms. Martell rightfully receiving her flowers at the golden age of 82 is harmonious!

Every part of act ii has made people research and discover. The same way act i did. Gotta love a good educational experience through music. (btw—the mention of Zydeco had me hyped).

Having Rhiannon Giddens on instrumentation (along with other background Black musicians and I’m sure Black vocalists) and sharing this musical journey with Tanner Adell, Brittney Spencer, Tiera Kennedy, Reyna Roberts, Willie Jones and Shaboozey — other young Black women and Black men in the genre…all of this Black fellowship made me so happy.

Just sooo much honoring throughout it all. Lots of love poured into it.

Everything is resonate. Connecting. With purpose.

Her voice, her musicality, the note choices, the lyrics, the song titles and the spelling of them, the arrangements.

It’s fun and beautiful.

It sounds amazing.

A beautiful tribute to her roots.

Bravo Beyoncé!

[coconutcows]

It actually makes complete sense for them to have given Operetta the theme/style of Rockabilly.

- The Phantom of the Opera is French, a French Story by a French Author

- A lot of places in the southern United States have French influence (a good part of this is thanks to Canada btw), especially New Orleans which is in the French parts of Louisiana

- New Orleans in particular, and by extension New Gorleans, has had a long history of Opera, dating back to at least 1790

- my memory is fuzzy but I believe the Phantom moved his family to New Gorleans either before Operetta was born, or when she was very young.

- Country music is what’s known for the south, particularly being popular in the south

- Rockabilly is a blend of Rock and Country music genres

- One of the best known show houses for Country Music is a hall called “The Grand Ole Opry”. It got this name because they derived it from Grand old Opera.

- Rockabilly gives her a unique style inspired by Americana 50’s fashion

So yeah, the Rockabilly influence makes complete sense for her character and Monster Parent. In fact there’s a lot of thought behind it. I’m not really sure why people question her influences in connection to The Phantom so much though when other characters also don’t reference their parents a super lot, or at all like Lagoona

[yell0wsalt]

Cowboy Carter Thoughts

Beyonce cannot be stopped! This album with its instrumentation and pacing allows for the natural beauty of her voice to shine and carry the lyrics.

Taking the "country" genre and twisting it in a that is very much her. No skips!

AMERIICAN REQUIEM: Beautiful choice to open the album. Setting the tone in proudly reclaiming her Southern/country roots.

BLACKBIIRD, a cover of the Beatles song brings the meaning behind the original to the fold. Amongst the deep seeded issue of racism in America, it ends on a hopeful note I love.

16 CARRIAGES, beautiful telling of essentially her life story having to be on the grind since a teen to achieve her dreams. The structure of certain sentences stay the same, but changes to a few words (i.e dreams to fears) show the persistence to go for what she wants and be there for her family

PROTECTOR. RUMI LITTLE BABYYYY 🥺🤏🏾

MY ROSE. No one is perfect and everyone has their flaws , but she's hoping you love yourself and I'm not sobbing, you are!

With JOLENE and DOLLY P, Dolly Parton really said, "Whack her. Get her again for me!" Beyonce took it on gladly. And we love to hear it.

DAUGHTER is terrifying in a subtly powerful way as her being someone to not mess with. Also, the way the Italian opera fit in was so smooth! Then the transition to SPAGHETTII is a powerful punch to that. Fun!

Initially surprised by Miley's appearance in II MOST WANTED, but their voices worked well together. And same with Post Malone in LEVII'S JEANS. Okay, y'all!

YA YA is a unique sound on it's own. Not country. Not rock. Not pop. It is its own thing to jive and have fun to. Obsessed.

RIIVERDANCE was enjoyable taking this Irish-style music and dance and making it her own for another audience.

SWEET ⭐️ HONEY ⭐️ BUCKIIN' Ope the shadeeee! I’m not familiar with Shaboozey, but I’m liking his sound and his contribution made the song bounce. Also the outro ate.

AMEN was a fitting conclusion to the album with "amen" also being the last word in Ameriican Requiem. Chef’s kiss.

Favs: RIIVERDANCE, YA YA, II HANDS II HEAVEN, MY ROSE, BLACKBIIRD, SPAGHETTII, LEVII'S JEANS, 16 CARRIAGES, SWEET ⭐️ HONEY ⭐️ BUCKIIN', AMEN, DESERT EAGLE, TYRANT

[pattern-recognition]

In 2014, a young man in South Bend, Indiana, attempted to write and record an original song in the style of Drive-By Truckers’s 2001 Southern Rock Opera poetic classic The Three Great Alabama Icons but as a homage to the political career of Louisiana Governor Huey “The Kingfish” Long. This event accumulated such a dense concentration of malevolent noosphere energy that he perished in an explosion so large, sudden, and violent that first responders could only postulate that it was the result of a freak gas accident, but given the young man’s confusing politics local newspapers briefly proposed it might have been the result of mishandling of illegally acquired explosive material.

[oblivionrecords]

Fred McDowell: The farmer who emerged from the woods and made a masterpiece

I thought it might be good for newbies to Mississippi Fred McDowell –like I was when I recorded “Live in New York”– to find out about where Fred came from, recording wise. This article in the UK webzine, Far Out, lays it out pretty well. You might want to dig deeper into folklorist Alan Lomax, but more importantly, you'll get a glimpse of the ambition that drove Fred from a Mississippi farm to his well deserved worldwide acclaim. -Fred Seibert.

By Tom Taylor @tomtaylorfo Far Out Magazine   Sat 18 November 2023 22:00, UK

Some blues players can get their guitars to tell a story; Fred McDowell could get his to sing an opera akin to a southern Les Mis. “With Fred McDowell, I just love the way he articulates the notes,” fellow blues guitarist Bill Orcutt explains. “I’m hardly unique in that, but there’s just something about that that I love.” He’s not alone in that love either; everyone from Keith Richards to Bonnie Raitt have cited him as a star that they have attempted to emulate.

However, the one element nobody could ever copy was the humble backstory that brought him to the world. Long before he earned the prefix of Mississippi and became a big attraction at juke joints, got swamped backstage at folk festivals, or had his track covered by The Rolling Stones, he was just strumming away to an audience of nearby wildlife on his porch after a long day at work. Occasionally, he’d find himself in a situation where someone might toss him some loose change, but any notion of fame seemed unfamiliar.

But his skills were profound all the same, and fate would drag him towards another American numen on his travels. Alan Lomax was a roving ethnomusicologist, which is a big word for a curious fellow with a portable recording device that could capture the nation’s true folk on the move. One day, during Lomax and Shirley Collins’ great Southern Journey expedition, they rocked up in Como, Mississippi. They were intent on capturing the music at a local dance and the Young brothers’ fife and drum ensemble.

It was 1959, and McDowell was a 54-year-old wondering what his legacy would be beyond the farm he kept. So, without much fanfare and no warning, he decided to pick up his guitar, weave his way through the local woods, and rock up at Lonnie Young’s porch, where the recording was said to be taking place. Lomax and Collins lent him their ears, hit record, and old McDowell began to play.

Half a century later, if you close your eyes while listening to the masterpiece now known as The Alan Lomax Recordings, you can almost see the overalled maestro on the creaking porch ahead of you, hear the rustle of the southern breeze through the lowering tupelo trees, and smell the dancehalls buffer in the air. Of course, some of that is due to the suggestion of the cover art on the Mississippi Records pressing, but what I’m trying to convey is the dogeared sincerity that renders this authentic tape so beguiling.

Even at the time, Lomax and Collins were so flummoxed by the humility and skill of this unknown farmer that they quickly whisked their tapes off to a blues label, and in his autumn years, McDowell became an internationally renowned star, typifying what was best about the blues when the revival movement had somewhat muddied the waters — he was the new (old) find that the kids were craving.

He would soon rub shoulders with the next generation, teaching Raitt how to play slide guitar, touring with the likes of Big Mama Thornton and John Lee Hooker, and embracing the flattery of being covered by rockers despite declaring himself that he did not play rock ‘n’ roll. He left the farm behind and enjoyed a good 13 years of fame until his death in 1972, aged 68, but his old porch was never truly that far from his artistic thoughts, so even beyond the masterful Lomax Recordings, he’s the bluesman who can capture the earthiness of the South with more verity than anyone.

[flesh-into--gear]

genuinely surprised tyler childers hasnt blown up on tumblr in all the years he's been making music. like im sure he has in some parts but the dude makes some sapphic ass music. hell his biggest video on youtube "In Your Love" is about two gay men in Appalachia and is effectively a protest song about lgbt rights, the rights of miners, and the predatory nature of the coal industry and what it does to the people it consumes. his earlier albums about drug abuse depression and what it means to love someone are nuts.

like cmon yall stop sleeping on this man he's been around for at least a decade and some change what are yall doing

also go listen to drive by truckers. Decoration Day is a monster of an album and so is Southern Rock Opera

[texasobserver]

”Insects All Around Us” by Digital Edital Editor Kit O'Connell, originally published in the January/February 2024 issue of Texas Observer magazine:

Photography and additional reporting by Fall 2023 Reporting Fellow Paula Levihn-Coon.

The prey is already dying when the hunters arrive. 

The sky is dark gray, the air thick with the threat of rain. But that hasn’t stopped over a dozen from gathering. They’re mostly, but not exclusively, older folks—frequently retirees with the ability to take a weekday morning off—and they’re armed with Digital SLR cameras and macro lenses.

Valerie Bugh crouches down over the squirming spots on the stone of the shady courtyard entrance to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, prodding at the poisoned insects. Bugh, a gray-haired local naturalist, isn’t responsible for the state of these southern yellowjackets (Vespula squamosa), but she’ll take advantage of it for a photo opportunity. Someone on staff at the center discovered their nest and sprayed them just before the bug hunters arrived, and the entire hive is trickling out from their hidden home in a low rock wall. Bugh warns me to keep my distance from the females, who have fatter-looking bodies with stingers compared to the longer, thinner males, which normally only leave the nest for mating purposes. As I take a step back, she fearlessly kneels by their wriggling bodies, picking the males up and focusing her camera on each in turn. 

“I’m trying to find one that doesn’t look dead,” she said. Soon, she’d even manage to document the hive’s queen as it haplessly tried to flee the toxins—a rare catch, though a grim beginning for a weekly ritual that largely focuses on the living. 

Katherine Daniels and David Cook, volunteers, take insect photos.

Bugh is the author of 10 short fold-out pamphlets with color photos, with titles like Spiders of Texas: A Guide to Common and Notable Species and Unusual Insects of Texas: Caddisflies, Mantides, Lacewings, Walking Sticks, & More. That’s just one of her jobs: She’s also second clarinet in the Austin Opera. She’s modest about these accomplishments when asked—Bugh is too busy searching for bugs to brag about herself. 

Every Thursday morning from February through mid-December, Bugh and her team of volunteers in the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center Fauna Project explore a winding path, gradually aiming to cover the entire grounds over the course of a year, in order to inspect more than 650 species of native plants in the gardens and the 50-plus species of oaks in the Texas Arboretum for their occupants. 

With this diversity of native plants comes a diversity in insect population too. Allowing for a few pandemic-imposed breaks and schedule changes, Bugh has otherwise been doing this consistently since 2010, during which time she’s identified almost 3,000 species of insect including over 50 bees, 345 flies, and over 500 different beetles. It’s not unusual to find a new species to add to the garden’s known tiny inhabitant list every week. 

As Bugh gets moving, other bug hunters follow her in a pack. One by one and in pairs they break off from documenting spiders and beetles found clinging to the brick walls around the entrance and offices of the center. A few volunteer birders are also on-site, but for the most part, they work independently and seem invisible compared to the cheerful, chattering bug hunters. The group also documents signs of larger animals, from mammals to amphibians, but their main focus is on these tiny crawling creatures, since bugs are the most plentiful fauna present both in this garden and worldwide. 

Every Thursday from 2010 to the present, Valerie Bugh leads the Fauna Project at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin, Texas.

The bug hunters move in a little cluster, calling out when they find something new for Bugh to examine. The salt marsh moth (Estigmene acrea) caterpillars are everywhere.

“If it’s a salt marsh, I don’t want to know about it,” declares Bugh dismissively, though with good humor. Their hairy bodies remind me of an asp, the caterpillar with a nasty sting. But they’re actually harmless to the touch. Bugh is just frustrated because there are too many of them. Unlike other caterpillars, the salt marsh moths will eat almost any plant, building its hairy cocoons all over. 

“Every single plant is their host,” Bugh said. 

By contrast, the Gulf fritillary (Agraulis vanillae), another caterpillar present in the day’s fauna count, subsists almost entirely on passion flower vines. 

Bugh’s disdain for the salt marsh moth doesn’t stop her from plucking one from the greenery and posing for a photo with it. She’s happy to show off and talk about her fauna friends, even the overly common ones. As she moves around, her tone becomes more of a graduate lecture in entomology, no doubt similar to the insect walks she sometimes leads around Austin. Her volunteers are here to hone their skills at macro photography, to learn from a preeminent local expert, and to expand their naturalist knowledge. Many are members of the Texas Master Naturalist program.

Valerie Bugh holds a salt marsh moth caterpillar (Estigmene acrea) in her hand.

But it’s a social occasion as much as anything, and the bug hunters talk among themselves around me, catching up on their lives. Two have just returned from African vacations and are excited to dish about all the great wildlife photos they got there, documenting large predatory wild beasts. But they seem just as eager to capture the living world’s small inhabitants in their lenses, too. 

“It’s an insect safari,” said volunteer Katherine Baker, who told me she relished the challenge of macro photography after over a decade of experience in more general nature photography. She’s been helping count the fauna for about four years now, and always feels among kindred spirits here. But they all orbit around Valerie, returning to her for advice or an ID after wandering off.

Every Thursday for 13 years, naturalist and author Valerie Bugh, far left, has led volunteers in counting and photographing animals at the wildflower center.

“Her knowledge surpasses everyone … she’s just amazing,” Baker said of Bugh. 

The gray morning clouds are starting to burn off. As it warms up, the butterflies and others will begin to emerge from the foliage where they’re resting during the rainy, humid part of the day. 

“Aha, here’s where the bumblebees are,” Bugh declares with delight as some are pointed out to her. “These are workers and look how docile they are, they’re barely moving.”

Even before the sun appears, I become aware of how the plants around us are full of life, more than first appears to the untuned eye. As I start looking at one insect, like the predatory leafhopper assassin bug (Zelus renardii), a leggy, long-bodied, hungry thing with a venomous proboscis, I spot another, smaller bug crawling along the same bit of wild grass. We allow ourselves to forget in our day-to-day lives, but insects are all over, constantly surrounding and outnumbering us. 

Valerie Bugh shines a small LED light on an insect.

On the day we visited, the team spotted seven different kinds of grasshoppers, two types of katydids and one cricket. Hunters often spot the American bumblebee, Bombus pensylvanicus, which is thriving in Central Texas even as its numbers dwindle elsewhere. But lately, its Sonoran cousin (Bombus sonorus) has been showing up more and more in the bug counts. 

“That doesn’t bode well for desertification,” Bugh told me. “We’ve had a lot of Western species moving in, birds too, which means the habitat is great for them and a little drier than we’re used to for everyone else.”

The naturalist bug hunters are strongly aware of the harm climate change has brought on our region, and there’s a bittersweet feeling to parts of the morning, a subtle sense that someday soon could be the last day one of these fauna appear in a count. 

“The ecosystems are moving east, including tornado alley. It’s not great for the people in the way, and not great for us on the edge of deserts. Think of Austin without any trees. I really like trees,” Bugh says wistfully.

But most insects still spark joy when she spots them. As sure as falling leaves, the appearance of the scorpion flies (which are neither scorpions nor flies) represents the start of true Texas autumn, and they were just putting in their first appearances that Thursday in November. 

Bugh can identify a great number of creatures on sight, but sometimes enlists help from collaborative internet forums and apps, or even, in one case, a book of Central American insects published in 1900. 

Later, when I come home from the center, I pore over her very detailed homepage, which features a searchable spreadsheet of every creature identified by her team since 2010. I email Bugh to ask what changes she’s noticed over time. 

“It is very hard to compare the past to the present since it is short term in geological time but very long term for humans,” she writes back. “Who can say what they’ve learned in over a decade? I bet it is a lot.”

[garlculean]

𝐓𝐀𝐆 𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐄 𝐏𝐄𝐎𝐏𝐋𝐄 𝐘𝐎𝐔'𝐃 𝐋𝐈𝐊𝐄 𝐓𝐎 𝐆𝐄𝐓 𝐓𝐎 𝐊𝐍𝐎𝐖 𝐁𝐄𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐑

FAVORITE COLOR(S): Grayscales ( black and gray ), Silvers, Golds, and Blue

FAVORITE FLAVORS(S): MINT. Anything mint flavor I'd kill for. Mint malts, shakes, Mint chocolates, Peppermint Mochas, literally ANYTHING with mint in it. Spearmint though? EH. Not much a spearmint fan.

FAVORITE MUSIC: Rockabilly, Mid 1960's Rock all the way up to rock from the 90's, Blue eyed soul, Rhythm & Blues, Country ( 50's to the 2000's. Not this modern 'southern POP' as I call it ), Jazz, Swing, Funk, Disco, opera buffa, And I listen to lots of Italian music dating back to the 50's all the way to the late 80's early 90's. Also American/Italian music where English and Italians sung both in the same song.

FAVORITE MOVIE(S): Spirited away, The dark knight, Joker (2019), The good the bad and the ugly, And I dont know if this counts but I really enjoy documentaries or anything that talks about //teaches about the animal kingdom.

FAVORITE SERIES: I dont really watch TV but if I had to THINK and choose I like the show 'Evil lives here'. Cold case was a good one too and criminal minds.

LAST SONG: Lady- Little River Band

LAST SERIES: I cannot remember. I think it was that hero series called Invincible.

LAST MOVIE: re-watched Howls moving castle

CURRENTLY READING: RPs and posts on here if that counts Im actually not a big book guy believe it or not. I was trying to get into this book called 'cabin at the end of the world' but...I lost it. of course... I dunno where it went.

CURRENTLY WATCHING: I occasionally watch evil lives here but by 'current' that was like two months ago? Maybe I get back into it who knows.

CURRENTLY WORKING ON: Unwinding down from work, gotta decompress HWUWHAAHAH!

𝐓𝐀𝐆𝐆𝐄𝐃 𝐁𝐘. @yukikorogashi, @ghostbustingreen, @johnathanjohnnyjones, and @princeofnimbus ( Thank EVERY single one of you, so appreciated! ) 𝐓𝐀𝐆𝐆𝐈𝐍𝐆. Kinda late doing this so anyone who has yet to do this I TAG YOU!

[saleintothe90s]

473. Thanksgiving Grab Bag

I learned recently that the cast of Cats made another appearance at the Macy's parade back in 1996!

Right before the Cats cast Popeye and Olive Oyl rode along on a lobster rocking chair.

In 1990, there was a performance from the Buddy Holly musical, Buddy. Which made me a little sad. (@ 23:54) I didn't realize until recently how young Buddy was when he died.

Anybody here who watches the Riffcoms channel on YouTube knows The Guys Next Door and their hilarious commentary on the show. It was a terrible Monkees ripoff that aired on Saturday mornings on NBC -- that explains why they were at the parade.

Finally, I have to share my favorite Rockette's costume ever -- the dark green ones from the 1993 parade. I am a self proclaimed Dark Green Queen.

While I was searching for 1991 Black Friday commercials, I found this clip from my opinion the most most redic. soap opera of the 80s and early 90s: One Life to Live. I don't know much about early 90s OLTL, but the main cast are in this clip Bo, Viki, Clint. Happy Thanksgiving, Sarah died in a car accident the day before her and Bo were to be married.

I had no clue that Fedco, the membership only department store in Southern California was still open in 1998. KTLA went to the store at 5am (back when that was a novelty) to see what the people were buying on Black Friday.

In 1981, my childhood news station, WAVY and reporter Don Roberts went to interview people who had to work on Thanksgiving. Giant Open Air grocery store (which later became Farm Fresh) was open 17 hours that day.

"McDonalds is closed. Sorry, no break today."

Related:

400. My favorite highlights from the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade (1980s, 1990s)

230. Snoopy through the years at the Macys parade

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[oysterie]

anyways stream southern rock opera 2001 and maybe you'll feel better.

[echthr0s]

lazytagged by @violentviolette

Get To Know Me Game!

Rules: Tag 10 people you want to get to know better (if you want to)

🎨 Favorite color: yellow / gold

💍 Relationship status: who wants to know? come back with a warrant (this is my stock answer as a relationship anarchist)

🍽 3 Fave Foods: rather than do that, I'm going to name three favourite cultural cuisines: Indian, Southern American (soul food), Korean.

🎶 Song Stuck In My Head: none, blessedly

📽 Favorite movie: The Fountain (also Interstellar and Event Horizon)

🔎 Last thing I Googled: "ffxiv penumbra" bc I wanted to get a quick estimate on how much mental energy I would need to switch to a new mod manager

🛩 Dream Trip: I don't have one of those. or, rather, what would make a trip a dream for me is not necessarily the destination but rather the fine-tuned details -- what kind of transportation is being taken, what kind of place I'm staying in, the length of time, etc. I've been on trips I would have otherwise loved but spent the entire time stressed out bc the details were overlooked or just not tuned to my comfort, and I've been to otherwise-unremarkable locales that I really enjoyed bc the details were well planned.

🎧 Last Song I Listened To: The Answer is In Your Past by Dethklok (from the Metalocalypse Doomstar Requiem rock opera thing)

🕖 Time: exactly 11:00

[mouthlessmaiden]

i mean the issue with this is that classic rock isn’t a very descriptive subgenre, or even really a subgenre at all. pink floyd sounds massively different from ac/dc which sound massively different from ccr which sounds massively different from the doors because they all exist within divergent subgenres. the term classic rock was invented as a radio format in 1980 for boomers that wanted to hear rock that was post rock and roll but pre 80s, so it makes sense that what people classify as “the rock music of my youth” would change as time goes on. and like i said earlier, what people term as “classic rock” tends to also be wildly different subgenres: easy rock to southern rock to blues rock to rock opera to psychedelic rock initially but through the 90s and 00s expanded into the 80s hard rock and glam metal genres. it makes sense now that we’re in the 2020s to circle into 90s alternative, grunge, and pop punk. i feel like the best way to categorize this would be in waves: first wave classic rock is 63-75, second wave is 80-89 third wave is 90-99.

I don’t want to be the one to say it but old men need to start gatekeeping classic rock. classic rock shouldn’t just mean “older than 20 years”. bc quite frankly boulevard of broken dreams and dani california should not be on the same playlist as pink floyd led zeppelin rolling stones AC/DC the eagles queen ccr the doors etc. Like boys I really need u to step up for once and clarify I won’t ask again

[tripcraft24]

How to Spend 48 Hours in Dallas: A Perfect Weekend Itinerary

Dallas, Texas, is a vibrant blend of Southern charm, rich history, dynamic art, and tantalizing cuisine. Whether you’re a first-time visitor or returning to explore new sights, 48 hours is enough time to experience the best Dallas has to offer. Here’s a comprehensive weekend itinerary designed to showcase Dallas’s unique culture, food, and attractions!

Day 1: Exploring History, Art, and Authentic Texan Food

Morning

1. Breakfast at Houndstooth Coffee

Start your day with a cup of Dallas’s finest coffee. Houndstooth Coffee in Oak Lawn is known for its exceptional brews and laid-back atmosphere. Pair your coffee with a pastry or breakfast sandwich, and take in the morning calm before the day's adventures begin.

2. The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza

Head over to Dealey Plaza, where you can explore one of the most significant moments in U.S. history. The Sixth Floor Museum offers a comprehensive look at the life, legacy, and assassination of President John F. Kennedy, including exhibits on Dallas in the 1960s. Don’t miss the vantage point on the sixth floor where the events unfolded in 1963, along with multimedia displays detailing the investigations.

3. Dallas Arts District

A short drive or a pleasant walk from Dealey Plaza is the Dallas Arts District, the largest urban arts district in the United States. Stroll through the area and admire the contemporary architecture of the Winspear Opera House and Meyerson Symphony Center. Check out the Dallas Museum of Art (DMA), which houses over 24,000 works from around the world, and Klyde Warren Park, an elevated green space that bridges downtown Dallas and Uptown with food trucks, games, and free events.

Afternoon

4. Lunch at Pecan Lodge in Deep Ellum

No trip to Dallas is complete without some Texas BBQ, and Pecan Lodge is a local favorite. Located in Deep Ellum, Pecan Lodge is famous for its smoked brisket, sausage, and southern sides like mac and cheese, collard greens, and fried okra. Plan for a wait, especially during peak hours, but it’s worth every minute!

5. Explore Deep Ellum’s Street Art and Boutiques

After lunch, wander the streets of Deep Ellum, Dallas’s art district known for its colorful murals, live music venues, and indie boutiques. Discover vibrant street art covering building exteriors, and pop into local shops featuring unique, hand-crafted items. This neighborhood is a fantastic spot for photos, and it has a youthful, artsy energy that contrasts beautifully with Dallas's more polished downtown.

Evening

6. Dinner at The Rustic

Head back toward Uptown for dinner at The Rustic, a lively restaurant that serves Texan-inspired comfort food in an open-air setting. Enjoy dishes like tamales, queso, and fried chicken under string lights while local bands play live music. Their cocktail menu is extensive, featuring local brews, wine, and craft cocktails that pair perfectly with the upbeat vibe.

7. Nightcap at Midnight Rambler

If you’re up for more, Midnight Rambler, located in The Joule Hotel, is a swanky cocktail lounge offering innovative, craft cocktails. The ambiance is dark and moody, perfect for wrapping up your night with a unique drink and a cozy, lounge feel.

Day 2: Nature, Shopping, and a Touch of Texan Luxury

Morning

1. Breakfast at Bread Winners Café and Bakery

Start day two with a delicious breakfast at Bread Winners Café in Uptown. Known for its generous portions and cozy ambiance, Bread Winners offers a variety of breakfast favorites, from chicken and waffles to hearty omelets and baked goods.

2. Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden

Next, make your way to the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden. Spanning 66 acres along the shores of White Rock Lake, this is one of the most beautiful spots in Dallas, featuring seasonal floral displays, fountains, sculptures, and walking trails. The gardens are especially beautiful in spring and fall, and there’s a picturesque view of downtown Dallas from the Arboretum.

Afternoon

3. Lunch at Trinity Groves

For lunch, head to Trinity Groves, a restaurant hub located at the foot of the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge. This area is filled with unique dining concepts, so you can choose from various cuisines including Mediterranean, Mexican, and sushi. Consider Beto & Son for modern Mexican dishes like tableside guacamole and liquid nitrogen margaritas.

4. Bishop Arts District

After lunch, explore the Bishop Arts District, one of the most beloved areas in Dallas. This neighborhood is known for its eclectic mix of shops, galleries, and boutiques. You’ll find everything from artisan goods to unique home decor and handmade jewelry. Make sure to check out The Wild Detectives, a bookstore and coffee shop that frequently hosts live music and events, and Emporium Pies, where you can indulge in a slice of delicious, homemade pie.

Evening

5. Dinner at Monarch

End your weekend on a high note with dinner at Monarch, a fine-dining Italian-inspired restaurant located on the 49th floor of The National. This stunning restaurant offers spectacular views of the Dallas skyline and a luxurious dining experience. The wood-fired steaks and pastas are crowd favorites, and the ambiance is perfect for a special night out.

6. Views from the Reunion Tower

After dinner, wrap up your Dallas weekend by visiting Reunion Tower. Known as “The Ball,” this observation deck offers a 360-degree view of Dallas from 470 feet above the ground. The GeO-Deck provides panoramic sights of the city, and you can even enjoy a cocktail or dessert from the Cloud Nine Café as you soak in the Dallas skyline.

Additional Tips for Your Dallas Weekend:

Getting Around: Dallas has rideshare services like Uber and Lyft, which are convenient and widely available. If you plan on visiting multiple neighborhoods, consider renting a car to make the most of your time.

Best Time to Visit: Spring and fall are ideal times to visit Dallas, as temperatures are mild and comfortable. Avoid the peak summer months if possible, as Dallas can get very hot.

What to Wear: Dallas has a casual yet polished style. Pack comfortable shoes for walking, as well as a light jacket if you’re visiting in the fall.

In just 48 hours, you’ll get a taste of Dallas’s history, art, food, and culture. From its iconic landmarks to vibrant neighborhoods and local culinary gems, Dallas is a dynamic city that knows how to entertain and delight visitors. Enjoy your weekend getaway.