It’s that time of year again. The season that we all go a bit funny in the head and start
manifesting an unusual disregard for personal budgets and self-awareness.We have all gone off on a spree at one time or another and convinced ourselves that he or she will love this or that, as seen on TV.During the Christmas season, our money and credit considerations more than take a back seat to this mania, they are often locked in the trunk next to the stinky recycling bags.“Money can’t buy you love,” spake the poet. “So this is Christmas and what have you done?” asked his friend.I love music and, to this end, it has become my trade. I have been involved in community radio for over 15 years and have written over 70 articles in this paper about local music. If there are gifts to give, I choose to give the gift of music.I try to use this column at this time of the year to suggest to the suggestible reader that folks should, when thinking about shopping, consider a local product purchased at a local shop.We live in a part of Canada that is saturated with music. Consider, if you will, I am able to write a regular review of CDs that are produced in the Yukon. For such a small population we are hard pressed not to trip over a musician on our way to the big box to find a Christmas gift.Why buy a gadget or gizmo, built you know where, by you know whom, when a music CD built locally would support our local economy directly?Do we go for the cheap thrill that supports the big boys or will we do the right thing and feed the locals? This is an important question to ask in these tough economic times.But Bill, you ask, how shall I make a decision when presented with this embarrassment of riches of local choice?Ah, well without the help of major advertising how can anything of value ever be chosen? I would humbly suggest you check out my website, www.strangethingsdone.com and read some of my past CD reviews for a start.For those of you who are bold, a visit to one of the local bookshops to check out their selection of local CDs might be in order. Mac’s Fireweed Books and Well-Read Books have a great selection of local music.Mac’s has a good selection of locally produced DVDs also.Jordi Jones, at Triple J’s Music, is a font of info on the local music scene, as well as a local impresario, and has informed my selection of music for this column many times.If you are interested in the local music scene, you can participate directly and volunteer for this year’s Frostbite. Drop in to Mark and Paddy’s Wondrous Music Emporium on 4th Avenue and talk to Paddy about a volunteer position at the festival.So before you break the bank buying the ordinary, consider the gift of local music as a sound alternative.You can do it.
