Welcome To the Future

"Welcome to the future" is the annoying catchphrase of one of my good friends. It serves as an appropriate theme as I break with the usual format of There Stands the Glass to comment on three irregular topics.

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I caught Hat Triq at my neighborhood shopping center the other day. Their very existence brings to life the theory that Guitar Hero and Rock Band are changing the way popular music is being consumed. I don't know these pre-teens and this video of them struggling through the Red Hot Chili Peppers' "Dani California" isn't mine. The original version of the song is featured on Rock Band; I'd be willing to wager everything that the band grew directly out of video play. Is this a good thing? I think so.

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I laughed at the recent spate of essays suggesting that Twitter will render blogging irrelevant. How could a 140-character post compete with this format? Well, I discovered Blip last week. The ingenious site marries the social networking of Twitter with the joyous sense of discovery provided by music blogs. I became addicted instantly. Here's my Blip account.

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While I'm on the subject, here's my Twitter account and my new Facebook account. There Stands the Glass will return to its usual format tomorrow- if I find the willpower to break away from Blip.

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Kansas City Click: Joey DeFrancesco hits the Blue Room tonight.