I’m addicted to virtual travel. I can stare at maps for hours, planning out imaginary itineraries. I love reading travel guides to various destinations regardless of whether I have any intention of going there or not. And I have possibly more fun reading regional zines of places where I don’t live than places where I do. The recently relaunched Is This Music? is a low-key, unpretentious example. Check out the lineup for the “Indian Summer” festival in Glasgow’s Victoria Park in August. (Hi, Wilco!) Wait a minute: “Indian Summer”? Either that’s a blatant Americanism, or they better be serving lots of curry. (Which, a recent study suggests, may help fight cancer.) I won’t be at this festival of course, but I also won’t get a sunburn reading about it.
Speaking of reading and Scotland, I won’t be out and about much this weekend—I’ll be observing the international nerd holiday of Potterdamurung. But if I were, I would probably want to see The Means in their arguably triumphant return at the Empty Bottle (along with Eleventh Dream Day); seems Jason Frederick has decided the sexy Love Story in Blood Red just isn’t enough to fill the void.