I'd like to mourn the passing of The Blue Dog, in my hometown of Fredericksburg. For the uninformed, TBD was a downtown music store that had been in existence since I entered high school, so @ 12-14 years. The atmosphere at TBD was laid back, the guys who owned the place were extremely cool and knowledgeable, and the place allowed for lounging and listening to music, creating a relaxed atmosphere.
TDB was one of the first places to sell Used CDs, which led to many a visit with my Slaughter/Silver Chair/AC DC gems that they refused to buy back. Additionally TBD marketed for local acts and was the true hub of promotion for the barely existent Fredericksburg music scene.
The tastes of the employees at TBD was diverse, ranging from bluegrass to techno-pop, but they guys were always quick with a suggestion, and the laid back scene was a perfect destination on a cold and rainy afternoon. What I most liked was TBD carved their niche in what has become a commoditized industry, and slowed the money/profit juggernaut to actually enjoy the music, discuss the music, and let their customers in on secret bands/upcoming shows that instilled a sense of belonging. With its passing, commercial radio is essentially dead to me, and I will miss the valuable time wasted behind its poster laden doors and below its CD dangled ceiling.
1 comment:
holy shit...i didn't know you were from fredtown. i went to mwc and spent a shitload of credit at the dog (sadly, i already knew of its demise).
the funny thing about that place is that my dad paid for literally hundreds of cds because he thought i was using his credit card to get grub at tavern. he just assumed (and i swear that i never lied to him about this) that a place called the blue dog would be a bar/restaurant.
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