The SurRural Librarian

This week’s This American Life starts with a great piece on the High Strung’s 2005 Library Tour in Michigan. This summer the band is on a national tour, playing loud rock in libraries.

These guys sound loud, like MC5 loud. Listening to that kind of distortion in a small space must be incredible. I love Alex Blumberg’s discriptions of the audiences, ten year olds covering their ears with their jaws hanging. Awesome.

Don’t miss the kids’ comments at the end of the piece on how the concerts made them feel differently about the library. I have to admit, I was really surprised. It’s great that this is the first concert alot of these kids are attending.

My favorite part was the band members’ description of why the library is cool. I wonder, are libraries seeing lots of touring bands coming in to shave and check their email?

Now if I could just convince the Boredoms to tour school libraries. hmmmm…

You can listen here if you missed the broadcast.