Eric R. Danton
@erdanton.bsky.social
Writer of Freak Scene, about music in #WesternMass and CT. Bylines in the Boston Globe, Wall Street Journal, Rolling Stone, Paste and more. IWWFJU. Ex-Hartford Courant. Knows it's only rock 'n' roll, but likes it.
https://buttondown.email/freakscene
https://buttondown.email/freakscene
Good lord, the Sharon Van Etten album was THIS year?
November 11, 2025 at 10:47 PM
Good lord, the Sharon Van Etten album was THIS year?
Reposted by Eric R. Danton
50th anniversary today of an album that I picked up the same week it was released, when I was a college freshman. I've got a longer chapter on Patti Smith and "Horses" in a forthcoming project, and here's a slice:
www.facebook.com/share/p/1BU6...
www.facebook.com/share/p/1BU6...
November 10, 2025 at 7:15 PM
50th anniversary today of an album that I picked up the same week it was released, when I was a college freshman. I've got a longer chapter on Patti Smith and "Horses" in a forthcoming project, and here's a slice:
www.facebook.com/share/p/1BU6...
www.facebook.com/share/p/1BU6...
My pal Ken Partridge, author of "Hell of a Hat" about '90s swing and ska, is doing a really cool deep dive into Latin freestyle, the sound that was a dance-ready club sensation in the latter half of the '80s:
The Miracle of Shannon’s “Let the Music Play”
Diving deep into the song that started it all.
lostinemotion.substack.com
November 10, 2025 at 1:19 PM
My pal Ken Partridge, author of "Hell of a Hat" about '90s swing and ska, is doing a really cool deep dive into Latin freestyle, the sound that was a dance-ready club sensation in the latter half of the '80s:
Reposted by Eric R. Danton
This week in Freak Scene: Winterpills are back with their first new album since 2016, and it's a little different, but very good:
buttondown.com/freakscene/a...
buttondown.com/freakscene/a...
Freak Scene #91: Winterpills Return With 'This Is How We Dance'
Plus, Western Mass. trio Our Three debut with the EP 'Never Fall in Love'
buttondown.com
November 7, 2025 at 12:59 PM
This week in Freak Scene: Winterpills are back with their first new album since 2016, and it's a little different, but very good:
buttondown.com/freakscene/a...
buttondown.com/freakscene/a...
This week in Freak Scene: Winterpills are back with their first new album since 2016, and it's a little different, but very good:
buttondown.com/freakscene/a...
buttondown.com/freakscene/a...
Freak Scene #91: Winterpills Return With 'This Is How We Dance'
Plus, Western Mass. trio Our Three debut with the EP 'Never Fall in Love'
buttondown.com
November 7, 2025 at 12:59 PM
This week in Freak Scene: Winterpills are back with their first new album since 2016, and it's a little different, but very good:
buttondown.com/freakscene/a...
buttondown.com/freakscene/a...
Am so rarely in the know about contemporary fine art, but I used to know Sam McKinniss when we both lived in Hartford, and I have a wonderful portrait of Aretha Franklin he painted in 2006
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/05/s...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/05/s...
With JPEGs and Oils, Sam McKinniss Paints the 2020s
www.nytimes.com
November 6, 2025 at 5:49 PM
Am so rarely in the know about contemporary fine art, but I used to know Sam McKinniss when we both lived in Hartford, and I have a wonderful portrait of Aretha Franklin he painted in 2006
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/05/s...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/05/s...
Reposted by Eric R. Danton
Support our neighbors! Save this info in your phone & share with friends.
See #ICE? Call the LUCE Hotline as soon as possible! We need to do all we can to protect & support our #immigrant neighbors & their families. #ImmigrationMakesUsStrong
November 6, 2025 at 1:43 PM
Support our neighbors! Save this info in your phone & share with friends.
Reposted by Eric R. Danton
Hoy ha salido esta entrevista, que es un buen resumen de mis cosas los últimos 30 años.
www.hoyesarte.com/entrevistas/...
www.hoyesarte.com/entrevistas/...
"Las canciones me salen de una forma que casi no puedo evitar" - hoyesarte.com
Estuvo al frente de Malconsejo, formidable banda de clásico pop de guitarras con la que editó dos espléndidos álbumes y un buen montón de singles que hoy son codiciadas piezas de colección. Pero lo me...
www.hoyesarte.com
November 5, 2025 at 10:15 PM
Hoy ha salido esta entrevista, que es un buen resumen de mis cosas los últimos 30 años.
www.hoyesarte.com/entrevistas/...
www.hoyesarte.com/entrevistas/...
Only in the US is it "medical freedom" to do whatever dangerous bullshit you want without regard for the impact it may have on anyone who has to interact with you.
Got this in my email this morning. If y'all see these videos on social media, please DM or tag me. I'm curious to see what people say.
November 5, 2025 at 7:47 PM
Only in the US is it "medical freedom" to do whatever dangerous bullshit you want without regard for the impact it may have on anyone who has to interact with you.
Reposted by Eric R. Danton
Was gonna say, “Ok, groomer,” but really just want to say fuck this guy forever.
November 5, 2025 at 6:17 PM
Was gonna say, “Ok, groomer,” but really just want to say fuck this guy forever.
Reposted by Eric R. Danton
Today would be a really good day to start this, which we've been asking for since February.
Please, We Need a Daily Briefing
My piece in Commonwealth Beacon Magazine
substack.com
November 5, 2025 at 12:36 PM
Today would be a really good day to start this, which we've been asking for since February.
Weird, it's almost as if a lot of Americans don't want to live in an autocracy
November 5, 2025 at 12:27 PM
Weird, it's almost as if a lot of Americans don't want to live in an autocracy
Proud to say that I voted today, including writing in Perennial for Best Live Act. I believe that's a two-year term
November 4, 2025 at 10:01 PM
Proud to say that I voted today, including writing in Perennial for Best Live Act. I believe that's a two-year term
The Seattle musician Brent Amaker is endlessly fascinating to me: he does western music, electronic music, mariachi music and now a duet record as half of Caitlin & Brent. He's so worth a deep dive profile, but who would even commission something like that?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=QM45...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=QM45...
Mirage
YouTube video by Caitlin and Brent - Topic
www.youtube.com
November 4, 2025 at 7:02 PM
The Seattle musician Brent Amaker is endlessly fascinating to me: he does western music, electronic music, mariachi music and now a duet record as half of Caitlin & Brent. He's so worth a deep dive profile, but who would even commission something like that?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=QM45...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=QM45...
I love the @perennialtheband.bsky.social lyric "Rich boys who don’t get the blues, man," because it can mean two things: they don't get the blues, or they don't GET the blues
A modest proposal: Every Halloween playlist for the rest of time should start with "Perennial in a Haunted House," end with "Perennial Meets the Wolfman" and include at least two Cramps songs in between.
perennialtheband.bandcamp.com/track/perenn...
perennialtheband.bandcamp.com/track/perenn...
Perennial In A Haunted House, by Perennial
from the album In The Midnight Hour
perennialtheband.bandcamp.com
October 31, 2025 at 7:42 PM
I love the @perennialtheband.bsky.social lyric "Rich boys who don’t get the blues, man," because it can mean two things: they don't get the blues, or they don't GET the blues
A modest proposal: Every Halloween playlist for the rest of time should start with "Perennial in a Haunted House," end with "Perennial Meets the Wolfman" and include at least two Cramps songs in between.
perennialtheband.bandcamp.com/track/perenn...
perennialtheband.bandcamp.com/track/perenn...
Perennial In A Haunted House, by Perennial
from the album In The Midnight Hour
perennialtheband.bandcamp.com
October 31, 2025 at 6:18 PM
A modest proposal: Every Halloween playlist for the rest of time should start with "Perennial in a Haunted House," end with "Perennial Meets the Wolfman" and include at least two Cramps songs in between.
perennialtheband.bandcamp.com/track/perenn...
perennialtheband.bandcamp.com/track/perenn...
Reposted by Eric R. Danton
In the latest Freak Scene, we dive into the new EP from the Frost Heaves & Hales, while dance-punk act Rival Galaxies shows us what it means to receive faxes on a yacht:
buttondown.com/freakscene/a...
buttondown.com/freakscene/a...
Freak Scene #90: The Frost Heaves & Hales Return With 5-Song EP
Plus, Rival Galaxies want to make you move on a pair of dance-punk songs
buttondown.com
October 31, 2025 at 11:34 AM
In the latest Freak Scene, we dive into the new EP from the Frost Heaves & Hales, while dance-punk act Rival Galaxies shows us what it means to receive faxes on a yacht:
buttondown.com/freakscene/a...
buttondown.com/freakscene/a...
Reposted by Eric R. Danton
We are on a bill tonight with Rival Galaxies tonight at Tori Town... come on out. Costumes? MAYBE.
In the latest Freak Scene, we dive into the new EP from the Frost Heaves & Hales, while dance-punk act Rival Galaxies shows us what it means to receive faxes on a yacht:
buttondown.com/freakscene/a...
buttondown.com/freakscene/a...
Freak Scene #90: The Frost Heaves & Hales Return With 5-Song EP
Plus, Rival Galaxies want to make you move on a pair of dance-punk songs
buttondown.com
October 31, 2025 at 1:03 PM
We are on a bill tonight with Rival Galaxies tonight at Tori Town... come on out. Costumes? MAYBE.
In the latest Freak Scene, we dive into the new EP from the Frost Heaves & Hales, while dance-punk act Rival Galaxies shows us what it means to receive faxes on a yacht:
buttondown.com/freakscene/a...
buttondown.com/freakscene/a...
Freak Scene #90: The Frost Heaves & Hales Return With 5-Song EP
Plus, Rival Galaxies want to make you move on a pair of dance-punk songs
buttondown.com
October 31, 2025 at 11:34 AM
In the latest Freak Scene, we dive into the new EP from the Frost Heaves & Hales, while dance-punk act Rival Galaxies shows us what it means to receive faxes on a yacht:
buttondown.com/freakscene/a...
buttondown.com/freakscene/a...
Proud supporter here. Worth every penny, and more
Journalism tip: If someone says drop the story, that’s a sign to keep reporting.
Back reporters who won’t flinch. Support our independent journalism ➜ propub.li/43MugoG
Back reporters who won’t flinch. Support our independent journalism ➜ propub.li/43MugoG
October 30, 2025 at 9:23 PM
Proud supporter here. Worth every penny, and more
Some religious zealot in North Carolina thinks God told him he should go to war against secularism and now the rest of us can't have nice things, like representative democracy
NEW: Paul Newby, a born-again Christian, has turned his perch atop North Carolina’s Supreme Court into an instrument of political power.
Over two decades, he’s driven changes that have reverberated well beyond the borders of his state.
By @dougbockclark.bsky.social
Over two decades, he’s driven changes that have reverberated well beyond the borders of his state.
By @dougbockclark.bsky.social
“Biblical Justice, Equal Justice, for All”: How North Carolina’s Chief Justice Transformed His State and America
Paul Newby, a born-again Christian, has turned his perch atop North Carolina’s Supreme Court into an instrument of political power. Over two decades, he’s driven changes that have reverberated well be...
www.propublica.org
October 30, 2025 at 3:31 PM
Some religious zealot in North Carolina thinks God told him he should go to war against secularism and now the rest of us can't have nice things, like representative democracy
Northampton folk-punk duo High Tea perform TONIGHT at the Iron Horse. Read more about their very good new album in the most recent Freak Scene newsletter:
#westernmass
buttondown.com/freakscene/a...
#westernmass
buttondown.com/freakscene/a...
Freak Scene #89: High Tea Are All Grown Up on 'A Small Notion'
Plus, Connecticut musician and radio host Binnie Klein wrote an anti-authoritarian protest song in the run-up to the No Kings rallies
buttondown.com
October 30, 2025 at 3:15 PM
Northampton folk-punk duo High Tea perform TONIGHT at the Iron Horse. Read more about their very good new album in the most recent Freak Scene newsletter:
#westernmass
buttondown.com/freakscene/a...
#westernmass
buttondown.com/freakscene/a...
I often disagree with Graham Hunter's analysis of Barcelona, but this one about how everyone around Lamine Yamal let him down pre-clásico rings true. Also, Carvajal is a massive prick for messing with the equilibrium in the Spanish national team as the World Cup nears.
www.espn.com/soccer/story...
www.espn.com/soccer/story...
Yamal paid for childish pre-Clásico comment, but others at Barça let him down
Lamine Yamal made a mistake with his pre-Clásico comments, but the real condemnation should be for those around him who arguably set him up to fail.
www.espn.com
October 28, 2025 at 3:08 PM
I often disagree with Graham Hunter's analysis of Barcelona, but this one about how everyone around Lamine Yamal let him down pre-clásico rings true. Also, Carvajal is a massive prick for messing with the equilibrium in the Spanish national team as the World Cup nears.
www.espn.com/soccer/story...
www.espn.com/soccer/story...
Reposted by Eric R. Danton
“A tiger, an elephant, a giraffe…”
October 27, 2025 at 12:36 PM
“A tiger, an elephant, a giraffe…”
Reposted by Eric R. Danton
New in Freak Scene: Northampton-area band High Tea have a strong new album (and an upcoming show at the Iron Horse), while CT's Binnie Klein has some words for would-be autocrats on her new protest song:
buttondown.com/freakscene/a...
buttondown.com/freakscene/a...
Freak Scene #89: High Tea Are All Grown Up on 'A Small Notion'
Plus, Connecticut musician and radio host Binnie Klein wrote an anti-authoritarian protest song in the run-up to the No Kings rallies
buttondown.com
October 24, 2025 at 11:47 AM
New in Freak Scene: Northampton-area band High Tea have a strong new album (and an upcoming show at the Iron Horse), while CT's Binnie Klein has some words for would-be autocrats on her new protest song:
buttondown.com/freakscene/a...
buttondown.com/freakscene/a...