I am stupid excited for Coachella. I was absolutely giddy upon the arrival of my Coachella 2012 Pass Box and offered to provide free Coachella coverage for a music site that couldn’t send one of their own writers. My friend Jess Weisensell happens to be an editor for Epitonic and introduced me to some of their content managers.
Epitonic began in 2009 and was one of the first music discovery and editorial sites. Epitonic posted free and legal MP3s available for streaming and download (a legit alternative to Napster), working directly with thousands of artists and labels (sounding earlier similar to certain popular music streaming sites now a la Spotify and Rdio). However, because of financial difficulties, the site was shut down in 2004. Six years later, one of the original founders Justin Sinkovich reacquired the site and with help from a Kickstarter project to raise money, it has been going strong since 2011.
Epitonic.com: Relaunch by the Original Founders
Because of the collaborative nature of Epitonic, most of the contributors are volunteers. I’m providing free Coachella coverage because one, I want to expand my portfolio and two, I want to do what I can to support the independent, underground music blogs who are trying to review and critique music as objectively as possible.
A legacy thriving in a new era
The fact that communities like Kickstarter can be a contributing factor in the revival of a former top music site shows that we are in a new era of online collaboration. Sites, publications, and zines that disappeared due to the fall of the music and publishing industries can have a new life in this era where crowd sourcing content is easier than before and objectivity, independence, and authenticity are valued. The fact I’m covering Coachella for them allows me to be a part of Epitonic’s legacy, which is something to be proud of.
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I usually take a lot of photos at festivals and blog about them, but this would be the first time I am doing so for someone else. If anyone has any tips from whether to bring extra memory cards or the most efficient way to write notes in the middle of the desert, please let me know via a comment below.
My Name Is Reb 