A week ago tomorrow, while I was in Austin, Texas, for SXSW, I learned that my beloved Boston Phoenix would be no more.
Several years ago, while I was a shitty features reporter at the Boston Herald toiling under an even shittier arts editor, I killed off free time and the desire to write about whatever I wanted via this blog, Vanyaland. Since I was hired by the Phoenix in June 2010 to be the alt-weekly's Music Editor (an honor I still hold very dearly), this place became a graveyard, a flyer dumpster for my two other ventures, the Pill dance night (every Friday at Great Scott, yo) and Vanya Records, a record label I launched out of my Allston bedroom in September 2011. After all, the Phoenix hired me in part because of what I'd write about here. So out of respect for their salary sent my way each fortnight, I took all my shit over to 126 Brookline Ave.
Now, with a few days of #funemployment under my belt, I already need a place to collect my ideas and rants, post new music shit I discover, hype rad shows and events, and just keep my brain working and pushing forward. Rest and relaxation are foreign concepts to me. Like sobriety.
So yeah, Vanyaland, I've kinda missed you. There will likely be less reality TV rants and chick strip seahorses tossed up on eBay, but that's cool. Music surrounds my life like never before, and I live among the greatest scene in the world here in Boston.
Here's to another act of ridiculousness.
xoxo Michael Marotta / Michael V
