We independent musicians live at the edge of an ever-changing world, accelerated by technology that, in theory, gives us access to audiences around the world without relying on gatekeepers. In practice, industry gatekeepers find ways to use their money, power…

Having just seen the final season of FX's The Bear, I've observed that the acclaimed TV series and the film Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere have a lot more in common besides the same star actor Jeremy Allen White…

Land of Hope and Dreams Tour Delivers Criticism and Uplift

In Bruce Springsteen's autobiography “Born to Run,” The Boss wrote about doing a “magic trick” that connects him to his audience and builds community around him. After last night's show…

It was winter of 2022 and I was introduced virtually to a teenaged singer/songwriter who was surprisingly mature in his lyrical approach, his vocal delivery and his feel for the guitar. 16-year-old Jake Thistle and I were in a live…

USA women’s figure skater Alysa Liu recently turned conventional thinking about competition and creativity on its head — and succeeded wildly because of it.

After competing in the 2022 Olympics and finishing 8th, Liu retired from competitive skating at just…

Themes of Surrender Mark this Introspective Debut Album 

Themes of Surrender Mark an Introspective Debut

by Jason Didner

Singer/songwriter/keyboardist Vanna Pacella has assembled a collection of songs that together explore surrender in the face of overwhelming emotion. “What’s the point…

An interview with my brother Matthew “Motl” Didner

In my college years, I'd return on breaks to my Morristown, NJ home in the late 80s, and have an in-house DJ who informed part of my musical tastes - none other…

Last week, a fellow member of the Bruce Springsteen fan Facebook group SPRING-NUTS posted “A woman with debilitating depression and anxiety goes to Australia to see Bruce. Eight concerts, five cities, twenty-six days. It’s life changing.” I was immediately convinced…

Bruce Springsteen is a master storyteller—not just onstage, but also on the page and at the lectern. His autobiography Born to Run offers a wealth of glimpses behind the curtain at the less-glamorous side of his improbable life as both…

As a musician, I like to build community with fellow artists and grow our audiences together through playlists. I maintain a submission form where musicians can share tracks for playlist consideration. One such submission — your track “All I’m…

A Movie on a Mission… for Mental Health 

Bruce Springsteen has heard it all. He's been pitched on all kinds of ideas of movies for him to act in, or movies about him. He's been very protective of his image…

One day over the winter I spotted a post on Threads asking the general question as to which social media platform had the most toxic comment section. As a performing musician who posts short videos of myself doing my thing…

One day in the 90s I stepped up to the possibility of announcing the existence of my independent music over the Internet. From that early moment I quickly faced the hard reality of the next question - “So what?!?!?” Flash…

California-based rock band Red Voodoo sent a very clear signal in my direction - that if I like Van Halen's Sammy Hagar era (the band and lineup that played my first rock concert in ‘86 and made me get serious…

I was pleased to learn this week on Instagram that California-based band The BellRays had a new album due out in a matter of days. Today's the day as I write this that the latest in their collection, “Heavy Steady…

Amy and I had the pleasure of streaming “The Jersey Sound” on the smart TV app Tubi last weekend. This film is a rocket ride through New Jersey's passionate and multi-faceted music scene, packed with personalities, interviews, performance…

Clearly, author Barbara McQuade and I have had the same serious concern on our minds for some time. McQuade has put her worry about the power of disinformation to erode public trust front and center at every opportunity.  She's raised…

My family and I had the pleasure of attending “East Carson Street,” a new musical based on the song catalog of working-class hero singer/songwriter Joe Grushecky, about life in his hometown Pittsburgh, PA over the course of four decades. Broadway…

This energetic new rock single by Nashville's Rockin' Rich Lynch features tight, dynamic instrumental arrangements supporting Rich's strong voice urgently warning us that something's about to go down. This is the combination that made The Who's “Won't Get Fooled Again”…