The Global Audiophile Network's new look

If you haven't checked out The Global Audiophile Network yet, give it a try at http://www.theaudiophile.net/. I wrote about this forum a couple of months ago and highlighted the fact that this is a kinder, friendlier place for audiophiles to hang out and talk about gear and music. The whole website has recently been revamped, and you can see the new, cooler logo above.

While it's headed by my friend Sid Trehan who lives in India, he wants to stress the "global" aspect of his site and encourage people from all over the world to participate. Some months ago Sid and I discussed his plans for extending his forum worldwide, and he expressed his interest in forming partnerships with other audiophiles, webmasters and music lovers to help this become a truly global effort. If you like what you see, contact Sid through the site and assist him in realizing his vision for GAN.

As for me, I enjoy seeing pictures of systems all around the world. Audiophiles in India are surprisingly well-versed in set-up and system matching, and I've seen some truly enviable music rooms. (Another slightly amusing observation is that Indian audiophiles LOVE Marantz, which is a good thing because this legendary manufacturer has been making great gear over the last few years.) You'll also see plenty of rooms in Europe, America, Australia and the Far East...all hotbeds for audio activity.

Check it out...I'll be there!

An afternoon at the Texas Pie Company...

My brother Mat and I just checked in with Spencer Thomas, blues musician and piemaker extraordinaire, and chatted with him about music, our fair city of Kyle and his vision for the future. Spencer is hosting a Halloween party at the Texas Pie Company on October 30 where his band, the Spencer Thomas Band, will be playing from 9pm to midnight.

Spencer hopes to feature live music at Pieco on a more regular basis. Kyle, a small town in Hays County that is growing by leaps and bounds (it has quintupled it size between the 2000 and 2010 census), doesn't have much of a night life, but all three of us agreed that should definitely change. My brother and I are members of the Chamber of Commerce, and one thing we've learned about our wonderful new hometown is that it's made up of businesspeople who are young and want it to grow.

I told Spencer that when I first considered moving to Kyle, the only thing that kept showing up consistently on Google search engines was Pieco, and he seems genuinely thrilled that his little restaurant is so well known in these parts (as well as the rest of the world). Pieco is a bit of a Mecca for pie lovers all over Texas, much in the same way that nearby Lockhart is a Mecca for Texas BBQ.

I also informed Spencer that within two hours of posting my article on him and his restaurant, nearly 100 people from all over read it. This blog has garnered a bit of a cult following in places such as India (thanks to my dear friend Sid Trehan of The Audiophile Network), so if Spencer suddenly finds a bunch of Indians making the pilgrimage to his store, he'll know why!

If you're anywhere near Central Texas on October 30, make it a point to hear Spencer's extraordinary band and eat some of his extraordinary pie! I'll be there as well, digging his unique brand of Texas rhythm and soul. Once again, the Texas Pie Company is located at 202 W. Center, right in the heart of downtown Kyle.