Everyone in New York could use Donora's music nowadays. Just to remind us young folks scraping at the bottom of the city what dancing and fun and crushes and fun music were once like when we weren't worrying about succeeding and surviving. Whatever that means anymore.

At any case, I had blast being around the band even for just that half an hour to record this song from their new record. Having their songs blasting in my ears on the train and on rainy walks just cheers me up. I dare you not to be. Donora brightens things. Even that very dimly lit apartment in a very dimly lit part of Brooklyn with cursing and police sirens right out the window.

The second I stepped out of Ball Of Flame Shoot Fire's apartment in Bed-Stuy after filming Donora, I started wondering what it would have been like finding the band in their hometown of Pittsburgh instead of Brooklyn. The happy stories of love gained and party nights in their songs have been keeping me company on dreary subway commutes to work since I shook Casey Hanner's hand at the door for the last time that night.

I haven't stopped listening to their old song, "The Chorus" about being under pressure, about letting go and being a child again. It's almost a lightning rod of a song after jumping into New York City thinking this had to be the next stage of adulthood for me. Instead, Donora has made me miss being on the road and just loving and filming beautiful music. A road that will someday, hopefully, will lead back to them in Pittsburgh. Among other places.



Wanderer Session #68: Donora
Images, Sound, Edit by Kevin de WIlde
Music by Donora, Ball Of Flame Shoot Fire
Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, New York
September 2011

donoramusic.com/