Incognito

Let me preface this post by stating that I am not a Metallica fan, but this article about a stunt that they pulled intrigues me as a music lover and a writer. In a nutshell, Metallica showed up at the South By Southwest Music Festival in Austin last week to play at Stubb's BBQ under the guise that they were "a young band from Norway" that was trying to get a record deal, just like all the other bands at the festival. The only "problem"? Word leaked out about their secret performance, and fans stood in line for hours to get into the intimate venue to see a band that normally fills stadiums when it goes on tour.

The music fan in me loved this because I've often wished that I could still see some of my favorite artists who have made it big play at a smaller venue. Gone are the days of seeing Pat Green at Gruene Hall and the Nat Ballroom, so are the days of seeing Sarah McLachlan at Austin Music Hall. I wish that SXSW would lure famous musicians back to play at such intimate venues, allowing fans a chance to the experience the music up close sans the JumboTron.

The writer in me connected with the incognito part. I'm nowhere near famous, but I've noticed a change in my writing since I started posting on here with my name. When I posted as Bluebonnet In The Snow (BITS), it felt like the moniker alone provided some type of protection that allowed me to be vulnerable. The reader had to make the additional connection that BITS = Alyssa before attributing the words to me. An extra layer of insulation existed between me and the outside world. But once I started posting as myself, I seemed to shut down somewhat. Yet, I still strive for authenticity, even when it might be embarrassing. So writing incognito is a thing of the past. At least on this blog.