Inspiration for this project began after we started attending events sponsored by Maomix’s indie/dance record label (mind you, it was a legal-related internship). We began to see the same hipsters, talking to the same people, drinking the same cans of PBR and eating the same bags of Pirate’s Booty (Thanks, Colin!).
It dawned on us that these overly ironic people all knew each other, but yet didn’t talk to anyone else at these gatherings. What was it that drew them together in the first place? Was there a time when each one of them (secure enough in their head-bopping -yet not really- “dancing” abilities) went to that 5-song-EP launch show at the local installation gallery alone; inevitably just-so-happened to know the original bass player of the band; and was therefore subsequently introduced to the rest of the hipster community, one-by-one?
Undeniably, you’d have to attend one of these only-in-the-know events solo, yet “end up” knowing someone, because - let's face it - there is no way a real hipster talks to those outside its species voluntarily. And if you’re with someone, you already have your counterpart. Even if you know someone, you are fated to the, “Oh hello, how are you? Where did you hear about this?" ::look of disapproval when you mistakenly think its ok to respond with “Oh, I heard one of their songs on Grey’s Anatomy”::
And god forbid, if you do arrive at alone, you would need some conversational bait. And not just anything will do. Your knowledge of music is never going to amount to anything compared to a hipster’s, so don’t even try to open with, “So, do you like Mumford & Sons?” They have, and they’re unimpressed you have as well. After all, Jake Gyllenhaal ruined them already. And as Maomix would say, since they are already done with their second album, the hipsters are done with them too. Only first albums fly with this crowd; they don’t have jobs, and therefore have all the time in the world to scour the most obscure, underground blogs you’ve never heard of to find the band that hasn’t even formed yet.
This post begs the question: so how do you meet a hipster, befriend one, make he/she introduce you to others of his/her kind, and ultimately become one yourself? Well, we’re not sure yet. But we think it starts with a blog. It probably doesn’t hurt that our complete unabashed desire (and efforts) to be a hipster is totally ironic.
Mustache finger tattoos,
G+M
