How Country is Maine? (Portland, Sidney: 2009, houses, buy)

[mollysmiles]

us too--our Itunes has about 35,000 songs in it, and I've got a lot more to add.... unfortunately the Ipod won't hold it all, so I change out the playlists. DH and I are a generation apart... so that accounts for some of quantity. The only genres neither of us enjoy are metallica and rap--well, my appreciation for opera is very limited too.

[7th generation]

Is there any music other than country?

[forest beekeeper]

Originally Posted by 7th generation

Is there any music other than country?

There is two kinds of music:

Country,

and

Western.

[Elcarim]

Originally Posted by mollysmiles

us too--our Itunes has about 35,000 songs in it, and I've got a lot more to add.... unfortunately the Ipod won't hold it all, so I change out the playlists. DH and I are a generation apart... so that accounts for some of quantity. The only genres neither of us enjoy are metallica and rap--well, my appreciation for opera is very limited too.

Agreed about heavy metal, rap and opera!!! I do love show tunes, though. How funny, you guys ARE a generation apart. Never thought about that.

[forest beekeeper]

We have a wide assortment of radio stations here.

Our vehicle pre-sets have one talk-radio station, 2 country stations, 2 rock stations, and 1 Gospel station. I move around between them as my mood changes. Once any of them loop, I can listen any longer.

I grew up going to the rodeo circuit. Many small towns in the central valley host an annual rodeo, where the pros do a circuit competing with the locals. I never competed, though many of our neighbors did, calf roping, bull riding, steer wrestling, bronc riding, and barrel racing for the ladies. In season there is a rodeo somewhere every couple days. So my background was farming and ranching, my siblings still live there.

When I lived in Virginia I saw a lot of C&W bars and folks in big hats. I have lived in Virginia Beach and in Newport News, and I felt that both were 'city'. I was surprised at the crowds that C&W bars drew in Virginia. I guess that it is an attitude, but it never made sense to me when there were so few farms or ranches in the area.

In Ct I saw bars that would have a C&W night once a week. Folks there like to put on a big hats every Thursday evening and listen to the music. So I guess that most anywhere, there will be some folks who like to 'put it on' every now and again, and who enjoy it.

In Maine I have only really hung out in the American Legion and the VFW; both have mixtures of music. C&W, Old rock, and patriotic stuff. But no Tommie Cox which surprises me, being that he is a local artist who focuses mostly on military albums.

So there is a selection of music to listen to in Maine.

I think that anywhere you go there will be a portion of the population who like to identify with C&W every now and again.

I wear a big hat all summer long myself, but that is just me.

Come on up and hang out, enjoy yourself.

[corgis]

I'm into classical, jazz and early rock - MPBN is what I most listen to - along with WLBZ Classic Rock

[Casper1212]

Yesterday, we were playing with the Sirius radio in my truck and we were wondering if people in Maine use it much. Down here, the only alternative is radio stations in Mexico. Or no reception at all. I appreciate the wide selection to choose from, but I think I'll keep the Sirius. No commercials, but no local news either.

[lrfox]

Maine has a VERY broad selection of country stations. Each area has a "degree" of Country (Portland being the least, most likely- but there are no shortage of country stations here).

In fact, while many argue that Portland isn't country at all (I don't disagree completely, I don't think it's very country), there is only ONE alternative rock station (94.3) which used to be wonderful, but has since waned (even dropped its sister station, 93.9 a few years back) a little. There are NO hip-hop stations (hip-hop culture is non-existent here) since 95.9 turned to sports talk (hey, I'm not complaining) but there are about 4 or 5 different country stations and plenty to choose from in regards for oldies stations.

While most bars here (in Portland) don't specifically play country, a good number of them will throw some country songs into their mix (which is usually top 40 with some classics like White Snake and Bon Jovi and a bit of country mixed in). I HATE country music and have left bars in the Old Port due to the regularity of country being played at certain venues. In fact, one bar used to have "country saturdays" where they played only country tunes... I don't know if that's the case anymore, though. There are, however, no live music venues in Portland that specifically host small country acts that I know of... Portland is, however, one of the few New England venues that seems to be on all of the bigger country music tour circuits (it may not play in Boston, Providence, Hartford, Springfield, Worcester, Lowell, etc... but Portland seems to catch the larger country acts).

So no, Portland isn't VERY country, but it's not devoid of it either. It exists in Portland more than any other New England city I've spent significant time in (with the exception of Bangor and Lewiston). I doubt it'll be as "country" as you're used to, but it's far more country than you'll find in most of the rest of the North East. Speaking of Lewiston/ Auburn, there is a country "dance" club in Auburn (called "Texas" I believe) and that may be worth checking out if you like Country. Bars up there tend to spin country tunes a little more too.

[mollysmiles]

Casper I use my Sirius in the Jeep a lot, I love it! wish it had voice command though.... it would make it easier!

[forest beekeeper]

Originally Posted by Casper1212

Yesterday, we were playing with the Sirius radio in my truck and we were wondering if people in Maine use it much. Down here, the only alternative is radio stations in Mexico. Or no reception at all. I appreciate the wide selection to choose from, but I think I'll keep the Sirius. No commercials, but no local news either.

I recently heard that Sirius is having problems.

As for local news, well Up until yesterday evening we had been following the local TV station's evening news.

But really we learned very little via that method.

It seems that the Boston Globe has much more Maine news than Maine provides.