Much local music has become an entirely different beast thanks to the Internet. Blogs, MySpace accounts and Pitchfork-like online reviewers inform and power a new generation of music lovers. And, for what itâÄôs worth, it seems to be the newest incarnation of the American Dream for the local music scene. Indeed, this American Dream is apparent if you circle local blogs like âÄúWhiskey for the Holy GhostâÄù and navigate down the page. You will see the intentions from the get-go: To âÄúshop at local record storesâÄù and share and review local music. If you can sort through all of the band names and links, there is much to be had. If you can focus through the maelstrom of information, you can discover blogs like âÄúPerfect Porridge,âÄù which offer erratic singular downloads of Matisyahu or even an âÄúadventure-rock bandâÄù from Ohio. âÄúMFRâÄù reviews and samples a new Jeremy Messersmith album (check it out). Through the course of hyperlinks and bookmarks, the Minnesota music blogs channel onwards with mind-boggling amounts of insight based in real-life experience with the music. And it may seem that the Internet has the ability to remove a person from seeing live music and buying albums; however, that is simply not the case. Those who know of the music are responsible enough to support the smaller bands. With local music, there is a tighter relationship. Thus, the individual wrapped up in the Twin Cities scene must assume a sort of responsibility to be supportive of the artists and their acts. In many ways, itâÄôs a social contract, except that itâÄôs written in goatâÄôs blood upon the parchment of ancient fire gods âÄî itâÄôs rock and roll, dude. On an international level, Radiohead has proven the power of the InternetâÄôs ultimate level by pre-releasing their music free to the public. Given the choice to pay whatever they wanted, much of the users declined to pay a penny for the album. Still, it was just announced recently that, in fact, the sales from the Internet pre-release of âÄúIn RainbowsâÄù generated more money than their prior album, âÄúâÄúHail to the Thief,âÄù made in total sales. But amid all this writing of online savvy, there is still the music and the very real shows that occur daily. Last Sunday night, while I sat down at a table in Acadia Café, my friend Tomas propped a camera to record the clangs and falsetto of Invisible Boy âÄî otherwise known as Chris Bierden, from local band Vampire Hands. Tomas began to record. We sat back, and watched the man play on the stage. Of course, no one was completely attentive there. The bearded patrons and their beautiful girlfriends chatted still over glasses of foreign beer while the scrappy couple at the back of the place laughed raucously above everyone else. But sometimes, you donâÄôt have to pay attention to music to let it sink in âÄî often it just comes to you. Tomas left the show afterwards and will sometime soon upload the music he recorded to be put in a blog for free download and sample for anyone interested in Invisible Boy, or his counterpart, Vampire Hands. Music is handcuffed by money. But the Internet, by taking away that divider, allows artists to freely reign in their pursuits. With this constant churning, a founding of this creative American Dream remains a potent possibility, especially for the lovely local music of the Twin Cities. Matt Grimley welcomes comments at [email protected].