OurStage's 2013 Gift Guide

posted in: Features

Are you one of those foolish people who thinks the holidays are about getting together with loved ones to share some laughs, eat a delicious meal, and make memories that you’ll cherish for the rest of your lives? HA. Sucker. The holidays exist for one reason: proving to your friends and family that you love them more than they love you with over the top spending on extravagant gifts. And with less than three weeks until Christmas day, time is running out to empty your bank account in the hopes of impressing the people in your life.

Luckily, we’re here to help. Welcome to OurStage’s 2013 gift-giving guide. If you have a music lover on your list this year, any of these items will be sure to impress, proving once and for all that you are the better friend/family member/lover. Merry merry, y’all.

1. Tickets

When it comes to buying presents for the music fan in your life, nothing is better than a pair of tickets to see their favorite band live. They get an unforgettable night of music with an artist they love, you get the joy of giving them a gift that’s also kind of for yourself. (“Oh my god, you want me to take the other ticket to the Neutral Milk Hotel show? It’s totally fine if you want to take someone else. Well, if you’re sure…”)

2. A record player

Sure, this whole vinyl revival has been going on for a few years now, but I’m pretty sure we all have that friend who has yet to give up their mp3 player because they think it’s just a fad. For as little as $50.oo you can get that uninformed goon a record player so that they, too, can become a pretentious pseudo-audiophile who gushes over how much warmer everything sounds on vinyl. It’s the gift that keeps on giving.

3. An audio interface

Sick of having to listen to the music your little brother and his friends record on their iPhones? Get those kids an audio interface that they can plug right into their shiny MacBook Pros. This one, from PreSonus, comes with a microphone, headphones and software, all for the low, low price of $179.95. It won’t improve your little bro’s songwriting skills, but it will help make his demos just a liiiittle more listenable.

4. Box sets

Even if your loved ones don’t dig music quite as much as you do, chances are there’s at least one band out there that they can’t stop obsessing over. Do some googling to see if said band is releasing a swanky, unnecessarily large box set this season! Everyone from Nirvana to Bob Dylan is doing it. Worried you don’t have $170.00 to drop on The Clash‘s Sound System? WRONG. We already told you that Christmas is about out-spending your friends. Bust out that credit card immediately and don’t look back until you’ve punched in all those numbers and hit “confirm.”

5. A holiday sweater from a favorite band

Santa Claus and Dying Fetus have always been linked in our minds, which is why it totally makes sense that the band “ along with tons of others “ is releasing Christmas-themed merch this season. Our friends over at Under the Gun Review have compiled a list packed with holiday prints from some of our favorite punk, hardcore and metalcore acts, so there’s guaranteed to be one that’s perfect for someone on your list. (Side note: if you can’t think of even one person in your life who would be pumped to own a Metallica Christmas sweater, you’re clearly surrounding yourself with the wrong types of people.)

6. Perfume

Have a smelly friend who’s also into music? Kill two birds with one stone and get that guy or gal a fragrance by their favorite pop star. Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, Gwen Stefani – all of these megastars have, at one point or another, put their name on some fruity scent. At least it’s more subtle than buying your pal a bar of soap.

7. This cat DJ scratching deck
Self-explanatory.

@OurStage

More like this:
Riffs, Rants & Rumors: Rockin’ Holiday Gift Guide
Punk On The Rocks: Holiday Gifts For The Punk(s) On Your List