The Internet Ego Death Vinyl Listening Experience (Event Recap)

Jun 26

Our Ego Death 10-year anniversary celebrations started on June 13th thanks to DJ Chef Dro, the creator of Music Nerds and the curator of the vinyl listening experience, and Thanks for Listening record shop in Virginia Beach. I had the honor of co-hosting alongside her, and together we guided the conversation, shared reflections, created space for the community to connect, and the energy in the room was truly unmatched.

Hearing the album on vinyl just hit different. The instrumentation felt warmer, fuller, more alive. As the needle dropped on each side, we vibed out, fully immersed in the layers of sound that made Ego Death so special. What started as subtle head nods and quiet sways turned into full-on karaoke, with folks singing their favorite lyrics like we were at The Internet concert 10 years ago.

After every three songs, we passed the mic and let the conversation flow. We reflected on the first time we heard The Internet and how Ego Death shaped how we listen, how we love, and how we see ourselves. We got into how the streaming era changed everything and how this album feels like it came from a moment when music could take its time. We talked about Syd, and what it meant to hear a queer woman sing so openly to other women without shame or filter. We shared our own definitions of ego death, how it’s shown up in our lives, and what it still teaches us.

Love, identity, and self-awareness weren’t just themes on the album. They became real topics in the room as we opened up and shared the ways these songs still speak to us, ten years later. We gave flowers to Steve Lacy, amazed by how tapped-in the whole band was at such a young age. Everyone had a favorite track, a favorite line, a moment that felt even heavier now than it did in 2015. But more than anything, it was clear this album had become a shared language, one we were all grateful to revisit together.

Limited copies of the Ego Death vinyl were available for purchase that night. The demand was so high, the shop opened up preorders on the spot. The love for this record was tangible, and it was beautiful to see people not just reminiscing on its impact, but wanting to take a piece of it home.

Back then, Ego Death was a quiet revolution. Now, it feels like a time capsule and a blueprint. Listening again, especially on vinyl and in community, only confirms that its legacy is still unfolding.