Need a Professional Tuner But Don't Want to Pay the Price? No Problem!

One of the biggest hassles, and yet most important aspect of a musician is the need to have their instruments tuned correctly. In the older days it obviously would have been a lot more difficult to get an exact sound without the modern marvels of today's technology, but at least it was cheap. A drum tuner alone will cost a person 60 dollars, and that's not even half your band! So is there a cheap alternative to this that will get you the same results? The answer is yes. Now you can take your tuning technology anywhere you have your itouch or iphone, by downloading one of the many instrument tuning applications that can be found in the iTunes Store. The best part to having the availability of a tuner you will never forget to remember? The price. These applications cost anywhere from 99 cents to $6.99, which compared to having to pay over a hundred bucks for enough tuners to cover what these applications can tune, is just sensless. Once again iTunes proves that no matter what problem you happen to stumble upon... There's an App for that.

Johnny Cash's Graphic Novel App.

Arguably one of the greatest rock artists of all time Johnny Cash now adds an iTunes app, in which you travel through a graphic novel of the great rock legends life, to the long list of available items that his fans can get a hold of in his memory. In this iTunes exclusive app, you can relive the life of Johnny Cash and enjoy the music that made this man a legend. With colorful and creative displays and an archive of the greatest moments in this rock legend's history, it is a must have for any of his long time fans. Johnny Cash seems to have almost everything possible done now to commemorate his life now after this application. Some of the more spectacular and worthwhile items is the movie about his life called "Walk the Line" in which the title is one of his more famous songs. The movie made great success, and if this iTunes application is anything like it, it will be a great treasure for all his fans to add to their collection.

Photo courtesy of iTunes

Solid Covers

A lot of times the only place you will find a cover is when you're watching your favorite band perform live, but recently, its not the only place you will find it. Bands such as Shinedown are releasing their cover songs on their albums now for their fans to buy it, and with the kind of covers that bands like Shinedown, Bullet For My Valentine, Hinder, and Buckcherry have been performing, why not? I saw a Shinedown concert this summer, and judging from the chants in the crowd, a lot of them came to the show to hear their cover of "Simple Man," by rock legends Lynyrd Skynyrd. And this shows as Simple man is one of their most top downloaded song on iTunes. And iTunes isnt the only place you can get the song, as it is being featured in the deluxe version of their album "Sound of Madness."

Picture by google images

Acoustic Albums Make a Big Splash at iTunes Store

Rock superstars such as Theory of a Deadman, Bullet For My Valentine, and Papa Roach, just to name a few, have recently dropped acoustic recordings of some of their favorite songs in the iTunes Store. These albums are Exclusive to the iTunes Store, and provide their fans with their favorite songs in a different tone and vocal atmosphere. The difference in acoustic compared to the normal songs can range anywhere from subtle differences to complete flip flop of the songs. One of the best examples I can think of is Bullet For My Valentine's acoustic version of "Tears Don't Fall." The regular version of the song provides a hardcore and fast-paced song that will get your heart pumping and your head banging. However, the acoustic version, provides for a more softer and sad tone that seems to give the song a deeper sense of meaning than its hardcore original. Instead of heart pumping and head banging, it will get your vocals vibrating and really shows the talent and range that these rock stars have. Either way, I can't decide if I like the acoustic versions of these songs better or not, but it definately brings a new and interesting feeling on an already awesome song.

Pictures via google images

Puddle of Mudd Come Out With New Album

Puddle of Mudd finds their place in the Christmas shopping market with their new album: "Volume 4: Songs in the Key of Love & Hate. Their new album includes popular songs such as "Spaceship," and "Stoned." Their last album "Famous" was a big success as they topped charts early on after its release with "Famous" and "Psycho." Their new album sticks with the familiar sound and vocals that have been a staple for this band through out the years. So for those Puddle of Mudd fans out there, or anyone who enjoys a good uptempoed rock tune, taking a look at this album is definately not a bad idea.



Picture from iTunes

Live Albumns Left and Right

Can't wait for your favorite rock band to come out with a new album? Try your luck on i tunes, because chances are they've got a new live album out. Buckcherry, Linkin Park, Tom Petty, Saving Abel, OK GO, Hinder, and the Fray are just some of the rock bands that have come out with live albums in the last two years. The albums feature their own little twist on their best songs, and definately give their fans a little bit of something to keep them interested or atleast remind them how awesome their concerts are. Although they aren't any new songs, the stuff that goes down exclusively in their concerts are definately worth the cd, as I can remember seeing Buckcherry this summer at Lazerfest, and some of the crazy shit they did is well worth hearing again and reliving. So if you got some last minute shopping to do for a family member or friend that loves to rock, or if you yourself are a rock lover, consider checking out your favorite rock band for a live album.

Pictures Compliment of google images

When it comes to music and video games, don't miss a beat

Have you ever noticed that people who are really good at dancing, or have had dance experience in the past are not as good as Dance Dance Revolution as you might think? My roommate danced her entire life until she came out here for school. When I got DDR as a Christmas gift freshman year I was excited to bring it back and set it up in our dorm. Not only is it fun, but it got my fat butt moving. It was a win-win. But I was a little nervous to compete against my roommate. I thought for sure with all the competitions and productions she had been in for dance she would kick my ass. Boy was I wrong. She kept getting confused and wasn’t able to stay on the mat as well as I was. I won practically every single time. It was great. I understand when you think about it DDR isn’t really dancing, but hey, it’s fun.
I noticed that this same kind of thing relates to Rock Band or Guitar Hero. I have friends who play instruments in bands (guitar, drum, bass). They hate Rock Band. They find it so much more different than the actual instrument they can’t get acclimated. But just like DDR, I am pretty good at it. Since I have no background experience, I have nothing else to compare it to. So I get used to playing the game pretty quickly.
Even if I can’t play the drums perfectly on an easy level, I just listen to the song. Which I think is something most people (who play an instrument or not) don’t always do. They get too wrapped up in trying to figure out which fingers go over which button. They forget to do something that could help them even more-like listen to the beat. I have tried many times to tell them this, but they won’t hear it. Which I guess is fine with me, because I’ll beat them every time.

Scanning Stations to Sing

What is one of the best ways to make a car ride not feel as long? My roommate and I have created a new game called “Radio Wars”. We created this game a couple months ago to make our 3 hour car rides from home to school a little bit more interesting. Now many people would laugh at this because honestly, there could be a worse car ride, like one that lasted over 7 hours one way. And of course I would agree with them. But I would also argue that other people might also have a cd player or i-pod they could throw on and not have to worry about finding a good radio station. We however, aren’t so lucky. My roommate’s car has a cassette tape player, and that is it. I could dig around and find some of my old cassettes, but I can only handle instrumental Disney songs for so long without going crazy.
It felt like about every 5 minutes we were scanning the radio looking for a new station to find some good songs. And that was how the game started. Whichever station we landed on, we listened to the song, whoever knew it better got a point. By “knew it better” I mean who got the most lyrics right. Sometimes if we were feeling nice extra points would be given out for style and enthusiasm. If we both know the song equally, we go to a sudden death for the point. We can’t change the station we were on where we both knew the song. Whatever song plays next determine who wins that round. Sometimes we play it and just joke around. It’s nice to jump around to different stations and hear songs that we haven’t heard for years. It was also a huge eye opener to different genres and styles of music I wouldn’t normally give the time of day.
So next time you’re on a road trip with a friend, warm up those pipes and get ready to rumble.

“Women Cry For It! Men Die For It!”

Drugs! Jazz! Madness!

1930’s-cautionary-film-turned-cult-classic Reefer Madness (Tell Your Children), the tale of good kids turned bad by the evil “marihuana.” The film is not for the faint of heart: as the opening credits warn, “the motion picture you are about to witness may startle you.” The earnest filmmakers were perhaps a bit too earnest, going over the top—way over. The introduction continues: “it would not have been possible, otherwise, to sufficiently emphasize the frightful toll of the new drug menace which is destroying the youth of America in alarmingly increasing numbers.” (Coincidentally, the whole film can be viewed here at Google Video. Just make sure you can stomach all that madness.)

So, what better way to celebrate this overblown tale than to add in some song and dance? The 1936 film Reefer Madness sunk into obscurity until it was rediscovered by tokers in the 1970’s, and has since enjoyed cult status. In the 21st Century, Reefer Madness was made into a musical, thanks to the genius of comedy writers including Dan Studney and Mystery Science Theater 3000’s Kevin Murphy. The musical was in turn made into a film (Reefer Madness: The Movie Musical), which premiered at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival and aired on Showtime.


Lucky for those of us in Iowa City, The University of Iowa is bringing the madness to Iowa City with their very own production of the musical.

Reefer Madness: The Musical opens for Iowa audiences at 8 p.m., Friday, November 13, in E.C. Mabie Theatre of the University of Iowa Theatre Building. Third-year Master of Fine Arts directing student Brandon Bruce is directing. There will be additional performances at 8 p.m., Saturday, November 14, and Tuesday–Friday, November 17–20, and at 2 p.m., Sunday, November 15. Tickets for UI students with a valid ID are only $5 ($17 for the general public, $12 for seniors, $10 for youth).

Images from Wikipedia and The University of Iowa.

I Challenge You to an Un-Challenging Duel

Have you ever had one of those nights when you have the best intentions of going out with your friends, forgetting your troubles for a while and just having a great night? Well, have you also ever had one of those nights when you have the best intentions of going out with your friends, forgetting your troubles for a while and just having a great night but instead you and five of your friends are all just sprawled in someone’s basement in a long silence waiting for a great idea to pop into your head, or for the room to suddenly get brighter because someone else’s light bulb went off? If you answered no, you are probably lying.
A couple of weeks ago I was in that situation, until someone decided to turn on the TV. Don’t ask me what channel or show it was, but the people decided to have a conversation without using the letter “e”. We tried just joking around for a good 2 minutes before someone slipped, it was hard. After laughing for a while we decided to try and speak to each other only using song titles or lyrics from songs. I thought it would be fun for about 10 minutes but I figured after that everyone would start to lose steam. Boy was I wrong. For as close of a group as we are, and for the similarities in music that we have, there were some bands thrown in this game, and lyrics from songs I have never heard of. Not only did it keep us entertained, but now we have mini tournaments whenever we are back together. Never again will we have to worry about what to do when we are bored, because there are hundreds of thousands of songs, and if I have to learn a lot more just to win, I will!

Friends+Music=Never a Dull Weekend

Over the weekend I went home and spent some much needed time with my friends. One of my favorite parts about us hanging out involve, you guessed it, music. No matter how long it’s been since I’ve seen them, nothing really changes once we’re all back together. The same goes with music and the certain bands and songs each of us listen to too. Sitting around I started to look at everyone and smile, because our taste in music is all different, and although we may not fully enjoy a certain band that one person likes, we still give it a fair chance and appreciate it. Every time “the gang” is back together we fight over whose turn it is to play the music. It’s like a fun guessing game, we never know if it’s going to be a boy band, a hard core scream-o band, songs that make us flash back to high school, or a brand new song from a band someone just started listening to last week.
One of the best parts is that we are so comfortable with each other now that we’re not self conscious anymore about how we look or sound when we are singing to songs too. We just belt it out. I never knew some of my friends had such a broad range and could really hit some of those high and low notes. We compete with each other to try and mimic the actual singer’s voice and see who does it best, as well as interpretive dance competitions to certain songs. If I was to give everyone in my group of friends a stereotype it would be a very wide range. One of the funny parts is that if I asked everyone to give each other a stereotype, I’m almost 90% sure most of them would give me the quiet or shy one. But if you asked them to stereotype me at a concert, or hanging out and listening to music, I’m pretty sure that same percentage would change to hyper or excited. What can I say, “music makes me lose control”.

Glee’s Got Game

Fox’s one-hour musical dramedy extravaganza Glee has definitely got game. But why has it succeeded where others have failed, asks Ayala Ben-Yehuda in an article on The Live Feed today. The answer? There’s just something about the way everything works together: the writers, the actors, the producers—and the music, of course.


Glee’s success has a lot to do, in fact, with the music—the choices are great, of course, but those songs wouldn’t make it on the show without the permission of artists, record companies, and other copyright holders. Far from restricting itself to one genre, Glee utilizes everything from iconic Broadway hits and folk songs to the musical stylings of contemporary artists such as Kanye and Beyonce. Ben-Yehuda reports that this demand to adapt different music to the show puts a strain on performers such as Lea Michele (Rachel Berry).

But with a little hard work—okay, a lot of hard work, by a lot of talented people—everything seems to come together each week, including those incredible ‘mash-ups.’

The producers of Glee drummed up interest by circulating the pilot as much as possible in the months before the series got going this fall. The trailer alone was enough to get some groups interested.

Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’” was secured for the pilot, and member Steve Perry even showed up to watch how it would be used in the new show.

And those who have invested their artistic capital have not been disappointed; iTunes downloads of Glee tunes are being counted in the millions, and multiple soundtracks are slated for release—the first of which comes out Tuesday.

Those in the business of selling the show—and selling the music—are definitely excited about these facts and figures. Us fans, however, can just lean back and take it all in. Glee’s diverse music selection is just another reason to keep watching, stay interested, and get some songs, old and new, stuck in our heads.

Image from The Live Feed.

P-Roach Set to Rock Iowa With Two Big Shows

As we head into the end of fall, Papa Roach makes a long waited appearance back in Iowa for two great shows. A smaller show on the 28th of October in Dubuque along with Killing Hannah and Jet, and then again on the 4th of November at the Val Air Ballroom in West Des Moines as they headline with Jet, Saving Abel, and Red as the lead-in bands. Papa Roach fresh off their new album, Metamorphisis, which hit stores last spring have been on tour with Jet for the last couple of months, and will continue on into the winter with other big shows mainly on the East and West coasts. Their album includes hit singles such as "Lifeline," "Hollywood Whore," and "I Almost Told You That I Loved You." The band, now one of the more veteran groups in the business have been going strong since 1997 and are 6 albums deep into their career with no end in sight. After seeing one of their high energy shows back in 2007. The venue was an all-star line-up including headliner Hinder, and support by Buckcherry, Saliva, Bullet For My Valentine, Fuel, and Operator, I found it hard to make any arguement that any of those bands were better than the show P-Roach put on, even though they were the 3rd to last band to play. This band likes to get after it, get the crowd involved, and in all reality just rock the fuck out. Definately a must see.



Pictures provided by paparoach.com

The Next Step on Google’s World Domination Tour?

Maybe.

I remember when I was a freshman in high school and people in my art class started talking about “Google.” Many of the students (and our teacher) had not heard of it. That was back when the curious Internet user had his or her choice of search engines—Yahoo, AltaVista, AskJeeves, and so forth, and Google was just a newcomer to the crowded party. Slowly but surely, for better or for worse, Google started taking over. The word Google has even expanded its reign in our vocabulary, moving beyond mere proper noun and taking also the role of verb. Skilled searchers even speak of their mastery of “Googlefu.”

And Google, somehow—the details are still unclear to me—made money. Lots and lots of money. And they have expanded their reign over all things internet: Google Maps edged out MapQuest and the like; Gmail is one of the most popular web-based email services. There’s also Google News, Google Finance, Google Scholar, Google Books…

Even in the current economy, Google has enough capital to risk a few bucks here and there on more risky ventures. This week they’ll be announcing their step into the world of music. But there are a lot of skeptics out there predicting this will not be a successful scheme.

Richard Metzger at Brand X, in his unambiguously titled article “Will Google’s new music app really be all that?” predicts the fall of Google’s new music app, as it will be utilizing the “underwhelming” music service LaLa, when crazily popular European streaming service Spotify is slated to come to the US later this year. Google will allow users to search for a song and pull up information on the performers, lyrics, etc., and Lala will allow the user to stream the song—once. After that, it’s time to buy if you happen to want to listen again.

As Business Week reports, Lala is thrilled with Google’s choice to use their service—and not just Google, but Facebook as well (just as you can buy little illustrated “gifts,” for your Facebook friends, you will soon be able to pay to send them a song—ten cents for them to listen online whenever they wish, about a dollar for them to download it onto their computers and mp3 players).

Within the next few months, new ways of searching, streaming, and purchasing music will be coming to America. The winner, as usual, is to be decided by the consumer. Will Google dominate the music scene, as it has taken over so many other facets of our lives? Or will this venture count among their losses? Either way, it’s probably safe to assume that Google will be okay.

Keeping the Cold and Catching the Butterflies

How do you stop yourself from being desensitized by a song that really strikes a chord with you?
Is it inevitable? Or are there certain separation tricks you can use so the song and its lyrics stay just as effective when you hear it for the 5th, 203rd, or 1,000th time?
One of the main things people tell me to do when I bring up this topic is to just not listen to it as often as I would like. But where is the fun in that? Obviously I like the song enough to where I want to listen to it a couple of times a day or week, why should I have to “punish” myself in a way and stagger listening to it?
But on the other hand, they have a point. If getting a chill on the back of my neck when I listen to “Taking Chances” from Glee, or butterflies in my stomach every time I listen to “Chicago is so 2 years ago” by Fall Out Boy means that much to me and I never want to lose it, taking a break from listening to those songs constantly might be my only hope.
It’s not that I get sick of these songs, I just lose that instantaneous feeling of excitement and joy from listening to something that I relate to, enjoy and wish I could replicate (Lea Michelle’s voice is amazing). But even if I have lost the “butterflies in my stomach” feeling I’ve gotten from these songs before, I know that it will only take a day or two of me not listening to them for the feelings to come back. Which I know doesn’t seem that long, but, sometimes it is, for me at least.
But luckily I have an i-pod full of other songs that make me just as happy, and possibly as touched as the 2 songs I’ve mentioned, so I think in the end I’ll make it. I just wish there was an easier way.

i <3 ♪ ♫

Lately I’ve heard a lot of people complaining about how younger people abbreviate words way too much. I’m not talking about little things like “would’ve, it’s”, I mean, “omg, g2g, lol” kind of things. More computer abbreviation talk than what people would actually say in a conversation. Teachers are having problem getting through papers without seeing a word missing a few vowels, or sometimes it’s even taken to the extreme and there are pictures instead of the actual word. I will even admit that it isn’t just the younger generations doing this, but there are times where I will bite the abbreviation bullet and add a few shortened words in my texts, only because I was running out of room. I have friends who still use the number “2” constantly instead of saying “to”. My uncle being the main offender of that, but I’ll let it slide since he just learned how to text last week.
But as much as I have heard people make fun of others who abbreviate words when they are holding conversations, or through text messages and emails, I haven’t heard anyone even bring up or complain about band’s abbreviations. Maybe they go more unnoticed? Or maybe people see it as their own expression and are therefore considered art? I think either are good points, and I’m sure there are many other ideas people could say too.
As long as I can remember when it was possible I was abbreviating band names, it seemed to me that it was almost encouraged more than saying the entire band name. NKOTB, STP, BSB, FOB. I loved saying those when I had the chance, I felt like it was a secret code that got you into a special band group fan club. Only fans who really liked the band were allowed to say it kind of thing. But now bands skip actually making up a longer name and just jump to an already abbreviated one. Case in point, there is a new band that is starting to become popular, LMFAO. Which I still find the fact that their grandma chose that name for them hilarious, and just another point to show that abbreviations are spreading not just to the younger generation, but to all of them. So as long as the band is in on the joke, is it ok to abbreviate? Or does it just not matter so much in music as it does in everyday life?

Chester Bennington Opens a New Chapter

After the infinite success that Linkin Park has brought to themselves, main vocalist Chester Bennington decided to start a new chapter in his rock career by starting up his new band, Dead By Sunrise. The band's new album entitled "Out of Ashes," hit stores last Wednesday, and features a more laid back type of rock that we wouldn't see from Bennington and Linkin Park. His voice hasn't changed, and is still completely unmistakable on the new album, but the vocals are much melodic, and although there is a lot of his more higher pitched singing, it doesn't carry over into the heart-pumping screams that he's accustomed too in the majority of Linkin Park's songs. Although Linkin Park's sound had begun to move towards this style of song, with lighter songs in their latest album, "Minutes to Midnight" with songs such as "Shadow of the Day" and "What I've Done," there's still that sound and attitude that is accustomed to Linkin Park. And although there is the same singer in the two bands, there is definitely a new tone and attitude that Dead by Sunrise brings to the table. So for anyone who likes Chester Bennington's voice, which is a very large amount of people, but want to hear it in a new creative way, Dead by Sunrise may definitely be the way to go.


(pictures found on google images)

Rap, Hip-Hop, and CNN

Thirty-some years after it first emerged in New York, hip-hop is going strong into the twenty-first century, communicating the discontent of young people, opening eyes and ears to social problems across the globe. For each country the music comes in unique flavors and words; not only do the languages differ, but so do the struggles being faced. There are different messages to be shared.

In Japan, for example, hip-hop artists such as King Giddra have complained of an education system that zaps youth of their vitality, and of a media oversaturated with sex and violence—listen and see lyrics to the song “Bullet of Truth” here, at researcher Ian Condry’s Japanese hip-hop site). There’s a bit more on Japanese hip-hop (music as well as fashion) in this article.

In France a few years ago, the BBC reported rap artists were blamed for fueling suburban riots. Artist Monsieur R fielded criticism over his song “FranSSe,” in which he called France a prostitute—though he said he was referring to certain politicians who were neglecting ethnic minorities, and not to France as a whole. “Hip hop is a crude art, so we use crude words. It is not a call to violence,” he said in defense of his work.

And in an article entitled “Life on planet hip-hop” today, Alexis Akwagyiram reports on hip-hop’s role in Africa and the Middle East. Akwagyiram interviewed Ben Herson, the founder of Nomadic Wax, a fair-trade label getting out the messages of African rappers with albums, films, and live events. Herson is interested in the idea that rap serves as “CNN for black people,” as Public Enemy rapper Chuck D famously said. Herson believes that, since most cultures have a history of some sort of oral poetic tradition, they can relate to rap and its political messages.

Hip-hop also has a presence in the Middle East, such as the Palestinian group DAM. DAM raps in English, Arabic, and Hebrew, and uses their songs to explore issues like the situation in Palestine and women’s rights in Arab countries. The chorus of their song “I Don’t Have Freedom,” which you can listen to at their website, goes as follows:

Everywhere I go I see borders, imprisoning humanity
Why can’t I be free like other children in this world?
Everywhere I go I see borders, imprisoning humanity
Why can’t I be free like other children in this world?

In Senegal, West Africa it is believed that the results of the 2000 election, in which the party in power was deposed, were affected by politically-charged rap songs that got a lot of airtime on popular radio stations. Award-winning Dekar rapper Baay Bia (pictured) said,

"In 2000, rappers spoke about how we could change the nation. People understood and we changed the government. Until we spoke people didn't believe this could happen."

Images from al-awdacal.org, Ian Condry, and the BBC, respectively.

Act Like You Don't Care?

So 2 years ago I was lucky enough to get the best birthday present ever. Months in advance I had gotten tickets for a Fall Out Boy concert. Just having tickets was great, but about an hour before we were going to leave for the concert (which was still at least 2 or so hours before the show started because I was excited and wanted to get there A.S.A.P) I got a phone call from a number I had never seen before. Hesitating a little I decided to answer, it was a man from Live Nation letting me know that I had 4 meet and greet passes under my name to meet FOB. Thanking him I hung up the phone and immediately started to cry (only a little) and jump up and down. It was my dream to see them in person and up close, and if I was lucky enough, ask them a few questions I’ve been dying to ask about some of their songs.
I called my friends and told them our plans changed, be ready in 10 minutes, I was on my way. There was no chance in hell I was going to miss this opportunity because they wanted 40 more minutes to nap before we were really supposed to leave. The whole ride to the arena is a blur to me. I remember driving faster than I probably ever have before to get there, and I’m pretty sure I heard my friend yell at me to chill out because I almost jumped out of the car before I put it in park. I went to the booth and got our meet and greet wristbands and we went into the next building to wait in line to meet them. It worked out so well that we were the last in line; I was elated, thinking I would have more time to ask them questions.
That wasn’t the case at all. It was a quick process; quicker than I thought was possible. Security guards moved up and down the line reminded people to have whatever they wanted signed by the band out and ready (being in such a rush I didn’t even think to bring something for them to sign, so they signed the envelope our wristbands came in). The band said quick hellos and we were whisked off to the end of the line again to then take our picture with them. I couldn’t stop smiling, my cheeks started to hurt. That’s when my friends started to give me a hard time. “Quit looking so excited”,” it’s not that big of a deal”, I wanted to smack them. Maybe for you it isn’t, but for me it is. Where is there an unwritten rule that you have to act un-interested when meeting someone you’ve admired for years? I guess I missed that memo. I don’t care if I looked silly, I was happy, who wouldn’t be?

Lone Rocker

Things that are ok to do by yourself:
Ride a bike
Weed a garden
Make Jell-o

Things that are ok to do by yourself, but not many people do:

Go to a concert

I learned this the hard way last spring. The Academy Is… was playing at the Picador and I did not want to miss it. However, all of my friends did. I knew the show was going to sell out so I had to make the hard decision a few weeks before the concert about whether I should just get 1 ticket, or wish and cross my fingers someone would have a change of heart and I should buy 2.
Well, I ended up buying 1. I kind of knew my second option wasn’t an option at all with my friends. But I didn’t think it would be so bad. It’s not like it was a super social gathering, a band was going to be playing 85% of the time I was there. But I knew the second I got to the Picador and the line went a block down the sidewalk that my night was going to be filled with a whole lot of awkwardness on my part. The doors to the show didn’t start for an hour, everyone was chatting away with their group of friends. There I stood, alone, like a creeper, listening into others conversations while trying to make myself look popular by playing around with my phone.
When it came time to get into the Picador I was at ease with my alone-ness, although I’m sure other people still felt bad. But one of the pros of being alone was that I was able to squeeze right to the front of the stage. I was elated. The show ended up being amazing and a very rare show (because it ended up being an acoustic set, and only with the lead singer). Every once in a while between songs I wanted to look next to me and see my friends smiling as much as I was because the show was great.
It wasn’t until the very last song that I felt my phone buzz in my pocket. As William Beckett walked off the stage at the end of the show I looked to see that my friend texted me telling me he was in town. He had been for hours. And wanted to know if I wanted to go to the Academy Is… show. He didn’t buy tickets because he didn’t want to go alone, if only he called me sooner.

A few days later I was talking about how weird it was going to a show alone because I had nobody to really talk to, or share my excitement with. But the comments my roommate had about how she hates standing and being sweaty, etc, I realized that there are just as many cons as there are pros going with someone. Since that concert I’ve gone to 2 other shows around town alone, and had an equally fun time as I did at the first, and I’ve even met some cool people along the way. Now my friends don't give me quite as hard of a time when I tell them I’m going/went to a show alone.

Now if only I could get them to stop making fun of me for going to movies alone
sometimes.


(picture found on google images)

“More Rock. Less Plastic.”

The eighth annual Austin City Limits Music Festival wraps up tonight. The festival, inspired by the thirty-odd-years-and-running PBS special Austin City Limits, has grown in size and scope, expanding its initially regional focus and drawing musicians and crowds not just from Texas but from across the country and the globe. Nicknamed ACL, this weekend of rock is beginning to rival established music festivals such as Lollapalooza (in fact run by the same company, C3 Presents).

While fans were entranced by the likes of Pearl Jam, The Decembrists, Dave Matthews Band—just to name a few—they were also being encouraged to go green. According to the New York Times, C3 donated $2.5 million to physically green up Zilker Park, where the festival is held. Beyond that, ACL has sought to go green on a different level.

As ACL itself touts on the ‘Greening’ section of their website, “The Festival is once again 100% carbon neutral event.” So, even thousands upon thousands of fans stampeded their way to the concerts this weekend, ACL left no carbon footprint on Mother Earth. This was achieved by purchasing carbon offsets from Green Mountain Energy. You may have noticed, for example, when purchasing plane tickets online, that you’re given the opportunity to pay for a carbon offset. Shelling out even more money for your trip may not be the most appealing idea you’ve ever heard, but that burning jet fuel is just spewing out more C02 into the air we all breathe. Offsets aren’t just for plane trips, either—they can be bought to cancel out the negative effects of our daily lives—driving our cars, heating our homes, using electricity. The money goes to alternative sources of energy and pays to plant trees, which naturally convert carbon dioxide back into oxygen. Environmentally conscious companies can buy offsets too, for big events like the ACL. ACL also offered event-goers the chance to pay an extra $3 to offset the toll they would take on the environment by traveling to and attending the festival.

Mother Nature Network reported that in addition to the carbon offsets, ACL has created an environmentally conscious festival. For example, no styrofoam or plastic bags were allowed into the event. Attendees were encouraged to take part in the festival’s “Rock and Recycle” program, which offered a chance at prizes such as the hybrid Honda Insight for people who participated in “eco-mindful activities” like recycling, riding a bike, using a refillable water bottle, et cetera.

Austin has been known as a hippie town, where all sorts of music and creativity have flourished. Luckily, environmentalism is not just for hippies anymore; it’s for all of us. We can still throw wild parties and enjoy music, travel, food, and life—and we can do so guiltlessly, with fresh air to breathe.

image from Wikipedia.

Shuffling Through the Years

So the other day I decided to "spice up" my walk and put my i-pod on shuffle. I always feel ambivalent about doing it too. Either I get a set of some of my favorite songs or ones I really like that I haven't listened to in forever, or a set of songs come on that I haven't listened to in forever, for good reason. But this time, it was an awkward, but nice in a weird way combo of the both.

This shuffle caused me to have a flashback. Some songs came on and the minute I heard it, I was taken back to high school soccer practice, or driving to a horse show with butterflies in my stomach. It was a strange, but wonderful feeling. I was amazed at how well I could remember specific situations, some from over 5 years ago, just from certain songs. I'm sure my parents would like to know why I can remember silly things like that, instead of my abnormal psychology test questions, and I would like to know too.

It is just a strange, somewhat powerful feeling I get when I hear a song about broken hearts, or how nobody understands you when you're just 18, and how for that 3 minutes the song lasts when I first heard it, it fit me completely. It consumed me, and I never thought anything could describe how I felt except for that song. Those songs got me through what was impacting my life at that time. It's funny to think about what's happened since then. How over dramatic some of the songs are, how unnecessary majority of the emotions I had about something were. But at that time, they were real, and important, and that song fit.

Comparing what I listen to now, and how it fits my situations is so different. And I can't wait until the next 5 years come along and I can put my i-pod on shuffle again, and laugh about what I am so whole-heartedly into right now. I realized none of my songs are insignificant, some just have a shorter expiration date in terms of continuing to relate to me than others.

U of I's SCOPE Brings a Host of Rock Bands to Iowa City

After a performance from country superstar Deirks Bentley last spring, SCOPE has switched gears and locked in a pair of mainstream rock bands to come to town at the end of October and early November.

Taking Back Sunday, and Third Eye Blind will be performing in the IMU main lounge. Taking Back Sunday, with special guests Anberlin, fun, and Gavin Castleton will premier on October 29th. Taking Back Sunday, a well known band from New York City featuring a melodic alternative rock sound will bring their tour through the heart of the University of Iowa's campus. Their albums include 'Louder Now," "Where You Want To Be," and most recently "New Again" make up the bands discography. Both their earlier albums rose to the top 5 on the U.S. Billboard charts, and have sold almost a million copies put together.

Less than a week later on November second, Third Eye Blind will make their way into the Main Lounge of the IMU. The band made a name for themselves with the release of their first album back in the latter 90s with their album self-titled "Third Eye Blind." Their most well known songs include "How's It Going to Be," "Juniper," "Never Let You Go," "Don't Believe a Word," and "Bonfire." Their discography consists of their mentioned first album, "Blue," and "Ursa Major." "Blue" is their only platinum album in which over 140,000 copies were sold within the first month.

Tickets for both concerts are available at the IMU box office, or at Ticketmaster.


(Pictures courtesy of google images)

Boxing Up Those Memories

In the article ““Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da, Yo-Yo Ma”,” published yesterday in the The New York Times, culture reporter Daniel Wakin explores the phenomenon of boxed sets. The recently released Beatles box set, at around $200, is selling out at venues such as Amazon. But doesn’t $200 sound like a lot? Well then, how about $789?

$789 is the sticker price for the upcoming Yo-Yo Ma collection, “30 Years Outside the Box.” The collection stands out against other classical sets since the musician is still living and a lot of his CDs are still available—okay, not in their remastered form, but still… The set does include some 90 CDs. Preorder now from Ma’s website and, if you’re one of the first two hundred buyers, you can also score a personalized note and signed photograph of everyone’s favorite cellist (he’s played for presidents, real and fictional, for high-profile funerals, and just last Friday he performed for the world leaders at the G-20 Summit in Pittsburgh). One hundred people have already plunked down the money for his collection.

As Wakin points out in his article, the album itself is dying in an age when people download only their favorite songs. So why are box sets booming?

Box sets are being marketed to and bought largely by older people who have the funds and attention spans for such investments. A box set is something material, a tangible representation of memories one can hold on to. Even in the digital age “the impulse to have and to hold an object, as well as to collect it, remains,” writes Wakin. A lot of us have probably seen those commercials on TV for greatest hits albums, their message being: “Buy the best of the 60’s, the 70’s, the 80’s, the 90’s…buy back your youth.”

Music can mean a lot. We all have soundtracks to our lives. If you had the money, and the time, would you buy every work by your favorite composer, band, singer? Maybe you would. Until then, box sets like the new Ma collection perhaps belong in a few private homes and in libraries, so the masses can get a taste of his genius.

photo courtesy yo-yoma.com

You must be this old to rock

“You must be this tall to ride”

“Under 60’ you must ride with an adult”

Over 10 years ago I dreaded seeing those signs. To me there wasn’t a feeling worse than finally convincing my parents that I could handle going on a ride that not only went 20 feet up into the air, but also spun around uncontrollably without losing my lunch, just to get to the front of the line and read one of those signs.

I used to look forward to the days when I was well past the scary clowns hand signaling the cutoff to let people ride. Where I could focus on not getting too dizzy or sick, instead of crossing my fingers that the amusement park worker wouldn’t have to question if I was tall enough or not.

But now, as much as I can empathize with the kids I see watching me ride around in the fast go-carts for the adults, or the new “Whiplash” rides envious that their height doesn’t make the cut. I can’t help but be glad that because they aren’t allowed to ride, that gives me more chances to.

The same now applies when I go to concerts. I mean this for a lot of the ones I have been going to in the past 4 years. But to use specific examples I will narrow my concert examples to one of my all time favorite bands, Fall Out Boy.(Laugh all you want now, I’ve gotten more crap for liking them than I ever imagined possible, but through all of that, its made me like them even more.)

FOB really got popular the summer of 2005. But before that they were playing small shows all around the Chicago suburbs in small venues and church basements. Everyone had fun; everyone was there for the music.

Now I can’t go to a show without stepping on an 11 year old blinded by his shaggy bangs covering half his face. I feel bad going into mosh pits and seeing 14 year old girls who weigh no more than 50 pounds because I know the second the music starts they are going to get bashed around so badly they’ll be sore for weeks. But for the split second I feel bad for them, I spend the rest of the time wondering why they are there.

I just want to clear up the fact that I am more than happy to see anyone and any age supporting and enjoying bands I like. I remember getting a lot of strange looks when I was 15 in a sea of people 30+ at a KISS and Aerosmith concert. So I am no stranger to being the minority. But when there is a kid standing in front of me, not knowing any of the bands old albums because they weren’t played on the radio, that’s when I get upset.

These kids just go to shows to say they did, it sounds cool. Some of them could care less about the music. And I wish they wouldn’t go, because then I just have fewer bodies to squeeze past in the mosh pit to get closer to the stage.

But to all the kids who go to the shows, and know all the songs I just want to say “thank you”. And keep on coming.