music in my life: concerts

Yellowcard in Tucson ('06)

the very first concert I ever attended was STYX when I really young (maybe 8 or 9?). I remember the previous year they came to Phoenix for their summer tour and my parents wouldn't take me. I was absolutely crushed because at the time, STYX was my all-time favorite band (still one of my all-time faves). I cried while listening to their "Best of..." album on repeat the whole night they played in town that year. the next year, my parents learned. they bought me tickets. (can we say spooooiiiiled?)

The Academy Is... in Tucson ('07)

the one thing I remember about that concert was that I was one of the few standing in our section belting out the songs. I remember looking down the row and seeing this older man standing and singing and cheering and I remember trying to outdo him because, of course, I was definitely more excited to be there. (first sign of my over-the-top competiveness.) I screamed my little 8-or-9-year-old head off that night.

Paolo Nutini in Tucson ('07)

the second concert I went to was definitely N Sync back in high school. my friend Julia and I were obsessed at the time and made our own T-shirts and everything. We even braided our hair into a bazillion little braids (the goal was to put little beads in the braids that spelt out the names & such, but we could not find beads anywhere). we had so much fun that night, being your average teeny-boppers.

Snow Patrol in Phoenix ('07)

when I went off to college my yearning to go to concerts magnified. the first show I saw in Tucson was a free show on campus by Rufio - my friend Finn dragged me. but I had tons of fun. The first show I saw at the historical Rialto (Tucson's number one venue) was The Academy Is... with Panic! At the Disco with my friend Chris (not boyfriend Chris). That was my first real "rock" concert. After that I was hooked. I craved being next to the stage and listening to live music.

The Format in Tucson ('06)

I went to a lot of concerts in Tucson while I was in college. I've seen a lot of great bands and learned about a lot of new bands. I loved every part of live shows. screaming/yelling at the top of your lungs when they started playing your favorite song. the jumping/pushing/moshing. the bass beats rumbling through your body. meeting the band afterwards. taking pictures, lots of pictures. seeing how close to the stage you can get. the ringing in your ears when you go home to fall into bed. everything. every time a band I knew came into town, I was there. 


Jason Mraz in Tucson ('08)


rock shows were my love - they were my hobby. I've done my fair share of pushing and shoving. as I got closer to my senior year and post-grad life, I toned it down a bit going to some more low-key shows like snow patrol, the muse, and such, mainly because I was tired of fighting with high school kids. but I still love going to live shows. it's hard to go now in Phoenix since there's so many different venues and the pickings are slim, but I want ot be the kind of person who's going to shows until my hair starts turning gray.
that will be me.

me & 3/4ths of The Fray at Jimmy John's in Tucson ('07)

quote of the moment:

"After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music."
-Aldous Huxley

music in my life: mumford and sons

first of all, this album is by no means my typical choice of music. I've never been much of a country fan mainly because of what I call the "twanginess" of the music. I don't know what it is I have against banjos and stomping of the feet, but it always made me nauseous. I've also never been a fan of overly christian music - the kind that praises God in every line. however, mumford and sons is just that: banjos and stomping of the feet blended with spirituality.

I bought this album for two reasons: (1) I saw a snippet of their performance at the grammy's and was drawn to their obvious passion and enjoyment when performing and (2) it was $7.99. and I just can't seem to stop listening to it. when I popped the album in my car for our morning drive to work, I wasn't sure what to expect. and then the band belts out in perfect unison: serve God, love me and mend. at first I thought, oh brother, did I just buy a christian album? but as the song progressed and crescendoed into this powerful refrain

love, it will not betray you, dismay or enslave you, it will set you free,
be more like the man you were made to be
 
I knew I was hooked.

it's been a couple of weeks since I bought this album and I can't get it out of my head. it's like the songs are the soundtrack to my life, always playing in the background. and it's not just one song - I'll have one song playing over and over in my head when I wake up, a different one by lunch time, and then a new one when I go to bed. the music is almost haunting. it really sticks with you.

this is a powerful album. it is soft & dainty and then strong & thunderous. the lyrics are beautifully written with so much heart and sadness. uplifting, even cheerful songs are creatively mixed with songs of darkness. each song is poetic - without the instruments they can be read like a poem. it's almost as if the album throws you back to a different time period with its majestic feel with hints of spirituality. I envision being at a grand ball for the king when track number 5, "white blank page," comes on. 

this band has a certain rawness - a sort of grittiness - that I truly admire when it comes to musicians. not just about laying it all out on the line, but the ability to make the listener feel the emotions of the songs. I listen to them and not only do I hear the passion in their voice, but I feel the pain, the remorse, of the singer. this type of rawness is very rare, especially on an album.


quick facts
favorite song(s): "the cave," "white blank page," "I gave you all," "little lion man," "after the storm"
number of songs skipped: 0. this is one of the few albums that I don't skip any.
favorite time to listen: any time. mainly the drive to work because it really relaxes my mind and prepares me for the day. although I listen to "after the storm" whenever I need a reminder about love.
overall score (out of 10): 10.

music in my life

music has always been important in my life. my childhood days consisted of listening to classic rock nonstop (drove my mom CRAZY with it being on at all times of the day), being quizzed on artists and song titles (one of my many talents is being able to most of the artists and/or song titles from this genre), sitting by our big front window on rainy days and singing "american pie," admiring my dad's cd collection (one of my ultimate goals in life is to have as many cds as my dad),  trying to name artists/song titles before my brother (I always won - except once, damn you first beat of "blinded by the light"), toting around my cd player, watching mtv and vh1 all day (when they actually showed music videos), being awaken on my birthday by the beatles' "birthday," being awaken every summer day by the beatles' "good morning good morning" (I still cringe at the sound of that rooster), and being in marching band. and because of that, I have a pretty open mind when it comes to music. I say I like everything, because I really do listen to it all. jazz, hip hop, pop, rock, classical, rap, alternative, indie, punk, 80s, and now even some country (which I previously couldn't stand). my only exception is the kind where all they do is scream. I don't find that musical nor do I find it pleasing to my ears.

another thing to note about me and music: I have a bad habit of buying cds. some I buy randomly without knowing the sound or the artist and some by hearing only one song (or a portion of a song). my spontaneity may stem from my ultimate goal of having more cds than my dad (see above), but it may also stem from my passion for hearing something different. I'm always open to new music - something I'm not accustomed to.

in reality, it may not be such a bad thing - some of my favorite albums I've bought without knowing anything about it (i.e. quietdrive). I think it keeps things interesting. you can't listen to the radio anymore to hear new music, because every station plays the same thing. over and over again. and my friends either aren't as passionate about music as I am, or have questionable tastes. so my way of exploring new music is to browse for $7.99 or $9.99 cds. I've noticed that these cds (the $7.99 and $9.99 ones) are usually the best cds by unknown non-mainstream artists.

I am in no way a music expert, but there's certain albums or artists that I think people should be aware of. so be on the lookout for my "music in my life" series where I'll post reviews of some of the music I come across.