#she plays the glockenspiel in part 2 shes great
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NOLA 2023, Part 2
My New Orleans visit, December 12-19, 2023, continued . . .
On Sunday, December 17, Aurora Nealand (soprano sax, clarinet, vocals) led an especially poignant gig at the Spotted Cat, with Steve Lands (trumpet), Leo Forde (guitar), Pete Olyciw (bass), each a highly-skilled, big-eared, adventurous soul. They played the standards, but in a very exploratory way. When Aurora sang, "In My Solitude," by Duke Ellington, she articulated each lyric with precious presence.
Aurora appeared in David Simon's great, and under-appreciated, TV series Treme. Her best line of the whole series said, in part, " . . . but music, that's personal." She was talking about gigs like this one.
Here's another view of the same gig by Bill Bush, a new friend I met on this trip with similar musical tastes. Bill had some other gigs on his list that evening, but, like me, he sensed how special the gig was, and for three sets, he couldn't tear himself away. It's Bill's original pic, but it's my fault for messing with it . . . From L to R it's Leo Forde, Steve Lands, Steve Olyciw, and Aurora Nealand.
Jason Marsalis did one of the afternoon sessions at the New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park 2PM series. He explained the vibraphone - and its cousins the glockenspiel, the marimba and the xylophone. And he talked about growing up in the house of Ellis Marsalis with brothers Wynton, Branford, etc. And played a few tunes too!
Sharon Martin and her quartet did another one of those great 2PM National Park gigs.
That woman could sing.
I caught a set at Maison Dupuy by Robin Rapuzzi's Glo-worms, two mandolins and a guitar, focused on traditional Italian music. If the two guys on the right look familiar, it's probably because they're in Tuba Skinny. Robin's in the middle and Greg Sherman is on the right. Nobody was there. It was Sunday, something about Saints at the Superdome.
There's been a drum circle on Sunday afternoons in Congo Square since . . . well . . . there's a legend that before the Civil War, the enslaved people of New Orleans were allowed to play their drums on Sunday in Congo Square. One line of thinking says this is why New Orleans music is so unique. As I walked past Congo Square on Sunday afternoon, I heard drums . . .
One of my friends, now a very successful musician, once was busted for busking in a New York subway. He wasn't even playing. He had opened his violin case to look for something, and the cop saw him and out came the ticket book! Why??????
Busking is encouraged in New Orleans. One afternoon I stopped to listen to Charlie Bridges . . .
I met this young lady but didn't remember her name. She was a good singer and a songwriter too.
Doreen Ketchens is one of the best clarinet players in New Orleans! She gives 110%! I've seen her on Royal Street many times.
My allocated week in New Orleans was winding down. On Monday, I caught The Winding Boys at the Spotted Cat, and then Doyle Cooper and Z2 at Buffa's.
Here's The Winding Boys. That's Myla Burnett on guitar, Dizzy on washboard, and Dizzy on bass. One of those all-purpose names. I never caught the names of the two front guys. They were both good. The sax guy was musically clever. The trumpet player was verbally clever, with, a humph, clever, a humph, improvised lyrics. Note the great trumpet player James Williams, in the window.
I went to hear Doyle Cooper at Bill Bush's suggestion. He was very good. So was piano player Z2.
I had some fries and cheese sauce, smothered in Crystal hot sauce, and went home early to pack for my flight to NYC. A remarkable week.
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(please unmute and watch till the end)
Focus on Frozen (1) score (1/?)
Sisters theme
I’m celebrating 1000 followers today! Thank you all my followers, it’s been 9 months and 3 days since I started this blog (kinda like a pregnancy LOL! and I...erm...gave birth to this post?! haha) and I’ve posted 615 original posts. For some weird reason I don’t appear on Tumblr’s top #frozen or #elsa blogs...I’ve given up on trying to fix that...thank you all still for following me. And a great big thanks to my close friends who reblog everything I post!! Really appreciate it!!
I’ve been listening to Frozen 1 soundtrack incessantly for the past few days and I might make some more posts focusing on the major themes.
This is not my first post on the F1 sisters theme. I made one here a while back aaaaand I’m pretty embarrassed to say that I missed out quite a few more instances of the theme! So this post supercedes that one.
AND - I want to credit @let-it-show for pointing out that F2 sisters theme contains 3 notes of F1 sisters theme!! How did I miss that!! Watch till the end of the video for that part!
1. Children snowplay scene
The first instance of this theme. The first 2 bars are the essential 4 notes of this theme. The theme is fun-filled and exuberant initially. After Anna’s accident it is emotional (poor Elsa...she didn’t mean for it to happen)
2. Confrontation before disaster
A slight variation on the third note. And the theme is so ominous and foreboding here, being played by very high violins.
3. Anna pursues Elsa
Again a slight variation here on the 4th note. Some might call it a stretch to consider this the Sisters theme. But anyway, I included it.
4. She’s a stinker!
Cute. I love the way Kbell says “Stinker”. (tho I know what you’re gonna say @99884321 the real pungent one is K =)
5. We need Elsa to bring back summer
So after carefully listening to the score and the movie, I realised that they cut this out of the final scene (but it’s in the CD). It would have played when Kristoff said those words. So cool of composer Christophe Beck to insert a tiny musical reference here! Although it was cut out eventually (maybe it interfered with the flow of the scene?). It’s very cutely played by the glockenspiel.
6. Reunion at the ice palace
Ah...one of my favourite tracks of F1 soundtrack. We Were So Close is so beautiful, a fitting musical backdrop to the ethereal beauty of the ice palace and the revealing of Elsa’s beautiful new form to Anna. And their first reunion.
7. The greatest sacrifice
Anna makes the greatest sacrifice T.T Ugh my heart...Kbell’s whimper just before she turns and runs just gets me everytime.
8. Elsa’s worst fear
This is another bit that is cut out of the final scene. I think Beck wrote this for Elsa’s sobbing and clinging on to frozen Anna, her worst fears coming true and having lost everyone dear to her (UGH MY HEART!!!! ELSAAA!!!) but directors made the right call to have it cut out (not that it’s bad or what) so that there is absolute silence in the movie theater except for Elsa’s desperate sobs. Slaying us all. But still, this little 12 seconds of strings is wonderfully written and terribly sad. T.T
9. Sisters reunited, forever!
Ohhh such joy in this hug!! HUGZ!!!!! Finally we hear the theme in a happy mode again!!
Frozen 2 sisters theme
Again, kudos to @let-it-show for pointing this out to me!! Although the chord structure is different, Beck definitely referenced the F1 sisters theme here with the unmistakable 1st note, then down 1 step to the 2nd note, and then down 5 notes to the 3rd note.
MASSIVE kudos to Christophe Beck!!!!!! Thank you for what you did with F1 and F2 scores!!!
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The Black Suits song ranking
Happy (late) Black Suits Day (eighteenth of September) y'all! Not that anyone asked but I have decided on my personal Black Suits song ranking. As always, I am very correct with my Joe Iconis music takes and will accept no criticism. Also I'm talking about 2013 here. Love yourself (and the work) and listen to 2013 instead of 2012 for better audio quality and a tighter book.
Spirit Song - I don't think anyone is surprised this is my top ranked song lol. "A melody only exists when someone hears, and the number one thing that I've learned through all my years. The fans and the family make the music strong, and the cheering is just as important as the song!" As Will describes it, it's a love letter to audiences (hey, that's me!) and when I listen to this song I'm always reminded of how much Joe believes in the message of this song, that the audience is part of the show.
Bang Bang Bang Bang Bang - [Joe Iconis voice] the language of the show. A lot of this list was influenced by not only how much I liked the song but by how well the songs functioned as extensions/expansions of the scene and the believability of that character singing the song. To me Bangx5 is one of the ultimate examples of this. The lyrics "there's a heavy metal hole where a soul used to be" like that's SO teenage angst and overdramatic just like Chris is supposed to be in this moment. I remember when I first heard the song I was like "is that it? Simple repeated [I am ___] lyrics for your act 1 finale? Seems a bit underwhelming even if it musically goes hard" but then after like another listen through of the show or so I realized that was the intention. When you're seventeen or so and you feel like your world is crashing down around you, sometimes the only way you can articulate it is "I am white boy rage, I am in a cage, I am bang bang bang bang bang bang bang." You are bang, you are loud crashing noises, your emotions are too loud and intense to be described with your limited vocabulary but you try anyways and fail. I love the contrast of the lyrics "I am chew my pens" and "I am hurt my friends" right next to each other. And the harmony at the end? Chefs fucking kiss.
Amphibian - This song is so goddamn fun. Like honestly. That’s it. Nato is chilling by himself and makes up a song about himself and his frog and it’s the best goddamn time in the show. You really get the feeling like these characters are actually friends. I love the “idiot” Nato vs “smart” Brandon. The “who cares about Beethoven. It’s a movie about a dog” joke never fails to make me laugh. When Brandon is expecting a regular bridge to the song and Nato whips out the falsetto and he goes “oh my God” like. Peak comedy here. And also Will Roland doing That? I’m in awe. Like this is what The Black Suits (the band) is, friends hanging out and having fun with music, that makes the next scene when the band formally break up so sad.
It's All Good - “So we’re cool and whatever?” It’s such a teenage boy thing to say. Like you want to acknowledge that you guys have been through something but at the same time you want to undercut it so you don’t run the risk of seeming too openly emotional. I’m also only very slightly bitter about that review that was like “oh wait so the only stakes of this show is the battle of the bands?” Like hello? Did you not see the show or listen to a single second of the finale? It’s about the way these characters communicate in their kinda inadequate ways and how they use music to express themselves. In a way it’s classic, cliche musical theater 101, with the characters unable to say what they feel with plain English so they resort to music, but of course with a Joe Iconis twist. The stakes aren’t the fucking battle of the band, it’s the friendship between the boys. It’s literally so obvious I want to scream. Anyways this song is fantastic way to end the show.
Car Ride To Long Beach - That's right. Car Ride To Long Beach is 5th place. I'm only very slightly bitter about the review that was like "is fried chicken REALLY the deciding factor in going on a drug run?" And by slightly bitter I mean this person goes on the list of people I want to beat up for being so fucking wrong about a Joe show. No, you fucking fool, that's not actually the deciding factor. She's at least on the fence, if not already secretly decided yes, about it from the moment he asks. It's about the company, it's about the road trip, it's about breaking the rules after having been "good" for so long. I am so adamant that this song is about desire and thrill and guilt and wanting to be seen for who you are and not just John saying obscene things. Like take the dialogue exchange right before she finally vocally says yes. "What do I look like right now?" "Uh. You look like... Lisa?" "... Alright let's go." Like tell me that does not drive you fucking crazy after Lisa's constant questions about others perception of her and trying to figure out who she is herself. Car Ride To Long Beach is good you guys are just mean.
Social Worker - Another example of an incredibly fitting character song. The refusal and reluctance of a teenage boy to admit that he actually needs or gets mental health help. I love the music-ification of a panic attack as loud drums and electric guitar. "I don't really go to the social worker," he says, as he goes to the social worker. It’s truly hilariously, heartbreakingly fitting for his character.
The Answer - When that Things To Ruin reviewer said Joe is a master of putting commonly shared moments to music no one else has done before, they were right. Who HASN’T taken a test and failed it so utterly they started questioning their entire life and worried for their future before? I love the repeated lyric questions like John is sitting there reading the question over and over trying to figure out what the answer is. I love the synthy keyboard. Fantastic choice @ Charlie Rosen.
Band-Aids and Cigarettes - Oh this song is so good I feel guilty about putting it at 8. It’s like honestly heartbreaking, not being able to give what the other person needs and being aware of it. And the unconventionality of it being sung by the mentor character instead of a love interest or something.
The Feeling (Part 1 and 2) - Yeah I’m combining them into one song and also assuming the entire beach/Chris & Mrs. Werring conversation is part of the song, too, with the interlude of the “I just want something good to happens.” This song is a jam, plain and simple. I love the absolutely terrible advice that Mrs. Werring gives Chris. “You got to push all your worries inside of yourself, and then they’ll mix creating a combustible boom.” Awful! But Annie Golden sings it so well. And it makes Band-Aids and Cigarettes later that much more sad. In part 2, I love how interconnected the two conversations are. “Just breathe them in -> I love the beach.” The synchronous “I don’t even remember why I liked him/her in the first place.” The score here having the Spirit Song melody. Also now feels like a good time to bring up my Lisa Bred is nonbinary headcanon (though it’s practically textual canon) with “I’m not a girl, I’m a song.” Like that right there, she literally states she’s not a girl, and that’s just the most obvious part. Twice before now, she’s asked people about how they perceive her (“what do I look like right now?” “my girlfriend?” / “Lisa”) and her arc in this show up to this point is discovering more about herself and trying new things. She’s aware of societal gender norms (“isn’t that what boyfriend girlfriends are supposed to do?”) and how she doesn’t really fit in with them. She’s experimenting with expressing herself (dyeing her hair blue, photography). Like it’s all right there. I don’t know if Joe was intentionally writing a nonbinary character figuring herself out but that’s what I get when I read the text straight. In Lisa’s mind, John is one of the gateways to trying new things (“you give me this feeling”) and then that blends right into the rest of The Feeling and it’s so fucking GOOD. I love this song.
Blue Hair - The OG Joe Iconis viral song! I love the music song of this song so much, specifically the guitar/piano riff. I love the multiple sources of motivation of doing it, from actually wanting to try something different, to getting a reaction from Chris and John, even if she denies that last part. And then again at the end of the song with her self-awareness. She’s doing something to stand out/express herself! I love it.
Nato's Song - A six minute clusterfuck of a song and it’s beautiful. Sticking to the actual Nato stuff right now, I think it’s a pretty clever way of passing time and seeing how it’s affecting him and everyone else in the show. With the interspersed content of other characters, it really is the musical equivalent of a film montage. I love seeing Chris’ further breakdown in the form of voicemails to his dad. The music of Blue Hair, Old Records, and Rather Be coming back is fucking great. Everyone is just struggling in this song and it’s great.
Rock 'N Roll Band (Reprise) - I love this re-introduction song so much and the differences between it and the original. I love the chaoticness of the solos all going at the same time. I love the cut Geek Rock Garage King still making in into the show as Brandon’s bridge and how out of place it is with the rest of the song musically but yet it’s still in it. I love the a capella break with Mrs. Werring cheering them on.
Old Records - The fact that John plays the guitar as Chris sings it for someone to hear is so good. When he gets affirmation that John likes the song, he continues. And it’s only after being called out about his writing revealing things about him that Chris feels bad about the song again and claims that they were just dummy lyrics. Once John leaves the backing music comes back on like glockenspiel or something and I love the lightness of it combined with the electric guitar that comes in after.
Black Suit On - I know we’re at like 3/4ths through but I honestly love this song. I love all the songs so much. This ranking honestly barely matters because I love all the songs in this show. I love the (unrealistic) idea of finally being able to be your best self, of all your problems going away, if only something symbolic but ultimately inconsequential thing were to happen. It’s about the (shared) vision for a different future than the one you’re currently living! (By the way I am so haunted by Jen Tepper saying this song was actually about LIHN. Like does anyone know what that means? Do I fundamentally misunderstand this song or LIHN? I don’t get the connection.)
Lisa - Once again, the relatability. Who hasn’t felt like they were good enough for another person? I love the specificity of the AOL verse. It’s so late 2000s. And the rest of the lyrics are so angsty and overdramatic as John is. Specifically in the context of the show this song really hurts after Lisa tells him she can’t fix whatever issues are wrong with him.
Rock 'N Roll Band - I love how the entire song is so what teenagers going through school, waiting for life to change, and seeking refuge in the only place where they feel like they are important and can be themselves. I love all their intros. I love Brandon going way too hard on the drums. “I’m gonna scream and shout, knock you out. I’m gonna conquer the world, get the girl. I’m gonna get some respect, finally connect. When I take a stand, with my rock ‘n roll band.” The extreme vividness of the type of stuck they feel here is so good and it’s a good summary of the show.
Pop Tarts - I love that this song is still called Pop Tarts despite all references to it having been removed except for one dialogue. I love the section of Chris’ vision for the band. The pre-reprise of the beginning of It’s All Good with “we’re cool and whatever?” and all of them joining in and getting on the same page. We love some boys just absolutely barely capable of communicating with each other with words.
Song In My Head/Only Person In The World - The absolute irony and poetry of John singing “I’m the only person in the world” and Chris singing about how everyone is gone when this is a duet. It’s literally so fucking good. When they both sing “I’m the only person in the world” at the same time? Are you kidding me? And this song is ranked 18th? Truly every song in this show is top tier.
Rather Be - This song is rather on the nose in its message, everyone would rather be at band rehearsal. It’s a solid song that helps us get into each of their characters more (“rather be where my buddies / now the same bands / and tolerate my drum fills” / “where my brothas like that I’m weird / and ask to see my squid impression” / “because we’ve only got a little while to get fantastic and get some style / if we do it soon then I won’t have to go to college” / “christ I’d rather be anywhere / but sitting trapped here taking this asshole test”). I love it when characters in shows all have different reasons for singing the same lines.
McFly Is Looking For A Drummer - Rip to this song, being ranked last. It’s not that I don’t like it because I actually do. Again, I just love all the songs in this show. He’s trying to communicate in his own way, which happens to be in music references, but that’s not how other people around him understand, and so he sees this opportunity to be with people who are more like him, but then he he gets scared that he wouldn’t fit in the way he hopes he would, which would be even worse than where he’s currently at where he knows that they don’t quite get him but are his friends anyways. I love that one moment where he drops out singing. It’s very reminiscent of in Michael In The Bathroom when you expect him to sing the title words but he doesn’t, so your brain fills it in for you. It functions a bit differently than that moment does in BMC though. I think in this song it’s the comparison of how he’s currently treated with the possibility of what McFly represents, that he could have the exact opposite experience there, that he’s imagining all the possibilities in that moment. Lol, ranked 20 and I still have so many things to say about this song.
#teresa talks#the black suits#tbs#my posts#long post#i s2g i am so goddamn full of joe iconis lore and thoughts about his shows that it's Concerning#also lisa is nonbinary like that literally Is the surface level reading of the text i cant believe no one ever talks about that#by the way im being sarcastic about Being Right on all my takes if you cant tell except the one about car ride to long beach im dead fucking#serious about that one. insult this song and ill end you#and i choose to read the 'punk-y not lesbian-y' line as in de-bi-al (in bi denial)#and for real start listening to 2013 over 2012 i promise the ben platt isnt worth all that much#i am Struggling on this post sorry if u keep seeing me post it and delete it lol#this one stays up for real tho idc if theres any problems with it#edit: motherfucker it doesnt show up in the black suits tag lol#also i dont go on stan twitter if nonbinary lisa is a stale take im sorry ive never seen it here tho
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JODY KOENIG :: Passion Creek ~ 8.8 | "In the Market" (single) ~ 8.2
Rave | RR-LP1
Passion Creek is one of my favorites from the world of private press obscurities because it is an archetype of great independent music: tunes every bit as worthy as the pop hits of its era but created with minimal frills and fuss. I have to think Mr. Koenig's artistic vision is completely untainted on this obsessively self-contained effort: all songs by Jody, recorded and engineered by Jody, produced by Jody, performed by Jody. The studio where the album was recorded was even designed and built by Jody. I wouldn’t doubt he operated the press when his LPs were created at the plant. Even if you don't like all the music, at least you know with no hesitation that it's the way Jody wanted it. Koenig is quirky (check out that falsetto), but he never tries to be an oddball and lets the music flow with honesty. The giveaway of his one-man-band approach is the poor execution of the drum fills, but Koenig can hold a beat just fine and is skilled on the other instruments he plays. Weird synth sounds and Casio tones sprinkled throughout provide complimentary spice to the typically conventional song structures. The middle section of "Cali" is Koenig’s Brian Wilson moment, an achievement realized by few. A heavily accented triplet in the verse leads into a sublime section of music whose sheer beauty distracts from its weirdness, floating along in dreamland with no clear time signature. The song then resumes with its familiar verse in what sounds like a different key. It's a wonderful, disorienting passage that an outside producer may have tried to smooth out. Several lengthy tracks are present on the platter, but no attempts are made to turn a humble tune into a progressive rock epic. "She's the Girl" stretches to nearly 7 minutes and it opens very unceremoniously, almost as if the tape began rolling several seconds after the song actually started. The track alternates between a carefree stroll and double-time hyperactive bliss and it feels like a journey of emotions, something it wouldn't achieve if it had been crafted as a little 2:35 nugget. As is, the song may not make sense on its own, but it's a ray of sunshine on an album that is actually rather bleak lyrically. Repeating its hymn-like melodies for maximum impact, "If I Walked For Miles" also benefits from its length. When the guitars in the coda harmonize on a stinging riff, it sounds like a ghostly Fleetwood Mac jam circa '69-'70. The spirituality hinted at in "If I Walked For Miles" becomes the central theme of "Chains on the Bible," a bright, beautifully performed bluegrass number that's also the best production on the album, due in part to its drumless arrangement. When Koenig harmonizes with himself, he sounds like Jules Shear. When he's double-tracked, he sounds like Gerry Rafferty, particularly on "Lonely Heart" and "Don't Live Inside Yourself." Both of these cuts also feature Koenig's slightly bizarre, untrained falsetto. While Koenig's talent as a song craftsman is more impressive than his lyrical prowess, the despair of the country waltz "Memories Play Tricks on My Mind" hits hard. I like how the title of "Love Letter, Talk" is sung as "love, let her talk," but I don't know if this was intentional wordplay. For you arty types, the title of the poem-set-to-music “Sad in Love/Zen” is an invitation to the listener to quietly reflect, and “Passion Creek,” which plays with apocalyptic imagery and interplanetary travel, is included only in written form on the album’s rear cover. The only track that goofs is ironically titled "My Mistake," a blubbering, maudlin piece at the end of the first side in which the Casio tones sound extra chintzy and the drums are extra clumsy. Ignoring this blunder, Passion Creek is genuine, tuneful, and highly enjoyable.
Released the same year as Passion Creek, the "In the Market" single follows in the same vein. With the A-side’s palm muted guitars and futuristic keyboards, a strong new wave influence is evident, and a glockenspiel during the verse break offers some lo-fi charm. The major-key chorus contrasts nicely with the darker verses and practically explodes with joy, jangling like power pop but feeling more substantial than that genre suggests. The end contains a tense guitar riff over the chorus progression that sounds like Morse code. "In the Market" falls into the category of killer songs that are unfairly ignored because they don't reinvent the wheel. The listener probably knows where it's going but doesn't know how it will get there, which is the magic of a great tune. The B-side "James Dean" begins with an eerily pulsating beat and skronky guitar from some post-punk nightmare. It eschews a predictable narrative about the pop culture icon, instead using Dean as a springboard to comment on evolving times and concluding that he wouldn't survive in today's world. Passion Creek is more rootsy and introspective than the single, which features a clean-shaven and youthful-looking Koenig on the cover. It seems he put what he thought were his “hits” on the single and saved the weightier material for his long player. I’m sure there’s an interesting story behind the history of these releases, both worthy of investigation.
June 21, 2020
#jody koenig#passion creek#acid archives#she's the girl#rave records#in the market#james dean#decorah iowa
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Catharsis
hey guys so this isn’t gonna be about Newsies and it’s gonna get a bit personal, so if you don’t wanna see that feel free to scroll past, but I really just needed somewhere to get stuff off my chest right now. Also this is gonna be very long and emotional, so strap in, because we’re about to take a deep dive into nostalgia and my fragile emotional state.
so I am a senior this year (yay class of 2020) and I have been in band/drumline for 3 years while in high school. Obviously my year ended abruptly due to COVID, and i hadn’t been able to say a proper goodbye to any of my instructors and band mates, which just really sucks.
I’m sure all of you in the arts are struggling with me right now because we never got out final performances and bows, but it kind of just hit me again today when I was able to return to the band room one last time. We were finally allowed to go back to pick up anything we left behind and drop off anything I needed to return and walking into that band room for the last time was like such a slap in the face.
I loved band, even though it was so much work and often caused me to have mental breakdowns when I got especially busy with school, but having to face the band room one last time really just hurt deep down.
My school is under construction right now, so there was random boxes and debris everywhere. There was a thick coat of dust covering everything, Even the lights were no longer operational so everything was dark. It was horrible to see the room I spent so much time in so different from how it had always been. The band room had always been a safe place for me and today it just looked empty and distant, not welcoming like it used to.
I played marimba, and it was honestly heartbreaking to walk in and see my instrument neglected and covered in dust and knowing that I would never be able to play again. My instrument was safely pushed up against the wall, and as I pulled it out to access it there was so much dust and so many cobwebs connected to it and my heart sank at that.
I was never a particularly good player. I joined sophomore year with no experience playing mallet instruments, unlike everyone else. Heck, I couldn’t even hold a mallet properly when I started. Because of this, I always felt I was behind the others in skill. I started on the glockenspiel, a dinky and obnoxiously loud instrument before being promoted to vibraphone next year. Finally senior year I was placed on marimba. Until the beginning of 2020, I still felt like I was a fraud and didn’t deserve to be in the marimba section, because that required the most skill. I was finally beginning to accept myself this year after all my hard work, and now i will never get to perform again.
My drumline was doing amazing as well in competitions this year. Drumline is extremely competitive where I live, and there are about 50 other schools total in our division, so it is extremely hard to get ahead. This year, against all odds, my school was doing flawlessly: at the few competitions we had we were able to get first at every single one. We were destined for greatness this year, as cheesy as that sounds. Our instructors even told us when our season ended that the people who run SCPA, the business that runs drumline competitions where I live, was going to vote to see if they should boost us up a division because of how good we were doing. Knowing all of this, it is heartbreaking still to think of what could have been.
We were told on our second to last day of school, unknown to us at the time, that our season was cancelled and I remember bursting into tears in the middle of my graphic design class right before the period ended. I Immediately called my mom to pick me up and take me home because of how upset I was. I swear my teacher thought I was insane, and the incoming class just kept staring at me as they shuffled into the room, but I was too distraught at that point to care. I don’t think I truly realized how much I would miss band until that moment
I didn’t even get to truly say goodbye to my instructors. They were all at the school today when I dropped by, but the construction going on didn’t allow us to linger, which was probably good because if i had to say goodbye then I probably would have cried then instead of right now as I write this. We got a new band director this year after our old coach quit unexpectedly - and good riddance because she was a horrible teacher - and he truly made my last year the best year I could have asked for. He was so dedicated and caring - he even took the time to learn about my hobby as an aerialist and even came to one of my performances on the weekend to support me - and I will be forever grateful for the experience he gave me for my last year. I never got to say a final goodbye to my two drumline coaches, who I have had for my three years I was in band. They were so funny and kind, and didn’t just treat us like students, but friends as well. Despite me not knowing anything when I joined, they supported me and enabled me to become the musician I am today. I will never get any of them to sign my yearbook, I will never get a final performance to show them what an amazing musician I have become over the years, and I will never get to truly thank them for what they did for me. All of that is just gone.
I’m looking back on all the positive memories I had with band. I think of long hours of practice where I was able to just talk with the friends I made about similar interests (they definitely heard me rant about Newsies, and I even got one guy on my team who hates musicals to watch it and he said he enjoyed it, so score!). I think of times where we would take a picture on the bus before every comp to remember the moment. We talked about music for hours, bonding over the different parts that made us struggle or feel a certain way. I think of band camp and fun competitions we would hold to try and find out which section was superior. I think of all the inside jokes we have. I think of all the stuffed animals my front ensemble keeps in our mallet pockets: each person had a little something on their instrument to personalize it. I think of the joy of winning at comp and talking and singing along horribly on the bus ride home. I think of that amazing feeling after a performance knowing that we did our best and are proud of what we have accomplished
I’m even looking back on the horrible memories I have for drumline and now look back on them fondly. I hated 9 hour practices each time we had a day off from school, practicing for hours in the rain in the winter, and having to get up early for competitions. I hated pushing my marimba around campus up a steep ramp to set up for practice, because god knows that thing weighs twice my weight and is twice as big as me (I am a skinny, 95 pound, 5 foot tall 18 year old. yeah I’m super small) I had blisters forming all over my hands from holding to mallets to the point where my skin would peel and bleed and I would have to keep playing through the pain. Our band, except for the drumline - and no, I am not biased everyone not in band thought this too - wasn’t even that good. during marching season we did adequate at best and sometimes walking by the band room was like hearing nails on a chalkboard with how they were playing. Despite all these negative thoughts I had about my band experience, I would honestly do anything to go back and experience all of that one last time.
Band has been a huge part of my life for the past three years, and I will always feel connected to the activity. I can’t wait to go back next year and watch my younger teammates perform their new show and see how they have grown and change, and I will continue to support them as much as I can through fundraisers and donations If I can. I realized today that I will never step into the band room as a student and performer again.
Anyway, if you actually stuck through this, props to you because i am finally done. I physically cannot write anymore because I cannot see anymore due to the tears in my eyes. I was super upset when school and drumline was cancelled officially over 2 months ago now, but this little nostalgia just brought back all of my emotions. And I have to do it all again on Thursday when I make my final visit on campus to return books, clear out my locker, and get my cap and gown. Fun. Thanks for letting me rant.
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62. the dish ran away with the spoon (1933)
release date: august 5th, 1933
series: merrie melodies
director: rudolf ising
starring: n/a
the second to last merrie melody in the harman ising era! the next merrie melody (after 2 boskos), we’re in the money (sounds familiar, huh?) would be the last cartoon produced under harman and ising at warner bros. the antics of sentient silverware is highlighted, and a dough monster threatens to ruin their fun.
a lovely shot of a bakery on rainy night. the camera peers into the window, identifying the lovely harmonized voices singing “the dish ran away with the spoon” as various pieces of kitchenware. i love how the cartoon eases in, it starts immediately with the song before showing the voices. a tea kettle whistles to the tune of the song, as do various pots and pans boiling over and letting out steam. catchy and amusing to watch as always.
some of the dishes are getting cleaned, swimming in a kitchen sink like a pool and using a spatula as a diving board. there are some amusing spot gags of the routine a piece of kitchenware takes to get clean. a fork lathers itself up in soap and uses a spray bottle as a shower, whereas a spoon grinds a meat grinder filled with water to spray a plate clear of suds. elsewhere, plates dive into a toaster, the heat evaporating any water and the plates neatly stacking themselves into a pile. there’s also a shot of a spatula using a panini press to dry a handful of other plates. standard and expected as they are, i always love gags like these—stuff i dreamed of happening as a child realized.
can’t go wrong with beethoven playing silverware like a glockenspiel/piano cross, right? he segues us into another musical sequence, sung beautifully by various shakers. i can’t get enough of the lush harmonies in the 30s cartoons, not even limited to merrie melodies. porky’s romance has a fantastic version of “i wanna woo” that really got me into this whole mess to begin with, i heard it on youtube and watched the cartoon and here i am! anyway, the vocals are very lovely to listen to.
as the shakers sing more of “the dish ran away with the spoon”, we have more of an array of gags, such as a fork and spoon playing jump rope with a mini salt shaker via macaroni noodle.
here come our titular dish and spoon, the spoon flirting with the dish and singing “i’d like to make a proposition, dear!” the dish recoils, and quickly the spoon swoops in with “but not the kind that’s your suspicion, dear!” they march away hand in hand as the dish sings her own verses. the first time i heard the dish, she really sounded like mae questel to me. curse you internet for a lack of vocal credits! i highly doubt it’s her, and probably wouldn’t be bernice hansen either. probably just rochelle hudson. the world may never know!
the dish sings about the possibility of having a baby, answered by the sounds of a baby spoon crying. the regular spoon assures her they’ll discuss it later, and uses the opportunity to launch into a musical sequence by drumming on some pots and pans.
just look at that background! the backgrounds are stellar in this one. teacups kickline to the music, eventually joined by a teapot. together they all form a train and gingerly chug along—the world’s most graceful train.
just as i had thought “wow, this is a good cartoon, no stereotypes or anything for a change!” i was proved wrong. a brush with feathers that resemble a war bonnet does a war chant as the spoon drums out a percussive native american beat. there’s also a bottle of blueing in what looks to be blackface singing “am i blue?”, a song sung by al jolson, which further proves my hypothesis. “we can make anything racist!” — harman and ising, 1933. nevertheless, the am i blue gag is very amusing, but, as always, could be done without the blackface. i’ll be very relieved when this isn’t a common occurrence.
an egg starts a dance routine and falls, cracking open to reveal a baby chick who sings “young and healthy”. that’s been such an earworm for me lately. curse you, rudy ising! all of the other dishes find it just as catchy, including an anthropomorphized ball of dough. i love his movements, the animation is very melty and stringy but in a way that’s solid and intentional. bob mckimson animation, maybe?
the ball of dough pours some yeast into a glass of water and drinks it. à la jekyll and hyde, he turns into a hideous monster with a ravenous appetite for destruction. he approaches the dish, who’s dancing along to “young and healthy”.
some great gags as the various cutlery work against the dough ball. there’s some very loose animation of the monster getting hit with various cans (above). emphasis on loose—the animation suddenly lacks its confidence and solidify that it had before. you can still do loose and have it controlled (rod scribner), but here it feels discombobulated and melty in the wrong sense.
back to the gags, cheese graters slice the doughy monster’s crotch (ouch), whereas popcorn is being utilized as bullets. a few spoons flatten the dough with the rolling pin, who staggers along, desperately trying to come out on top.
in a daze, the dough walks straight into a fan. the fan slices him up and tosses various parts of his doughy body around, all of the pieces landing conveniently in muffin tins, pie tins, waffle irons, you name in. the spoon presses down on the dough filled waffle iron, and iris out as his cutlery comrades celebrate.
very fun and inventive! the gags were extremely creative and fun to watch. the music was a delight to listen to as always, and the backgrounds were crisp and beautiful. animation was very good for the most part, falling flat at part of the dough climax scene, but it isn’t too much of a distraction. only downfall would be that and the stereotypical gags of the native american duster and the blueing in blackface. thankfully they’re quick enough and don’t detriment the whole short, but it’s enough to make you wince. give it a watch! it’s a very fun and upbeat cartoon.
link!
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my top 10 Sofia the First songs
10. Smoke, Wings and Fire Song
9. Keeping Promises No Matter What
8. My First Flight & Wings of a Dream
7. The Fliegel Has Landed
6. Gotta Reach a Higher Height
5. Cedric the Great
4. A Kingdom of My Own
(the rest with my comments under the cut! ❤)
3. Magic Touch
Feel free to cheer and gush
I’ve got the magic touch!
Oh wow, Cedric is one of my favorites characters in the show, what a surprise, wow, of course one of his songs would end up on the podium! The song is very rhythmic and super catchy, Jess Harnell’s accent and Rachael MacFarlane singing are perfect. The sibling rivalry vibe here is very strong with is fantastic. In the context of episode and sibling’s backstory a lot of lines become very meaningful so extra bonus points for little foreshadowing. I also like the animation, it’s full of face expressions and movement, both characters and camera movements and angles. Sofia and Calista are super cute during the song, they are dancing to Cordelia’s lines, helping Cedric stand up from ground and hugs him and Cordelia constantly tries to “steal” the girls attentions; very nice details!
2. Helping Hand
Being Steward of Enchancia That’s my dream
To get that job I’ve hatched a truly amazing schemes
It involves a secret trick….
Getting rid of Baileywick!
First, we have Christian Borle plays Slickwell here. That’s cool. Second, I love to death Sofia’s dress in this song/episode. Sofia is being super cute and nice helping her old clumsy friendo Baileywick. And the music, oh the music! So many instruments! There are so many things going on! Fantastic glockenspiels with Sofia’s parts and the whole song is so playful and kind a musical-ish and Ariel Winter nailed it perfectly. Great song!
1. On Your/My Own
I may be small and on my own
But I can feel how much I’ve grown
My will is strong my heart is true
My love will be
The end / Of / You
Perfect song for the series final! I love the lyric! Despite the fact that “the power of friendship and love” (popular and sometimes overused motive, but good and necessary part of any children show!) helps Sofia defeat the evil, she knows her value and strengths and thanks to her self-awareness she overpowers Vor. She is fighting not only for her family and friends, but also for herself. She learned so much about herself, kindness and being a good person. Her persistence is very inspiring, even when Vor knocked her out, she sings “I’m on my own but won’t give in / I’ll get back up to fight again” and “But like the sun, I’ll rise once more”. Also great dialog-like exchange of lyric between Sofia and Vor.
I think the solitude that Sofia is experiences and fighting against really touched me. Because when we are in bad or difficult place or in bad mood, we often feel alone, very little, crushed under the whole big, noisy world. I could relate to her situation. And seeing how she was doing brave and inspiring things with the power that comes out of righteous beliefs made my heart warm. I like Sofia the First because it’s show full of good messages, great characters, cool songs and sounds effects. They are breaking stereotypes and oh boy, the characters development are very good. Of course it’s not without flaws but at the end I’m very glad I watched it. It’s satisfying and fun way to relax for me.
#Sofia the First#sofia the fandom#songs#disney junior#oh boy that's a lot of talking in one post#what it is#some kind of book club?!#no it's just me talking how much i like sofia the first#the song number 9 is hysterical in the context of episode#send me your fav songs in asks?!#szczurze słówka
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Glockenspiel
Part 1/? - Transmission
Part 2/? - The Sandhill Hotel
Part 3/? - Piccadilly
The front doors of the hotel were locked, but Toulouse apparently knew the code to open them, which gave Peggy a moment of pause. The last person who’d had a code for anything was this Mr. Smith. Could it be they were walking into the lion’s mouth? The door opened, and as they stepped out onto the street, Toulouse pulled out a black slab very like the one Sutcliffe had been using, and started to play with that. That made Peggy wonder some more.
Then she looked up at their surroundings, and everything else was forgotten.
They were right on an intersection of multiple streets, with traffic and pedestrians moving in all directions. It was getting late in the afternoon. The air was damp and chilly. Lights were on in the buildings and vehicles, and the sky was overcast. That much would have been completely normal for London and wouldn’t have bothered Peggy at all, but everything else she was seeing was wrong.
The cars were wrong. They were tiny and oddly-shaped, low-slung and streamlined. Even the double-decker bus that went by wasn’t the type she remembered. The people were dressed in tight, form-fitting clothing, and many of them were walking along looking at those same little slabs, or holding them against their ears as if talking on a telephone. Strange music, thumping with bass that shook the air, was coming from several directions. Across the square was a building covered in huge glowing advertisements for Diet Coke and something called Hyundai and the big staring image of a man’s face with the words The Martian overlaid on it, all of it moving and changing as if on a theatre screen.
And yet… the buildings around her were familiar. Peggy’s stomach turned itself upside-down as she recognized them. That must be Regent Street, and there was Piccadilly, and the Barclay’s Bank… but it was all changed. All a little older, a little patched, retrofitted with this new veneer of brilliant colours and cars that looked like they were designed to fly. Peggy hadn’t been back to London in more than two years but surely that wasn’t enough time for it to have all changed so much.
She finally remembered that there were other people with her. Toulouse was still staring at her black slab, tapping a foot impatiently. Howard was standing behind Peggy, as astonished as she was.
“This doesn’t look like London,” he said quietly. “Course, I haven’t been there since VE day…”
“No, no this is London,” said Peggy. “This is Piccadilly Circus.”
Howard visibly relaxed. “So it’s okay, then,”
“No,” Peggy repeated. “No, it is not.”
“Ugh,” said Toulouse, shaking her head. “Five minutes away, my butt! Where is he?”
“Toulouse?” Peggy asked.
“Yeah?” The young woman looked at her.
“Where are we?”
“Oh, this is the new Piccadilly,” said Toulouse, gesturing to the building behind her. “It’s supposed to open next month but they’re way behind.”
Peggy looked over her shoulder and up. The hotel they’d just come out of was glass-fronted and irregular, as if it were made of several buildings in slightly different architectural styles haphazardly stuck together. Part of the front façade was covered by an immense piece of canvas with a wading crane logo, and the large words Sandhill Piccadilly in the Heart of London – Opening May.
“Next month?” Howard swallowed. “It was July.”
“What are you doing here if the hotel isn’t open?” Peggy asked Toulouse.
“Working on my master’s degree,” was the reply.
“You have a master’s degree?” Howard was interested.
“I’m working on my master’s degree,” Toulouse corrected him. “I’m visiting the National Archives and Daddy said I could stay in the hotel. I’m leaving tonight,” she added firmly. “I’ve had enough – I’ll have somebody pick up my stuff and I’m out! I don’t want a cow or a car to come flying into my room in the middle of the night! Who are you?”
“We were investigating an incident in Los Angeles, which also involved cows and cars, oddly enough,” Peggy went on, “and we found a strange machine that apparently transported us here – there’s a matching one in the basement. They must have a third somewhere,” she realized, “or they wouldn’t have Zola.” Perhaps they’d nabbed him at the airport.
“I knew there was something up with the men in the basement!” Toulouse exclaimed. “Daddy told me they’re here to work on the electric and I could stay as long as I didn’t bother them, but I don’t believe it. The lights keep flickering at all hours and things go bang in the middle of the night, and yesterday a car crashed through the front windows with nobody driving it. I’ve rung him about it twice now but he never listens to his voicemail.”
What’s your father’s name?” Peggy wanted to know. She hoped it wasn’t Smith, or else they’d accomplished nothing.
“Dalton Sandhill,” said Toulouse, as if everybody should know that. Then her eyes re-focused from Peggy’s face to something behind her, and she stood on her tiptoes and waved an arm in the air. “Finally!”
A dark blue car pulled up beside them, and a black man with short dreadlocks reached over to open the door. “Lambeth Wilton?” he asked.
“That’s us!” said Toulouse.
Peggy climbed in the back seat and moved over so Howard could do the same, while Toulouse got in the front and strapped herself in with some kind of safety harness. That was odd, Peggy thought. They were only going for a drive.
“Come on, seat belts,” the driver said. “We don’t go anywhere without them.”
Peggy was about to ask dryly whether he were that bad a driver, but then out of the corner of her eye she saw the front door of the hotel open, and there was Sutcliffe, looking around frantically. She buckled her belt in a hurry and Howard did the same.
“We’ve got them!” she said. “Now go!”
The car pulled away again as Sutcliffe came running out, waving his arms to tell them to stop. Howard waved goodbye to him through the window.
There were a million and one more questions Peggy wanted to ask, a thousand things she wanted to discuss and needed to think about, but none of them were anything she could just blurt out in front of strangers. That was a problem because Howard was doubtless thinking the same things, and Keeping One’s Mouth Shut was a concept he understood only intermittently. Peggy looked at him and found him on the verge of opening his mouth, so she gave him a fierce glare and pressed a finger to her lips.
Howard quickly shut his mouth, and made a zipper motion across it.
Instead of talking on the way to the Wilton, then, they let Toulouse regale the driver with her tales of strange men in the basement and cows wandering around an unfinished hotel, while Peggy herself stared out the window, listening to her hammering heart. She’d been in some strange situations before, but she had a feeling that this one, once she confirmed her growing hunch, was going to leave them all behind.
“One day there was even a cow in the lift!” Toulouse was saying. “What would a cow be doing in a lift?”
“Didn’t you know? They can’t use the stairs,” the driver said. “There’s this story about a prank at a university somewhere in America…”
Streets flickered by, teeming with strange people driving strange cars, odd motorcycles and even peculiar, bright yellow-green ambulances. Many of the buildings were familiar ones, like the National Gallery and the Astor House, but even those weren’t quite right. Different street signs, different colours of paint and garden features… and as they drove alongside the Thames Peggy saw things that looked like they came from another world. There was a giant ferris wheel, studded with coloured lights and turning slowly, and tall glassy buildings that looked more like artworks than skyscrapers.
She could hear her blood roaring in her ears. Peggy had assumed, as had Howard, that what Zola’s kidnappers had built was a teleportation machine, but it didn’t have to be. There were other ways to vanish in California and reappear in London, especially if a great deal of time elapsed between the two events.
They passed the Monument, and pulled up outside the Lambeth Wilton hotel – Peggy had stayed there before, but this was not the same building. It must have been razed and rebuilt at some point, and even that would have been some years ago, because the new version had obvious repairs to its stairs and some parts had been re-painted a slightly different colour.
“Lambeth Wilton,” said the driver. “Here we are.”
Toulouse seemed to pay him using the black slab again, then grabbed her larger silver object, and they headed indoors.
“I hope nobody recognizes me,” she murmured.
Peggy thought it would have been difficult not to pick Toulouse out of a crowd. “Whyever not?” she asked.
“Because this is a Wilton – that’s why nobody will look for us here,” Toulouse replied. “Why would a member of the Sandhill family stay at a Wilton?”
“So your father owns the hotel chain, then,” said Peggy, putting a few pieces together.
“He used to,” said Toulouse. “He passed it on to Cass when he got into politics.” She gave Peggy a funny look. “I thought everybody knew that.”
“I think I may be a bit behind the times,” Peggy observed. She caught Howard’s eye, and saw him nod. He’d come to the same conclusion she had.
The lobby of the hotel had once featured an extensive fountain, which had since been filled with wood chips and fake plants to try to look like a garden instead. The result fooled nobody. Toulouse gave it a frown as she went to the desk to get them a room, but she was sweet and polite to the clerk there, and thanked him with a smile as she escorted Peggy and Howard to the elevators. There was some clear trepidation on the young woman’s face as she watched the door open, but the car beyond was empty.
“That’s one thing the Wilton can say they have that we don’t,” she remarked. “Cow-free lifts.”
The elevator began to ascend, and Peggy couldn’t take it anymore. Now that they were in private, she had to say something.
“You said we were in London,” she said cautiously.
“Of course,” Toulouse replied. Her thumbs were flying madly over her black slab. “We saw the London Eye on the way over here.” Clearly she thought Peggy and Howard were very strange people indeed.
“Humour me a moment let me ask a very odd question,” said Peggy. “What year is it?”
“Huh?” Toulouse finally looked up from staring at her slab. “It’s 2015. Are you supposed to be time-travelers?”
“Ah…” Peggy glanced at Howard, but he of course was no help. There was absolutely nothing for it. “Yes, as a matter of fact. Where we came from it was… uh…”
“It was 1948,” Howard finished for her, although clearly even he had trouble believing it. “Sixty-seven years!”
The elevator doors slid open, but Toulouse was too stunned to walk through them. “Wait, wait,” she said, shoving the slab in her pocket. “You’re telling me now, that the men Daddy hired to fix the electric are actually building a time machine in the basement ballroom?”
“Yes. That would be exactly what they’re doing,” said Peggy.
“That’s who kidnapped Zola!” Howard exclaimed. “Peg, you thought you rooted out HYDRA, but they escaped into the future, and then they came back for him!”
Peggy grabbed his arms. “You really think so?” The implications were utterly terrifying.
“Oh, that explains it!” Toulouse said eagerly.
Peggy still wasn’t done processing the idea that HYDRA might be active in the future, she certainly wasn’t ready for that. “What?” she asked.
The elevator door began to close again, and Toulouse quickly put an arm out to keep it open. “That’s how they got into America! There was that whole thing with the helicarriers in Washington… you missed that!” She tucked the silver object she was still carrying under her arm so she could unlock the door of the hotel suite, using a little card with the Wilton Hotels logo on it. Inside, she hit the light switch with her elbow, and pulled out her black slab again. “Let me find you the Wikipedia article.”
They were seventy years in the future, HYDRA was here, and… and Toulouse, she realized, had barely questioned the idea that the two odd people she’d found in a safe in her father’s hotel were from another time.
“So… you believe us?” Peggy asked. “That we’re time travelers?”
“The world’s gotten weird,” said Toulouse. She turned the card key over and murmured letters to herself as she entered them in her slab. “I might believe anything. Even if there weren’t cows in the lift, aliens attacked Greenwich a couple of years ago and Thor was riding the tube.”
“Thor?” asked Howard with a frown.
“Yes, Thor the Thunder God,” Toulouse agreed. “You’re gonna love him. You’ve got the standard scale of one to ten, and Thor’s like a fifteen. He’s got abs you could do your laundry on.”
“Sounds like your type, Peg,” Howard observed. Peggy gave him a dirty look.
“He’s way tidier than stodgy old Ca… here it is!” She held up her slab triumphantly to show something displayed on its surface.
Peggy put out a hand and gently pushed it down. “Toulouse,” she said. “That’s lovely, but we need to figure out what we’re going to do about this.” If everything she’d just heard was true, then Peggy and Howard were seventy years away from home, and that still might be the least of their problems.
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The party guide: part 2
Hello everyone, welcome back to your guide on social gatherings.
Today we will talk about our second topic, Entertainment.
At events focused on having fun, you don’t want the guests to be bored of feel awkward.
Take is example:
@sour-asks and @toonitrouble are having a conversation together, just enjoying themselves.
As you see, sour makes contact with tooni, and the entire encounter becomes weird.
This is not acceptable, and that’s where you bring in the alternative...
Boxing.
It eliminates the awkwardness of touching someones else.
Just look at @wazam-productions-blog‘s Jared and @realdracotheshetposter‘s Sam:
While one of them is about to be slammed in a coffin, you notice that neither of them look uncomfortable about physical contact.
But, I will say, you could also just choose a less painful option...
...like having music play.
I know one band that usually plays great music.
They are called SSS and the traprats.
They have @specdrawl on the kazoo
Empty on the otamatone
Nichole on the Ukulele
Sydney on the glockenspiel
and the vocalist @sssboomchicka
They only know songs from Shrek and Undertale, so you can already tell that that party would be great.
If you feel that neither of these options would be good enough for your event, you can always set up little adventures for your guests to go on.
Me any the other birthday children had our own.
@zanyjudgeexpertmonger was the protector for us. Bashing kneecaps of anyone who dare attacked.
@wethepotterheads0214 was the planner. She had to decide where we were gonna go, and the best post to hide bodies.
And then there was me, Samette (Aka Salmonella).
I would scare off most creatures, and give salmonella to those who stared at my face for too long.
It was a thrilling experience, and not a single one of use was complaining.
Or at least, weren’t complaining in a way that I cared about.
One again, we finish our guide.
I will return for the next one where we talk about the personalities of your guests.
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Montessori Gift Ideas for 2018
There are dozens of Montessori gift guides out there in blogland, so if you’re finding yourself here, I’m sure I’m not your first stop. After all even I have my own gift idea lists from the past several years (2015, 2016, 2017). I’ve also made an ultimate gift-guide for 1-year-olds, a list of newborn essentials, and recommendations for puzzles and fine motor toys for infants up to 3-year-olds.
Not everything is going to resonate with every person. Children are different, families are different, so I know this won’t be the end-all list for any of you. Gather inspiration, take what is helpful, leave the rest.
When starting this year’s gift list I thought, “What new do I have to offer you all?” Each year my children get older they have new developmental needs and new interests, so it isn’t terribly difficult to come up with a few ideas to share. However, this year, I’d love to offer not only some material gift suggestions, but also some gift-giving fundamentals that have helped guide our family for the past few years.
Ever heard of the 4 gift Christmas rule? It goes like this: “Something they want, something they need, something to wear, something to read.” We haven’t adopted this, but the idea inspired our own gift “template” as I’ll call it.
Here’s how it goes.
“Big” gift
Smaller gifts (~2 to 4 gifts)
A game for the family
Books, typically 1 each and then 1 for both
Music - CDs, 1 each
Socking stuffers
But before I begin, I want to say that first and foremost, we don’t have our children make wish lists.
Since the very beginning, we have reject the notion that children should create their own expectation of what their Christmas gifts should be. We know that eventually they will grow to have expectations and wishes, which we will acknowledge.
Additionally, we don’t take our kids shopping at toys stores or take toy catalogs. We stay away from commercial advertising. Our children don’t watch television other than Mr. Rogers and Mighty Machines so they not only don’t see advertisements, nor do they have the character consumerism influence. Of course we aren’t impervious to consumer culture. Our children still see things in public and the toys their friends and grandparents have. They can recognize Disney princesses and super heroes. We just choose to not let it be a part of our family culture at their ages (3 and 5).
So instead of having our children come up with a list of what the expect, we take what we know about them and what we have observed and choose gifts based on that. This is what parents have to do for infants and young toddlers, we just choose to hold onto that for as long as we can.
I curate the gifts we plan to give our children as well as an Amazon wishlist which is meant to offer suggestions and ideas, not expectations, of gifts for our families. Our families know us pretty well and have been excellent at respecting some of our family’s pickiness when it comes to the toys that come into our home. For example, we don’t do electronic toys, commercial characters/brands, etc. at this age.
The “big” gift.
This is something we plan for each of them not based on dollar amount, but on emphasis or magnitude. This is where a doll, pair of roller skates, bike, etc. (for example) come into play. This is the gift that they’ll be most excited about. We pay attention not to give them multiple items that could constitute a “big gift.” We feel that if they receive 2 or more gifts great in magnitude, they begin to expect grandness and things lose their appeal.
The beauty of going by magnitude instead of dollar amount is that you set the expectation of what constitutes a big gift from a young age, that is, you determine the magnitude. Giving less means each gift means more. A set of spinning tops can be a gift that is front and center, or if they are mixed in with 15 other things they could be the footnote.
We also often like to build them something to use together. This is sometimes something of greater magnitude but also more practical that we have planned to make them anyway. Christmas just ends up being a decent time to give it to them. It isn’t something we do every year. In the past we have done a table and chairs and gross motor items. These kinds of things I think of as part of their prepared environment. They certainly constitute a gift, but we do get them other gifts.
This year we decided to build the woodworking bench we have been planning to make for them for a while. The one pictured below is from the Lord Company and is sold on their website as well as Montessori Services, who also sells lots of great hand-picked child-sized tools. The bench from Lord is very expensive - made for schools so it is very high quality, probably more than one would need at home. We plan to build our own for much less, though we will use this photo as somewhat of a guide.
Our kids already have quite a few tools but we will fill in with a few that we don’t. Among those are a hammer, saw, vise, level, safety glasses, hand drill, tape measure, sanding block, work gloves, and containers for nails, screws, drill bits, and other hardware.
Individually we plan to get Charlotte a doll, and Simon a larger vehicle.
Charlotte has enjoyed playing with dolls like this at her grandparent’s homes and also is getting to an age where she is outgrowing quite a bit of the younger open-ended toys we have. She has been exposed to American Girl dolls as well as Barbies (not something I will be offering in our home). I decided on a WellieWishers doll (Willa) from American Girl. It is a smaller doll than the 18″ AG dolls. The books are very sweet: a group of friends who spend a lot of time in nature and work through typical friendship scenarios. The books are simple chapter books - something she will be able to catch onto reading herself in the next year or two - with lovely, simple illustrations. They also have a TV show on Amazon Prime that I have begun watching with her. They are short 10-minute episodes that are essentially short stories similar to those told in the books. The animation is simple and mimics the illustrations from the books.
I went back and forth about whether to begin such a “grown-up” girly thing to be involved in, I ultimately decided that she will very much enjoy and identify with these characters. She is learning to navigate friendships and could benefit from some problem-solving examples, acting things out, etc. Plus she will be able to relate with the other girls who have dolls, though hers may not be the same kind as theirs. I am pleased with my choice and I feel as though if nothing else it is benign and won’t be anything harmful. We won’t be subscribing to the catalog and we won’t be buying many accessories. We plan to keep it simple.
We decided on a Bruder semi-truck with flatbed trailer and backhoe for Simon. He loves vehicles and plays with his larger ones more often, so we decided something like this would be something he would enjoy. We opted for something high quality because we know it will get a ton of use and also because Bruder seems to have the most true-to-life vehicles out there.
Smaller gifts
Aside from the main gift, we also get them a few smaller gifts. They are often accessories for the main gift, or just little things. This is also where we categorize clothing. We choose 2 or 3 items from this list to give them and the rest we put on their Amazon wishlist to send to grandparents and aunts and uncles.
This category is also where sibling gifts come in. They each get each other one small gift, which, up to this point I have had a strong hand in deciding what that gift is. Starting this year I’d like to give them more of a choice, though I won’t be taking them into a toy store to choose just anything. We will talk about what their sibling would like and come up with an idea before we shop.
Below are some ideas based on things our own children are enjoying now and a few choices we have made for their gifts this year.
Umbrella
AG WellieWisher doll accessories: pajama set, outdoor adventure set, & doll stand; We also included a couple other outfits on Charlotte’s wishlist for family members to get for her if they choose. We aren’t going to be getting any more of the AG accessories than this little adventure set. At some point we may build a bed or make a quilt, but we won’t be going crazy with the accessories.
Paper embroidery kit
Denim woodworking aprons
Classic Lego set - We love these sets with miscellaneous parts and a few building ideas but no specific theme or agenda
Tractor set
Hammer
Broom
Discovery window boxes
Pentatonic-diatonic glockenspiel - removable bars; I strongly recommend looking up the benefits of using a pentatonic xylophone - it is so beneficial
12-piece puzzle set
Alphabet puzzle
Silk playscape (giant playsilk) - used to make tents, etc.
Books & Music
We have a book tradition at Christmas which I share every year. Basically, instead of putting their books (1 each and 1 to share) under the tree where they may be overshadowed by other presents, we wrap them up and slide them under their doors after they are asleep. When they wake up they see them and can open right away. My husband and I hear them when they wake but we have a moment to get ourselves together before we join them, when we get to spend a few minutes together as a family reading before we get into opening presents. I cherish that time with them on Christmas morning. They are SO excited to get their book and I love to see their joy from something so simple and meaningful, that is reading.
We also value music and so we get them each a CD each year. We do CDs as they are tangible and give that physical representation of the music. Though it is still fairly abstract it is much less so than digital music. They do still listen to music from our phones or on the radio but we like to have some way of tangibly representing the concept of musicians creating albums.
Below are some of our current favorites as well as some on our wishlist. We get them each a book and one to share and the rest go on their Amazon wishlist.
Mog the Forgetful Cat by Judith Kerr
Abbey Road by The Beatles
The Story Orchestra by Jessica Courtney-Tickle
Strong Girls gift set (Ordinary People Change the World) by Brad Meltzer
My Big Wimmelbook - At the Construction Site by Max Walther
Slinky Malinky by Lynley Dodd
The Riddle of the Robin by Valerie Tripp - WellieWishers American Girl book
Natural History (Smithsonian) by DK Publishing
Rosie Revere Engineer by Andrea Beaty (also Iggy Peck Architect and Ada Twist Scientist and the new Questioneers chapter books)
My Basketball Book by Gail Gibbons, see also baseball, football, soccer in the same series
Poem for Every Day of the Year by Esiri Ali (I may give this book on NYE)
100 Classic Stories by Rosalind McGuire
The Dinosaur Book (Smithsonian) by DK Publishing
The Beach Boys Greatest Hits
Awesome Science Experiments for Kids by Crystal Chatterton
Maria Montessori (Little People Big Dreams) by Isabel Sanchez Vegara
Spinning Spiders by Melvin Berger - I love the Read & Learn About series
Flicka Ricka & Dicka and the Three Kittens by Maj Lindman
The Red Letter Alphabet Book and The Blue Number Counting Book by Ellen C. Gould
10 More Ten-Minute Stories from Usborne
Games
Every year we get a game for our family to play together. Often I will do one board game and then a smaller card game. This year we are doing Operation and Slamwich. The others are some of our favorites.
Last year we started the family tradition of celebrating the New Year on New Year’s Eve with a new family game, party decorations and music, sparkling grape juice for the kids, and champagne for us. It was such a fun little party. I am still deciding on a game for that. Send me your ideas!
Shopping List - our all-time favorite first memory game
Rhyming cards - We use these like a memory game
Kerplunk - take turns pulling out the sticks without letting marbles drop
Flower Families - a variation of Go Fish
Zitternix by HABA - take turns drawing as many sticks as you can before it falls
Creature Matching Game
Sonix Music - a musical instrument sound matching game
Go Togethers - We use these cards like a memory or matching game
Orchard by HABA - This is similar to Hi Ho Cherry-O though it is made of very high quality materials and is just beautiful. There are four types of fruit to pick, all before the raven gets them first. There is a version for younger children as well. We have both and love them equally.
Outfoxed - finding clues, identifying suspects, remembering details, taking turns, rolling die - such a fun game
Uno - classic card game, requires number and color recognition/matching
Candyland - also requires color matching
Aggravation - marble race game, requires counting traditional 6-sided dice
First Words Magnetic Poetry - not technically a game but these word magnets are fun to play with words on the refrigerator
Animal Soundtracks - matching animal sounds
Operation - lots of dexterity and pincer grip practice
Slamwich - a child-friendly version of Egyptian Ratslap or Slapjack; take turns playing cards and thus creating a stack of sandwich toppings; slap doubles to collect as many cards as possible
Stocking Stuffers
Finally, we fill their stockings with a few small things. They fill up fast so they don’t need much.
Walkie talkies
Toe socks
Earrings
Safety glasses
Work gloves
Hat & mittens from Primary.com
WellieWishers socks (the socks look like the boots of each of the WellieWisher girls in the books)
Fort clips (to be used with the silk playscape above)
Christmas ornament (not pictured)
There you have it! Our Christmas gifting in a nutshell. I hope this was helpful. Happy shopping. :)
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His World: Fandom
Request from @universe-queen-melissa.
1. Crisis on the Seven Seas! S.S Mummy’s Curse vs S.S Neon Lights!
“Your primitive weapons are no match for my superior blasters!”
“I summon a demon to jinx your blasters so they only shoot jelly!”
“Neon Lights shall rise again! We may be few in number, but we shall prevail against the tragedy that is Cleopatra’s personality!”
“Mummy’s Curse is the true winner! We actually have hints on our side! All Danielle ever does is complain about her dysfunctional family!”
“Danielle risked her life to save Time Ape from the evil clutches of Professor Yorek! And she did it with a broken leg and armed with only a taser!”
“Cleopatra had a duty to her people! Her intellect is matched by only the Man of the Past, Present, and Future!”
“Sara, Milo, I’m getting take out from that new Mexican place that opened up downtown. Is there anything you two would like?” Brigitte carefully stepped over the mess in the living room, grabbing her car keys from a table. Sara and Milo paused to allow her through.
“Extra spicy salsa please!” Sara said.
“A side of black beans too,” Milo added.
“Okay, I’ll be back in half an hour and Martin should be home in-wait, is that my eyeliner?” Brigitte took a closer look at Milo’s face.
“I wanted to get into character,” Milo replied. “It’s kohl.”
“Looks like a good make up job,” Brigitte said. “Just promise me you’ll clean all this up when Martin gets home. You know Murphy’s Law flares up when he’s extra exhausted.” She waved, exiting through the garage door.
Sara stood up, dropping the catcher’s helmet she was using as a mask. “And this concludes our monthly ship war. Let’s see, four tallies for Mummy’s Curse, four for Neon Lights, and ten for draw.”
“Stay tuned for March’s ship war, folks! An episode premiering in two weeks is going to give Mummy’s Curse extra ammunition!”
2. Fan Mail
“Let’s see, bill, bill, fan mail, fan mail, coupon for fast food, another letter from ol’ Blockhead-this one should be fun, fan mail, bill.” Orton set everything down on the kitchen table, pouring himself a cup of coffee before setting aside the bills.
The first two pieces of fan mail weren’t that interesting, one of them consisting of a rant about how Adjunct Faculty Member Zone was the worst thing that had ever happened to the series. It wasn’t his proudest moment, but the college students used as extras for that series made the work a lot more pleasant than most people assumed.
Ah, the third piece is from Sara Murphy, Orton smiled. He had a wall on his bedroom where he pinned his favorite artwork and letters from his fans. Sara Murphy had five of her letters up there so far, and several more stashed away in a box in the attic. He updated the wall every few weeks, preserving older pieces in a scrapbook.
He decided to save it for last, since he would likely need some positivity after inevitably choking on Block.
Dear Orton Mahlson,
Consider joining the Bureau or else. I have the operatives and technology. All you have is your silly, inaccurate prime-time sitcom that undermines the potential of real time travel and mocks our scientists to no end. We will hunt you down if you continue to refuse this offer.
Sincerely,
Mr. Block.
Orton slammed a pen on the table, deciding that his response wasn’t worth killing a few trees and furiously wrote a response on the back of the same paper. That was sure to tick him off.
What’s up Blockhead,
You’re looking about as handsome as a donkey who wallowed in a peat bog. I take that back. I refuse to insult donkeys when they actually do a great service for people around the globe. I will repeat this for the millionth time. I am not joining your ridiculous organization. For what purpose does it actually serve? Or are you just upset because you got all nostalgic for a bunch of nuts that went extinct? Boo-hoo. Cry me a river. Maybe you can finally replace the Nile. Oh, wait that would just cause more pollution wouldn’t it?
-Orton Mahlson
He zapped the paper with his own Temporal Transporter. Amateurs. His version had a streaming option for new releases.
Now he could finally read Sara’s letter in peace. Maybe this would snap him out of the funk Block always threw him in.
Dear Orton Mahlson,
I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned how much Dr. Zone means to me and especially my little brother, Milo. You see, Milo has a certain condition which causes people to treat him differently. Sometimes it’s easy to shrug off. Other times it’s not. It was more difficult back then, before Milo was old enough to handle situations on his own. As his big sis, it’s my job to look out for him. Since we first discovered Dr. Zone, it opened up a lot more opportunities to spend time together as siblings and we’re always look forward to new episodes. Thank you for such a wonderful show!
Your biggest fan,
Sara Murphy
Orton had a new favorite letter now. And there was no better honor for his biggest fan than a spot on the refrigerator.
3. Contagious
Milo stopped scratching Diogee’s belly, listening to Sara groan from her bedroom. Diogee whined and pawed at Milo’s hand, unhappy that his belly rub time was cut short. “Sorry, boy,” Milo said, knocking on her door. “Something’s wrong. Sara, can I come in please? Are you all right?”
“Coming,” Sara opened her door, looking unusually cross. She was still in her pajamas, and her empty stomach probably wasn’t doing her any favors either. “Hey.”
“Are you sick? You skipped breakfast,” Milo noticed.
“I’m sick all right. I caught the dreaded-Milo, you can take the mask off. It’s not contagious. I think. I just have a really bad case of Writer’s Block.”
Milo tied a mask on Diogee. “I don’t want him getting it either,” he said, his voice muffled.
“I uploaded Chapter 17 of my shipping fic three weeks ago, and I’ve been trying to finish the confrontation between Professor Yorek and Danielle, but writing about infiltrating a secret, heavily-guarded facility is harder than it sounds,” Sara opened the document containing the half-finished chapter, letting Milo quickly skim through it.
“Have you tried imagining it in your head?” Milo asked.
Sara shook her head. “No, I just type what comes to mind.”
“Okay, how about we try this?” Milo set a Time Ape doll on the windowsill, placing a plastic container around it to act as a cage. “Professor Yorek has captured Time Ape and is holding him for ransom until Dr. Zone arrives with the loot from the Titanic? Right?” Sara nodded. Milo placed a Professor Yorek action figure on top of the plastic container. “But it’s all a front to distract Dr. Zone?”
“And Danielle is torn because she was childhood friends with Yorek and watched him change after his obsession with the time stream grew. I don’t know how to properly convey that and have her infiltrate the facility at the same time.”
“But she also loves Dr. Zone now, so that makes it even more difficult,” Milo mused. He placed a crocheted doll of Danielle next to Professor Yorek, positioning them so they were holding hands. “What if she had little reminders on her way? Remember the episode “Instrument of Sorrow” where Danielle had a flashback of her playing the glockenspiel with Yorek and he taught her his family’s song?”
Sara nodded. “A musical reminder is always good. If I play that song while writing that particular part, it would probably help a whole lot. There was also the episode “Spider Lily” in which spiders were used to symbolize Yorek’s growing darkness. And Danielle has arachnophobia in canon, so that would absolutely terrify her once she snaps to reality when she realizes there’s a horde of man-eating spiders in the vents!”
“See you’ve got it!” Milo took off his mask. Diogee had long discarded his, using it as a chew toy instead. “But maybe you shouldn’t write on an empty stomach. Studies prove you think better after you’ve had breakfast!”
Sara laughed. “You’re right, little bro. I’m totally going to crush my readers’ spirit after this chapter!”
“That’s great! Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to finish my fanfic too,” Milo sat down at the computer in his room, opening the document, fingers poised to type. And he waited. And waited.
After ten minutes, Milo had resorted to trying to balance his pencil on his nose in an attempt to think. His eyes widened. He was right. He was right all along.
“Sara, you lied to me! Writer’s Block is contagious!”
#milo murphy's law#his world#drabble#sara murphy#dr. zone#in reality orton would be cursing up a storm at block but I try to keep things clean#writer's block is the bane of mankind#this is how you do a ship war
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LOS CAMPESINOS! REVIEW/ANALYSIS: We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed
Last time on the Los Camp review (suspenseful orchestral soundtrack plays), I went over “Hold on Now, Youngster...,” which was an excellent introduction to the band, but I don’t think was completely reflective of the refinement and impact it would later reach. While what was presented was impressive and lively as hell as is, and the foundation for a wittier, more poetic, more intelligent, more refined and diverse sound was there, they just didn’t have the a full-enough grasp on their visions to take advantage of it.
Well, just 8 months after the release of “Youngster,” the world was suddenly sucker-punched right in the face with “We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed,” which had immediately shown a much firmer grip on that path. Bare in mind, prior to the release of “Youngster,” the band had already existed for 2 years, and that album was something of a compilation of different songs they had been performing in university clubs and internet radio shows. It’s an excellent compilation, and it’s still very well put-together, but it likely wasn’t the most precise voice and identity resembling what the band intended to jump for, at least for the future.
With “Doomed,” they finally found ground for their true calling, and it was surprising as hell. Starting things off, the album immediately hits you with “Ways to Make It Through the Wall" with its bombastic opening chords, grimy feedback, incredibly-banging and dense melodies, crashing cymbals and blasting violin, and even MORE shouty vocals from the band, including Gareth almost incoherently screaming “AND A ROOM FULL OF VACUUM AND A ROOM FULL OF AIR LOOK THE SAME!” during the bridge. On one hand, it still somehow manages to feel like the good ‘ol Los Camp we knew, and yet at the same time you ask yourself “This is the same band that just released an album with a song called ‘Drop It, Doe Eyes’?”
(HOW YOU BREAK THE RULES THAT YOU YOURSELF IMPOSED / THINK YOU'VE GOT IT IN FOR US, I THINK YOU'VE GOT IT IN FOR YOURSELVES!)
I kinda mentioned this in my intro, but I would personally divide Los Camp’s discography into 3 periods: A “Twee Indie Period,” followed by an “Noise Pop Period,” then a “Mellow Rock Period,” and “Doomed” is found kinda sandwiched in between the first two. A lot of the fresh-new-vibrant-indie-ness of “Youngster” can still be felt, but it doesn’t quite reach the more experimental and even more noisy magnificence of “Romance is Boring” that we’ll discuss next time. That said, this transitionary period still feels like a massive blow to the head with just how much more powerful the production feels now, but it’s really, really welcome.
While I don’t really think other tracks in the album reach as much of an impact as the intro, it still does consistently have a more consistently… not “tight,” but “punchy” feeling to it. Much of it feels in a way somehow messier than “Youngster,” with a more abrasive side, almost garageband-like than hipster-y (though looking it up, I just found out that “noise pop” is an actual thing. You can see why I’m probably not the most qualified music critic lol).
Later bangers (haha see that I'm an awesome reviewer look at my lexicon) on the album, such as “Miserabilia,” the title track, and "All Your Kayfabe Friends" all have this less-pure, but still clashing feel to them, with more distorted guitars, harsher-sounding percussions, and more compressed vocals, almost sounding cassette-recorded quality at times. Even their comparatively softer tracks, such as "You'll Need Those Fingers for Crossing" and “Heart Swells/Pacific Daylight Time,” still feel very feedback-y and dense, if that makes sense.
(WE GOT NOSTALGIC, ENDED UP FILLING SHOE BOXES WITH VOMIT / COLLECTED SCABS IN LOCKETS, HUNG THEM ROUND OUR NECKS LIKE NOOSES / NONE OF IT MATTERED, NONE OF IT MATTERS, NOBODY CARED)
Now this probably sounds like “Doomed” is maybe too messy or harsh to be really accessible if you’re coming from “Youngster,” but honestly, it’ll all feel surprisingly pretty familiar since a lot of the instrumental sensibilities from that record still shine through and are in the forefront. We still have a lot of those plucky, lo-fi keyboard synthesisers, we still have the violin and glockenspiel riffs, we still have the many call-and-response verses between Gareth and Aleks, and we still have the upbeat, catchy melodies and choruses.
Not much theory-wise has fundamentally changed in that regard, except maybe the softer, lowkey ballads have gotten more distinctive, such as “You’ll Need Those Fingers for Crossing,” which not only has a constant, but soft and occasionally punchy rhythm to it, but again, has that duet aspect, and it flows beautifully.
“Between an Erupting Earth and an Exploding Sky” is also this great, a bit dissonant, synthesized, little screechy, but also rather ethereal and floaty-sounding instrumental, a track that I honestly think is one of the band’s most visual-sounding themes, one that provides one of the most clear mental images, like maybe you’re splayed out while floating midair as both the earth and sky are already exploding beneath and above you all in extreme slow-motion, where everything’s all violent and impatient and tense and shit but at the same time weirdly serene and kinda cosy? It’s like experiencing a terrifying apocalypse and yet it feels like everything’s going to be okay.
There’s also “Heart Swells/Pacific Daylight Time,” which on top of just being one of the band’s very few honest-to-god love songs that’s surprisingly heartfelt (it’ll get more surprising when I discuss “Romance is Boring,” believe me), the muted vocals, the reverbed, feedbacked to hell background ambience, but very crisp guitar and percussion just paint this beautiful, but kinda fading image that’s honestly one of the most sweet tracks the band’s ever made, but also one of the most vaguely tragic.
(I DON'T WANT TO SOUND TRITE BUT YOU WERE PERFECT / THE WAY YOU LOOK COULD SERIOUSLY MAKE NATURE DYSMORPHIC / I WISH THAT YOU WOULD KISS ME 'TIL THE POINT OF PARALYSIS / THE WAY I FLAIL MY ARMS IN FRONT OF YOU, IT JUST EMBARRASSES)
And then we get to the lyrics, and like I’ve said, this is where the band has started to get much more flowery and descriptive, and honestly very funny in a sort of cringe-comedy-ish way, accentuated by once again, dissonant instrumentals. “Miserabilia” in particular is just like a really jaunty, upbeat and smiley-sounding track, and there is a definite playfulness both sonically and lyrically, but at the same time you go “wow, this ‘miserabilia’ (because get it, misery? Memorabilia? Miserabilia!) isn’t something I should cling onto, but at the same time, it’s pretty natural to do so, innit?” There’s also a really cute and funny lyric about “He whispered, ‘Oh my God, this really is a joy to behold’ / I thought he said, ‘It's a joy to be held,’ so I held him too close / It was a grave mistake, he never came back again!”, and I honestly can’t help but smile at just how absolutely DUMB it sounds when I hear it.
But on the more depressing side of sardonic, there’s the title track, and it’s probably one of my personal favorite cuts in the band’s discography, not just because how much it hits close to home for me personally -- it’s about a long-distance relationship falling apart, and how over time you start getting more and more resentful of them and their diverging interests and they get so much more unfamiliar it makes you wanna break their new friends’ teeth in no I’m not still bitter -- but also because how it manages to perfectly encapsulate that snide, but genuinely frustrated catharsis, not just with the banging instrumental or the gradual vocal escalation as the song continues, but the really specifically-vibrant vignettes Gareth provides to really build this mindset, like how “Absence makes the heart grow fonder / fondness makes the absence longer / Length loses my interest, I'm a realist, I'm insatiable / Swapped counting days until I fly, with hours before your reply.” Really, if you can only listen to one song from this band, it’s this one (even if it is for the climax, which is absolutely incredible if emo-sounding as fuck).
(OH, WE KID OURSELVES THERE'S FUTURE IN THE FUCKING / BUT THERE IS NO FUCKING FUTURE / I'M JUST PRACTICING MY ACCENTS, PICKING AT OLD SUTURES)
Admittedly, there are some times when the lyrics really elude me on their exact meaning, probably because I can’t really pin down what scenario or what context they were born from, unlike the lyrics to “No Blues” where I can say “Oh yeah, he’s just making a football reference, right” (we’ll get into that later). Like the song “It's Never That Easy Though, Is It? (Song for the Other Kurt),” which I think is about the narrator meeting with a girl, breaking up with her, and I think like the on-off resentment he gets when she snogs with some other dude? I think? I dunno, I’m reading the lyrics and I’m listening to who’s singing what line, but I still don’t really get a clear scenario.
Though like I said, Los Camp doesn’t USUALLY excel or at least specify in making images, and are more for crafting mentalities, mindsets, and atmospheres, and you still get this kinda-restrained giddiness juxtaposed with deep-seated resentment/fondness about a girl and part of her family, which is a theme that continues on for pretty much the entire second half of the album, like with “The End of the Asterisk,” or “Documented Emotional Breakdown #1,” whose exact meanings also elude me, but they have an obvious, kinda “twee indie”-style jauntiness to them, but haunted by an understated feel of darkness.
(THEY SAID, "THAT BOY'S TOO LAZY", YOU WERE CLEARLY FOREWARNED / A JEALOUS EX SILENCED THE ROOM, HE SAID THAT YOU WERE A WHORE / "DO YOU KISS YOUR MUMMY'S LIPS WITH THAT MOUTH?")
I think that just about sums up this album in a nutshell: Twee indie-style jauntiness with darkness haunting under them, like maybe say, an erupting earth and an exploding sky? It feels like Los Camp have finally identified an ominous, impending feeling of doom underneath their twee pop exterior and is slowly bringing that out with noisier production, more simultaneously specific-yet-vague subject matter, and a lot more honest-to-god atmosphere, brought out with much more concise and evocative lyricism.
It marks the true beginning of what I think the band is all about, and redefined what to expect from them. Once again, the feelings it provokes are a simultaneous yet somehow distinctive mishmash of wanting everything to be raucous and violent and you wanting to break down walls and shit, but also at the same time wanting things to be more emotional and down-to-earth, yet additionally being resentful and anticipating that fearful, inevitable doom.
It really is a great addition to the band’s discography, and it honestly feels like the perfect halfway point between the band’s innocent enjoyment of a time and scene gone by and the massively sardonic bitterness of the future. What happens then? Stay tuned! (suspenseful orchestral music ends) (4.5/5)
FAVES: “Ways to Make It Through the Wall,” “Miserabilia,” “We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed,” “Between an Erupting Earth and an Exploding Sky,” “Documented Minor Emotional Breakdown #1,” “Heart Swells / Pacific Daylight Time”
PS, if you’re interested, I’ve also got an EEP released recently too! It’s electronica/chiptune fusions about a lot of cheeriness and sadness and shit! Thank!
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What is Melody in Music? How to Use Melody in Your Songwriting
What is Melody in Music? How to Use Melody in Your Songwriting: via LANDR Blog
Think of your favorite song.
What part of it sticks out in your memory? It’s probably the melody.
Melodies are the most memorable and important part of a song. But they’re also the hardest to write.
Coming up with great melodies is challenging because it seems like everything has already been done before. Don’t worry, it’s simply not true.
There’s a universe of incredible new melodies out there waiting to be written. You just have to know the theory and do the work to find them.
Today, I’ll show you what melody is, why they stick in your brain and the tools you need to write them.
What are melodies?
Melody is a linear sequence of notes the listener hears as a single entity. The melody of a song is the foreground to the backing elements and is a combination of pitch and rhythm. Sequences of notes that comprise melody are musically satisfying and are often the most memorable part of a song.
Melody is a linear sequence of notes the listener hears as a single entity.
When you sing “Happy Birthday” to your Great Uncle Bill, you’re singing a melody.
From catchy choruses to infectious guitar riffs, melodies define the music you know and love because they’re the part of music you’re most likely to remember. So melodies are crucial in all forms of music.
Melodies are produced through the human voice and any other instrument that produces pitches––marimbas, flutes, synthesizers, glockenspiels, guitars, etc.
Remember, there’s a difference between harmony and melody: A melody transforms into a harmony when completely different notes are stacked above or below it and are played at the same time. This is how chords, vocal, and instrumental harmonies are constructed.
As you start writing your own melodies, It’s important to remember that melodies are linear lines of single notes.
How to use melodies in your music
Think about your melodies like a scene in a movie or play. Your chords create the scene and melodies are the characters on center stage that tell the story.
A good melody will capture and hold your listener’s attention. Songwriters and composers use melodies in your music tell stories and give audiences something to remember and connect with.
Songwriters and composers use melodies in your music tell stories and give audiences something to remember and connect with.
The most obvious way to use melodies in music is through verse, chorus, and bridge vocal lines, but instrumental melodies are also important.
Here’s some different types of melodies that will show you how melody works in songs:
1. Instrumental melodies
Instrumental melodies are produced on pitched instruments. Parts like riffs, solos, and musical material that responds to the vocals in a song are examples of instrumental melodies.
The intro guitar melody from “There She Goes” by The La’s is a great example of important instrumental melodies can be:
The sultry string orchestra intro in Etta James’ “At Last” is another great instrumental melody:
The intro guitar melody of Wye Oak’s “The Louder I Call The Faster It Runs” is also catchy line:
2. Vocal melodies
When it comes to popular music, nothing is more defining than vocal melodies.
When it comes to popular music, nothing is more defining than vocal melodies.
All aspects of music can connect with listeners, but vocal melodies are the most human and relatable parts of songs.
Covered here by Israel “IZ” Kamakawiwoʻole, “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” features one of the most hauntingly beautiful vocal melodies in music:
The vocal melody in Vagabon’s “Fear and Force” is another great example:
Now that you know what melodies are, how do you come up with your own great ones?
How to write great melodies
Here’s 3 crucial tips for writing melodies:
1. Start by singing or playing over a simple chord progression
Choose two basic major chords like C or F. If you need a refresher, here’s how to build chords.
Play your chords on an instrument like a piano or guitar, or plug them into your DAW’s piano roll and loop them over and over again with a nice synth VST.
Then, either sing or play your instrument with the goal of writing a melody. Make sure your basic recording device is ready to capture what you come up with during the melody making process.
Give yourself plenty of time and space to try out different ideas here. Melodies benefit from extended jams.
If you’re a vocalist, consider starting out your process by singing gibberish.
Yep, you read that right. Though it might freak out you’re neighbors, crafting a vocal melody from scratch is best done without any predetermined rules or boundaries to limit yourself with like lyrics.
Experiment with the same looped chords long enough, and you’ll soon find that gibberish soon takes shape into words, phrases, and fleshed out melodies.
2. Breathe life into your melodies with interesting rhythmic stressing and accents
Tame Impala’s Elephant is proof of how catchy rhythms can make otherwise bland melodies memorable.
The core of the verse is made up of only two notes. But with the use of syncopation it manages to stay catchy and memorable.
Even the simplest melody can benefit from the use of unexpected or off-beat rhythms.
Even the simplest melody can benefit from the use of unexpected or off-beat rhythms.
If you’re writing a complex melody that still sounds “meh,” try simplifying and experiment with how your notes are presented rhythmically.
Get adventurous here by shifting the way your notes fall—from directly on strong beats to landing between them.
If you find your melodies always start on the beat of 1, try having them begin either shortly before or after. Even a minor change in rhythm can transform a melody in a subtle but massive way.
3. Pay close attention to your melodic contour
Melodic contour is overall shape of the line that your melody traces as it moves up and down.
Melodic lines can move in a few different ways.
Motion by step (or stepwise motion) is when a melody moves by consectective notes in the scale.
Motion by step is when a melody moves by consectective notes in the scale.
Motion by skip is when a melody moves by intervals of larger than a 2nd.
Two many large leaps in a row are more difficult to connect as a single melodic unit. And a melody comprised of only stepwise motion is often not very interesting for the listener.
Try to balance the amount of steps and skips so that your melody stays fresh and exciting
Hot tip: It’s easier to use larger skips in your melodies if you fill them in at least partially by step in the opposite direction.
If you’re able to, write out the melodies you’re writing through music notation on paper. If you’re in your DAW, there’s usually a way to transform MIDI pitches into music notation.
If the distance between the notes of your melodies looks small, then it’s safe to assume your melody won’t build narrative and sound compelling.
One of the reasons “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” is such a phenomenal melody is because it opens with a large major 7th interval. If your melodies are literally and musically falling flat, try expanding them into mountains.
4. Outline the harmony where possible
Melody doesn’t exist in a vacuum. There’s always an important balance between your melody and its underlying harmony.
Many of the best melodies of all time get their power from the way they gracefully blend with the harmony of the song.
Many of the best melodies of all time get their power from the way they gracefully blend with the harmony of the song.
Remember that the chord tones (scale degrees 1,3,5,7) are the most powerful and stable places to land.
Paying attention to the way you weave your melody from one chord tone to the next as your harmony develops is vital for good melody writing.
Try, try, and try again
Strong melody-writing isn’t a skill that can be developed overnight. It’s something you’ll need to work on over time to get better.
If you find yourself working hard to write melodies without much success, just remember that there’s a whole lot of other musicians in your shoes.
The world’s best songwriters didn’t wake up one morning with the ability to craft great melodies. They worked at it, trying and failing over and over again until they started to get it right.
Approaching melody-writing with an experimental attitude free of expectations gives you the best chance at creating something your listeners will resonate with.
The post What is Melody in Music? How to Use Melody in Your Songwriting appeared first on LANDR Blog.
from LANDR Blog https://blog.landr.com/melody/
via https://www.youtube.com/user/corporatethief/playlists
from Steve Hart https://stevehartcom.tumblr.com/post/184630090984
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What’s Hot Central Florida: July 2018
Saturday, June 30
America’s beloved sibling entertainers, Donny & Marie, will bring their equally beloved show to the Dr. Phillips Center for the performing Arts at 8pm. They will mix the spirit of their early television specials and recordings with a nostalgic look back on their storied career in a dynamic stage show showcasing fan favorites including “A Little Bit Country, A Little Bit Rock ‘n Roll,” “Paper Roses,” “Puppy Love” and “It Takes Two.” Check out the irresistible chemistry that made them international stars. Tickets start at: $55.
Southern Nights Tampa presents their 3 year Anniversary extravaganza hosted by Eureka O’hara from RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 10! They will also feature a Drag Show at 12:30am with Roxxxy Andrews, Jade Embers and Kitana Gemini. 18 and over welcome!
Parliament House is celebrating America’s birthday with an American Idol: Ada Vox, live in concert. To Purchase VIP photo opp tickets go to: ParliamentHouse.com.
Monday, July 2
An Orlando legend turns 50, as the Parliament House presents Lisa Lane’s Golden Birthday celebration at 8pm. The night will feature performances by Shantell D’Marco, Chavela Belleza, Lineysha Sparx, Elishaly D’Witshes, Michelle Du Soleil, GizzelleFierze, Chachita Gift, Angelica Sanchez, Nouba Soleil, and Darcel Stevens. This is a free show and the invite the entire community to come out and celebrate Lisa’s 50th!
Thursday, July 5
The Straz Center for the Performing Arts presents Cinderella from today through July 8th. Rodgers + Hammerstein’s CINDERELLA is the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical from the creators of The Sound of Music and South Pacific that’s returning to delight Tampa audiences with its contemporary take on the classic tale. This lush production features an incredible orchestra, jaw-dropping transformations and all the moments you love – the pumpkin, the glass slipper, the masked ball and more – plus some surprising new twists! Be transported back to your childhood as you rediscover some of Rodgers + Hammerstein’s most beloved songs, including “In My Own little Corner,” “Impossible/It’s Possible” and “Ten Minutes Ago,” in this hilarious and romantic Broadway experience for anyone who’s ever has a wish, a dream … or a really great pair of shoes. Tickets start at $38.
Friday July 6
Southern Nights Orlando presents, direct from Bravo’s Real Housewives of New Jersey, Teresa Giudice as the hostess of their Flex Fridays. If you can’t make it tonight, head onto Southern Nights Tampa as Teresa will be the hostess of their Savage Saturdays tomorrow Saturday, July 7. 18+ welcome on both nights.
Stonewall Orlando presents Boot & Beards where they invite you to dust off your boots, brush out your beards and put on your patriotic underwear! The master of ceremonies with be their favorite bearded diva Bearonce with guest star Scarlette Diamond, and music by DJ Jay Skinner downstairs and DJ J B Burgos in the Sky Bar! No cover before 10 pm!
Speaking of Southern Nights Tampa, tonight they present NeiBEARhood Takeover celebrating International Kissing Day with DJ Throboy from Las Vegas, and sponsored by Gobearr Gear. They will feature a 1am Kissing Contest. This is a 21 and over event!
Sunday, July 8
Chris Pittman presents superstar DJ Hector Fonseca at Royal Tea Sundays at Eve (110 Orange Avenue). Doors open at 8pm and there e is no cover.
Dr. Phillips Center presents Erasure World Be Gone Tourat 8pm. Erasure (Andy Bell and Vince Clarke) announced a collaboration with Brussels-based Echo Collective that sees the entirety of Erasure’s latest album, World Be Gone, given a post-classical rework. This new collaboration gives fresh dimension to the tracks. World Beyond was recorded over 10 days by Andy and seven performers from Echo Collective: Margaret Hermant (violin, harp), Neil Leiter (viola), Thomas Engelen (cello), Jaroslaw Mroz (double bass), Gary De Cart (piano) and Antoine Dandoy (vibraphone, glockenspiel). Tickets start at: $34.50.
Wednesday, July 11
The Amway center presents Sam Smith in his The Thrill Of It All tour tonight at 8pm, with tickets ranging from $37-$122. The concert will also be playing at Tampa’s AMALIE Arena on Friday, July 13 at 8pm with tickets ranging from $26-$122. “Too Good At Goodbyes,” the album’s first single, is a global smash, hitting No. 1 on the U.K. and Global Spotify Charts and topping the U.K. and U.S. iTunes charts. It has captured the top spot on the U.K.’s Official Singles Chart Top 100 for three consecutive weeks, marking Smith’s sixth No. 1 single there. In the U.S., “Too Good At Goodbyes,” debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Digital Song Sales chart. Worldwide Spotify streams of the single already exceed 100 million.
Friday, July 13
The National Showgirl, Showgirl at Large and Showman pageants move their home bas this year to Hamburger Mary’s Daytona and the National Pageantry starts tonight honoring last years winners: Alexis Mateo, Crystal Belle, and Aries M. Kelly. Tonight and tomorrow will be prelim nights for all three divisions. On Sunday, July 15 is Final night for Showman and on Monday, July 16 is final night for Showgirl and Showgirl at Large. The categories include: Interview (with a platform to work and represent throughout the year), Showgirl/Showman Presentation (this is the highest scored category); Glitz Formal wear for the boys and Gown for the girls, and Talent. Admission is $20 per night, but only $60 for all four nights. For more information, go to NationalShowgielpageant.com.
Friday, July 20
The Orlando Improv presents, a true king of comedy, D.L. Hughley from today until July 22 in his Unapologetic Tour, based on his own one-hour special for HBO entitled Unapologetic. The special, D.L.’s fourth for the network (the others were in 1992, 1994 and 1999), premiered in September and is currently available on DVD. In its review, the Hollywood Reporter says the likable Hughley is the real deal, a guy who comes with his A-material and nails every line with smarts and savvy….connecting with the audience from the first minute through the last. Tickets are $35.
The Club Orlando presents “NTA: No Towels Allowed Party,” where no towels or clothes will be allowed to be worn in the building (except in the Gym and TV Lounge) from 10pm to 2am. For more information Club-Orlando.com.
Saturday, July 21
Neema’s upscale Latin Night: Amor at Stonewall Orlando presents Shakira tickets giveaway. The midnight drag show stars Miss Glamorous 2018: Amanda D’Rhod, Gadfrie Arbulu and Jenavive K. Mateo. Doors open at 9pm and there is no cover before 10pm and $10 thereafter. 21 and over!
Hamburger Mary’s Brandon presents “Paint Nite,” which features everything you need to create a one-of-a-kind painting. They will guide you and your friends through two lively hours of creativity, drinking, and laughing ‘til your cheeks hurt. What’s the best part? You don’t have to be an artist to have an amazing time. Food and drinks are not included, but are available for purchase from the venue. No outside food or drinks allowed. This Paint Nite Event is 21+!
Wednesday, July 25
Amalie Arena presents Grammy Award-winning, acclaimed alternative rock pioneers The Smashing Pumpkins in their Shiny And Oh So Bright Tour a7 pm, their first tour in nearly 20 years to feature founding members Billy Corgan, Jimmy Chamberlin, and James Iha. The monumental Shiny And Oh So Bright Tour, which coincides with the 30th anniversary of the band’s formation, will highlight music from the group’s inception through 2000, and will exclusively feature material from their groundbreaking debut Gish through Siamese Dream, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, Adore, and Machina. Longtime Smashing Pumpkins guitarist Jeff Schroeder will also take part, as the band moves to a three-guitar lineup to better emulate the signature tones and textures of their albums. Tickets range from $29 – $125.
Thursday, July 26
Amway Center presents Rod Stewart with Cyndi Lauper as his special tour guest at 7:30pm. Tickets start at $57.
The Tampa Improv presents Luenell, who is a force of nature from tonight through July 29. This talented comedienne, actress and singer, was born in Tollette, Arkansas, a town whose population barely registers with the U.S. census. She is best known for her breakthrough role as the “hooker with the heart of gold” in the blockbuster comedy Borat. Luenell is recognized by both mainstream AND urban sectors of the population. Luenell had appearances in three #1 feature films; Think like A Man, the 3D animated hit Hotel Transylvania and Taken 2. Must be 21 & up to enter; except on Friday’s at 10:30pm which is 18 & up. Tickets are $20
Saturday, July 28
Dr. Phillips Center presents Darci Lynne and Friends Live with special guest Pelican 212 at 7pm. Darci Lynne Farmer is a 13-year-old ventriloquist, singer and season 12 winner of America’s Got Talent. She first appeared on the show as a shy 12-year-old who used ventriloquism to overcome her stage fright, stunning the crowd with a surprising singing act. Darci Lynne captured hearts then—and continues to amaze now. The Oklahoma native is bringing her jaw-dropping voice, hilarious puppets and vibrant personality to Orlando for one night only with tickets starting at $30, with VIP tickets (Meet and greet) $100.
source https://hotspotsmagazine.com/2018/06/28/whats-hot-central-florida-july-2018/
from Hot Spots Magazine https://hotspotsmagazin.blogspot.com/2018/06/whats-hot-central-florida-july-2018.html
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What’s Hot Central Florida: July 2018
Saturday, June 30
America’s beloved sibling entertainers, Donny & Marie, will bring their equally beloved show to the Dr. Phillips Center for the performing Arts at 8pm. They will mix the spirit of their early television specials and recordings with a nostalgic look back on their storied career in a dynamic stage show showcasing fan favorites including “A Little Bit Country, A Little Bit Rock ‘n Roll,” “Paper Roses,” “Puppy Love” and “It Takes Two.” Check out the irresistible chemistry that made them international stars. Tickets start at: $55.
Southern Nights Tampa presents their 3 year Anniversary extravaganza hosted by Eureka O’hara from RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 10! They will also feature a Drag Show at 12:30am with Roxxxy Andrews, Jade Embers and Kitana Gemini. 18 and over welcome!
Parliament House is celebrating America’s birthday with an American Idol: Ada Vox, live in concert. To Purchase VIP photo opp tickets go to: ParliamentHouse.com.
Monday, July 2
An Orlando legend turns 50, as the Parliament House presents Lisa Lane’s Golden Birthday celebration at 8pm. The night will feature performances by Shantell D’Marco, Chavela Belleza, Lineysha Sparx, Elishaly D’Witshes, Michelle Du Soleil, GizzelleFierze, Chachita Gift, Angelica Sanchez, Nouba Soleil, and Darcel Stevens. This is a free show and the invite the entire community to come out and celebrate Lisa’s 50th!
Thursday, July 5
The Straz Center for the Performing Arts presents Cinderella from today through July 8th. Rodgers + Hammerstein’s CINDERELLA is the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical from the creators of The Sound of Music and South Pacific that’s returning to delight Tampa audiences with its contemporary take on the classic tale. This lush production features an incredible orchestra, jaw-dropping transformations and all the moments you love – the pumpkin, the glass slipper, the masked ball and more – plus some surprising new twists! Be transported back to your childhood as you rediscover some of Rodgers + Hammerstein’s most beloved songs, including “In My Own little Corner,” “Impossible/It’s Possible” and “Ten Minutes Ago,” in this hilarious and romantic Broadway experience for anyone who’s ever has a wish, a dream … or a really great pair of shoes. Tickets start at $38.
Friday July 6
Southern Nights Orlando presents, direct from Bravo’s Real Housewives of New Jersey, Teresa Giudice as the hostess of their Flex Fridays. If you can’t make it tonight, head onto Southern Nights Tampa as Teresa will be the hostess of their Savage Saturdays tomorrow Saturday, July 7. 18+ welcome on both nights.
Stonewall Orlando presents Boot & Beards where they invite you to dust off your boots, brush out your beards and put on your patriotic underwear! The master of ceremonies with be their favorite bearded diva Bearonce with guest star Scarlette Diamond, and music by DJ Jay Skinner downstairs and DJ J B Burgos in the Sky Bar! No cover before 10 pm!
Speaking of Southern Nights Tampa, tonight they present NeiBEARhood Takeover celebrating International Kissing Day with DJ Throboy from Las Vegas, and sponsored by Gobearr Gear. They will feature a 1am Kissing Contest. This is a 21 and over event!
Sunday, July 8
Chris Pittman presents superstar DJ Hector Fonseca at Royal Tea Sundays at Eve (110 Orange Avenue). Doors open at 8pm and there e is no cover.
Dr. Phillips Center presents Erasure World Be Gone Tourat 8pm. Erasure (Andy Bell and Vince Clarke) announced a collaboration with Brussels-based Echo Collective that sees the entirety of Erasure’s latest album, World Be Gone, given a post-classical rework. This new collaboration gives fresh dimension to the tracks. World Beyond was recorded over 10 days by Andy and seven performers from Echo Collective: Margaret Hermant (violin, harp), Neil Leiter (viola), Thomas Engelen (cello), Jaroslaw Mroz (double bass), Gary De Cart (piano) and Antoine Dandoy (vibraphone, glockenspiel). Tickets start at: $34.50.
Wednesday, July 11
The Amway center presents Sam Smith in his The Thrill Of It All tour tonight at 8pm, with tickets ranging from $37-$122. The concert will also be playing at Tampa’s AMALIE Arena on Friday, July 13 at 8pm with tickets ranging from $26-$122. “Too Good At Goodbyes,” the album’s first single, is a global smash, hitting No. 1 on the U.K. and Global Spotify Charts and topping the U.K. and U.S. iTunes charts. It has captured the top spot on the U.K.’s Official Singles Chart Top 100 for three consecutive weeks, marking Smith’s sixth No. 1 single there. In the U.S., “Too Good At Goodbyes,” debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Digital Song Sales chart. Worldwide Spotify streams of the single already exceed 100 million.
Friday, July 13
The National Showgirl, Showgirl at Large and Showman pageants move their home bas this year to Hamburger Mary’s Daytona and the National Pageantry starts tonight honoring last years winners: Alexis Mateo, Crystal Belle, and Aries M. Kelly. Tonight and tomorrow will be prelim nights for all three divisions. On Sunday, July 15 is Final night for Showman and on Monday, July 16 is final night for Showgirl and Showgirl at Large. The categories include: Interview (with a platform to work and represent throughout the year), Showgirl/Showman Presentation (this is the highest scored category); Glitz Formal wear for the boys and Gown for the girls, and Talent. Admission is $20 per night, but only $60 for all four nights. For more information, go to NationalShowgielpageant.com.
Friday, July 20
The Orlando Improv presents, a true king of comedy, D.L. Hughley from today until July 22 in his Unapologetic Tour, based on his own one-hour special for HBO entitled Unapologetic. The special, D.L.’s fourth for the network (the others were in 1992, 1994 and 1999), premiered in September and is currently available on DVD. In its review, the Hollywood Reporter says the likable Hughley is the real deal, a guy who comes with his A-material and nails every line with smarts and savvy….connecting with the audience from the first minute through the last. Tickets are $35.
The Club Orlando presents “NTA: No Towels Allowed Party,” where no towels or clothes will be allowed to be worn in the building (except in the Gym and TV Lounge) from 10pm to 2am. For more information Club-Orlando.com.
Saturday, July 21
Neema’s upscale Latin Night: Amor at Stonewall Orlando presents Shakira tickets giveaway. The midnight drag show stars Miss Glamorous 2018: Amanda D’Rhod, Gadfrie Arbulu and Jenavive K. Mateo. Doors open at 9pm and there is no cover before 10pm and $10 thereafter. 21 and over!
Hamburger Mary’s Brandon presents “Paint Nite,” which features everything you need to create a one-of-a-kind painting. They will guide you and your friends through two lively hours of creativity, drinking, and laughing ‘til your cheeks hurt. What’s the best part? You don’t have to be an artist to have an amazing time. Food and drinks are not included, but are available for purchase from the venue. No outside food or drinks allowed. This Paint Nite Event is 21+!
Wednesday, July 25
Amalie Arena presents Grammy Award-winning, acclaimed alternative rock pioneers The Smashing Pumpkins in their Shiny And Oh So Bright Tour a7 pm, their first tour in nearly 20 years to feature founding members Billy Corgan, Jimmy Chamberlin, and James Iha. The monumental Shiny And Oh So Bright Tour, which coincides with the 30th anniversary of the band’s formation, will highlight music from the group’s inception through 2000, and will exclusively feature material from their groundbreaking debut Gish through Siamese Dream, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, Adore, and Machina. Longtime Smashing Pumpkins guitarist Jeff Schroeder will also take part, as the band moves to a three-guitar lineup to better emulate the signature tones and textures of their albums. Tickets range from $29 – $125.
Thursday, July 26
Amway Center presents Rod Stewart with Cyndi Lauper as his special tour guest at 7:30pm. Tickets start at $57.
The Tampa Improv presents Luenell, who is a force of nature from tonight through July 29. This talented comedienne, actress and singer, was born in Tollette, Arkansas, a town whose population barely registers with the U.S. census. She is best known for her breakthrough role as the “hooker with the heart of gold” in the blockbuster comedy Borat. Luenell is recognized by both mainstream AND urban sectors of the population. Luenell had appearances in three #1 feature films; Think like A Man, the 3D animated hit Hotel Transylvania and Taken 2. Must be 21 & up to enter; except on Friday’s at 10:30pm which is 18 & up. Tickets are $20
Saturday, July 28
Dr. Phillips Center presents Darci Lynne and Friends Live with special guest Pelican 212 at 7pm. Darci Lynne Farmer is a 13-year-old ventriloquist, singer and season 12 winner of America’s Got Talent. She first appeared on the show as a shy 12-year-old who used ventriloquism to overcome her stage fright, stunning the crowd with a surprising singing act. Darci Lynne captured hearts then—and continues to amaze now. The Oklahoma native is bringing her jaw-dropping voice, hilarious puppets and vibrant personality to Orlando for one night only with tickets starting at $30, with VIP tickets (Meet and greet) $100.
from Hotspots! Magazine https://hotspotsmagazine.com/2018/06/28/whats-hot-central-florida-july-2018/
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2017
Previously posted by LGN XYZ on Facebook
Hello there.
Proper writers and ‘bloggers’ and that will have done their 2017 write ups already. Fortunately, we’re crap, and so we’re doing it now. It’s not quite over, but it’s pretty much over. The year. And other things.
That was a terrible intro. Quick! Look to the past!
Chronology
We were going to just move through the year, like these things often do, but on second thoughts: balls to that. Our memory’s knackered and we’re tired, and some FUCKING CUNT IN ANOTHER FLAT is banging the floor like they do. So let’s just group things in vague themes and crack on.
Oh, this’ll be us talking about music, by the way. We should have said that at the beginning.
Making a bloody racket
We love a bloody racket in musical terms, and oh man do we miss going for a boogie to a bit of drum ‘n bass. It’s a great finisher. Back when dubstep was newish, it was fine and all, but a set had to finish with d’nb or it was a snore. Hip hop’s good and all, but in a club it’s a bit samey and mid-tempo unless you ramp up to a bit of d’nb.
Anyway, at the beginning of the year, Emeli Sandé – yes, Emeli Sandé – put out an absolute banger. Breathing Underwater (Matrix & Futurebound remix) is an absolutely euphoric belter. Love it.
And euphoric rackets brings us onto PC Music.
We were already grooving along to Charli XCX’s Vroom Vroom EP. It’s a massive smash of fairly aggressively old/new sounding rave-ups.
It was from there, we think, we learned of your SOPHIE. In what will become a bit of a theme in this ramble, late to the party we discovered the PRODUCT stuff SOPHIE put out in 2015. Most especially we fell deeply, deeply in love with JUST LIKE WE NEVER SAID GOODBYE, which is an absolute beauty of a track. A drumless banger. Listening to it daily. LOVE.
Back to Charlotte, 2017 was the year where she evidently was setting some self challenge of releasing a new track every week or so. Of her fifty-seven collaboration, the Mura Masa one is our fave. Whilst that steel pipe (drum? glockenspiel?) sound is so very now it’ll sound so very old in a year or two, 1 Night is an undeniable tune.
But Number 1 Angel – Charli’s album-in-all-but-artist-description ‘mixtape’ – was a bit of a revelation. In 2016, the people’s queen of x Carly Rae Jepsen won everything with her album-not-an-album Emotion Side B, and in 2017 Charles did the same. This prompted us to launch our catastrophic opening hour gambit for LGNXYZ02, but more of that later.
Number 1 Angel is so great, we’ve conspicuously not listened to her SECOND bloody album-not-an-album Pop 2 – that she casually threw onto the stack at the end of the year, forming a pair of “I call them mixtapes” 2017 bookends – because we’re a bit scared and want to have time to appreciate it / holy fuck it’s got a standard to live up to.
Soz.
Anyway, the first of the two had a very snazzy website put together showing off the producers. A bunch of your PC Music sorts – SOPHIE, A. G. Cook, Danny L Harle...
Huge Danny is another we’d sort of let slip by. He did a song with Jeppo a while back, and we thought it was okay, but we’re NOT INTERESTED in anything Emotion-era that falls outside the Emotion and Side B+ sets (what Lil Yachty advert song? Huh?) and so we paid little more attention.
Anyway, he produced one of the best on N1A, called ILY2, and with a penchant for initialisms this year he released an EP called 1UL. We gave it a listen, and moved on.
But then later in the year, we moved back. And gave it many more listens. The title track (another with that bloody plonky percussion sound) is a great wee thumper.
It takes us a while to catch on sometimes. Soz 2.
Taking a while to catch on
Two big ones we got to late in similar fashion were songs by Tinashe and Dua Lipa.
Again, we listened to the albums when people were wanging on about them, and didn’t give them enough time. That’s one of the drawbacks of streaming. When we were kids, if we took a punt on an album, that fucker was getting listened to. It took us a good while to learn to love Breakbeat Era, but we put the effort in and got there. Now, we’re flighty and don’t give things the time.
But we love a good music video. And these two have absolute belters of music videos.
Company, by your Tinashe, is an incredibly impressive performance video. A single room, a few people, some cheaty edits to cover the joins in a sweatily energetic and near-relentless routine, it’s fucking great. She looks amazing. And the song, it turns out, is absolutely magic. A smooth-as-anything r’n’b thumper, with a very enjoyable bleepy noise thrown in there. From 2016, but for us it’s a 2017 jam.
And your Dua snuck in an all-conquering number 1 hit and vaulted from alt-pop to pop-pop on the back of an all-time great music video for New Rules.
The minor flaws of the slightly wonky head-nod bit and the girl getting accidentally whipped in the face by someone’s hair only make this gem shine brighter. It feels like a home-grown triumph – don’t spoil it for us by telling us it cost $1mil and was directed by someone super-established. The choreography is tremendous, the look is great, but more than anything the core concept is so strong, it’s hard to think of a narrative vid and a song that go together so beautifully. It’s so good. We rewatched it a zillion times.
And from love of the song and video came a love of the song. And going back to a few of her previous singles too. Well done, all involved.
Music videos are important
Maybe in 2018 we’ll get back into making them.
Dua became a big hitter thanks to that incredible music video. And some existing big hitters released some big videos too.
Katy Perry launched what is apparently now trad to call an ‘era’ with an astonishing music video for Chained To The Rhythm. A proper megabudget job, but really, really darkly bleak and upsetting. What with political things as they were and are, it is still genuinely affecting to watch. A big shiny pop video has never been so harrowing. It was a real “oh fuck, she means business” moment, and did the job in creating a massive wave of publicity for her doing ‘woke pop’.
She then followed it with a song making a blunt non-metaphor about fucking. Didn’t do so well.
We quite like Bon Appetit, though, and Swish Swish did a Sound Of The Underground whereby it grew on us a thousand percent thanks to hearing it sounding massive at a disco (Unskinny Bop, natch). Astonishingly bad video, though, providing a peculiar seesaw end to the ‘era’.
And unfortunately clashing with Taylor Swift bringing out her own megabudget megavideo.
Look What You Made Me Do is pleasing if only for the fact that it was another underline that big pop stars are still in the business of spunking big money on big videos. High score for spectacle, with odd grade slipping due to the fact the rush to get it finished evidently left the first half slightly out of sync.
The song’s alright, but Ready For It...? is the real banger. We dig it. Haven’t given the album more than one listen, though. Maybe we’ll come back to it.
Selena Gomez’s Bad Liar was a leftfield anti-pop pop smash that we liked and grew to like more. We’ve not given this video many rewatches because we find it faintly unsettiling in its own way (is she digitally de-aged in it? What’s going on?)
And switching musical directions in the reverse, Lorde came back with a surprise disco banger in Green Light. Again we weren’t sure at first, again it grew on us, again we played it at LGN. Our initial judgement is often pretty shaky.
What isn’t shaky however is our enduring love for Ariana Grande. LGN was in part built on a night round one of our houses, singing along to Spotify, accidentally playing Problem on loop and loving it. Confident outspoken feminist queen of casually shutting down douchebags whilst releasing banger after banger.
This year, the hundredth single off of Dangerous Woman, again an awesome video grew our love for a song. Everyday is a song that more or less passed us by on the album. But seeing her grooving around in her big puffer jacket whilst diverse snogging kicks off around her in the really fun video made it move up onto our faves list. She’s the best.
We’re not going to be able to say anything in this superficial and pointless ramble to do justice to the fucking awful nightmare of what happened in Manchester, so we shan’t try. It’s heartbreaking, and the One Love response had us in tears.
Memory
George Michael died last Christmas, and as with David Bowie and Prince, it shamefully took his death for us to dig back into his music. And in George’s case, fuck we remembered some belters. Freedom ‘90 is an incredible tune, and one we played to triumphantly finished LGN04. His cover of As with Mary J Blige is ace. Multiple Wham! megasmashes which should have been on our playlist all along, apologetically we remembered them.
We also reminded ourselves what an incredible album Music Box is. Can’t remember what inspired us to have a bit of a Mariah Carey dig – perhaps just closing with her as queen of Christmas in the last 2016 LGN, and then rehearsing the lyrics to Hero when we wanted to close with it this year. A very, very strong closer. So good we chose it twice.
And you know who else we rediscovered this year? All Saints, mate. We saw them live (supported by Melanie C and Sophie Ellis-Bextor, thankyouverymuch) and it was everything. They looked incredible, they sounded incredible, they played the old hits and the new hits, they looked like they were having a fun old time of it, it was brilliant. We never saw them way back when, but this was pretty unbeatable. They played Chick Fit, which made us happy as that is an underrated smash. And they made us check out the new album. AGAIN, something we slept on when we first heard it, but One Strike is a top tier groover. Hurrah.
The joy of being part of a pop crowd
The All Saints gig was at Kew Gardens, and we were wary of it being a yummy mummy sitdown picnic fest. Which it was, but with a dancing area right in front of the stage, which meant we could get right in a wee crowd of heroes to boogie around like it was an awesome club gig.
AND SPEAKING OF AWESOME CLUB GIGS. We saw Yelle. For the somethingth time, always great, and this time in Canada.
We were a bit wary early on as the support DJs were kicking out some ace danceable tunes and the crowd was extremely sparse, an the venue inside was very swish and new which can sometimes be a bit of an atmosphere cooler. But when they came on, the crowd packed the dancefloor and it went off. Banger after banger after banger. Yelle chucked out a bunch of singles in 2017, all ace, all massive live, adding to a set of just the best fun jumping around pop joy. Love love love.
We were in Canadia for a hol, but deliberately coincided it with Tegan & Sara doing a hometown Con X show. This wasn’t a rave-up, was in a big modern concert hall, stripped down and partially acoustic-y. But was the joy of being a part of another sort of crowd. A crowd that love Tegan & Sara. T&S spent two albums doing the big pop thing, and it seems like they’ve had enough of it for now.
On stage and in interviews, they’ve spoken of how they wanted to be prominent queer voices in the mainstream, but now want to retreat a bit because the mainstream is gross. They spoke of playing big festival and support slots with the audience not really giving a shit. So here they were, playing a big small show for an audience who really gave a shit. It was wonderful.
Two days later, and well over a day without sleep, we were back in London, in another big modern concert hall, seeing Camille at the Barbican. Camille is someone you really should see live. Her albums are often beautiful, and floaty, and dreamily lovely. Live, she turns it into a big thumping dance performance. We can’t describe it without making it sound several times more shit than it is; it isn’t shit at all. It’s clatteringly, physically brilliant.
New love
In a not dissimilar fashion, Chela’s Bad Habit video is worth a look. It came out this year, and has the handclaps and odd clothing and weird dance moves that aren’t a million miles from Camille’s show. We’d never heard of Chela before, but liked this song and video. And it prompted us to look into what else she’d done.
And holy fuck, she’s incredible. No album, a bunch of scattered singles over a few years, but such tunes. And so captivating to watch. It helps that she’s beautiful, but it extra helps that she’s got fully awesome seemlingly-DIY dance moves. We watched the video to Romanticise a million times. More than New Rules. It’s just her grooving around in a single shot, a few digital paint splashes here and there, but it’s fucking great, and the song is an absolute bop. A megabop.
We were hyper obsessed with Romanticise for weeks, playing it pretty much daily. It’s SO GOOD. And in the past week or so, we’ve gone the same for Handful Of Gold. Go and watch it, again and again. We can only hope Chela decides to pop over to London this year, because we will be there with our shapes ready to be thrown. She’s fucking great.
Four discos
Oh aye. We put on some discos.
In 2016, there were three LGNs. In 2017, there were four.
For LGN04, Saturday 4th February, we moved to sunny Dalston and the Moustache Bar Dalston and had a good old time. The now trad quiet beginning, and hopeless flyering of the empty streets, gave way to a busy crowd by the end. Someone requested Martha and went nuts for it when we played it, which was ace.
LGN05 was just one month later, on Satuday 11th March. We felt bad for the few people who came early doors, and we made a real mistake running out to futilely flyer again rather than start a dancefloor amongst ourselves. But again it came good, chums arrived, and the crowd again filled in at the end and was so happy singing along we did a double finish (there’s little better than having a crowd belting out Hero AND It’s All Coming Back To Me Now one after the other).
And then the Let's Get Nuts crew had a bit of a crisis meeting. It’d become very stressful, three of us organising a disco together, and we were getting a bit narked with each other. We had all sorts of extra-disco things to worry about, and rather than break up as chums, we decided to break up as a disco. Or at least go on hiatus, like your One Directions or your Sleater-Kinneys.
But here at LGN XYZ, we really needed the continuing distraction, and so spun off to do basically the same thing, just with fewer people prepping it and poking at the iPad. Our LGN chums still chums, they thankfully came along to provide incredible and invaluable dancing support.
We approached The Victoria and they gave us a post-gig slot on Friday 19th May. Like absolute idiots, we figured we’d inherit something of a built-in audience – the venue being home to G R R L S and PINK GLOVE, and us following a Two Piece Records gig. We kind of didn’t, and had another harrowingly quiet beginning as people were spread out within the actually-pretty-big pub.
But again – AGAIN – it came good.
Our chums kept us going early doors. A heroic solo-discoer was there throughout and encouraged our riot grrly tendancies. And a trio of Charlotte and Jeppo lovers cheered our alt-pop hearts. By the end, we had people strutting to Shamir and raving it up to N-Trance.
You can read about LGNXYZ01 in a separate post where we blethered on about that, and about LGNXYZ02, which on Friday 10th November brought us back to The Star of Kings, in our follow-up jibber.
And so that was that
2017, in bits of music there.
Run The Jewels probably deserve a mention too, as they keep our ear into a bit of hip-hop, whilst we’ve drifted away from paying much attention otherwise. Kanye’s still on heavy rotation. Lizzo popped out a couple of new bops. And Fiona Apple’s 2012(!) album The Idler Wheel... remains our go-to when we’re not feeling big and poppy and want to feel some feels and sing along with something sadder.
And in fact, let’s finish with something really emotional.
Annie Hardy, from your Giant Drags, put out an album called Rules at the beginning of the year. It packs a fucking whallop. Her partner and baby died the years before, and some of the songs are about that. It’s a record that can really kick the shit out your heart.
Start 2018 as you mean to go on.
This was an odd way to end this long and rambling post, wasn’t it? Ah well, it’s happened now.
Happy new year.
x
#emeli sande#matrix and futurebound#pc music#charli xcx#sophie#mura masa#carly rae jepsen#danny l harle#tinashe#dua lipa#katy perry#taylor swift#selena gomez#lorde#ariana grande#george michael#wham#mariah carey#all saints#yelle#tegan and sara#camille#chela#lgn xyz#let's get nuts#run the jewels#kanye west#lizzo#fiona apple#annie hardy
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