Leaving Araby and things to come

Troops! Let’s chat some happenings around the Berry College way, yeah? Just a bit ago we had a rather lovely concert that opened up with the stylings of our very own alumni duo of Jon Gill and Jonah Williams. Forgive the fact that this is late, I caught some epic strep throat. On my birthday. And didn’t get up for five days. 21^st birthday FAIL.

I’ll be the first to admit that pretty acoustic stuff about girls doesn’t normally get me excited, but Mr. Gill seems to have some serious talent going on for him. He’s got a strong, not overly folksy voice that really suits his music and Jonah knows how to coax some of the most beautiful sounds I’ve ever heard out of a pedal steel. Glorious. I have some pretty crappy footage of them covering John Mayer’s “Slow Dancing in a Burning Room” because that song destroys my life and I couldn’t help myself.

Taking the stage after them were some Athens kids (represent!) calling themselves Leaving Araby. The fliers all over campus had been comparing them to The Fray for a couple weeks so I wasn’t super excited, but upon hearing them, I don’t quite agree with the signage. I agree that they were a little soft around the edges and had a chill vibe at times, but live they weren’t piano driven. Or boring. Nothing against our friends in The Fray, there’s just only so many contrived, twinkly melodies I want on one album.

They were pleasantly danceable – so I did – and their singer had some lovely flaily guitar moves that immediately won my heart. So cheers to Leaving Araby, they were personable and looked like they actually wanted to be playing to a room of college kids who needed something to do before the house parties started – a feat that many wouldn’t be able to pull off.

In other news, there’s another show going on tonight, hooray! This one’s in Ford auditorium and has Jon and Jonah again, but the headliner is Devidasa with some excellent drum circle world music goodness. A heads-up for those who aren’t really the crunchy music type, this might not be your scene. There will be some seriously heady people out tonight along with the more mainstream kids to enjoy the awesome, so just be aware.

And tomorrow there’s a free benefit concert with a collection going up for Haiti. It’s at 7 pm in the College Chapel and we’re gonna be seeing Decemberadio and Seventh Day Slumber, so it’s a jam packed musical weekend at Berry College. Throw up those rock fists, my friends.

In other news, the snow is coming down! It’s winter wonderland-tastic outside and we’re snowed in at the costume shop today. I say we’re snowed in… it’s more like our boss is away and we’re working on dance concert pieces while doing princess themed mad libs out of a coloring book. Thank the lord for Friday.

More later, kids, I have some fun new fashiony things for us to play with. Spoiler alert: it involves shiny faux leather AND rhinestones. Not to be taken lightly. But you guys are great, we’ll play again soon!

Now playing: I'm Not Over - Carolina Liar

A fluffy update and things to come

Hey, kids. So, I've got some cool news for us out here floating in cyberland. As of pretty soon in the coming future, the Rome paper will be hosting your very own Indiosyncracy blog on their "Last Call" page. This will, naturally, make us a household name since the lovely paper entertainment team needs people to talk about stuff going on in Rome and the surrounding areas (if this ever happens). And I like to talk about stuff. We are going to be a glorious match. I'm going to be keeping the same format, unless I'm told otherwise or get some rad new idea, and I'll be supplying your fashion and music fix as best I can.

Anyways, housekeeping aside, I saw a wicked reading of a play called "Copenhagen" last night. It was a three hour long, German, existential-intellectual play about the physics and ethics behind the creation of the atomic bomb. Now, before you start seizing with joy and happiness over the subject matter, it was actually a rather brilliant piece of work. My pretend brother Mark Bailey and two of our very dear friends, Matt Dixon and Jennifer Allman, put it on under the direction of our own John Countryman and it was absolutely beautiful. They were all so powerful and genuine and the talk back afterwards with some of the members of the physics department was really useful. I'll let you know before the next production so maybe you guys can come and check it out.

In other news, I'm hitting up the Leaving Araby show tonight so there will be a review and pictures in the very near future. Opening for them at 8pm in the Spruill Ballroom in the Krannert Center are the gloriously titled "Jon Gill and Friends" which will be including my roommate's wonderful boyfriend Jonah Williams, so that's something pretty awesome to look forward to. I might try to get some vague video, but I couldn't get a camera, other excuses, etc. Next time!

So that's it for the day, there'll be prettier things to look at next post and some music talk. Later this week I think I'll put up some of things we've been working on in the costume shop since we've got a big Restoration comedy coming up. Grinding down steel corset bones is a sight to behold, let me tell you. AND I have a super fun idea that kinda got kicked in the face for last night, but perhaps next weekend I'll have something wicked for us to laugh at. Stay tuned.

 

But that's it for now, team, thanks for coming out to play and maybe I'll see you at the show tonight!

Waking Up with OneRepublic

Hey, team. You’ll have to forgive me for taking so long, life kinda went to hell and decided to stay there for a while. But this is completely irrelevant in the face of some music that is begging to be talked about. Let’s chat about OneRepublic’s sophomore effort, Waking Up.

 

The album opens with a count in and some light stripped down percussive elements before Ryan Tedder’s voice slides in under the radar with an almost ominous sounding piano line that builds pleasantly with a little bit of guitar and a dash of stuttering which is always a hardcore win in my book. Apparently all the love was made just for me, so hopefully the string line was as well. Layered vocals provide a nice round sound that isn’t overpowering but leaves you hoping it grows some.

The acoustics sound like they’re in a bathroom near the end, but it’s interesting enough. It bleeds into the next songs chorus with just a drum and shaker bit that could be really fun, but then they go and destroy this lovely build up with a hearkening back to the Stones and their boy choir. One thing we should all learn from music - don’t mimic one of the greatest bands on Earth, I don’t care how great you think it might turn out.  Not nearly on par with Britney doing “I Can’t Get No,” but still.

“All the Right Moves” opens with a couple well-placed organ chords and a chorus that I personally think resonates kinda beautifully. It’s nothing complicated but it’ll get stuck in your head faster than you’d think. The strings become a theme throughout the album; sometimes they’re dead on and sometimes they miss but you definitely get the feel of what the band’s trying to convey.

The song has a longing quality that’s nice, but you get the idea after a few passes of the chorus. Nothing against the song, though, it’s one of my favorites on the album. I would be lying if I said I didn’t put it on repeat a couple times.

Following up this single is “Secrets,” another string filled playground. This particular track sounds like it wants to be a Beyonce song, which considering Mr. Tedder has written for her, makes a lot of sense. The same can be said for “Good Life,” a very middle of the road and radio friendly little tune with some tripping vocal patterns, but I’d rather hear it from the diva than an altern pop rock band.

An excellent save comes in the form of “Everybody Loves Me.” The opening alone makes you wanna dance with some acoustic guitar and tambourine. The chorus is obscenely easy to sing along to and vocally it sounds like it wants to be a blues song that’s yelling to be taken out for a joyride.

“Missing Persons 1 & 2” sends a wink and a smile out to U2. It could try to be a huge stadium song, but it falls a bit short with an almost juvenile feel at times. It takes a turn of the Radiohead variety in the middle where a chaotic mess becomes a more structured melody that has a serious Thom Yorke and almost out of body feeling that seriously hits how it’s meant to. This is a song that’d smile at you from across the room but it doesn’t want to come up and introduce itself.

Another serious U2 number is “Waking Up.” The guitar tones could have been borrowed straight from the Edge and nobody would be the wiser, but it’s layered over with a Killers feeling. We’re finally allowed to hear with Tedder’s voice can do, however. This man’s range is absolutely beautiful, it can do amazing things and should not be restrained in any way.

There’s not a lot going on lyrically, and the song bleeds into an instrumental bit that would be far better if Matthew Bellamy got his hands on it. It almost sounds like something a worship band would do while the pastor’s praying or doing an altar call so that’s interesting, but I don’t really like the headspace it puts you in, something feels off and awkward.

The intro for “Marchin On” is a dead ringer for a chilled down version of Bloc Party’s “This Modern Love” but then turns into something that is straight off of Coldplay’s latest album. Everything about it could be driving modern Brit-rock, yet it has a nondescript clapping pattern that Anberlin would be a fan of. Regardless, it’s a great song. I like it but I wouldn’t have guessed it was OneRepublic without the vocalist. Which is cool, it’s nice to switch things up, but I would have guessed it was someone else entirely.

The album closes with the pleasantly boring and ambient sounding “Lullaby.” The title fits, I’ll be prone to skipping it along with “All This Time” and “Fear.” All things considered, I think it’s a fine sophomore effort. It’s hard to follow up their first album, but somehow I think OneRepublic can get past the harsher criticism out there and come out with some really nice songs that we’ll be singing for years to come.

 

 

Nerdiness Is WAY Hotter Than You Think. ('You' being, ya know, ... non-nerds.)

Okay, kids. This is not about music. It's a little about fashion because I'm gonna show you a picture of my new tattoo, which I think is EPIC.

Here's a little background on the conversation I'm about to post. I'm online, on Facebook, a little drunk, and this boy makes a nerdy as hell comment on the wall of one of my friends. AND I sent him a friend request, to which he replied: "What's up with the friend request?" This amazing exchange followed. Needless to say, we are now friends.

Elisabeth August 31 at 1:09am

What if I said I was possessed by an alien parasite, that temporarily took control of my brain and nervous function?

Matt August 31 at 9:29am

I'd say that you don't really want to be friends, just the parasite that took over your brain. After that I'd say that I'm a human supremacist, and refuse your friendship.

One more try. =)

Elisabeth August 31 at 10:27am

I'd say that an alliance is necessary to save a galaxy in peril -- a joining of the forces, talents, and deadly skills required to end a reign of tyranny and xenophobia. Skills and talents both you and I possess.

Your coming was foretold in the ancient book of Amun-Ra. (Well, either you or Imotehp ... It's tough to make out the actual name.)

Matt August 31 at 12:08pm
But as a human supremacist, wouldn't xenophobia be one of my traits? Wouldn't I want to encourage tyranny as a means of keeping the Heretic and The Xeno from making any kind of mark on our fine Homo Sapiens culture?

Sorry, you really gotta try harder. Imagine you're dealing with Renegade Shepherd from Mass Effect, or a servant of WH40k's God Emperor.

Also, my coming, if foretold in any ancient texts, would be in the Táin or the Lebor na hUidre.

But hey, you got another try! This is fun.

Elisabeth August 31 at 3:05pm

You make a compelling point, sir. Here I was trying to appeal to a man of singular mindset with pleas of peace and justice for every creature. Perhaps a compromise cannot be reached. In that case, I may have to turn my back on those I hold most dear and join forces with evil.

No longer will Twi-leks trade alongside humans on the streets of Coruscant (contaminating other non-compatible, non-humanoid species with their alien ways and toxins), no more the plaintive call of Teroenza's minions enslaving alien men and women to work in the spice mines of Nar Shaddaa (thereby ensuring the traffic of spice and downfall of lesser beings).

I can see now the error of my ways -- surely imposing our will on those lesser races will destroy them much more quickly than their own folly by way of self-governance.

Here I've been promoting human supremacy in a roundabout way, by letting lesser creatures destroy themselves over time ... When surely I might just have embraced this reign of human greatness from the beginning.

Matt August 31 at 5:43pm

Okay. You've won me over. Added.

Elisabeth August 31 at 8:13pm

Aaand.... match. Pure Sabacc.

Tell me that's not wonderful.

Sing out of your Cages...

Hey, team. To begin with, I’m wicked sorry it’s been so long between updates. I moved back to school two weeks ago and classes started last Monday so things have been ridiculously busy. I’ve got six classes and three jobs, a show to work box office for, auditions next week, a fun new church I wanna get involved with and some pretty new friends along with the old ones. This is all beside the point, though, and I’m hoping to make it up to everyone with a rather lengthy post about the Deas Vail show I saw last weekend. Hopefully you won’t get too bored, keep scrolling down for the pictures and video, it's all there.

To start, I got to make the wonderful drive from Rome to Athens. This is always a treat – sometimes it’s actually true since I tend to make friends with my new Atlanta Traffic Family as we all inch along the interstate. I got into town and Samuel met up with me shortly afterwards when we realized that we had no idea where the show was.

Naturally we spent the better part of the next hour scouring the internet for some kind of clue as to where in the mess we were supposed to be with no luck. All we had to go on was “Deas Vail, 5:00 @ The Point” with the only place even remotely close we knew of being the Melting Point which we knew couldn’t be correct. We decided to pull an August Rush and “follow the music” and made our way downtown

After calling everyone at UGA we could think of to ask for details with no luck, Samuel and I decided to drown our sorrows in pizza, sending Liz a message asking her to join us. It may sound silly, but I would drive that four hours just for Transmet pizza. I've done it before and will more than likely do it again. It might not have helped get us over the pain of missing our band when they were within some hidden five mile radius, but it would have been something. 

We had already parked in front of Transmet (a spot that good is unheard of) when Liz calls back and gives us beautiful directions that for some reason we’d been unable to find on the same wide internet. Apparently the Point isn’t some kind of venue, but a ministry that meets at Green Acres Baptist Church. Who knew? You do now.

Ten minutes later we pull up in front of the church to find some kind of dinner/tent looking thing going on – kind of the last thing we’d been expecting. There were two guys on a stage and a bunch of people eating and ignoring them, so we just walked up and took a seat. It didn’t take too long for someone to come up to us and say hey and we figured out that Deas Vail wasn’t playing until nine, but of course we could stick around and watch the other band and chill out til then, welcome to The Point.

A little while after this, Abel took the stage. I’ll be honest, Samuel and I weren’t expecting much. It was an outside tent show and we were literally the only two people up anywhere near the stage who seemed interested in what was going on. We were very pleasantly surprised. The band had some pretty solid guitar tones and a singer with a plaintive sounding voice that made me want to really believe what he was singing about.

The nice part was that even though the lyrics were really straightforward in their Christianity, there was nothing cliché or off-setting about them. I think that even those without any kind of religious proclivity would enjoy the songs on a simply musical basis.

The songs were nicely put together and hit hard when they did; a couple of the guitar solos were pretty legit so I wish they went on a little longer, but that’s really just a personal preference. They guys were personable both on and off stage and I’m pleased to say that the EP I got for only six dollars was an excellent purchase as of it helped drive me back to school afterwards. Hopefully it helped them buy some kind of dinner after their set, Choo Choo’s is open late and wicked cheap.

After this came the random health seminar – led by the wonderful Corey Little who used to be my dad’s personal trainer, small world – and finally finally Deas Vail played at nine. I’ll back up a few minutes, however, and say that while we were talking to Kevin Kneifel of Abel, the wonderful Justin Froning from DV comes wandering up to chat. Let me just say, that’s amazing.

To have a member of one of your all time favorite bands just walk up to you and say “thanks so much for coming out, it’s really awesome you drove so far to see us” is so ridiculously cool. It’s even crazier when they keep talking to you and you get to play the meet and greet game with the whole band after the show.

The show itself was an incredible experience. Wes Blaylock has one of the most beautiful voices out there and sounds just as dead on live as he does on his band’s recordings. He kinda stalks around with his mic stand and interacts with people even while he’s at his keyboard and seems like such a genuine person, it’s wonderful. His wife is stunning and an amazing musician, Justin is super fun and extroverted when he plays, Kelsey Harelson destroys his drum kit, and Andrew Moore took the time to geek out over pedals and guitar tones with Samuel after the set.

Unfortunately since my car wouldn’t turn on when we were leaving (typical), I didn’t have my camera gear so all you get this time is pictures and video from my and Samuel’s phones, but please excuse the quality since you can get the idea.

You know you love a band when they introduce new things and you don’t automatically tune them out. A lot of concerts, when the band announces they’re gonna try out songs from their new album, the crowd loses interest. Not so with Deas Vail. Samuel and I hung on every note of the songs from the upcoming “Birds and Cages” (these were the only songs we didn’t know all the words to) and I can honestly say there are very few albums I’ve been this excited about lately.

 Ok, so there’s been new Cobras, Mae, and Placebo with upcoming Panic!, MCR, Mute Math and others, but Deas Vail is going to be carving out a spot very near the top of that list if the tracks we heard last weekend are anything to go by. Brilliant.

So this is my Deas Vail tribute. Their music has gotten both Samuel and I through so many stages of our lives together (and his before he met me) and they’ve truly been an inspiration both musically and just to live the way we’re meant to. It was such an honor getting to meet them and see them play in such an intimate setting, I honestly couldn’t have asked for a better show.

I’m beyond psyched about seeing them play the Masquerade with Mae next month, maybe if we’re lucky they’ll remember who we are. Regardless, if you haven’t heard anything by this band, you need to invest in them right this second.

Again, I apologize for the huge gap in updates. With any luck I’ll be blogging later this week about the Closure in Moscow/Maylene/Emery show from three weeks ago and The Audition/DJ Skeet/Cobra Starship show from two weeks ago. Maybe since now I have jobs again I’ll be able to keep affording concert tickets to keep everyone updated. Wish me luck. Until then, keep checking back with the IndioTeam for your music and fashion needs!

How To Dress For A Cobra Starship Show

Okay, gang -- in an effort to prepare ourselves fashion-wise for the upcoming Cobra show (and the possibility that Gabe Saporta might lay eyes on us again), we will be expounding upon the different styles that might be utilized at a Cobra Starship show.

1) The American Apparel: This entails buying a purple hoodie from the notoriously "scene" American Apparel company. (Gabe may or may not model for the company. He looks good in purple. End of story.) Black or gray skinny jeans, or maybe a pair of neon colored denim shorts if you're feeling daring. A baseball cap or trucker hat help in the headgear department. We postulate that Gabe would support (Saport, hah!) clunky golden jewelry, preferably with cobras or an engraved image of J-Tim emblazoned on the shiny surfaces. Chuck Taylors or Vans, maybe Toms, depending on how conscious of third-world nations you want to be. Neon slouchy socks if you are wearing shorts -- or just pull them up over your skinny jeans, who the hell cares? And, of course, do not forget the large, white-framed spectacles which help your vision not at all.

2) The Town-Kid: Harder to define. If you are male, you will probably want to invest in a pastel v-neck shirt from a thrift store (you probably over-paid by ten bucks, if we're being honest). You also want shorts that come above the knee, preferably just short enough to make frat boys curl their lips at you. They should be either denim or corduroy -- maybe a suble pattern that looks like polka-dots at first glance, but upon closer inspection turns out to be tiny ducks.

Girlies ... you'll either need to wear lace leggings with a dress so short an outside show would result in your catching the croup, or really, really tight jeans. This could not be more important. These jeans have to be so tight that you cannot sit down, bend over, or sway to the music -- this is why most girls who go with this look opt to stand against the wall with an uncomfortable, "don't-fuck-with-me" look on their faces. Go for a scant tank top that shows off your prominent hip-bones (your jeans also need to be ridiculously low-cut) and then cover your cleavage with a voluminous "summer" scarf. A large broach or pendant will complete your ensemble, maybe a piece of rope tied around your head, a single braid draping edgily across your intense cheekbones, some neon eyeliner (with a product name like "Bitch" or "Arg!"), scruffy flats from China town that you've worn for the past fourteen years, an advantageously placed set of safety pins ... any or all of these would be appropriate.

3) The Scenester: Lots of eyeliner, male or female, doesn't freaking matter. Black, bitter, eyeliner. And either black or neon fingernails -- alternate fingers, if you wish. Your jewelry should probably be the type popular with a first-grade crowd -- Pretty, Pretty Princess beads, clunky vinyl flower headbands, giant patent leather bows, or rings the size of Utah. Clothing is pretty genderless as well, except that you gals should probably wear skirts the width of belts, to better expose your leopard-print leggings. Girl jeans and old band or cartoon shirts work well -- go all out and tattoo little stars on your face, right next to your eyelids. Your hair should either be swoopy, completely covering your eyelined eyes, or teased and huge. Or a mullet. Your choice, as long as it contains an edgy streak or two of blue or pink.

4) The Old-School Emo Kid: Square glasses, swoopy hair, ripped jeans, flannel overshirt covering something worn and holey, an "I slept with Boy George" button, well-loved shoes, and a messenger bag work for both genders. Stripes are also always a safe bet.

Go with one of these looks, and you will never feel out of place in the vicinity of Mr. Saporta ... we hope. We will be posting pictures to catalogue these looks sometime this week. Signing off for now, kids.

A great day for new music...

Though it's just another rainy day in Athens, today is a rather interesting day in the land of music. Not only do we get a new single by Panic! at the Disco, but we get the first song from ex-Panic! members Ryan Ross and Jon Walker's band The Young Veins. Brendon and Spencer have blessed us with a "New Perspective" while Mr. Ross and Jon cry for "Change." I would hold the two up to the light, but as of there's really no basis for comparison whatsoever, we'll just break them down a bit. The Panic! split was both a definite shock and a definite 'saw it coming.' Though the four make ridiculously good music together, if you listen to their new projects you can quite easily see that they don't exactly see eye to eye on a strictly musical front. 

As a preface, however, and to not seem like I'm stepping on toes, I thoroughly enjoyed both songs. My musical tastes jump from Tom Waits to Ben Folds to basically anything, so I'm not saying a single word against what I've heard today. All four of these men are incredibly different and gifted individuals who have truly found their callings and I will buy everything they put out. Music is more important than food or making my car run or new lenses or discount fabric, so thank you to the ones who can supply my fix. But ok.

"New Perspective" has some wonderfully layered guitar lines and a twinkly piano bit complete with poppy "woo-hoos" and a super catchy melody, I was sold pretty quickly. It nearly has a nineties pop sound, but it's cleaner and better produced, complete with some fabulous lyrics; Brendon somehow managing to sing "Can we fast forward to go down on me?" while still sounding completely sweet yet completely serious about it. It's almost a la, "Let's get these teen hearts beating faster," but more grown-up and straight forward. 

There's a bit of a Jellyfish-esque build up and break and when the music drops you can appreciate just how talented a vocalist this band truly has. There's pieces about moving forward, new passions, and inching through beds that, if you know anything about the current situation, might prompt a raised eyebrow or smirk if you're that way inclined. He sings that he wants to be praised from a new perspective and how getting out now would be a good idea, both thoughts being highly applicable to what's been going on and far less cryptic than some of the lyrics Panic! fans have been used to in the past. The words sound like they're directed at the now-absent Mr. Ross, but who am I to judge? This is purely speculation since I, unfortunately, don't know any of these men. I'm sure any of them could set me straight.

On a different note, Spencer Smith is a seriously underrated drummer. He's complex without being overshadowing or unseemingly flashy and if you go back to the previous albums and actually pay attention, he's so beyond merely solid. Props. The song seems to be a nice blend between the first "A Fever You Can't Sweat Out" album  and the more recent "Pretty. Odd" while still managing to be something completely new. The chorus has been stuck in my head all day, I definitely recommend giving it a couple listens.

The Young Veins respond with "Change." Ryan has clearly gone back to roots he's too young to actually have and created something straight out of the sixties PopRockFolk era. I definitely don't mind, however, and have no room to talk since I'm the biggest Bowie fan you'll ever meet under the age of about fifty. The song has a pleasant, bouncy rhyme and I was totally sold at the hand claps and tambourines. It's stripped-down without being sparse and complex enough that it's nothing to scoff at. The harmony lines are rather distinctly Beatlesy at times, but you can tell they've probably been listening to The Kinks, The Move, The Monkees, and maybe a dash of Harry Nilsson. And The Small Faces. A lot. If Ryan decided to adopt a British accent, I think it'd fit in just fine. 

The song opens with a "Hard Day's Night" kind of hit before the lead in really starts, but there's no complaints here. The guitar tone has a nice vintage crunch on it and while Ryan has a very solid couple of solo measures, Jon's written a nice bass line that stands out enough to be really appreciated - there's a chromatic walkdown in there that you can feel in your chest, it's pretty wicked. The new lead singer avows that "some people never change, they just stay the same way" and I'd be lying if I said I thought this wasn't directed back at his old bandmates sliding into their harder sound as opposed to continuing to trip down the hippie path he helped pave in "Pretty. Odd." The end cries of "Change, change, change" might not have you jumping up and down or pumping your fist, but they'll definitely have you hitting your steering wheel or cafe table for emphasis.

Musically, there's not a whole lot alike about these songs. Both are by musicians I admire, both have quite good production, and both will have you singing along, and that's about the extent of it. Both lyricists are saying they want what's new and times are a-changing, but that'll never be a new idea or a too tired thought. I don't know what the guys are gonna pull out next, but suffice it to say that I'll be investing in both albums. Good work on both ends, teams!