Check Off a Bucket List Item

So I totally have the coolest job on campus. One thing on my Bucket List is "See a concert from backstage." Well this past week was finals week and because I had no finals on Monday and Tuesday I worked a lot those 2 days. On Tuesday we had a Manafest, Hawk Nelson, and Family Force 5 show and I got to work it! I worked from 8 am until 11:30 pm but it was so worth my time. I got to do all the concert stuff from load in to strike and got to meet a lot of cool people. I got to meet 3 of the 5 members of Family Force 5 and some of the friends and family of Hawk Nelson. I was also able to make connections with people in this industry as far as roadies and sound techs and such. Before the show and during most of Hawk Nelson I had to sit out in the hall and check backstage passes but during Family Force 5 I got to watch from backstage. I did have a job technically; it was "Watch and if a fan comes on stage get them off." I said, "Deal." So I got to check something off my bucket list, have an all access pass to a concert, and and see Family Force 5 from backstage. I think that their music is slightly above average but boy can they play a show. It's kind of like a huge party that just goes forever. They have crazy costumes, heavy bass, fun dances, cool tricks with instruments, and an excepting atmosphere. I will admit it to all you MaHa people out there, I'm a fan.

New Found Love of Classical Music

So on My Snowy Sunday Morning a few weeks ago I listened to classical music quite a bit. I have never been a huge fan, ask anyone that knew me in my teen years. Recently, however I have begun listening to solo piano more and more. I am slowly warming up to full symphonies and choirs. I do find the solo piano to be one of the most relaxing forms of music ever. I put it on and it makes me wish I had a library full of books top to bottom; and that I was sitting in a big, red, leather chair in comfortable clothes, reading a classic by a fire place, and bear skin rug to finish off the room. Yeah, I know, that's kind of silly, but it's true none the less.

However, I still really love pretty much every other genre of music. I still love rap, rock, death metal, country, blues, etc. but I recently have been listening to Sleep Serapis, Sleep! a lot because they are sadly breaking up. They were certainly one of my favorite bands in high school, if not my favorite, and I will miss their music. Here is a link to one of their greatest album introductions "Dead Man Walking." I was hoping to find a link to find a link to "Bludgeoning Baby Seals to Death" (Yes, I do know what I just wrote. No, I didn't name the song. No, I don't believe that it is a good thing. Please don't report me to PETA or some other animal rights thing. I am not an animal torturer, you can ask any one of my or my fiance's pets.) but sadly I could not. That was the song that got me into death metal as a genre. I loved the gnashing guitar and fast drums and everything about it. Once I had finally gotten permission from my parents to go to one of their shows with my friend they didn't play it anymore, so I never got to hear it live. They are playing their last show on January 28.  If you are in the Milwaukee area and you even remotely like metal you should go. These guys play a sweet show. Don't forget to rock out for me.

Here is a poster with all the information.

This is another "poster" for the last show, just kind of funny.

I think I may know why I am starting to like classical music. I think it is because, like most metal I like, it is incredibly complex. When I was growing up I didn't see the similarities because I didn't understand music very well. I see the way all the instruments come together to make one beautiful sound, just like the do in metal, rap, country, or what have you. The problem was that I was to immature to notice and appreciate the similarity. Now I do, and I like it.