Archive for the 'Music' Category

Brian Vander Ark!

Published by beautyredefined on April 21, 2008 under Random, Photography, Music

Brian Vander Ark

So, Saturday night Logan and I went to go see Brian Vander Ark at The Ark. We’d been looking forward to this show for awhile - his new, self-titled CD came out not too long ago, and we’d been listening to it quite a lot already. His wife, Lux Land opened the show. Her music is nicely relaxing, though it tends to be a little too country for my tastes, with the heavy use of the slide guitar in her songs. We actually got her CD for free the last time we saw Brian at the Ark.

Lux Land

Anyway, Brian’s show was thoroughly awesome. It was the first time I’ve seen him with a full band and it rocked. (Randy Sly was on piano, Dan Matheny on the electric guitar, Joel Ferguson on bass, and I sadly missed the name of the drummer.) He played mostly songs from his new album, but thankfully he played the song that introduced me to him, “Survival.” That song just makes me grin and sing along, and he didn’t sing it at his last show at the Ark. When he and the band played “Fit to be Tied” I was dancing in my seat and wanting to sing along - it had such great energy. He also played “Detroit Rock City” which I’d coincidentally never heard (or at least enough to recognize) until the night before when I had to sing it while playing “Rock Band.” And of course, the acoustic version of “The Freshman,” which brought his band The Verve Pipe to fame in 1997. He played two songs that I didn’t recognize - I assume that one, when he commented about it being “historical” is another Verve Pipe song, but I’m not sure what the other was (the second in the encore if anyone out there knows).

Dan Matheny and Brian Vander Ark

They didn’t allow flashes this time, but I think I figured out how to get decent exposures, and I’m pleased with my first real attempt at concert photography. You can see the rest of my pictures from the show in this flickr set.

Brian Vander Ark

Published by beautyredefined on April 4, 2008 under Stuff I Like, Music

Brian Vander Ark
Brian Vander Ark is coming to The Ark on April 19th. He’s the former lead singer of The Verve Pipe, which had the hit song “The Freshman” awhile back. While I liked that song all right, I thought it was a bit overplayed, so I never really paid much attention to the band. However, when my favorite radio station here played Brian’s single, “Survival,” last year, I wanted more. I finally got the chance to hear more last summer at the Ann Arbor Summer Festival where he played for free. Unfortunately, it had been a rainy afternoon, so there was almost no crowd, but I went anyway. It was great. I loved all his songs, and bought his CD. Since then, he’s played in Ann Arbor a couple of times, and Logan and I went to go see him at his last show at The Ark, and again at the Ann Arbor Folk Festival this past January. We just bought his newest album, and are really looking forward to his next concert.

Besides having great music, he seems like a really nice, laid-back guy, too. He allowed flash photography at his last concert at the Ark (so I’m definitely bringing my camera this time), and during the summers he’s taken to doing Lawn Chairs and Living Room tours, which I think is awesome. Anyway. He’s worth checking out, and if he comes on tour near you, I think you should go. You can go here to download a free copy of his song, “Lily White Way,” which I think is quite good, myself.

Thursday Thirteen #3: Songs I’ve actually “purchased” from iTunes

Published by beautyredefined on March 26, 2008 under memes, Thursday Thirteen, Music

Thursday Thirteen #3: Thirteen songs I’ve actually “purchased” from iTunes

We all have songs that we love and we won’t admit to. This week, I’ll share thirteen songs that I’ve “purchased” on iTunes. I have to use the quotes since I haven’t actually put any of my own money into iTunes, but through gift cards and some free credits and things, I’ve gotten a number of my guilty pleasure songs from iTunes. I hope you enjoy this, and if you see one you like too, you should come clean. :)

  1. Cantaloop (Flip Fantasia) - US3: “Funky, funky!” I forget where I first heard this song, but I remember listening to it on some car ride with my uncle. He’s always so cool, and knows so much about music. I love this song.
  2. Inside Out - Eve 6: High School Angst. I’m ashamed I know all the words. This is on my “Angry” playlist.
  3. Take On Me - a-ha: How can you not love this song? Seriously. You know you sing along to it too when no one’s listening.
  4. All I Want for Christmas Is You - Mariah Carey: I once bought a Mariah Carey CD, and a few years later, the used CD shop wouldn’t buy my copy - they already had too many. Still, I can’t help but love this song (and part of me is secretly glad I still have that CD). My friend in undergrad would sing this one, and I love the movie “Love Actually,” so this one is definitely a keeper.
  5. Downtown - Petula Clark: In grade school, the big thing to do on a Friday night was to go to the Roller Rink, put on your roller skates and have a good time. This was a song they often played, and whenever she said “downtown” you had to crouch. Classic. They also played “The Sign” by Ace of Base a lot. I haven’t bought that song though. Yet.
  6. Beware of the Boys (Mundian to Bach Ke) - Panjabi MC: Logan’s undergrad roomie played this song quite a lot, so it grew on us, and we had to get it a few years later (though it took us awhile to figure out what it was…)
  7. It’s Raining Men - The Weather Girls: I sing along to this. Every time. Hallelujah.
  8. U Can’t Touch This - MC Hammer: This song still makes me want to dance - even if I ocassionally slip into the lyrics of the Weird Al version, and I think about Family Guy when it’s time to do the bump. “That’s word because you know, you can’t touch this!”
  9. Ievan Polkka (Ieva’s Polka) - Loituma: Yes, it’s that song with the spinning leek. I couldn’t help myself. It’s so catchy - even if I can’t understand any of it.
  10. Informer - Snow: Yeah, the super-white reggae rapper from Toronto. I admit it. I still can’t sing along to the whole song though.
  11. Autobahn - Kraftwerk: This was a song that Logan’s family played at the beginning of some of their longer road trips. We had to get it to, but it was awfully hard to pick which version to buy. There are tons!
  12. Build Me Up Buttercup - The Foundations: We did this song in marching band once in high school. At one point in the routine, we got to sing and dance to a line or two. The french horn section (led by one of my best friends) made up a nice little routine to that line. Whenever we’re together (mostly just at weddings these days), we sing it at the top of our lungs and do the dance.
  13. Whip It - Devo: Really, there’s nothing to say for this one. Just whip it. It’s not too late.

Wow, thirteen came and went really quickly. I could keep going. What are your guilty pleasure songs?

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The Log Driver’s Waltz

Published by beautyredefined on March 5, 2008 under Music

So, in addition to photography (and the requisite physics), one of my other loves is music. I was always in the music groups in high school - band, choir, symphony, and I loved them all. During my undergrad, my participation in music groups largely declined. Sure, I was in the non-audition band one semester, and one of the choirs another semester, but for the most part, I left the music-making up to the music majors.

Since being in grad school, (and having finished all my required classes), I decided that I wanted to participate again. So, I auditioned for most of the a capella groups on campus (and there are a lot of them) as well as for the Women’s Glee Club. Lo and behold, last semester I became a member of the Glee Club, and joy of joys, I could participate in an actual music group again. This semester I’m still a member, and I’m still enjoying it.

Anyway, all this brings me to the point of this post. One of the songs we’re singing this semester is a Canadian folk song called “The Log Driver’s Waltz”. This song has been immortalized in an animated short by the National Film Board of Canada, and it really is something to see:

And, if you’re interested, here’s the version of the song we’ll be singing in our concert: