Murder By Death

If you don't know Murder By Death you need to check them out. They are so great. I love them so much! This last Thursday I got to seem them live for the 3rd time. Love love love them!!!!

Cheers!

St. John's Block Party

A summer would not be complete without the St. John's Block Party. It is by far the best local music festival in town and it gets better every year! This year they cut it down to one day but that did not mean that they skimped! The bands that played this year included: Pink Mink, Six Mile Grove, Lucy Michelle and the Velvet Lapelles, Martin Zellar, Solid Gold, and Ok Go.

All the bands were good (I have a girl crush on the lead singer from Pink Mink now!) but Solid Gold and Ok Go stole the  show! I have been obsessed with Solid Gold for a good while now. They played St. John's two years ago and it was mind blowingly good. They did not disappoint this year!

My blurry pictures do not do them justice. They are ALL super attractive. That also wins them points ; )


I had never seen Ok Go before this concert. I had of course heard some of their more popular songs that got radio play and had seen some of their videos but nothing prepared me for how good they were! Not that I was expecting them to be bad, but I did not expect them to become one of my new favorite bands. They also quickly shot up into my Top 5 concerts of All Time list. They sounded amazing live- which is kind of the point if you are going to play music for a living right? I might go so far as to say that I liked them better live than their recordings. The singer's voice is just so good. I kind of felt like he was singing to my soul. Then the played a song on handbells. HANDBELLS! I think I swooned.

Did I mention that they love confetti almost as much as I do?! Any band who uses a confetti cannon AT ALL during a show is in my good book, but they used it a ton! It was so hot out that confetti just kind of stuck to everyone. It was magical.

Since the concert I have been officially obsessed. I watched every music video I could find and I am quickly working on gathering their music into my own itunes library.  I am really in love with their creativity. I am adding 'work on an OK Go music video' to my bucket list.


Any other good outdoor concerts happening?

A Dessa Birthday

Weekday birthdays are always a little tricky. You want to do something fun but yet you still have to be on the responsible side of things. What to do? Well sometimes there is no good answer and then again sometimes things just fall into place. That is what happened this year for my good friend Krista's birthday. The day fell on a Thursday and in our town they have "Thursdays on First", a street fair with food and homemade vendors that fill 1st Street. They also have free music and it just so happened that Dessa was scheduled to perform on Krista's Birthday!!! Perfection. We would have gone anyway because we both love Dessa so much but it was just that much more awesome. The day of I lost my camera (and found it again this morning!) so I didn't get any pictures but I thought I would share this sweet new video from Doomtree (the hiphop collective that Dessa is a part of).

Enjoy!!

Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band

Yep, I am going to continue to gush about these guys because I love them so hard. Last night they played the Hambone Music Festival at the History Center!!! They rocked it as per usual. I went with a great little group of people but was sad that my roommate had to miss it. How many times do you get to see one of your favorite bands in your own home town for only ten bucks! Crazy!!!!

It also renewed my want to play the washboard. I also think I might look for some red cowboy boots...

Cheers!

Long time no blog

Wow. This last month or so has just FLOWN by! I hope everyone else is having a good start to their summer. Work is kind of crazy but I am finally being trained in as a cake decorator, which I think could be super cool but I am still not sure if it is the path for me!

Already this summer has been filled with good friends, good food, and GREAT music! Also this year I get to throw in some great Roller DERBY!!!! I can not express how much I love all my derby gals. It is like getting presented with the coolest group of friends that you never would have met otherwise. One of my favorite new derby girls is actually leaving us forever soon : ( it will be a hard loss!

I counted the last day of May as the official start to the 'Summer of Awesome: 2012'. My roommate/best-ie and I went to Flogging Molly in Minneapolis! Their opening band? REVEREND PEYTON'S BIG DAMN BAND!!!!! I have loved them for awhile now and this was my first opportunity to see them live. They were so good! Afterwards I got a signed poster, bought a t-shirt and took a picture with the band. Washboard Breezy is my hero and I am seriously considering getting a tattoo of a flaming washboard!

Even better? They are coming to my hometown this FRIDAY!!! I am one lucky little duckling.

 

Me. Just hanging with the band. 

So yeah. More to come. Lots of baking, crafts, music, and derby for the summer. Catch you later!

-Patience

So excited! Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band

Had a great weekend but my Monday was already bringing me down. Then I heard the news...Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band is coming to my home town! This is the best news! They are actually going to be playing at the History Center that I volunteer at. Maybe I can work out some sort of meet and greet... oh dreams!

With this news I think it is going to be a very good summer of music. I am already saving up for a few tickets and a few of my friends are considering going to a festival that would involve camping. (or glamping? anyone? ha.) I am a person who really likes to have things on the books to look forward to. Right now this is at the top of my list!




What band do you wish would come to your hometown?

All I want for Christmas....Tickets to the SOLD OUT Doomtree BLOWOUT tonight.

Not gonna happen but a girl can dream right? As long as I am dreaming I might as well add that I want Michael Fassbender to take me to the concert. Sheesh.

What unattainable things are you wishing for this holiday season?

Soundtrack to Haunt By

Oh internet!!!!! LOVE!!!! Pretty much the greatest website ever for those of you who love Halloween.

Halloween Hits is an amazing collection of Halloween music. A new compilation comes out every year! But hurry! The website goes down on Nov. 1st not to return again until next year. Check out past collections as well. I am listening to the 2011 set right now.

State Fair 2011 Part 2: Everything else

Well we hit the food hard, now let's take a gander at some of the other stuff.

This last pic is the Current Stage where they were broadcasting live with Barb Abney. This is the band 'Peter Wolf Crier' setting up for their show on 'The Local Show'. We left before they actually got to play. A little bummed about that but we already saw them at the St. John's Block Party earlier this summer so I didn't feel so guilty.


If you have never heard them here is a little youtube love for ya. (The drummer is from Rochester!)

Currently Obsessed With: Carolina Chocolate Drops

Hello and welcome to a very special episode of Currently Obsessed With. Featuring...


The Carolina Chocolate Drops!

If you haven't heard of this band you are in for a treat. This group is filled with super talented musicians sharing their love a music tradition that has all but died out. For more info on the history of string-band music check it out here.      
                                                                                                    
Also check out this video:



 This makes me really want to be in a band. I played violin for years and have messed on and off with the guitar but since high school orchestra I haven't really played with a group of people. My problem  is wanting to do everything. I want to play fiddle, banjo, harmonica, washboard (See Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band), and 'the bones' or spoons to you folks. I just think it would be sweet to jam out on these old school instruments. Anyone up for starting a string/jug band? Let me know.

In other news...

~ I am a super-nerd who has started volunteering at the local history center. I get to dress up and read Laura Ingalls Wilder books to kids in a log cabin. 
~I am freaking out about Warrior Dash. It looks super hard and I haven't been training like I said I was going to oh so many months ago. Oops. One week! BAH!
~HARRY POTTER COMES OUT TOMORROW!!!!!!!!!!! Yep, super-nerd. 
 

SOUNDSET 2011

I have FINALLY been to Soundset! This is the hip-hop festival to go to if you are from the Midwest or anywhere really. Held outside rain or shine every year in Shakopee, MN it is a day of great hip hop and FUN. Now I will say that my friend and I should have done things differently. Either you want to get your tickets early and be a VIP or you want to buy a physical ticket because Will Call was F*ING STUPID! Doors opened at 11am. We got there at 11:20ish and we stood in line for OVER AN HOUR. That was super frustrating. You would think after 3 years of this they would have a better system of getting people in the door. Because of that we missed a few of the opening acts that I sort of wanted to see. But for anyone who is even slightly a Hip Hop enthusiast there is plenty to do. Food and drink are expensive and you are not allowed to bring any in so bring plenty of cash but they have a fairly good variety and it is all part of the festival experience right? There are two stages, a DJ/B-boy tent, car show, merch tents, meet and greets with artists, skateboarding, and graffiti artists. People watching might be one of the best parts though. Special note to future goers with asthma- bring your inhaler- even though it was outside the amount of smoke (cigarette and otherwise...) was super thick and irritating.

DJ Espada

B-Boy

Pint sized B-Boy! So cute

Doomtree on the main stage

Sims and P.O.S of Doomtree

Doomtree

Brother Ali

Atmosphere

Slug of Atmosphere

End of the night. Atmosphere closed the show

Top 5 things at Soundset 2011: (Besides the amazing music and in no particular order)
-Guy in Ghostbusters jumpsuit
-Guy dancing in crowd saying "I think I am in Narnia"
-Pint-sized B-Boy
-Random guy grabbing my arm to pull me through the crowd before his girl friend started shouting "WRONG GIRL!!" Guy was embarrassed but sweet.
-Stupid girls being annoying and SHOVING their way through the crowd getting their little bikini top strings pulled as they pushed through (by a girl who was sick of their shit. Haha. )


Cute video telling who is going to be at Sounset. I think the little cartoon characters would make great plushies!


Video from the day. You can see more on the Rhymesayers youtube chanel

Warm and Fuzzy- A Hip Hop Love Story

 

I am lucky to live in a state with so much amazing, home-grown hip hop. This weekend I was also lucky to see Brother Ali in concert. Not only is this guy mad talented he is also one of the nicest, coolest guys ever. Before the show he was hanging out in the back, completely chill, signing t-shirts and taking pictures with fans. BEFORE THE SHOW! Who does that! So cool.

Whereas so much rap/hip hop is this hateful spew about violence, drugs, being rich, and degrading women, Brother Ali's music is about the positive things in life. Among other things he talks about being thankful for what you have. That is refreshing. His live performance is filled with this sense of community and what he called 'togetherness'.  He talked about the government and he talked about love. He talked a lot about loving yourself. I have a soft spot for people who talk about this especially  guys, since you don't hear it from them as often. Speaking directly to the ladies Brother Ali said in fairly simple terms "You may not have porno tits but, be honest ladies, does your man have a porno dick?" It seems crude as I write it here but as he was saying this and many other things his mixture of eloquence and frankness struck a cord. It was a concert/therapy session. I felt so much better after the show!

I will be completely honest. As there was much talk of togetherness and peace I did want to punch a couple of audience members in the face. WHY DOES THERE ALWAYS HAVE TO BE SOME DRUNK A**HOLE AT CONCERTS THAT I WANT TO PUNCH IN THE FACE?!?!?! Drunk a**holes stay home. Dance, head bob, jump around....do what you gotta do to have fun at a concert but DONT push through the crowd to the front because you were too busy getting drunk to get a good spot and really just  DONT wave your beer bottle, clutch purse, hat around in the air in a way that is going to HIT ME or you might just get HIT IN THE FACE. Can't we all just get along?

*note to self: need camera that takes good low-light pictures. any suggestions?