Rooney

Rooney is a rock band from Los Angeles. My friends and I saw them last year as an opening act for a concert, and while I already adored them, my friends absolutely fell in love. Rooney has a pretty unique sound, and I can't really describe it. It's different from most music out there today. Their single, When Did Your Heart Go Missing, has become a constant reminder of summer 2008. Although I missed their headlining tour this time around, I hope to see them again soon. Visit their myspace here.

This American Life: Prom

Yesterday I listened to an audio documentary on This American Life about prom. There were four different stories about proms across the country. One of the stories was about author Francine Pascal, who has written over 700 books. She said at least 500 of these mention prom, about between 30 and 40 of them actually take place at prom. She talked about how prom is an important event for teenagers because it gives them a chance to dress up and mature for a night, like adults going out to an event. Another story was about basically your typical prom. They followed a group of seniors around the whole night, talking to them about dancing, dresses, and after parties. In a different story, the prom in Racine, Wisconsin was covered. In Racine, prom is televised like a movie premiere, and they even have a red carpet. The kids there said they felt like celebrities. Almost everyone in the town watches prom every year on TV. The most interesting story in the show was about a prom in Hoisington, Kansas. The students told the story about their senior prom, and how they had no idea a tornado was ripping through their town. The students were all joking and laughing, even when the teachers made them hide in the basement; they didn't think the tornado would actually appear. When it was safe, they found that half of their town was gone, along with a lot of their houses and hangouts. It was definitely a prom they will never forget.
Being a senior, I'm very much looking forward to my own prom. This show gave examples of many different things that can happen at prom, and showed how they aren't all exactly the same. I thought it was cool to see how different towns celebrate their proms. Although I hope a freak tornado doesn't come through Baltimore this April!

Esmée Denters

Esmée Denters is a singer from The Netherlands. She was recently discovered by Justin Timberlake, and is now touring with Honor Society. She started out as a singer on youtube, and Justin saw her videos. He was very impressed and decided to sign and mentor her. My friends and I saw her perform at an Honor Society concert a few weeks ago, and we were blown away. She has a phenomenal voice and great stage presence for someone just starting out. To the right is a photo of all of us after the show; she is in the middle. You can visit her myspace here and check out her music!

Theater in the Round

Theater in the Round is a popular layout for many different events. It involves the stage being in the center of the venue, with seats all the way around, rather then just on one side. This often frees up seats in many venues, and really gives more people a better look at the show. The Festival of the Lion King show in Disney World uses this layout for it's daily performances, which is great because there are often young kids and it's easier for them to see. Many artists also have a theater in the round setup for their concerts, including Britney Spears, Celine Dion, and the Jonas Brothers. I think it's a great idea, especially for more popular bands were concert tickets might be harder to get. This was an issue for the Jonas Brothers, and I can personally attest to that. With an end stage layout, anything past about the 100s in an arena, you couldn't see a thing. This summer, they switched to a huge theater in the round setup, and honestly, no seat was a bad seat. Everyone could see, and the production was great. I hope more artists take advantage of this in the future.

Glee

Glee is a new show on FOX about a group of high school students in show choir. It is a truly phenomenal show with broadway performers such as Lea Michele, Matthew Morrison, and Jenna Ushkowitz. They cover popular songs of all kinds, like Don't Stop Believing, Sweet Caroline, and Single Ladies. Watch the show Wednesdays at 8 on FOX.

Bamboozle

Bamboozle is a music festival held each spring in East Rutherford, New Jersey. It's a two day long event, with multiple stages and tons of bands. I've been trying to go for the past few years, but haven't made it yet. I hope to go this year though. Some artists who have been featured in the past include My Chemical Romance, The All-American Rejects, Plain White T's, Relient K, Hellogoodbye, The Jonas Brothers, Motion City Soundtrack, Paramore, 3OH!3, Honor Society, and Family Force 5.

Keytars

I am absolutely fascinated by keytars. I know they're pretty 80s, but I still love them. Basically, a keytar is a keyboard or synthesizer supported by a strap so you can play it standing up and walking around. Not a lot of bands use them anymore, but I really don't see why. They're really cool.

Ron Pope

Ron Pope is a singer/songwriter from Georgia. He does all acoustic and piano songs, and has one album out on itunes right now, Daylight. Not many people know about him, but everyone should. My favorites songs on the album are A Drop In The Ocean and Fireflies. Visit his Myspace here, and seriously, please buy his album. :)

Makala Ukuleles

I recently bought a ukulele by Makala at the local Renaissance Festival. Honestly, I got it just for the fun of it, but I've found I really love it. I have the one shown here, blue burst. It's got a great sound and was actually pretty cheap. It's also pretty easy to learn to play; I play guitar and picked ukulele up with almost no problems. It's so much fun and really small, so I can take it with me places.

Thriller

Michael Jackson's Thriller is one of the greatest albums of all time. There isn't a single song on the whole thing that I don't love. Michael Jackson was and still is the King of Pop, even after his death, and this album is a classic example of just how talented he really was. Some of my favorites are Billie Jean, P.Y.T., and Wanna Be Starting Something. Listen to the album on last.fm.

Z100 Radio

Z100 is one of New York's Greatest Hit Music Stations. Although they're based in the city, people all over the world can listen online. They host a number of contests throughout the year and even hold some concerts, including Jingle Ball, a huge, almost music festival, every December. You can visit their website and listen online here, or follow them on twitter.

Sonar Baltimore

Sonar in Baltimore is home to many concerts year-round. They have three rooms that can either work together or seperately depending on the concerts. The main stage holds around 1,000 people, the club room holds about 300, and talking head club holds around 150. They host all different kinds of shows and music of all genres. I recently saw Honor Society in the club room, and I'm going to a few more concerts this season. Visit their website here, and go to some shows!

Benton Paul

Benton Paul is a singer/songwriter from Highland, Utah. His sound is similar to John Mayer, and some of his influences in music include Radiohead, Mika, and Regina Spektor. He isn't very well known, but he's starting to take off. He's opening for American Idol's David Archuleta on his Christmas Tour. Check out his official website here.

J-165 EC

The Gibson J-165 EC Acoustic Guitar is one of my favorites. It's a small body guitar, but it has a great sound similar to a bigger one. I'm definitely more of an acoustic person, and I would love to have this guitar. Unfortunately, it's pretty expensive, and I'll have to wait a while for this one.

Honor Society

Honor Society isn't very well known, but they definitely rock out. Alex, Michael, Andrew, and Jason formed Honor Society after graduating from different colleges including NYU and Berklee. These are some seriously talented guys who's musical influences include everything from Michael Jackson to Stevie Wonder to Kanye West to Prince. They just put out their first full length album, Fashionably Late, in September. To the right is a picture I took from their acoustic set in Langhorne, Pennsylvania a few weeks ago. My friend Katy and I have met them a few times, including that day in the middle of Starbucks! They are super nice guys, and I look foward to seeing them again in Hershey Park on New Year's Eve. You can visit their Myspace here, and pick up Fashionably Late in stores or on itunes.

Elvis Costello

Elvis Costello has been around since the late 70s and is still making music today. As a musician he is very unique, and I honestly couldn't tell you what to expect when you listen. His first album, My Aim Is True, came out in 1977 and went platinum. He's released 35 other albums since then, not including compilations, the most recent being Secret, Profane & Sugarcane. Elvis Costello is definitely one of my favorite artists of all time.

Pandora

Pandora is the result of the Music Genome Project, started in 2005. The founders spent years listening to millions of songs and categorizing them in tons of different ways. When you sign up for Pandora, you can pick any song or artist, and it will play music similar to what you chose. It's a great way to discover new artists or songs. Click here to get started.

Term Check

1. Dynamic mics are used for larger amounts of sound, such as an orchestra. Condenser mics are used for things like individual vocalists. They pick up every little thing.

2. Studio monitors are sturdier, can withstand more intense conditions, and they don't alter the sounds at all.

3. A Digital Interface changes the sound from analog to digital so that the computer can understand it.

4. Reverb is how much space the sound takes up and how it sounds accordingly. For example, a song would sound different in a concert hall than it would in a small room.

5. Yes I am having fun. Lots of fun.

Giant Earbuds

Call me a girl, but these are the cutest speakers I've ever seen. They aren't that great really, but they sure are precious. I'd buy them.

Adele

If you haven't heard of Adele, please check her out. Her debut album, 19, is quite possibly one of the best I've heard. There isn't a single song I don't love. You've probably heard the single, Chasing Pavements, but that is only the tip of the iceberg. Adele is currently working on her second album, and I can't wait to hear it.

The Village

The Village is located in West Los Angeles, California. It features four studios. Some people who have recorded there include Elvis Costello, Aerosmith, Hanson, Sarah McLachlan, N'Sync, and Dolly Parton.

The 60s

The sixties is full of some of the greatest artists of all time. It was a decade of exploration and change, both in the music scene and in life in general. I hate to bore you with a long list of artists, but I honestly can't pick just a few favorites.

The Animals
The Beach Boys
The Beatles
The Bee Gees
Neil Diamond
The Doors
Bob Dylan
Grateful Dead
Jimi Hendrix
Janis Joplin
Led Zeppelin
The Monkees
Pink Floyd
The Rascals
Rolling Stones
Steppenwolf
The Who

DJ Mixer

I stumbled across this while shopping online at Urban Outfitters. I can't even get over it. You can play two ipods or mp3 players at the same time, and add cool effects. You can even hook up a microphone to sing over the music! Completely ridiculous. I love it.

So don't judge me, but...

The Jonas Brothers. I'm talking about those pop phenomenons who showed up back in early 2007 and seem to be ruling the world nowadays. Their faces are everywhere, but how many people actually take the time to listen to their music? Most see them as a Disney-fabricated money machine, but in reality, that isn't the case at all. To make a long story short, Kevin, Nick, and Joe have been around for a lot longer all on their own. They've put out four full length albums, It's About Time, Jonas Brothers, A Little Bit Longer, and Lines, Vines, and Trying Times. The boys have had at least a say in writing all of the songs, and wrote most of them themselves. They've been touring for about two years straight, and I can personally say that they put on a great show. They put together their tours and all aspects of basically everything they do, as well. Pretty impressive for a 21, 20, and 17-year-old.

And yes, they play their own instruments.

Avatar Studios

Avatar Studios in New York City is one of the coolest I've seen. It features six studios and a mastering room. The studios are basically insane, definitely not just a little box. Some of the artists who have recorded there include: 3OH!3, Taking Back Sunday, Regina Spektor, The Mars Volta, and Bruce Springsteen. John Mayer's Grammy winning album, Continuum, was also recorded there.

Still on an 80s kick.

But now on to hip-hop. I'm really not too fond of hip-hop music nowadays, but I love the older stuff. I'm not sure why, to be honest. 80s and 90s hip-hop just has a totally different feel to it. The beats are stronger and more interesting, and in my opinion, the songs are cleaner production-wise; I feel like all modern hip-hop sort of sounds the same. Maybe I should just listen to more of it.

A few of my favorites:
Beastie Boys, Run DMC, and Salt n Pepa.

New Logic Studio

Apple recently updated Logic Studio, a set of apps designed for musicians. You can record, edit, and mix anything you want. You can even bring it with you when you perform for backing tracks and other nifty stuff. What's new in Logic Studio 9? Flex Time, which allows for tempo and timing manipulation. Guitar gear, production tools, and live performance stuff has been improved as well. Very exciting if you ask me. If I had a Mac and $500 to spare, I'd be all over it.

Oh, the 80s.

Here we go. My top ten pop albums of the 80s. Some of them aren't exactly pop, but they still needed to be on this list. And there are so many more that could have been, too. They're only kind of in order.


10. Hangin' Tough -New Kids On The Block


9. Control -Janet Jackson


8. Hunting High and Low -a-ha


7. Get Happy -Elvis Costello


6. Different Light -The Bangles


5. She's So Unusual -Cyndi Lauper


4. Beauty and the Beat -The Go-Go's


3. Purple Rain -Prince


2. Like a Virgin -Madonna


1. Thriller -Michael Jackson