P1 University of Missouri

My favorite CMI Band!

2009-04-24T11:27:00.000-07:00

I have really opened myself up to a lot of new bands through the Campus Music Invasion this spring. It is pretty difficult for me to develop a love for a band so quickly, but I definitely am in love with the Pinstrip 45's. Here is the short review I wrote about their newest album:

If I were to describe the Pinstripe 45's and Marshall Hanbury's music in just two word, I would call it hauntingly beautiful. For such a young, upcoming band, I found that the music was filled with so much experience. Each song paints such a strong narrative through the intense and passionate lyrics. I feel that his sound and lyrics are very similar to well known and established artists like Ben Harper, Guster, and most closely, Ingram Hill. Something I really have grown to appreciate about the Pinstrip 45's music is their simplistic use of guitar in the background of their music. The mellow use of instruments helps make the lyrics pop out as stronger and more prominent in the listener's mind. In addition, the use of the viola is very moving and emotional. Through listening to the Pinstripe 45's, it almost feels as if you are listening to a slower classic song, like something of the Beatles or a band from the 60's or 70's, juxtaposed with a newer sound. Especially notable songs by the Pinstripe 45's (in my opinion) are "When I Saw That Photograph," and "Follow me down once again."

In addition, though I have not spent as much time listening to their C.D. "Know Me," I really also enjoy twentyfour64. It is a MUCH different sound than the Pinstripe 45's, but is more fitting to the type of music that I usually listening to. They have an amazing tone and great lyrics-their music is so multi-faceted; it cannot even be pigeon-holed into one category. One of my favorite songs is "Free and Captured."

I love Gavin DeGraw

2009-04-22T10:24:00.000-07:00

Gavin DeGraw has been my favorite musical artist since about freshman year of high school, around the time that the Chariot album was released. Since then, I have been to four of his concerts and have gotten to meet him in person twice. Through all of these amazing experiences, none can compare to last Monday night. For my birthday, my mom arranged for me and a guest to go to an exclusive meet and greet with Gavin Degraw. I had done this before, thinking it would be just a quick visit to a table where he was sitting signing items. I was definitely wrong. My friend Sara and I were escorted with 20 other people from the concert venue to a bar a block away. Here, we were each able to talk to, take pictures, and mingle with Gavin Degraw! It was one of the coolest experiences of me life- meeting my favorite singer and getting to talk to him in an intimate setting. If this wasn't enough, afterwards, we went back to the concert venue, the Blue Note, here in Columbia, Missouri, and sat in the very front row. The concert was set-up in a very different way than normal concerts. The whole main floor was covered with round tables to create a more casual, intimate environment.

I have been to a lot of concerts in my life, some better than others. I'm pretty sure that this concert takes the cake. Gavin DeGraw is probably the only artist that I have seen live that sounds better in-person than he does on his C.D. His voice and mannerisms are so passionate and strong. I had a friend that knew about two of his songs before going to this concert, and now she is absolutely in love with him. If your not a huge Gavin fan now, I suggest listening to "Stay" and "Glass" from his new C.D. Free. Or flashback, to the Chariot or self-titled Gavin DeGraw C.D. I promise that you won't be disappointed. :)

Favorite Movie Songs/Scores

2009-04-05T18:30:00.000-07:00

Figuring out my favorite "mood setting songs" from movies was really difficult for me.

But, when it came down to it, the first thing that came to my mind and one of my favorite scores from a movie of all time is the score created by James Horner in "Apollo 13" during the launch scene. It's such a dramatic and moving moment that I get chills every time that I watch the movie. You can call me a big dork, but it is such a beautiful song.

For my favorite ending scene/ending credits song, "God Only Knows," by The Beach Boys in the movie "Love Actually," makes me smile and cry at the same time. The airport scene at the end of the movie where everyone is greeting their loved ones is such a realistic and heartwarming moment, and the song fits with the scene very well.

Favorite opening scene/opening credits: "Sweet Emotion" by Aerosmith at the beginning of "Dazed and Confused." It is SO perfect for the whole intro of the high school scene and the craziness of the parking lot.

Favorite steamy love scene song..."Take My Breath Away," in Top Gun. Tom Cruise back in the day...enough said. The volleyball scene is definitely the best though.

Where The Wild Things Are

2009-04-05T17:58:00.000-07:00

Currently, I am very upset.

I just watched the trailer for "Where The Wild Things Are." And after becoming out of my mind excited, the release date showed up. October 16th. Why do trailers come out so early?

My roommates and I watched the trailer a few times through, contemplating what we remembered about the childhood book. Sadly, all we were able to come up with was that it was about a little boy that escapes into a world of monsters and has lots of different adventures. If this is even right...we're not exactly sure. I guess we'll have to wait for the movie to come out to actually know. Or I guess we could find the book somewhere haha. If we're feeling adventurous..

What happened to being little and sitting around and reading fantasy books? And isn't it sad that we remember so few of these books that filled us with so much joy when we were little? If someone were to ask me right now what my three favorite books were when I was younger, I don't think I would be able to give them a straight answer.

On a different note, I definitely love the choice of "Wake Up," by Arcade Fire for the song played during the trailer. I looked up the lyrics, and they are definitely fitting to the theme of the movie- an escape from reality for a child that is afraid of growing up.

The Power of a Quote

2009-03-31T16:45:00.001-07:00

So I have recently discovered that I am a complete sucker for good quotes. When I left for college, my mom gave me a book of inspirational/life changing quotes. Occassionally, when I'm feeling down or just have a free couple seconds I flip through it, and I always seem to find a good quote that fits my current mood. My friends make fun of me for updating the "about me" box on facebook too often because I am constantly finding new and great quotes that I want to share with everyone. Why I am I rambling on about quotes? Well, I have decided since I have such an obsession with other people's words of wisdom, I should start coming up with some of my own. My new goal in life is to have one of my quotes published in a book :) I had an hour or two this past Sunday, so I sat down and wrote one of my own. It's a little bit long, but I decided I should post the whole thing. Enjoy!

Love is eternal.

There is no such thing as falling out of love. At least that's what I believe. I find that once you love someone, you love him or her eternally. At one point in your life, you may love that person with all of your heart, and at another, you may love them without even being aware, with the smallest sliver of your soul. But to say you have fallen out of love with a person, I find, is impossible. I believe there is nothing that is able to stop or stand in the way of love. Love is ignored, sabotaged, pushed to the side in hopes of finding another love, but it is impossible to dissipate, to erase. Love is a choice. Once it is present, it will always be present, but whether or not it is acted upon, appreciated, and nurtured, is determined by the beholder. If one decides that their love is no longer strong enough, a relationship ends. But the love does not end. No matter how weak it may be, the love will always remain. Forever.

Love is eternal.

Life Changing Music...

2009-03-15T17:28:00.000-07:00

I have always found music to be my escape, love, and outlet. It is such a strong and moving form of expression. Whether through listening to the lyrics of my favorite songs or playing the songs on the piano myself, I have always held music as an integral part of my life..

Therefore, it is very difficult for me to pinpoint a specific song or album that really changed or refocused my perspective on life. I could name hundreds of song lines that have moved me to smile or cry and could think of many songs that have helped me through a tough time or day.

I think the most important thing about music is that through your own pain, you are able to find comfort in the realization that there are others that have felt and are feeling the same emotions you are currently struggling with. And it's not just the negative feelings either. On numerous occassions I have found myself caught up in the lyrics of songs about the joys of living and appreciating what we have, not what we do not have.

If I were to name one artist that solidifies this concept for me I would have to say The Fray. The one line that really stands out for me through all of their songs (all of which I have memorized) comes from the song "All At Once" from the How to Save a Life album. The line, "Sometimes the hardest thing and the right thing are the same," really puts the world into persepective for me. Everyone goes through times in their life that they feel like they won't make it through...situations that they feel are unjustified and wrong. But in the end, these heartbreaking and beyond difficult situations may turn out to be for the best.

I think it's amazing what song lyrics can do for us. When I'm having a tough time, I always know where to turn...I crank up my iPod, and the world suddenly seems like a much better, comforting place...

Lollapalooza 2009

2009-03-15T13:09:00.000-07:00

I'm a little bit ashamed to say that I have lived in Chicago my entire life and have never made it to Lollapalooza. But, after looking at the headliners for this upcoming August, I feel like I haven't been missing that much. The headliners for this year are Radiohead, Rage Against the Machine, and Kanye West. If I were to give each of these three groups a ranking from 1-10, I would give Kanye an "8," Radiohead a "6" and Rage Against the Machine a "4." I'm definitely not saying that all three of these bands aren't extremely talented and popular with many people, but personally, I'm not the hugest fan of rock, which is what I feel like I would be seeing a lot of. I think I would be more excited about seeing a concert in such a fun environment like Grant Park than actually seeing the artists playing there. I feel like Lollapalooza is hyped up to be this HUGE deal with a bunch of big name bands and artists there...but it never quite lives up to everyone's expectations.

On another note...The concerts that I AM getting pumped up about seeing in Chicago this summer are more along the lines of The Fray and Jacks Mannequin at Tinley Park and Dave Matthews Band. I think I may just be a more low key person...

South by Southwest 2009!!

2009-03-03T21:09:00.000-08:00

After looking at the schedule for South by Southwest, I am now sufficiently depressed. I never realized how many amazing bands play during this fantastic week in Austin, TX, and I am so incredibly upset that I will be at school, stuck studying and taking tests, and unable to attend.

What am I most upset about missing? Thursday, March 19th at Stubb's= an absolutely incredible night. Not only is one artist that I'm in love with playing, but THREE! All of them in one place at one time. Katy Perry, 3oh!3, AND Ben Harper with RELENTLESS7. I could die right now just thinking about it.

So, though I am depressed about missing it, let's go over really quickly my favorite songs by each of these bands..

Katy Perry= The whole "One of the Boys" C.D. is one of my favorite albums of the year, but I really love "If You Can Afford Me." I like to find those few songs on an album that never quite make it onto the radio, but are great songs nonetheless. I highly recommend that you listen to it.

3oh!3= My roommates and I have really come to appreciate 3oh3! this year beacuse it is the perfect music to pump you up for a night out. We constantly listen to it while we are getting ready to go out on the weekends, and I would say our favorite is probably "Don't Trust Me." You can't help but smile at the crazy techno-ness and hilarious lyrics.

Ben Harper= I'm not really familiar with Ben Harper's music while playing with RELENTLESS7, but I do love "Walk Away" by Ben Harper almost more than any other song in the world. Ben Harper's music always relaxes me and his lyrics, as well as his tone are beautiful. Favorite song line by Ben Harper, and possibly one of the greatest lines of all time- "With so many people to love in my life, why do I worry about one?" Y Love it Y

So to all of the lucky people who will get to attend this amazing music festival, especially Thursday night at Stubbs...I envy you. Enjoy it, and please throw yourself at the stage (just a little bit) for me :) Thanks.

Dream Shows

2009-02-22T19:49:00.000-08:00

Ok, so for this week I had to come up with a line-up for my dream shows from four different genres: hip-hop, rock, jazz, and a genre of my choice. I definitely thought this was going to take just a couple of minutes, but it proved to be a lot more difficult than I thought.

First I started with Hip Hop...My opener would be Kanye West because of his consistent creation of popular songs over time, the mid would be T.I. because really, who doesn't love "Live your Life" and "Whatever You Like," and headliner would for sure be the Black Eyed Peas. One of my favorite songs of all time is "Where is the Love," and to see this performed live would be an amazing experience.

Next, the most difficult category for me to figure out was rock. I finally decided on an opening from Graham Colton Band, a band that might not be as well known, but has a great collection of songs. For the mid band, I picked Queen, and my headliner would be none other than Aerosmith...wow, they would be incredible. Both my mom and I have secret crushes on Steven Tyler and to see him up close and perfect would be great.

For the genre of my choice, I chose pop/alternative, which is probably my favorite cetegory of music. For the opener, I would love to see One Republic, though they have kind of been out of the spotlight for a little while now. For the mid, I picked Jack's Mannequin. I have seen them in concert before and they are great performers and I absolutely love their music. And..for the big headliner..I would be thrilled to see The Fray (for the 4th time) perform their new C.D. which is SOOOO good. I heard a rumor they are touring with Jack's this summer which pretty much could be the best concert of all time.

Lastly, the jazz category was a little harder for me to figure out, but after deciding, I realized I love all three artists that I picked. For the opener, I picked Norah Jones. I think that she has an amazing voice and very impressive piano skills. For the mid band, I picked Nat King Cole, and finally, as the headliner, Michael Buble because I am in love with him and would greatly appreciate if he would sing at my wedding. That is all. :)

Oh Valentine's Day...

2009-02-06T14:36:00.000-08:00

So this post is going to be a bit random, but I thought I would just write whatever was on my mind at the moment, and the current hype here in my sorority house of 90 girls is Valentine's Day. It's interesting to hear everyone's thoughts on this lovely little holiday...I personally like to call it "The day of love or bitterness," depending on your current romantic status. I've always found it kind of sad that people put so much emphasis on one day of the year to show their love and affection for another. Isn't being in love about showing it in the smallest ways on the most random of occassions? Yet, I do understand it's very easy to get caught up in the biggest Hallmark holiday of the year; I've been drawn in by it a few too many times myself.

I heard a good quote today that fit in well with the Valentine's day mania. "Love is simple. Life is complicated." It really is the truth. It is so easy to get caught up in what others think of you and the decisions that you make that we too often forget about all the people we care about. To me, Valentine's Day isn't just about telling one special person how you feel, but really, telling everyone in your life who you love how much you appreciate all they do for you...family, friends, boyfriends/girlfriends..you get the gist.

Well, it's late and I'm in for a long week. Ill write soon. Adios.

My Favorite New Album

2009-02-04T10:28:00.000-08:00

Thinking about the abundance of new albums that have been released in the past three months, and how few of them I have actually listened to, I realized that my musical taste has become seriously limited lately. I have, quite sadly, become too caught up in the Billboard Top 50, listening to whatever song comes on the radio first...which is usually one of about ten pop or hip hop songs. Because of my lack of quality music lately, I decided to buy (yes, I actually paid for music) an album that was released very recently, Duncan Sheik's, "Whisper House." In the past, I haven't really given Duncan's music a chance, sticking to my more familiar and "popular" artists. Much to my surprise, out of the 12 tracks on the C.D., I really, really enjoyed about ten of them. Though I am no expert on playing or critiquing guitar, I thought the guitar work was exceptional and very comforting to listen to. Also, a trumpet was used on many of the songs, espcially in intros and the endings, which definitely gave the music its own flavor and interesting vibe. I found that the overall instrument variation was what made the music so appealing and interesting to me. Since I am a piano player myself, I also appreciated the simple melodies played on the piano/keyboard on almost all of the songs. Something else I discovered was that I absolutely LOVE Duncan Sheik's voice. His tone is soft and strong at the same time, which I find, is very rare in a musical artist. At times, it has an almost eerie or haunting tone to it, which instead of turning me away, drew me further into each song. My favorite song on the album is definitely "Play Your Part." Great, great lyrics. I am really excited that I decided to download this album because I have already listened to the whole thing through about five times in the past two days. I highly recommend it to all of you! In the future, I will definitely be more open to listening to, as we like to say, "less main stream artists." That's all for now :)

Song Lyrics of Life

2008-11-12T19:12:00.000-08:00

Sometimes the lyrics of songs are some of the only things that you can count on to understand how you are feeling. I love how there is always a song or line from a song that is completely fitting to your mood or current life state. Over the past few weeks, I have collected some of my favorite song lines. From reading these over, I think it is easier to understand me as a person, noting that almost all the lines surround around passion, love, and hope.

"To make a mountain of your life is just a choice, but I never learned enough to listen to my voice when it said, always love, hate will get you every time." -Nada Surf-

"Even though I really love you, I'm gonna smile 'cause I deserve to. It'll all get better in time." -Leonna Lewis-

"Cause it's a long way down when your hopes are high as mountains and I am worried that I'm falling for you." -Ronnie Day-

"You don't know about my past and I don't have a future figured out, and maybe this is goin' too fast and maybe it's not meant to last...but what do you say to taking chances? -Celine Dion-

"I suppose that I could hold it in, but you excite my every cell. Sources say that senses are my friends, my senses say that I should tell." -Gavin Degraw-

"I wanted you so much, just like I do right now. I wanted us to be the one the poets write their books about. I wanted it to last. I wanted to grow old. But life got in the way." -Sister Hazel-

"I don't know what I want, so don't ask me cause I'm still trying to figure it out. Don't know what's down this road, I'm just walking trying to see through the rain coming down even though I'm not the only one who feels the way I do." -Taylor Swift-

"When I start to make you nervous, and I'm going to extremes, tomorrow I will change and today won't mean a thing." -Alannis Morisette-

"Everything I feel, I make believe is real." -Graham Colton Band-

I could continue on for awhile like this...the number of songs I could quote and relate to certain days of my life are countless. So I will leave this entry to be continued...feel free to share any of your favorite music lines :)

Platform One

2008-10-19T15:45:00.000-07:00

So I thought it would be appropriate to give a quick little explanation on why I am working for Platform One Entertainment. For those of you who don't know, Platform One is a music marketing company that works to find and support new artists through various marketing strategies.

As a college representative, I help to promote new artists that Platform One represents, as well as try and find new artists by keeping up with the music scene on Mizzou's campus. I do this through distributing a compilation c.d. that Platform 1 puts together, as well as through trying to give new bands exposure.

NEW this semester, I will be reviewing bands at The Blue Note, the main concert venue here at Mizzou, and posting these reviews on my blog, as well as passing on the information to Platform One.

The reasons I wanted to work for Platform One were:

1. I am a HUGE music fan. I pretty much listen to anything...my all time favorite will always be Gavin Degraw.

2. My major at Mizzou is advertising and PR, and I would love to be involved in marketing in the future. This is a really fun and exciting opportunity.

As promised, I do have a song of the week...this one is a little bit old, Walk Away by Ben Harper. It showed up on my iPod the other day and reminded me of how much I love Ben Harper. Amazing voice, inspirational lyrics.

If anyone has any information on any bands or artists that they've heard in concert or even just a friend's group, drop me an email at sarahcal44@gmail.com.

My First Blog Post Ever!

2008-10-06T19:32:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! I'm Sarah, one of the University of Missouri Platform One campus reps, and I couldn't be more excited for this upcoming year.

I'm not the most talented at technological things and have never made a blog or website before, so I'm hoping this all works out the way it's supposed to. I have a feeling I am going to become addicted with this pretty quickly, rambling on about music, sports, school, or whatever comes to mind.

I thought it would be cute to start off my blog by establishing a fun weekly thing, so I have decided that I'm going to lead off each post with my favorite song of the week. It may be a recently released song or a song from ten years ago that happens to be stuck in my head this week. SO...for this week, my favorite song would definitely have to be "Don't Trust Me," by 3OH3!. To be honest, I had never heard of this band up until this past weekend visiting my friend at Kansas, but now I can't stop listening to it. I highly suggest you check it out if your falling asleep studying and need a little burst of energy.

On a different note, I thought I would just take a few seconds to brag about my incredibly wonderful school's football team. For those of you not from the Midwest, you probably haven't heard much about the state of Missouri up until these past 2 years, but thanks to our amazing team (which is now ranked #2 and # 3 in the polls) we are finally getting the credit we deserve :) I am a HUGE sports fanatic, which you will soon grow to see if you keep up with my blog.

Well, I think that's it for my first post ever. I'll keep you updated!

~Sarah~