A Quip and a Cigarette

Is there a song that you listen to that constantly blows your mind?

Yeah, this is mine.

No, really. I do. I’m sorry, God. Give it back. Please.

ANYWAY, I ended up not going to the Kimya Dawson show because the van died right by the quantico exit. So, yeah. No show for me. However, I did hear that is was pretty cool. There were so many people that Kimya played outside for a while for the people who couldn’t get in. A couple of my friends got pictures so those’ll be up eventually.

Well, the big day is here. Kimya Dawson is playing at the Crooked Beat in DC (Adams Morgan). It starts at 7, and we’re all piling into a crappy plymouth to make the harrowing journey. I’m really excited because I’ve never seen Kimya Dawson live, and I sure as hell probably won’t ever have the chance to see her for free again.

Though, it’d be a lie to say I’m not going without a hidden agenda. My friend and I are going to try and talk to Kimya about Fredericksburg and see if she’s interested in doing a show here. Sure, it seems like a longshot, but, at the same time, she’s still playing free shows at record stores so I don’t see why she wouldn’t want to come to our humble town and have some fun.

I’ll put up pictures and a recap of my night either later tonight or tomorrow. It depends on where my head is when I get back tonight.

Tonight I went to a house show in Fredericksburg, and there were three great aspects of this night:

1. Sarah Carter

2. Great snacks

3. Mild Winter

The house shows are a great way to discover new music among friends. Adam Bray, the head of Fredericksburg All Ages, hosts them, and it’s basically all of us weird kids from the town getting together and listening to music. The last show I went to was for Sean Walsh who hails from Brooklyn (though I hear tell he’s making his own record label and moving to Richmond). Tonight’s show was a potluck soul food night. I wasn’t hungry, but I hear the food was fantastical. Hence, the great snacks. Meghan Maupin (old high school acquaintance) brought chocolate bark. It was minty and fantastic. But, aside from the snacks, the entire event is pretty unreal. In the audience, all the big names in the local music scene were there (Tereu Tereu, Rocky’s Revival, Carlos! I’m Pregnant, and Sacred Harp [touring soon! more on that later]). So, it’s not just a show, it’s a place where other musicians congregate, and appreciate each other. Now, to the acts:

Sarah Carter (no relation to the Carter family) is a high school teacher from Norfolk and she (the subject of the title) played wonderfully. On top of that, she had a great personality! She was so sweet, and she gave me a cd. Her music is difficult for me to explain because I don’t know much about it yet, but her vocals just kill me. It’s so soulful and filled with character. It just has such a desperation that really brings the emotions in the song to life. Below, I’ll add a couple of her songs so you can listen.

Next is Mild Winter from Harrisonburg. Their music wasn’t as folky as Sarah Carter’s but it did have some definite folk influences. Relatively, it was a lot more pop than Sarah’s. I can’t explain it. I suck. Songs below.

Mild Winter - I Always End Up Alone

Mild Winter - When You’re Gone

Sarah Carter - Black is the Color of My True Love’s Hair

Sarah Carter - Lay This Body Down

Oh, so Sacred Harp. I need to get some of their music, but it’s a great sound. Once I get my del.icio.us thing on here, you can see their myspace. Definitely worth a listen. I’ll actually explain them later.

What is it with the ridiculous usage of that Drowning Pool song in trailers? Okay, I’ve only seen it in Rambo and that Ryan Phillipe flick about the army. How long ago did that song come out? Was it even good then? I just don’t get it.

It’s interesting because there are movies like Juno that try their damndest to bring to the forefront lesser known bands like Kimya Dawson and the Moldy Peaches, yet there’s also an influx of trailers that are reusing generic, shitass music that became irrelevant years ago. Why not find an intense song that is done by a band in dire need of the exposure? Personally, I just think that there will be much more progress in the music industry if we stop ignoring the little guy and making him relevant.

Kimya Dawson fans, there’s a free show at the Crooked Beat in DC on the 23rd (this Wednesday). Hit that up!

Well, here’s my first post. I don’t know how well I’ll fair with this since I’ve never been remotely capable of keeping any kind of journal, let alone a blog. However, I like good grades so this better work out.

Honestly, I have very little knowledge of the technical side of music. I have no idea what a riff is, and really, I never felt like I needed to. All I really know about music is how I feel when I listen to it. I remember what it felt like when I saw Mötley Crüe in concert in 4th grade, the elation and envy I felt when my dad told stories of when he saw Tommy Lee drum upside down. I can tell you exactly what it felt like to hear punk for the first time (Rock and Roll High School on public access, 2 AM, 6th grade). Words can’t describe the dizziness I felt walking into CBGBs, mere months before its closing. I guess, for me, I never really thought about the technical aspect of making music because it’s never been relevant to my life. I, unlike most of my friends, never took a personal interest in seeking out bands; I let them find me.

Despite my intense love affair with music as a means to underscore my life and to fill my head when it’d otherwise be unoccupied, I still know practically nothing. Oddly enough, I don’t find this daunting unlike some people. In the end, all I have to say is, Brian Kitta if you drop this class I will kill you, and I’ll kill you good.