Looping

I went to see Imogen perform in Salt Lake last saturday. i've put off posting about it because . . . well, I'm not sure. i guess just because I wanted to get a couple of things scanned before I posted.

The show was amazing. She is an incredible musician with an incredible personality. she was so personal on the stage. things definitely haven't gotten to her head.

All concert reviews aside, there is one incredible bit of music appreciation that has impressed upon my mind first and foremost over the past week, and that is the concept of looping. It was odd, last week was full of it for me. On Thursday as I sat and chatted with coworkers about the previous night's Idol performances, someone brought up K.T. Tunstall. I had never heard of her. One of the contestants had sung her current chart topper "black horse and the cherry tree". I enjoyed the song, but had never heard it before. so, I looked her up online. I was surprised to learn that she's basically a one-woman band and uses digital looping in her performances to fill in all of the gaps. the vocals, percussion, guitar, everything. it's all her. i was blown away when i learned that. i watched a video or her performing online and was all the more impressed. she's got a voice like butter and lyrics to catch you as you pass. I quickly downloaded her album and have enjoyed it over the past week. so, that was on Thursday. on Friday night I shared her album with M and he immediately said "this is incredible! I need this!"

So, basically, you should check her out if you haven't already.


Then came Saturday night and immi. M and I traveled up to Salt Lake early. I had a wedding reception that I needed to swing by in Logan. It was beautiful. I wish that i could have stayed longer, but we were in a HURRY. traffic was bad and it had taken us much longer than we had anticipated to get up there. immi was starting at 7 (a bit early, I know) so we got to in the venue right about 7 - and the line was HUGE. Honestly, I'm surprised that they packed everyone in there. The line did a nice little serpentine twist around the building. we waited and waited and waited. close to an hour. at about 7:45 we were close to the door and I heard a wave of cheers come from inside the club. I was so worried! I was convinced that we were missing immi. We finally got in and quickly found the best standing places we could . . . not too far from the stage. There was a woman sitting up on stage with a cello. M immediately said "that's her" and I said "no, it's not". I knew that it wasn't her face, but she had her hair done up like immi. by the time she was through with the song though, we were both sure it wasn't her. HOWEVER, the woman on stage was very very very much worth seeing. her name is Zoe Keating and I can honestly say that seeing her perform was just as good as seeing immi perform. and here comes the looping again. Zoe has a series of albums called One Cello x 16. One woman, One Cello, 16 tracks - simultaneously. it was INCREDIBLE. she starts off with one note and then builds an orchestration right before your eyes. I bought her CD and have been listening to it on and off all week. She's another one that I would highly recommend checking out.

Finally, immi graced us with her presence. She was lovely. She started with "just for now". Not my favorite song, but within one minute, I was leaning into M and practically crying into his ear "she's amazing!". again, looping. it was just her on stage, but her voice was being projected in several different melodies at once. another process of one track at a time until she had a full choir of voices at her fingertips. the rest of the show was wonderful. i just stood and admired her ability to command the vast array of equipment at her fingertips. I was sure that "hide and seek" would be my favorite tune, but there was something wrong with the equipment and it just didn't sound right. my favorite song ended up being her last . . . "the moment I said it". It has been one of my favorite's on the album, and now it's right up there with "hide and seek".

M had a migraine during the show, but he said he still enjoyed it. alas, he was anxious to get out of there. I convinced him to go back to his car and I would join him shortly. I wanted to stick around and see if I could meet immi. i waited about 10 minutes and then she came out. I was the first one to see her and talk to her. I was pretty star struck, but she was very kind and signed her album for me. I got a picture with her (no flash! low batteries!) and then I left. it was a lovely night. I'm looking forward to seeing her agian someday and hopefully getting better standing spots so that I can get some better pictures.

Now it's time for bed. i guess it's just been one of those strangely productive nights for me. hope that the attitude can carry through to tomorrow.

"Lovely to meet you!" (I love the little snail that she drew)

She's really tall!

Contact Sheet #1

I'm taking a photography class this summer, which is a lot of fun for me. Although I already have a lot of knowledge about photography, there are A LOT of things that I don't know. so far, the class has been a great learning experience for me. I'm finally learning to see life through the lens of a camera again, which is always a fun experience. Last sunday I went on my first shoot - wanting to capture a train station that is near my house. there was too much to capture before I ran out of light, so I'm going to have to go back and get some more. here is my first contact sheet though. the first half of the photo's are from that train shoot and the second half are from a neighborhood shoot that I took care of on Friday night. I was able to follow a bird around as it called to it's elders in the trees above. I think that it was learning to fly. It kept trying, but just couldn't quite get itself up far enough.
The picture on the 4th row - far right - depicts the entire train station structure, from the east. that's my car at the far right. I had to take a picture because I locked my keys in my car. silly me. I've uploaded the contact sheet to flickr so that you can see the pictures up close. enjoy. oh, and I'm curious to know which ones are your favorites.

FINALLY!!!!

Death Cab IS COMING TO UTAH!!!!!
I just got the email and audibly gasped. I don't know if anybody can quite understand how excited I am for this. I have been quite obsessed with them the past 6 months. AAAHHH!
What a weekend! I'm going to see Imogen tomorrow night, and I just found out about death cab. My two top artists. Beautiful.

?

what is important to you in this life? I'm really curious to know. What is really important. Deeply, over-archingly, at the root of your existence important.

Friends?
Money?
God?
Your Job?
School?
Time?
Family?

If you're passing by, and you have an answer, I would be really curious to know what it is. Comments, please.

Transparent Screens

Very, Very Clever Indeed
http://www.flickr.com/photos/w00kie/sets/180637/

Fortune Cookie

My Friend got an empty fortune cookie today with her lunch. Talk about strange. We told her it meant that she has endless opportunities in her future. The things that are going to happen are so grand that they couldn't possibly put them on a tiny slip of paper. What do you think?

Goodbye, Paris

Ever since her audition, Paris has been one of my favorites. It was hard for me to see her go. I knew she would be leaving very soon (I know a few people who don't like her) but there is no doubt in my mind that we'll see more of her in the future. If she were to make an R&B album, it would be the first R&B album I ever bought.

I remember, when she sang Billie Holiday for her audition, I got chills. I nearly cried at this beautiful girl in front of me. She's a keeper. I will miss her. You can click on the picture below and it will take you to a link where you can download my favorite performance by her . . . "fever".

Something

Taylor just sang "Something"! From Abbey Road! Taylor Hicks just sang one of my most favorite songs ever, and all I can do is sit and melt on my couch. My oh my how I love Taylor, and my love continues to grow each week. It's the full out connection to the music that I love about him. His ability to convey so much soul in his performance. And when he gets into the groove, there's no stoppin' him! Wooo! Yeah!

http://www.rickey.org/blog/2006/05/taylor_hicks_something.html

Why Can't i sleep?

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Sufjan is like a volcano waiting to erupt for me right now. His music stirs my soul, and I feel the rivers moving, but then I forget. Someday he will truly have the impact that he was meant to have on me.
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Why can't I sleep?

Is it the generic brand excedrin that i took at 8?

Is it that strange sound of running water that I hear from my neighbors back patio?

Is it the anticipation of new classes tomorrow?

Is it knowing that I'm going to wake up early and kick off my new month goal?

Is it the sudden thoughts of exploring new educational horizons that struck me as I read my scriptures tonight?

Is it the soreness that i'm feeling in my throat and my left eye?
(no. that is there because i can't sleep)

Is it the warmth of my bed after a warmer than lately day?


I wonder. I slip out under the covers and close my window (eliminating the sound of running water and train cars bumping into eachother)(although I will miss the sound of birds waking me up in the morning as they have the past few days) and i walk downstairs to ever so slightly adjust the thermostat. as I walk, my eyes are strangley attuned to the light and i notice strange shadows that only reveal themselves to the most finely attuned eyes (almost as though i have night vision goggles on). I notice 3 unique fire detectors situated within 3 steps from my bedroom door. each with its tiny green light shining down. as i walk under them, I actually cast a shadow on the floor. I notice a sliver of light coming from jenny's door. Is she still up? I turn on the hall light and am blinded for a moment. downstairs. drink. thermostat. upstairs. light off. the green lights no longer phase me. the sliver of light under Jenny's door is gone. and now here I sit. less than 5 hours of sleep ahead, and yet I look forward to the moment i will roll out of bed. again.