Taking yet another trip down the bricked walkway of the downtown mall leading up to Miller’s Bar/Restaurant, I was once again captured by the sound of the music. Reaching the doorway, I immediately notice that the atmosphere is very different on this night than the last time I’d come to listen to some live tunes. To my surprise, the place was not as ‘packed’ as the time before, having a few spots open at the bar, an open table down stairs, and the perfect spot for observation at the only bench and table that my friend and I were able to occupy.
Playing mostly funk/jazz/blues mixes over the course of the night, the Houston Ross Trio gave a performance that showcased shear skill and technique. The trio consisted of a drummer, bassist, and sax player where each musician is somewhat of a soloist in that each instrument adds a unique sound to the band and is not in competition with the others. Being that the band was so small, in my opinion, the bassist was the most influential in the way in which the overall sound flowed. He used a lot of picking, plucking motions (revealing a staccato dynamic) and occasional reeling, creating the “funkadelic” atmosphere the band appeared to be portraying. The drummer set and maintained the overall tempo of the music, holding mostly at a slow to moderate pace (as one would expect from the “flowetry” of a funk/jazz/bluesy band). On the sax, the only non-minority member of the band maintained a groove of his own, often closing his eyes while blowing into his reefed mouthpiece. The finger work (that I was able to observe) was amazing as the notes he created definitely contributed to the jazz/blues feel the band also gave. The first part of the show appeared to be comprised of original selections, where the band grooved based on the chemistry between them. Lots of improvisations were used and I even heard a few depictions of the 12 bar blues mode. Returning from intermission, the band played more familiar tunes (one Mavin Gaye song and a few others that I am not so sure of the titles or artists), which finally allowed the audience members to engage in the music more, as I will reflect on later. In my opinion, the absence of a vocalist may have been to the disadvantage of the band in the first half of the show because of no true connection being established between the band and audience members. Creating a ‘familiar ground’ in the second half essentially built a connection and made the rest of the night a “less awkward” experience for the band (as I assume the beginning may have been with the lack of audience engagement).
Reflecting back to our entrance of the bar, in walking through the crowd, it was not easy to identify the audiences’ “make-up”, but once we were seated, it was obvious that the difference in the atmosphere of this night may have been in part due to a change in the audience. Once again the audience was comprised of a 99.9 white population and having only 6 ethnic minorities (including my friend and I, the drummer and bassist of the band) but there were a significantly lower number of female to males having maybe a ratio of 1 to 5. Looking further into the audiences’ framework, a subtle change caught my attention. Being that most of the bands that perform at Miller’s are often playing some rendition of funk/jazz mixes, they usually tend to attract more middle-aged listeners (as I have before observed). Tonight however, probably because of the weather, the “older folk” decided to stay in and were replaced by a younger crowd of mostly graduate school students and a few undergrads. In that light, the response from this younger crowd to the funk/jazz/bluesy mixes of the band was not as interactive as I have observed on other occasions. As each song concluded , I noticed that the most response they received from the audience was a vacant applause by maybe 4 or 5 people (except for the one drunk, middle-aged, female “fan” sitting next to the stage saying “I love you” to the bassist). Later on into the night, I did however observe a slight change in the audience response to the band as a few of them began to acknowledge the band’s presence by bobbing of heads and more rounds of applause. For a greater part of the night, the audience members just carried on conversations within their small circles of friends and had little to no interaction with others outside of their “bubble” (except for the ordering of drinks with the bartenders or waitresses). Closer to the end of the night, a few of the young audience members (a white female and 2 male friends) along a strange man who lingered around the bar(black) began to dance next to the stage, as the band played a few contemporary tunes that they were able to identify with.
Returning to the band, the HRT itself was more diverse in comparison to the audience members as far as age, race/ethnicity, physical appearance and even stage presence. On Sax, was a white male about 35 years old dressed in what appeared to be “everyday attire” of a plain,worn, washed out t-shirt and stonewash denim jeans. On bass, was a black male, with a long beard having specks of gray and long dreadlocks that is much known around Charlottesville for playing at the local live music spots. He is an older gentleman, looking to be about 50, wearing a t-shirt that may have been from a music-related event he attended not too long ago (since the letters an animations looked fresh). The drummer, a young black male about 24 years old wore a low-brush cut hair style, with fresh and very “hip” fashions of a color-filled t-shirt, jeans and sneakers, displaying his engagement in youth culture (in opposition to his much older band-mates).
Observing the mannerisms of each other the performers, I saw that there was a slight difference in each of their stage presences. In performing gender, each of the men displayed their masculinity/sexuality in different ways, while maintaining ideal symbols of blackness/whiteness, or the lack thereof. To my surprise, I found that even “older” men hold true to the age-old idea of expressing sexuality through performance. The male bassist held the guitar close to his body, swaying back and forth as he cranked out the “funk” and swung his “ethnically styled” hair. Placing his guitar just low enough to reach, the older ‘gentleman’ further bounced and bobbed, displaying an extreme appreciation for his instrument. He stood clear of being ‘too sensual’ in that he did not caress the guitar nor was he overly aggressive, holding it just enough to sustain ‘control’ and carry no signs of weakness. Then there was the young drummer who crashed the cymbal, boomed the bass (drum), and consistently attacked the snare creating a climactic feel at the end of each bar being played. Although the tempo of the music tended to be moderate to slow, the drummer took advantage of the moments where the music built up to a high point. Throughout the performance, I noticed that the drummer also used his entire body when playing, as opposed to being robotic or inexpressive. He managed to sustain his “cool” composure as though it is expected from him (with the straight-faced /edgy gestures). Through the nod of his head and pump of his torso, it was easy to make the connection between his interpretation of the music and his stage presence. Finally, the sax player was unique in his portrayal of gender and symbols of race. As he played, he lightly held his instrument (which could have been the result of having the strap so tight) almost embracing its essence. With his eyes often closed, he kept a close connection with the sax and skillfully fingered the valves without missing a note. In his performance there was no obvious display of “masculinity” yet no sign of its counter, as he showed no weakness, but created a sense of comfort and calmness.
Overall, the performance encompassed the art of creativity, a blend of lifestyles/cultures, and unity while still displaying symbols of each musicians’ embrace of their sexualities and blackness/whiteness or the lack thereof. Through improvisation and ad-libs, the musicians, were able to perform the music as though it were not rehearsed, but as if it were freely flowing between them as a non-verbal form of communication (call-n-response). Moreover, as each of them held different stage presences, it seemed like the combination of each of their personas allowed their lifestyles to cultivate a sense of unity. The young black male (drums) portraying his engagement in hip hop culture through his attire and masculinity with his ‘tough’ demeanor; the older black male (bass) displayed his connection to his African American heritage through the ethnic hair style he sported and sexuality through his gendered performance; and the almost middle-aged white male (sax) exhibited his sexuality in a way unique to himself, not necessarily characterizing any signs of blackness/whiteness nor masculinity or femininity just encompassing his sexuality and its fluidity. In finalizing thoughts of gendering, it is worth noting the placement of men versus women in the performance atmosphere. The only women I mentioned earlier served as the clichéd ‘fans’ or ‘groupies’ of the male band members on stage. This was the only way in which women were involved in the performance, unfortunately perpetuates the male domineering intentions for the music industry.
Showing posts with label concert report 1. Show all posts
Showing posts with label concert report 1. Show all posts
Friday, November 20, 2009
Rotunda Dinner with AVP
Approaching the Rotunda’s Dome room through the bowels of the arcade, the ascent to the highly acclaimed Dome room only heightened our excitement and curiosity for what was to come. Dressed formally, we were greeted at the “front door” lined wall to wall with taupe carpeting, and were escorted upstairs to the dining area.
The atmosphere was of refinement and mature sophistication. Being the first time for many to have been inside the Rotunda, cameras were quickly pulled out and gatherings forming in front of the many columns and ambulatory colonnade. The most distinct memorable sounds to resonate for the first fifteen minutes remained to be the echo of high heel shoes against the floor, and constant requests for others to snap photos of themselves.
One by one people took their seats at the round tables set with linen and dinner service began. The room filled with quiet chatter, and within thirty minutes Jon Ohmart announced the Academical Village People’s arrival.
That in and of itself was an out of ordinary act for AVP. The Academical Village People is an all male a cappella group that usually runs out onto their stages in a hap hazard and comical manner. In both dorm and Rotunda sings, the group’s signature technique is to wildly run around humping columns screaming and then proceed to line in formation to sing. So to be in a formal setting and have AVP perform meant they had to sacrifice part of their personality. The announcement of their arrival was not something I expected but in retrospect, it would have probably scared us if they had run up the stairs and in and around our tables.
Although in the Rotunda, the boys didn’t disappoint in that they still found girls in the crowd to serenade, and still comically danced around. Although, their usual high energy was absent as the group didn’t have all members in attendance. They usually feed off each other’s energy and have much more space than they did tonight.
Musically, I was skeptical of the acoustic qualities of the dome room, being concave instead of convex, the quality of sound was still better than in most of their venues-being outside. The heavy materials of the Rotunda allowed their unamplified sound to reverberate longer which provided a richer quality.
While AVP is always a blast to watch, and is usually guaranteed for a good laugh, the formal venue of the Rotunda was not fitting. They are much more suited for a more relaxed and probably outdoor setting.
The atmosphere was of refinement and mature sophistication. Being the first time for many to have been inside the Rotunda, cameras were quickly pulled out and gatherings forming in front of the many columns and ambulatory colonnade. The most distinct memorable sounds to resonate for the first fifteen minutes remained to be the echo of high heel shoes against the floor, and constant requests for others to snap photos of themselves.
One by one people took their seats at the round tables set with linen and dinner service began. The room filled with quiet chatter, and within thirty minutes Jon Ohmart announced the Academical Village People’s arrival.
That in and of itself was an out of ordinary act for AVP. The Academical Village People is an all male a cappella group that usually runs out onto their stages in a hap hazard and comical manner. In both dorm and Rotunda sings, the group’s signature technique is to wildly run around humping columns screaming and then proceed to line in formation to sing. So to be in a formal setting and have AVP perform meant they had to sacrifice part of their personality. The announcement of their arrival was not something I expected but in retrospect, it would have probably scared us if they had run up the stairs and in and around our tables.
Although in the Rotunda, the boys didn’t disappoint in that they still found girls in the crowd to serenade, and still comically danced around. Although, their usual high energy was absent as the group didn’t have all members in attendance. They usually feed off each other’s energy and have much more space than they did tonight.
Musically, I was skeptical of the acoustic qualities of the dome room, being concave instead of convex, the quality of sound was still better than in most of their venues-being outside. The heavy materials of the Rotunda allowed their unamplified sound to reverberate longer which provided a richer quality.
While AVP is always a blast to watch, and is usually guaranteed for a good laugh, the formal venue of the Rotunda was not fitting. They are much more suited for a more relaxed and probably outdoor setting.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
U2: What a Beautiful Night
Not an avid U2 fan, I had my doubts going into the show. Would I enjoy the performance of a band with which I was not familiar? Would I recognize any of the songs? What exactly did a 360° tour entail? Bono and U2 eliminated all these doubts with an incredible performance that gave tangible evidence to their reputation of a Hall-of-Fame group.
As U2 made its entrance, the crowd stood to its feet, welcoming the band in its first visit to Charlottesville. The stage was quite the scene. Walking into Scott Stadium, I was taken aback by the monstrous “Claw” (see picture below). I surely thought that this Transformers-like structure would obstruct our view of the stage and the band. A large circular megatron was the centerpiece of this massive set-up, and as I soon discovered, it gave meaning behind the naming of the “360°” tour.
No matter where you were sitting in the stadium, you felt the band was performing right in front of you. The screen flashed shots of the band from all angles throughout the performance. At one point, the megatron extended into a beehive-like shape where colors filled every corner of the stadium (see pictures below).
Aside from the visual aspects, I was impressed by the band’s vocals and instrumentals. U2 is an example of the typical rock band. The male-dominated group consisted of Bono as the lead singer and guitarist, The Edge as guitarist and keyboardist, Adam Mullen as the bassist, and Larry Mullen as the drummer. I noticed that they held their guitars the “cool” way; they had longer straps, and their guitars were positioned lower on their bodies. Male bonding was evident through the interactions of the band members. They rocked out with each other for every song, and it seemed as though they were just a group of friends doing what they love best. Though Bono is seen as the leading group member, there was a sense of mutual respect among all the members. This was shown during a humbling moment towards the end of the concert when Bono thanked his bandmates for “letting me be in your band.”
Though I couldn’t name most of the set list, I did recognize more songs than I had originally thought, including “Beautiful Day” and “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For.” I could definitely tell I wasn’t alone in my unfamiliarity with a majority of the set list. I overheard an older gentleman comment, “ Were these kids even alive when these songs came out?” I noticed, however, that whenever a song that I knew came on, the crowd was in full gear with both college-aged and older fans swaying and singing along. This may be an instance of crossing over. There were certain songs that have seemed to more readily cross over from the rock charts to the pop charts, such as “Stuck in a Moment,” and consequently reached across a wider range of demographics.
Another major aspect of the show was its political messages. Bono and U2 have been known for their active involvement in addressing issues of poverty and social injustice. During their song “Walk On,” images of Burma’s opposition politician Aung San Suu Kyi were shown on the screen and members of Amnesty International marched onto the stage (see pictures below). There was a very strong sense of purpose behind their music by the way in which they use their songs as a means of voicing the world’s injustices and advocating human rights.
From the mesmerizing visual effects to the goosebump-inducing vocals and instrumentals, U2 performed a spectacular show. Whether you were a diehard fan or not, when the show came to an end, you just wanted more. And thankfully, U2 responded to the crowd’s call for an encore through the illumination of the dark Stadium by the thousands of cell phones (see picture below). A fitting end to a beautiful night.
As U2 made its entrance, the crowd stood to its feet, welcoming the band in its first visit to Charlottesville. The stage was quite the scene. Walking into Scott Stadium, I was taken aback by the monstrous “Claw” (see picture below). I surely thought that this Transformers-like structure would obstruct our view of the stage and the band. A large circular megatron was the centerpiece of this massive set-up, and as I soon discovered, it gave meaning behind the naming of the “360°” tour.
No matter where you were sitting in the stadium, you felt the band was performing right in front of you. The screen flashed shots of the band from all angles throughout the performance. At one point, the megatron extended into a beehive-like shape where colors filled every corner of the stadium (see pictures below).
Aside from the visual aspects, I was impressed by the band’s vocals and instrumentals. U2 is an example of the typical rock band. The male-dominated group consisted of Bono as the lead singer and guitarist, The Edge as guitarist and keyboardist, Adam Mullen as the bassist, and Larry Mullen as the drummer. I noticed that they held their guitars the “cool” way; they had longer straps, and their guitars were positioned lower on their bodies. Male bonding was evident through the interactions of the band members. They rocked out with each other for every song, and it seemed as though they were just a group of friends doing what they love best. Though Bono is seen as the leading group member, there was a sense of mutual respect among all the members. This was shown during a humbling moment towards the end of the concert when Bono thanked his bandmates for “letting me be in your band.”
Though I couldn’t name most of the set list, I did recognize more songs than I had originally thought, including “Beautiful Day” and “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For.” I could definitely tell I wasn’t alone in my unfamiliarity with a majority of the set list. I overheard an older gentleman comment, “ Were these kids even alive when these songs came out?” I noticed, however, that whenever a song that I knew came on, the crowd was in full gear with both college-aged and older fans swaying and singing along. This may be an instance of crossing over. There were certain songs that have seemed to more readily cross over from the rock charts to the pop charts, such as “Stuck in a Moment,” and consequently reached across a wider range of demographics.
Another major aspect of the show was its political messages. Bono and U2 have been known for their active involvement in addressing issues of poverty and social injustice. During their song “Walk On,” images of Burma’s opposition politician Aung San Suu Kyi were shown on the screen and members of Amnesty International marched onto the stage (see pictures below). There was a very strong sense of purpose behind their music by the way in which they use their songs as a means of voicing the world’s injustices and advocating human rights.
From the mesmerizing visual effects to the goosebump-inducing vocals and instrumentals, U2 performed a spectacular show. Whether you were a diehard fan or not, when the show came to an end, you just wanted more. And thankfully, U2 responded to the crowd’s call for an encore through the illumination of the dark Stadium by the thousands of cell phones (see picture below). A fitting end to a beautiful night.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Me Too: A Student at U2's 360° Tour
Opening show Muse came onstage with a burst of light and the loud crashing of chords. Band members of the alternative, “space age rock” group Matthew Bellamy, Christopher Wolstenholme, and Dominic Howard seemed to rely on reverberations and electronics more than technical skill. Muse favored scale-like melodies and a background of power chords that lead’s singer Bellamy’s voice could not quite conquer (he specialized in Radiohead-like wailing with more articulation). The light-show special effects were on the megatron were a little off-putting; it was as if the band had no merit without zooming green grids and color manipulation.
When U2 finally came on stage, the entire crowd leapt to its feet. Even non-U2 supporters can admit the sheer energy of their fans. Guitar and keyboard player The Edge, bassist Adam Clayton, and drummer Larry Mullen, Jr all made dramatic entrances to much fanfare, but Bono made his debut to the most yelling of all.
However, the initial screaming and excitement was followed by some awkward and obligatory head-bobbing when U2 launched immediately into their new songs. The older songs actually initiated some reaction. When “Elevation” was finally played, there came the sweet sound of fifty-five thousand people singing a note out of their range. At the opening strains of “Vertigo,” the crowd thrashed around wildly, and at “Sunday, Bloody Sunday,” everyone shrieked (both before, during, and after singing the first two verses). But when “Stuck in a Moment” came on, the entire stadium got lost in the sad peacefulness of nostalgia, and I actually saw one woman press her hands to her heart after the line, “Don’t say that later will be better.” When set to the simple scrambling of three notes, that line was like kryptonite to otherwise stoic listeners.
Unlike Muse, U2 didn’t feel the need for the lightshow, but they did use their claw-like structure to its full capacity. It transformed into a tye-dyed spider, ritzy Las Vegas opulence, and a ghostly pearly white, among many, many more—but what was most shocking was that the megatron expanded slowly downward. Honeycomb-esque holes formed so that the megatron was a longer, trellis-like incarnation of its earlier self.
Politics, it seemed, was a major theme for U2. “We hold these truths to be self-evident,” yelled Bono at one point, and that we hope for “an America that is big enough to fit the whole world.” He repeated “a non-violent revolution” several times in a softer voice. The crowd quieted down when Amnesty International members fanned out onstage; the stadium full of people was at a loss as to whether it should cheer or not. Whenever Bono slipped in references to Charlottesville or Virginia or Wahoos, the crowd knew to cheer, but U2’s emphasis on politics took away some of the comfortability that the crowd had previously taken pleasure in.
The crowd fought for its two encores with the waving of cell phones (the stadium looked like a glowing plant swaying underwater) and more screaming. Three people wrapped in the Irish flag hiked it up and waved it ecstatically until at long last U2 came back on. These two encores consisted of one U2 favorite each: “Where the Streets Have No Name” and “With or Without You.”
After the second encore, the crowd filtered out of the stadium in droves, many still chattering about the megatron, some commenting on the evolution of Bono’s voice into a tired echo. It was the chorus of the crowd favorite “Beautiful Day” that three blonde girls were humming as they negotiated the exit, “sky falls, you feel like it’s a beautiful day.” The stadium was still a-glow behind me as the crowd left, still singing.
-Gillian Douple
When U2 finally came on stage, the entire crowd leapt to its feet. Even non-U2 supporters can admit the sheer energy of their fans. Guitar and keyboard player The Edge, bassist Adam Clayton, and drummer Larry Mullen, Jr all made dramatic entrances to much fanfare, but Bono made his debut to the most yelling of all.
However, the initial screaming and excitement was followed by some awkward and obligatory head-bobbing when U2 launched immediately into their new songs. The older songs actually initiated some reaction. When “Elevation” was finally played, there came the sweet sound of fifty-five thousand people singing a note out of their range. At the opening strains of “Vertigo,” the crowd thrashed around wildly, and at “Sunday, Bloody Sunday,” everyone shrieked (both before, during, and after singing the first two verses). But when “Stuck in a Moment” came on, the entire stadium got lost in the sad peacefulness of nostalgia, and I actually saw one woman press her hands to her heart after the line, “Don’t say that later will be better.” When set to the simple scrambling of three notes, that line was like kryptonite to otherwise stoic listeners.
Unlike Muse, U2 didn’t feel the need for the lightshow, but they did use their claw-like structure to its full capacity. It transformed into a tye-dyed spider, ritzy Las Vegas opulence, and a ghostly pearly white, among many, many more—but what was most shocking was that the megatron expanded slowly downward. Honeycomb-esque holes formed so that the megatron was a longer, trellis-like incarnation of its earlier self.
Politics, it seemed, was a major theme for U2. “We hold these truths to be self-evident,” yelled Bono at one point, and that we hope for “an America that is big enough to fit the whole world.” He repeated “a non-violent revolution” several times in a softer voice. The crowd quieted down when Amnesty International members fanned out onstage; the stadium full of people was at a loss as to whether it should cheer or not. Whenever Bono slipped in references to Charlottesville or Virginia or Wahoos, the crowd knew to cheer, but U2’s emphasis on politics took away some of the comfortability that the crowd had previously taken pleasure in.
The crowd fought for its two encores with the waving of cell phones (the stadium looked like a glowing plant swaying underwater) and more screaming. Three people wrapped in the Irish flag hiked it up and waved it ecstatically until at long last U2 came back on. These two encores consisted of one U2 favorite each: “Where the Streets Have No Name” and “With or Without You.”
After the second encore, the crowd filtered out of the stadium in droves, many still chattering about the megatron, some commenting on the evolution of Bono’s voice into a tired echo. It was the chorus of the crowd favorite “Beautiful Day” that three blonde girls were humming as they negotiated the exit, “sky falls, you feel like it’s a beautiful day.” The stadium was still a-glow behind me as the crowd left, still singing.
-Gillian Douple
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Concert Report
Concert Report
This past weekend, I had the chance to go to Eden’s Crunkfest, an afternoon long concert featuring many of today’s hottest artists. The lineup included Soulja Boy, Pleasure P, Jeremih, Young Jeezy, and Lil Wayne. I was especially excited to see Lil Wayne, whose reputation has ignited over the course of the past year. Of course, the person making that bold declaration was Lil Wayne himself, who headlined a lineup of hip-hop hit makers on the night. The concert only half-filled the St. Paul arena with 7,400 fans (mostly high school students) made the shows name laughable, but so were many other things about the show.
By the time Wayne, the dreadlocked New Orleans superstar delivered the all-bravado song "We Steady Mobbin" a half-hour into his nearly two-hour set, it was clear the little guy was at least the greatest performer of the night. Big whoop, though. Openers Young Jeezy, Soulja Boy, Pleasure P and Jeremih amounted to two hours of vapid, radio-oriented, money-worshiping rap and R&B music. These guys should have also opened Nas's "Hip-Hop Is Dead" tour to help prove the point. For one thing, the ratio of pre-recorded vocals to live vocals during the first three acts' set was about 4 to 1, with pinup rapper Soulja Boy going even higher. To be fair to Soulja Boy though: would you want to go out on stage every night and say the jaw-dropping lines in "Kiss Me Through the Phone"? Upgrading the musicianship with a live band, Young Jeezy was still a letdown in the charisma department, demonstrating why Lil Wayne (who once opened for him here) has passed him up. Jeezy is just one of the flattest rappers in the business. It was Jeezy who seemed absent as he dryly, vacantly rushed through such hits as "Put On" and "I Luv It.
Wayne, a k a Weezy, didn't exactly raise the social value with his opening fire-starters, "A Milli" and "Got Money." And he pretty well avoided the use of brain cells a few songs later with the martian code, "Phone Home." But Weezy at least proved he's a dynamic performer, one with an adventurous streak. He proved it as he bounced around the stage wildly during most of the show. He proved it as he breathlessly tore through "Tie My Hands" and "Shoot Me Down" late in the set. He proved it simply by having the smarts to take the stage wearing a NC ball cap. He also let his Young Money Entertainment protégés such as Shanell and Birdman take over the stage too often, but at least they were better entertainers than the better-known openers.
This past weekend, I had the chance to go to Eden’s Crunkfest, an afternoon long concert featuring many of today’s hottest artists. The lineup included Soulja Boy, Pleasure P, Jeremih, Young Jeezy, and Lil Wayne. I was especially excited to see Lil Wayne, whose reputation has ignited over the course of the past year. Of course, the person making that bold declaration was Lil Wayne himself, who headlined a lineup of hip-hop hit makers on the night. The concert only half-filled the St. Paul arena with 7,400 fans (mostly high school students) made the shows name laughable, but so were many other things about the show.
By the time Wayne, the dreadlocked New Orleans superstar delivered the all-bravado song "We Steady Mobbin" a half-hour into his nearly two-hour set, it was clear the little guy was at least the greatest performer of the night. Big whoop, though. Openers Young Jeezy, Soulja Boy, Pleasure P and Jeremih amounted to two hours of vapid, radio-oriented, money-worshiping rap and R&B music. These guys should have also opened Nas's "Hip-Hop Is Dead" tour to help prove the point. For one thing, the ratio of pre-recorded vocals to live vocals during the first three acts' set was about 4 to 1, with pinup rapper Soulja Boy going even higher. To be fair to Soulja Boy though: would you want to go out on stage every night and say the jaw-dropping lines in "Kiss Me Through the Phone"? Upgrading the musicianship with a live band, Young Jeezy was still a letdown in the charisma department, demonstrating why Lil Wayne (who once opened for him here) has passed him up. Jeezy is just one of the flattest rappers in the business. It was Jeezy who seemed absent as he dryly, vacantly rushed through such hits as "Put On" and "I Luv It.
Wayne, a k a Weezy, didn't exactly raise the social value with his opening fire-starters, "A Milli" and "Got Money." And he pretty well avoided the use of brain cells a few songs later with the martian code, "Phone Home." But Weezy at least proved he's a dynamic performer, one with an adventurous streak. He proved it as he bounced around the stage wildly during most of the show. He proved it as he breathlessly tore through "Tie My Hands" and "Shoot Me Down" late in the set. He proved it simply by having the smarts to take the stage wearing a NC ball cap. He also let his Young Money Entertainment protégés such as Shanell and Birdman take over the stage too often, but at least they were better entertainers than the better-known openers.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Gender According to GaGa
Modern pop music has been littered with a variety of teen friendly genres featuring flared jeaned buxom blonds projecting their broken hearts to all the distressed 14 year old girls around the globe, but none have taken an active stance to challenge hetero-normative gender ideology as that of Lady GaGa. While partaking in her show on September 28th, I was able to witness her varying transgressions as it pertains to challenging gender norms. While this is nothing new (the women’s liberation movement, bra burnings, and women’s slacks) Lady GaGa takes a particularly interesting approach to challenge gender through her art, music, and adherence to the queer community.
During the concert I was able to witness all of these in a dizzying array of technological gender empowerment that often left me in complete amazement. First I will take her art and physical appearance from the show to demonstrate her disrupting refusal of hetero-normative gender ideals. After a masterful introduction that was quite reminiscent of a Warhol-esque installation piece, she violently appears, encased in what could be described as no less than a “disco volcano” contraption that hid the majority of her body. Once she made her exit from this prop, she appears in a meticulously constructed dress that presents her bosom in such a fashion that begs your eye to wonder, and a hemline that follows suit. Herein lies the interesting form in which her personal gender identification takes its shape. While she celebrates her female form with ever lowering necklines, she also seeks a refusal of gender through the shape these outfits take. The aforementioned introductory dress also distorted the shape of her body in such a manner that left her exposed bosoms the only indicator of her physical sex. While she may draw your eye to a pantless form, she also toys with your perception of the female figure through a number of the outfits she dawns throughout the show. Another example of this would be her bubble bodysuit that she wears for the acousitic performance later in the show. Again, while her female genitalia rests in clear sight, she toys with the feminine figure by enveloping and contorting her shape with the appearance of bubbles escaping her human form.
The next avenue in which our Lady GaGa takes in order to alter our perception of gender is through the lyrics of her songs. During the concert she performed her countless number one hits such as Pokerface, Just Dance, and Paparazzi, each of which delivered its own prescribed level of sexual innuendo…directed at men…AND women. During much of her performance she would gesticulate in a masturbatory fashion to her countless fans, which elicited quite a rousing response (from me, as well). This is what I find most surprising about her lyrics/music. While most songs refer to “showing HIM what I got” and delivering her signature “pokerface” to that of a male counterpart, she is still able to incorporate a sizeable amount of gender-preference ambiguity into her performance. Thus inviting all onlookers (male and female) to be inside her…and her music in a sense that is quite sexual but not offensively so.
Lastly, it is her allegiance to the queer community that serves as the final blow to the conventionally accepted notion of gender. This community has historically found itself blurring gender roles, gender titles, and gender performances. Lady GaGa openly speaks about the role of the queer community as the driving force behind most, if not all of her work. Her strength to defy our gendered logic is in part derived from the community’s own refusal of western ideologies on this matter. Throughout the show she would continually reach out to her queer fans by asking, “WHERE ARE MY GAY BOYS?” and thanking the queer community for coming to her performance. This is quite common during her performances because it is usually those who identify with the queer community that deliver the highest levels of dedication to their appearances for her concerts.
With all of these parts, it is the entirety of the GaGa experience that seeks to challenge, intrigue, poke fun at, and inspire all to share in this greater perspective of gender, sexuality, and the human experience
through some great tunes, and a whole lot of glitter.
(all images were from the concert I attended. We had amazing seats)
Concert Report :Tamir Mengesha
September 11th or 12th is the Ethiopian New Year. This year was the beginning of the year 2002 for us. I went back home to the DC,MD, VA area where there is a very high population of Ethiopians and other West and East Africans who tend to celebrate with us. I went out with my siblings to a club called Republic Gardens in Washington DC. It wasn’t the only place to celebrate, but it was the most diverse. There was a live Dj for part of the night and towards the end there was a live Ethiopian Band.
Ethiopian dance music is generally loud and upbeat. As the band was playing Ethiopians from different tribes were dancing their traditional dances. However, even if one is not from that particular tribe, he/she could try and do the dances with them. I am half “Amara” and half “Oromo” so those dances come easy to me as well as “Guragegna” and “Tigrigna” Which are the main tribes of the country, Since Ethiopia has over 82 tribes and languages it is impossible to know all of them since some live in seclusion and isolation. Recently a small tribe called “Hamur” emerged in the media. They were foreign to the rest of us but were welcomed.
The band was comprised of six people playing popular, or well known, instruments such as the electric guitar, bass, keyboard, and drums. As well as traditional Ethiopian instruments such as the “Masinko”, a one-string bowed lute; and the “Kirar”, a six-string lyre. The band began playing Hamur music and their dancers demonstrated their cultural dance. They wore thick, heavy bracelets on each wrist and rubbed them together while circling their hips and jumping from side to side. There were two vocalists, one male and one female, with the male singing the verses and the female joining him for the chorus.
Ethiopian songs are very long; they can last up to seven minutes per song, giving the band time to play the melody without vocals on top of it. This also gives people more time to enjoy all elements of the song while dancing and singing along. There was a lot of call and response as the artists usually call out lyrics, make jokes, and even jump of stage to dance with the crowd as the band plays, Similar to the artist-audience interaction of “Black Music” in the early 20th century. Also, like “Black Music”, the reggae songs speak about: the hate for the current government in the country, the love for the country and culture, an end to famine & poverty, and also the relationships between family members and significant others. They bring social issues into the music so that the audience can feel a personal connection with them and also have a form of release for their frustrations on issues.
The reggae songs, sung in Amharic the national language of Ethiopia, were musically based on a rhythmic style that has accents on the “off-beat” accenting the second and fourth beat in each bar. This gives the songs a bounce and a steady flow which allows slow and relaxed dancing, alone or with other people, by moving side to side. In this relaxed state we were able to zone into the lyrics of the song and really feel the power of the message. Some people were hopping around and screaming the lyrics, I guess they were really feeling it, because the environment allowed us to freely use our bodies in expression. They served traditional bread and coffee for the club goers to take breaks, sit down and have conversations in the back. At the end of the night everyone walked out of the club drenched in sweat and with their hearts racing.
Overall it was a very peaceful night because sometimes certain disputing tribes tend to get into arguments fueled by their pride. The ending with uppity dance music put everyone in a good mood. That night just reminded all of us that no matter what tribe we are in, we are all Ethiopians. After all, we were sharing one New Year.
Ethiopian dance music is generally loud and upbeat. As the band was playing Ethiopians from different tribes were dancing their traditional dances. However, even if one is not from that particular tribe, he/she could try and do the dances with them. I am half “Amara” and half “Oromo” so those dances come easy to me as well as “Guragegna” and “Tigrigna” Which are the main tribes of the country, Since Ethiopia has over 82 tribes and languages it is impossible to know all of them since some live in seclusion and isolation. Recently a small tribe called “Hamur” emerged in the media. They were foreign to the rest of us but were welcomed.
The band was comprised of six people playing popular, or well known, instruments such as the electric guitar, bass, keyboard, and drums. As well as traditional Ethiopian instruments such as the “Masinko”, a one-string bowed lute; and the “Kirar”, a six-string lyre. The band began playing Hamur music and their dancers demonstrated their cultural dance. They wore thick, heavy bracelets on each wrist and rubbed them together while circling their hips and jumping from side to side. There were two vocalists, one male and one female, with the male singing the verses and the female joining him for the chorus.
Ethiopian songs are very long; they can last up to seven minutes per song, giving the band time to play the melody without vocals on top of it. This also gives people more time to enjoy all elements of the song while dancing and singing along. There was a lot of call and response as the artists usually call out lyrics, make jokes, and even jump of stage to dance with the crowd as the band plays, Similar to the artist-audience interaction of “Black Music” in the early 20th century. Also, like “Black Music”, the reggae songs speak about: the hate for the current government in the country, the love for the country and culture, an end to famine & poverty, and also the relationships between family members and significant others. They bring social issues into the music so that the audience can feel a personal connection with them and also have a form of release for their frustrations on issues.
The reggae songs, sung in Amharic the national language of Ethiopia, were musically based on a rhythmic style that has accents on the “off-beat” accenting the second and fourth beat in each bar. This gives the songs a bounce and a steady flow which allows slow and relaxed dancing, alone or with other people, by moving side to side. In this relaxed state we were able to zone into the lyrics of the song and really feel the power of the message. Some people were hopping around and screaming the lyrics, I guess they were really feeling it, because the environment allowed us to freely use our bodies in expression. They served traditional bread and coffee for the club goers to take breaks, sit down and have conversations in the back. At the end of the night everyone walked out of the club drenched in sweat and with their hearts racing.
Overall it was a very peaceful night because sometimes certain disputing tribes tend to get into arguments fueled by their pride. The ending with uppity dance music put everyone in a good mood. That night just reminded all of us that no matter what tribe we are in, we are all Ethiopians. After all, we were sharing one New Year.
Chinese Arts found in Texas
Upon arriving at Houston’s Chinese performing arts festival on Saturday September 26th, I had little preconceptions of what to expect. Being my first time in Texas, I was unsure what the projected demographic would be, and also, the authenticity of the performance. The performance began at noon in heat and humidity that would make any outdoor event uncomfortable to say the least. But braving the harsh conditions we arrived at Miller Park, an outdoor theatre situated on the edge of an expansive park in downtown Houston. The theatre was configured in a traditional “sea shell” fashion, where the audience radiated around the stage underneath a fabric canopy. Additional seating lay behind the boundaries of the theatre on a grassy hill where families were more inclined to sit and allow their children to run around and play. Interactions between audience members seemed restless and many people were talking amongst one another, encouraging a much more informal environment than if the event had been cast indoors. The restlessness of the crowd was exacerbated by the overwhelming presence of small children. It had seemed that the predominantly Asian audience had brought their families to this event as if to educate their children on the culture from which they originated. Although so many children were present, the majority of the families sat in the rear or on the field altogether to avoid having their children cause a distraction from the performance. Successful in keeping the children from visually distracting the performance, the acoustics they provided did not help the poor acoustics of the theatre itself. Being outside, sound was lost easily and the theatre built from softer materials than it probably should have been allowed for small reverberation times. This caused the opera and other less amplified performances extremely hard to focus on as there were literally outside distractions. I believe that the poor acoustics encouraged more talking and thus, less of the audience gave their full and undivided attention to a single performance and even less so to the entire event. Another hindrance to maintaining the audience’s full attention may have been the language barrier. All performances were conducted in Chinese and it was interesting to note that if the performance was more visually based, the audience paid stronger attention to what was occurring on stage. The performances that were acoustically performed tended to be translations of traditional opera songs, songs easily recognized to have been sung by the three tenors. Chinese Pop songs were also integrated into the mix to attract the attention of the younger crowd. Both types though polar opposites were beautifully sung but were unfortunately the performances that were most disrespected. In contrast, the performances that conducted the most attention were Kung Fu and Tai Chi. Both presentations were accompanied by more traditional Chinese music than what was sang in other performances, and provided a rhythmic meter for the performers to display their act.
The Chinese performing arts festival was a beautiful event culturally and “atmospherically”. Set outdoors in a beautiful park in Houston’s dense urban jungle, the event was appreciated by both passerby’s and dedicated audience members. Though it did not captivate the audience’s full attention, the event provided a moment of brevity for both families and onlookers to escape from the harsh sun.
The Chinese performing arts festival was a beautiful event culturally and “atmospherically”. Set outdoors in a beautiful park in Houston’s dense urban jungle, the event was appreciated by both passerby’s and dedicated audience members. Though it did not captivate the audience’s full attention, the event provided a moment of brevity for both families and onlookers to escape from the harsh sun.
Goo Goo for GaGa!
The lights dimmed. The crowd goes wild. A concert set to start at 8:00 pm pushed back to 8:45 pm at the Landmark Theater in Richmond had the patrons anxiously awaiting the arrival of the guest of honor: Lady Gaga. She came with a vengeance and had the audience under her “disco stick” until the last song. She brought her soul, her heart, her everything to Richmond, Virginia on September 28,2009.
The audience was a grab bag. Lady Gaga doesn’t bring your ‘regular’ concertgoers. Lady Gaga’s music and personality embraces individual expression beyond belief. Everyone who is into media these days can look for an example of Gaga’s fashion. The audience was no different. There were people dressed in skinny jeans, dresses, wigs; it was a regular circus. My roommates and I went all out for the concert with original outfits designed and created by Brendan Tufts ’11. The audience loved the atmosphere of the concert. Before the concert started they played upbeat techno music to get the audience pumped and there was a quite an anxious, but timid dance party that broke out to ease the desire to see Gaga herself.
I was in the second row outside of the ‘pit’ that had two rows of fold out chairs. So I was very, very close. When the lights dimmed you could feel the energy in the concert surge. The curtain fell and Gaga was on stage inside what would look like a volcano. She stormed the staged after an epic high-energy intro ready to take Richmond on.
Her musical style embraces a sound of its own. A little rock, a little pop, a little GAGA! Her vocals at the concert were SUPERB. This was no Britney Spears concert of strong ‘back up vocals.’ Gaga sang with a live mic through dance moves, picks ups, and flashing lights. Her vocals were gritty and full of energy. She had a falsetto that made my hairs on my neck stand on end. The one very important thing about this concert that made it good and kept the audience going wild was her variation. She varied her music. Gaga didn’t get on stage and sing her songs straight as you would here them on the CD. She fused techno remixes of her songs, acapella versions, and video versions of her songs.
Two songs embraced this idea: “Poker Face” and “Love Game.” These are two of Gaga’s biggest hits right now and she didn’t give the basic track from the CD she gave us so much more. During “Lovegame,” after revealing her infamous “Disco Stick” and performing a very high-energy version of the song she cut to a musical breakdown and cut to her ChewFu Ghettohouse Remix of the song. Not only is that mix one of my favorite techno mixes of the song, but also it sent the crowd wild. Then, later she flipped the high-energy song “PokerFace” on its back and performed it acapella with only a piano adding new fun, crowd-pleasing lyrics. During this song she got gritty and had hard hitting moments like Gaga standing banging some of the notes with her high-heeled foot. Awesome!
Back to the concept of fashion at the concert, as discussed in class, Ziggy Stardust broke down gender norms with a very gender-neutral ambiguity of his music sound and style. Gaga is no exception. Gaga entered the stage with a futuristic, silver, shiny dress that look liked it was straight out of the Jetsons. Then she transitioned to a jean jacket with huge pointed shoulder pads on it that would send any headmistress to the mall for a new look. Nothing was better than her entrance in a nude body suit wearing a clear jacket made out of solid bubbles. It was bold, it was new, and it was Gaga.
Last thing to note was the lighting and band. Bright strobe lights and fog added a great addition to this concert. Strobe lights would blind the audience at times for effect. The lights went right with the music. Gaga’s band was a special guest called “Kids.” Kid's awesome guitar rifts and drumming added a live and awesome effect to the concert.
She came with a vengeance! She wowed, she awed, and she is changing the future of music. She is an innovator, creator of fantastic music, and an idol. Gaga breaks down gender stereotypes of heterosexuality and normativity. Gaga loves one and all and it was apparent in this concert. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED GAGA!
Stepping Outside my Musical Box
In all of my twenty-two years I have never experienced a concert so puzzling. One that made me ponder. Even feel as though I had taken part in some eerie cult ritual. The atmosphere and audience were different. The musicians were in their own world producing interesting sounds. The choice of instruments and how they were played was even different. This was the case when I attended the concert Wendy invited the class to in Old Cabell Hall on Friday, September 18. Since I was going to the concert for a class assignment I had pen and pad ready. When I walked in I realized notes were not necessary. The concert would be something I would never forget.
The audience was not arranged in a traditional concert going style. The viewers of the concert had the ability to walk around. In a traditional concert setting the audience is stationary as the musicians perform in front of them. At this particular concert the audience was able to choose which feature of the show they wanted to enjoy. The majority of the audience was graduate students according to Wendy Hsu. They were all dressed nicely and seemed inquisitive about the music style that was being rendered. Some concert goers even sat down in the aisle and on the stairs as they soaked in the musical offering. I continued to walk around and explore each station while still being completely freaked out and confused.
The most interesting dynamic of the concert was the musicians and how they were producing sound. There was one station where our teacher Wendy Hsu produced music on a bicycle. I must say that was a first for me. She used some sort of wooden stick and made music on the bike’s spokes. She also made music using the peddles of the bike. The sounds were amplified by a tiny amp placed by her side. Interestingly, Wendy’s back was to the audience as she played her bicycle. I was blown away with the unique use of a bicycle to produce music. Another musician was strumming his acoustic guitar with a silver spoon. At first I thought he was using a very shiny, large guitar pick. I later interviewed Wendy and she informed me it was indeed a spoon he was playing with. There was also a guy who was playing the bass. Not much was strange about the way in which the bass was played. It did seem a little untraditional when the bass player picked the large instrument up and carried it across the room. I had never seen that done before. The bass is usually stationary. The bass player had a solo which was interesting. There was another guy sitting on the floor with an overhead projector, digital projector, a laptop and several different colors of paints. I could not understand the purpose until my interview with Wendy. There was another female sitting at a desk with a laptop and several household items. These items consisted of duct tape, wine glasses, coins, spoons, and bottles. She used these items to produce sounds on her computer. She frequently blew into the microphone of her computer, changing the setting on the program.
The actual sound of the music being produced was very deep. The notes were sharp and edgy. The music sounded like something from a horror movie or possibly a bad dream. None of the music was repeated the entire time. Before interviewing Wendy I wondered if the music was random and unrehearsed because it came across as such. Everything was original and completely impromptu according to Wendy. The sounds were often altered digitally with laptops at each station. There was also a guy who controlled a sound board on his computer that produced recorded sounds. Some sounds were that of nature and I even heard a car horn at one point.
After interviewing Wendy I felt a little more at ease. I was informed that I had not taken part in a cult ritual but had experienced a new wave of digital music production. These graduate students were breaking ground in the music world. The guy on the floor was not finger painting, but producing and projecting digital art. Since the performance was completely a cappella I personally could not derive a meaning from the music. The gender ratio was 3 females to 4 males which seemed normal. It was interesting to see how the males played traditional instruments (bass and guitar) whereas the females were a little more abstract in their choice of instruments (bike, coins, wine glass). All in all I am thankful I was forced outside of my musical box and experienced such an innovative form of music.
-Danielle Johnson
The audience was not arranged in a traditional concert going style. The viewers of the concert had the ability to walk around. In a traditional concert setting the audience is stationary as the musicians perform in front of them. At this particular concert the audience was able to choose which feature of the show they wanted to enjoy. The majority of the audience was graduate students according to Wendy Hsu. They were all dressed nicely and seemed inquisitive about the music style that was being rendered. Some concert goers even sat down in the aisle and on the stairs as they soaked in the musical offering. I continued to walk around and explore each station while still being completely freaked out and confused.
The most interesting dynamic of the concert was the musicians and how they were producing sound. There was one station where our teacher Wendy Hsu produced music on a bicycle. I must say that was a first for me. She used some sort of wooden stick and made music on the bike’s spokes. She also made music using the peddles of the bike. The sounds were amplified by a tiny amp placed by her side. Interestingly, Wendy’s back was to the audience as she played her bicycle. I was blown away with the unique use of a bicycle to produce music. Another musician was strumming his acoustic guitar with a silver spoon. At first I thought he was using a very shiny, large guitar pick. I later interviewed Wendy and she informed me it was indeed a spoon he was playing with. There was also a guy who was playing the bass. Not much was strange about the way in which the bass was played. It did seem a little untraditional when the bass player picked the large instrument up and carried it across the room. I had never seen that done before. The bass is usually stationary. The bass player had a solo which was interesting. There was another guy sitting on the floor with an overhead projector, digital projector, a laptop and several different colors of paints. I could not understand the purpose until my interview with Wendy. There was another female sitting at a desk with a laptop and several household items. These items consisted of duct tape, wine glasses, coins, spoons, and bottles. She used these items to produce sounds on her computer. She frequently blew into the microphone of her computer, changing the setting on the program.
The actual sound of the music being produced was very deep. The notes were sharp and edgy. The music sounded like something from a horror movie or possibly a bad dream. None of the music was repeated the entire time. Before interviewing Wendy I wondered if the music was random and unrehearsed because it came across as such. Everything was original and completely impromptu according to Wendy. The sounds were often altered digitally with laptops at each station. There was also a guy who controlled a sound board on his computer that produced recorded sounds. Some sounds were that of nature and I even heard a car horn at one point.
After interviewing Wendy I felt a little more at ease. I was informed that I had not taken part in a cult ritual but had experienced a new wave of digital music production. These graduate students were breaking ground in the music world. The guy on the floor was not finger painting, but producing and projecting digital art. Since the performance was completely a cappella I personally could not derive a meaning from the music. The gender ratio was 3 females to 4 males which seemed normal. It was interesting to see how the males played traditional instruments (bass and guitar) whereas the females were a little more abstract in their choice of instruments (bike, coins, wine glass). All in all I am thankful I was forced outside of my musical box and experienced such an innovative form of music.
-Danielle Johnson
Rocky Hollow
As a fourth year I have seen many student bands at a variety of social events throughout my time at UVa. These bands range from the university's a cappella groups and orchestras to bands that play at fraternity parties and bars. However, I have never experienced these student bands from an ethnographic researcher's perspective. Observing the student band,"Rocky Hollow" over the weekend with this course's key concepts and ideas in mind as opposed to simply watching their live music for enjoyment was a very interesting experience.
Rocky Hollow is a band of UVa students whose musical style is a fusion of jazz and classic rock. The band members include a guitarist, bassist, drummer, keyboard player, and a member who played the flute and the saxophone. Their performance was almost all cover songs of a wide variety of groups including CCR and Pretty Lights. Since Pretty Lights is a group comprised of just a DJ and a drummer, the way this group translated their music into traditional "rock band" instrumentation was creative and demonstrated their individual talents.
As the band was warming up I paid close attention to the member's mannerisms, conversations, and body language and immediately recalled Carey Sargent's lecture on "doing gender." Throughout the night I noticed several of the trends she observed in her research on the role of gender in people's interactions is a musical atmosphere; the most prominent interactions were deliberate attempts to "do masculinity."
First this group fit the social norm of the guitar centered rock group composed of all males. Their interactions amongst each other did show signs of "doing gender," but it was mostly their interactions with the audience, or the audience's responses that struck me as most related to Carey's research. As Rocky Hollow warmed up for their performance, an older couple approached the band's keyboard player and began inquiring about the group. Immediately I noticed that the man in the couple started asking questions about the instruments and the sound, while the woman stood quietly next to him. When she spoke to the key board player, her questions were not related to any of the instruments or the music, but were more personal questions focusing on the band members themselves.
Furthermore, I went with a group of four or five of my male friends to watch this concert, and their response to Rocky Hollow was so accurately related to Carey's findings of males trying to use a "technicalized" language that is was almost comical. Out of my friends, only one has a strong musical background which includes playing in his high school band, but each of them had strong opinions on Rocky Hollow's performance and talent. While my musical jargon is very limited, their conversations seemed like an attempt to "do masculinity" and show off their musical knowledge, even if it was inaccurate. Such comments included, "he could kick it out a little more," when referring to the drummer, or "their vibe is good but they could be a little tighter," when talking about the group as a whole. Meanwhile, each time one of them commentated on the band, the others nodded enthusiastically in agreement and as a sign that they were up to par in their knowledge on the topic of conversation.
In conclusion, Rocky Hollow's performance was entertaining and showed their talent as musicians. However, the aspect of this concert I found most relevant in my research was the interactions and reactions among the audience members. The people I sat with attempted to "do masculinity" by trying to assert their musical "knowledge." The audience members who interacted with the band also appeared to be "doing gender" when their specific questions and mannerisms reflected the patterns Carey observed in her research on men and women's interactions in instrument stores. This was a great way to experience ideas we are covering in class, and I look forward to the next concert report.
Rocky Hollow is a band of UVa students whose musical style is a fusion of jazz and classic rock. The band members include a guitarist, bassist, drummer, keyboard player, and a member who played the flute and the saxophone. Their performance was almost all cover songs of a wide variety of groups including CCR and Pretty Lights. Since Pretty Lights is a group comprised of just a DJ and a drummer, the way this group translated their music into traditional "rock band" instrumentation was creative and demonstrated their individual talents.
As the band was warming up I paid close attention to the member's mannerisms, conversations, and body language and immediately recalled Carey Sargent's lecture on "doing gender." Throughout the night I noticed several of the trends she observed in her research on the role of gender in people's interactions is a musical atmosphere; the most prominent interactions were deliberate attempts to "do masculinity."
First this group fit the social norm of the guitar centered rock group composed of all males. Their interactions amongst each other did show signs of "doing gender," but it was mostly their interactions with the audience, or the audience's responses that struck me as most related to Carey's research. As Rocky Hollow warmed up for their performance, an older couple approached the band's keyboard player and began inquiring about the group. Immediately I noticed that the man in the couple started asking questions about the instruments and the sound, while the woman stood quietly next to him. When she spoke to the key board player, her questions were not related to any of the instruments or the music, but were more personal questions focusing on the band members themselves.
Furthermore, I went with a group of four or five of my male friends to watch this concert, and their response to Rocky Hollow was so accurately related to Carey's findings of males trying to use a "technicalized" language that is was almost comical. Out of my friends, only one has a strong musical background which includes playing in his high school band, but each of them had strong opinions on Rocky Hollow's performance and talent. While my musical jargon is very limited, their conversations seemed like an attempt to "do masculinity" and show off their musical knowledge, even if it was inaccurate. Such comments included, "he could kick it out a little more," when referring to the drummer, or "their vibe is good but they could be a little tighter," when talking about the group as a whole. Meanwhile, each time one of them commentated on the band, the others nodded enthusiastically in agreement and as a sign that they were up to par in their knowledge on the topic of conversation.
In conclusion, Rocky Hollow's performance was entertaining and showed their talent as musicians. However, the aspect of this concert I found most relevant in my research was the interactions and reactions among the audience members. The people I sat with attempted to "do masculinity" by trying to assert their musical "knowledge." The audience members who interacted with the band also appeared to be "doing gender" when their specific questions and mannerisms reflected the patterns Carey observed in her research on men and women's interactions in instrument stores. This was a great way to experience ideas we are covering in class, and I look forward to the next concert report.
Femininity of Quirky Folk Pop
Self-described “quirky folk pop” artist Ingrid Michaelson stopped by Charlottesville last week on her “Everybody” Tour. Along with the densely packed crowd of Ingrid’s passionate fan base, I fought to secure my spot to not only view, but also experience, this live performance. Quite notable was the strong female stage presence on the verge of overt stage dominance. The band was composed of three women and three men. While the gender ratio was equal, the situation of genders on the stage was not. All three women, with Ingrid on center stage, stood downstage (in front of) from their male band mates. This may have been partly attributable to the instruments and vocal contributions (or lack thereof) of each band member. If the audience had any doubt about the strict gender differences illustrated on stage, they need only watch the musicians quench their thirst. All men drank from bright blue plastic cups while the women had neon pink cups.
Ingrid took lead vocals in all songs while playing either the acoustic guitar or the ukulele. On either side of her, a female band member stood contributing harmonizing vocals and guitar accompaniment (one acoustic, one electric). Upstage, the men played more stationary instruments: one man on drums, one on the keyboards (and several other instruments including tambourine, guitar, and accordion), and the final member playing bass guitar. The male band members made few vocal contributions to the music and did so only in songs which reflected positively on romantic relationships. One notable male vocal contribution was made by Greg Laswell, a fellow folk musician and friend of Ingrid Michaelson. He joined her on stage to sing a duet the two had written together, performing with the accompaniment of Ingrid’s acoustic guitar and sharing one microphone. The couple sang cheek to cheek at points throughout the song, leaving time to discuss the lyrics on stage during the headliner’s memory lapse.
The feminine vocal quality of the Ingrid Michaleson’s music was showcased throughout the show. Her use of female vocal harmonizing was especially notable in songs like “The Chain,” which is a canon performed by the three women of the band. She often sang quietly (especially while seated alone on the stage) and with a breathy voice, especially notable in her cover of Radiohead’s “Creep.” Other songs highlighted a more playful musicality and stronger, more upbeat vocal qualities. One noteworthy example was “You and I,” a song performed by all the musicians on tour. Each musician sang one line of verse then all sang the chorus together accompanied by Michaelson on the ukulele.
The intimate setting and Ingrid’s style of performance allowed for a great deal of audience interaction. The performers would tell jokes and short stories during interludes. Audience members sang along to every song, especially when requested by the performer. Ingrid Michaelson would instruct the audience which lyrics to sing prior to beginning the song. Several songs include a clapping or stomping beat, which the audience performed along with the band members. One particular instance of audience interaction elicited what I refer to as the “crouching encore.” During a lull between songs, one mother shouted out “Far Away. I have three nine-girls whose favorite song is Far Away but they are getting sleepy and need to go home.” From the stage Ingrid replied, “That’s the encore song, but we’re almost there. Hang in there.” After the last and currently most popular song, “Maybe,” the band members crouched down on the stage, mimicking an exit from the show and noting that the green room was too far away. After several seconds of vigorous clapping and cheering, the band popped back up to resume with the encore set, first making sure the nine-year olds were still there. The show closed with “Far Away” and an original song paying homage to Mexican food while on the road, set to the tune of “Maybe.” Ingrid Michaelson as a live performer showcased her musically and vocally unique songs while displaying a playful and interactive personality.
Ingrid took lead vocals in all songs while playing either the acoustic guitar or the ukulele. On either side of her, a female band member stood contributing harmonizing vocals and guitar accompaniment (one acoustic, one electric). Upstage, the men played more stationary instruments: one man on drums, one on the keyboards (and several other instruments including tambourine, guitar, and accordion), and the final member playing bass guitar. The male band members made few vocal contributions to the music and did so only in songs which reflected positively on romantic relationships. One notable male vocal contribution was made by Greg Laswell, a fellow folk musician and friend of Ingrid Michaelson. He joined her on stage to sing a duet the two had written together, performing with the accompaniment of Ingrid’s acoustic guitar and sharing one microphone. The couple sang cheek to cheek at points throughout the song, leaving time to discuss the lyrics on stage during the headliner’s memory lapse.
The feminine vocal quality of the Ingrid Michaleson’s music was showcased throughout the show. Her use of female vocal harmonizing was especially notable in songs like “The Chain,” which is a canon performed by the three women of the band. She often sang quietly (especially while seated alone on the stage) and with a breathy voice, especially notable in her cover of Radiohead’s “Creep.” Other songs highlighted a more playful musicality and stronger, more upbeat vocal qualities. One noteworthy example was “You and I,” a song performed by all the musicians on tour. Each musician sang one line of verse then all sang the chorus together accompanied by Michaelson on the ukulele.
The intimate setting and Ingrid’s style of performance allowed for a great deal of audience interaction. The performers would tell jokes and short stories during interludes. Audience members sang along to every song, especially when requested by the performer. Ingrid Michaelson would instruct the audience which lyrics to sing prior to beginning the song. Several songs include a clapping or stomping beat, which the audience performed along with the band members. One particular instance of audience interaction elicited what I refer to as the “crouching encore.” During a lull between songs, one mother shouted out “Far Away. I have three nine-girls whose favorite song is Far Away but they are getting sleepy and need to go home.” From the stage Ingrid replied, “That’s the encore song, but we’re almost there. Hang in there.” After the last and currently most popular song, “Maybe,” the band members crouched down on the stage, mimicking an exit from the show and noting that the green room was too far away. After several seconds of vigorous clapping and cheering, the band popped back up to resume with the encore set, first making sure the nine-year olds were still there. The show closed with “Far Away” and an original song paying homage to Mexican food while on the road, set to the tune of “Maybe.” Ingrid Michaelson as a live performer showcased her musically and vocally unique songs while displaying a playful and interactive personality.
Concert in Old Cabell Hall
Concert in Old Cabell Hall
As someone who has never really been to a concert, I didn’t have very high expectations upon entering Old Cabell Hall on Friday, September 18, 2009. Guaranteed, I know the difference between a full out concert in Madison Square Garden and an intimate concert like this one, it’s just that I didn’t really have any expectations for the performance other than to simply hear music. I will admit that I did expect to hear music from a band in the conventional way that is so dominant in society—a guitar, drums, bass, singer, keyboards, and maybe a few other instruments thrown in. The ensemble that performed, which included Wendy Hsu, was not at conventional in my mind and I was pleasantly surprised by their performance.
Upon entering the lobby of Old Cabell, I noticed that there were very few people there. I could see common instruments such as a guitar and a cello, but then I also noticed amps by a bicycle and plenty of laptops around with amps beside them as well. I was a little early so I waited outside until the start time. After I went back inside for the performance to begin, I was surprised by what I saw. Where five minutes ago, there had been no audience, a group of people had appeared. Where there had been no musicians, there now appeared several, and where there had been no music, there was an abundance of sound. The audience all appeared to be graduate level students who were there for a class or lecture of some type. The audience was predominantly Caucasian and the male to female ratio was pretty much balanced. Each individual was dressed professionally and majority wore name tags that stated they were students at other colleges and universities. Because the concert was held in the lobby of Old Cabell, there were no chairs or anything, so the audience either stood and walked around or sat on the floor. This further enhanced the intimate feeling of the concert and also allowed the audience to focus more on the music and the individual performances.
The concert was in some ways split up into different sections for each instrument. When I first walked back into the lobby, all of the artists were playing in one cohesive harmony. However, after a while, they broke down the main performance into mini performances. The first mini performance was of a guy using sounds on his laptop to create music. This was very interesting because he seemed to use snippets of sounds that were common and mixed them together with actual musical notes and this created a completely different and intriguing sound together. Even with this juxtaposition of common sounds with musical notes, the music flowed much like any other musical instrument. After his mini performance, another artist who played the guitar began to play. The thing I noticed the most about his guitar playing was that instead of using a pick, he used a spoon to strum the chords of the guitar. I thought this was very peculiar, but it definitely added to the eccentricity of the overall performance of the group. The sound he produced was a very soft, acoustic, calming sound that was nicely contrasted by the swelling and blunt sounds of the other instruments. One of the main instruments that produced this blunt sound was the cello, which the artist played standing up. The notes this artist produced were very strong and blunt, with quick and sharp movements across the chords. And to further add to the distinct sound this artist was making, he only added snippets of sounds while the other artists were playing which made these sounds stand out. One of the other stand-out artists of the group was Wendy. Her instrument was the bicycle and it was, in my opinion, the most interesting instrument. She used the bicycle wheels and pedals to create sort of everyday noises that were actually very rhythmic and created a very unique sound. Overall, the music produced by the group was sort of like a roller coaster in that the audience heard vastly different sounds and tones all in one performance.
After talking with Wendy about the performance, she informed me that the group had actually never practice together or performed this piece together before. I think that the fact that the performance was basically completely improvisational only adds to the intrigue of the performance. I was blown away by the ways that these artists were able to make music and the talent that it takes to recognize the music in these objects. I enjoyed the performance and am really glad that I experienced something this unconventional form of music.
As someone who has never really been to a concert, I didn’t have very high expectations upon entering Old Cabell Hall on Friday, September 18, 2009. Guaranteed, I know the difference between a full out concert in Madison Square Garden and an intimate concert like this one, it’s just that I didn’t really have any expectations for the performance other than to simply hear music. I will admit that I did expect to hear music from a band in the conventional way that is so dominant in society—a guitar, drums, bass, singer, keyboards, and maybe a few other instruments thrown in. The ensemble that performed, which included Wendy Hsu, was not at conventional in my mind and I was pleasantly surprised by their performance.
Upon entering the lobby of Old Cabell, I noticed that there were very few people there. I could see common instruments such as a guitar and a cello, but then I also noticed amps by a bicycle and plenty of laptops around with amps beside them as well. I was a little early so I waited outside until the start time. After I went back inside for the performance to begin, I was surprised by what I saw. Where five minutes ago, there had been no audience, a group of people had appeared. Where there had been no musicians, there now appeared several, and where there had been no music, there was an abundance of sound. The audience all appeared to be graduate level students who were there for a class or lecture of some type. The audience was predominantly Caucasian and the male to female ratio was pretty much balanced. Each individual was dressed professionally and majority wore name tags that stated they were students at other colleges and universities. Because the concert was held in the lobby of Old Cabell, there were no chairs or anything, so the audience either stood and walked around or sat on the floor. This further enhanced the intimate feeling of the concert and also allowed the audience to focus more on the music and the individual performances.
The concert was in some ways split up into different sections for each instrument. When I first walked back into the lobby, all of the artists were playing in one cohesive harmony. However, after a while, they broke down the main performance into mini performances. The first mini performance was of a guy using sounds on his laptop to create music. This was very interesting because he seemed to use snippets of sounds that were common and mixed them together with actual musical notes and this created a completely different and intriguing sound together. Even with this juxtaposition of common sounds with musical notes, the music flowed much like any other musical instrument. After his mini performance, another artist who played the guitar began to play. The thing I noticed the most about his guitar playing was that instead of using a pick, he used a spoon to strum the chords of the guitar. I thought this was very peculiar, but it definitely added to the eccentricity of the overall performance of the group. The sound he produced was a very soft, acoustic, calming sound that was nicely contrasted by the swelling and blunt sounds of the other instruments. One of the main instruments that produced this blunt sound was the cello, which the artist played standing up. The notes this artist produced were very strong and blunt, with quick and sharp movements across the chords. And to further add to the distinct sound this artist was making, he only added snippets of sounds while the other artists were playing which made these sounds stand out. One of the other stand-out artists of the group was Wendy. Her instrument was the bicycle and it was, in my opinion, the most interesting instrument. She used the bicycle wheels and pedals to create sort of everyday noises that were actually very rhythmic and created a very unique sound. Overall, the music produced by the group was sort of like a roller coaster in that the audience heard vastly different sounds and tones all in one performance.
After talking with Wendy about the performance, she informed me that the group had actually never practice together or performed this piece together before. I think that the fact that the performance was basically completely improvisational only adds to the intrigue of the performance. I was blown away by the ways that these artists were able to make music and the talent that it takes to recognize the music in these objects. I enjoyed the performance and am really glad that I experienced something this unconventional form of music.
Fall Extravaganza of the Arts
On September 18, I attended the Fall Extravaganza of the Arts Benefit Show at the Student Activities Building on the University of Virginia campus. The program featured performances by the following student performing arts groups: REMIX, Academical Village People, Oluponya Records, Step It Up, Mahogany Dance Troupe, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Black Expression and Thought Society (BEATS) and Amuse-Bouche. REMIX, Academical Village, and Oluponya Records are three of the many singing groups at UVa, the first two being acapella groups and the last being the only student record label on grounds.
Academical Village was the first acapella group to perform. This group was all male. The majority were Caucasian, so it surprised me when they performed hip hop selections. Their energy was very high. While performing each song, every member of the group connected with the audience by swaying from side to side and initiating periods of clapping during fast selections. At times it was hard to hear the soloist because this group chose not to use a microphone; however the background harmony was clear. They sang their selections with straight tones, or without the use of vibrato. Their voices were surprisingly light for males, but the resulting sound was amazing and bone-chilling.
The second acappella group to perform was REMIX. REMIX is known as the only “hip-hopcapella” group on grounds. This group is racially and gender-wise more diverse than the Academical Village. REMIX performed two songs. The first selection was “Love In This Club” by Usher. Traditionally a man sings the solo, but in this case a female took over. The soloist used the microphone to help project her voice. Her tone was strong with the use of a lot of vibrato. The background harmony was just as strong as the soloist, but without the use of microphones. During the verses the background remained steady and quiet. As the soloist transitioned from the verse to the chorus, the background harmony swelled. The second selection was the traditional REMIX medley which consists of R&B songs from the 1990s. Once again, a female soloist performed a song that was originally performed by a male.
The last musical group to perform that night was the Oluponya Record Label. There were three separate performances from students from the record label; however the selection I particularly enjoyed was a diverse group of young men (Asian and African-American) who fused hip hop with rock. Two of the young men rapped lyrics about being the best and “alpha dogs” of their group (a theme often seen in rap lyrics) while the other young men accompanied them with the keyboard and the electric guitar. It reminded me of the current trend in music fusion that has been developing over the past few years. An example of a similar fusion of hip hop and rock are Jay-Z and Linkin Park’s song “Encore/Numb”. The group of four young men kept the audiences attention by waving their hands in the air and “working” the stage. They made sure their lyrics were clear and appropriate for the audience.
All three musical groups were diverse and different in their performances. Each group tended to break the status quo and perform in their own manner. Some small cases of gender bending, or gender equality in Remix, music fusion in Oluponya, and Academical village went against the stereotypical “white boy band” approach and performed Hip Hop selections. Overall, the entire show was an excellent way of learning about the diverse performing arts groups on the university grounds. Did I mention it was free?
Academical Village was the first acapella group to perform. This group was all male. The majority were Caucasian, so it surprised me when they performed hip hop selections. Their energy was very high. While performing each song, every member of the group connected with the audience by swaying from side to side and initiating periods of clapping during fast selections. At times it was hard to hear the soloist because this group chose not to use a microphone; however the background harmony was clear. They sang their selections with straight tones, or without the use of vibrato. Their voices were surprisingly light for males, but the resulting sound was amazing and bone-chilling.
The second acappella group to perform was REMIX. REMIX is known as the only “hip-hopcapella” group on grounds. This group is racially and gender-wise more diverse than the Academical Village. REMIX performed two songs. The first selection was “Love In This Club” by Usher. Traditionally a man sings the solo, but in this case a female took over. The soloist used the microphone to help project her voice. Her tone was strong with the use of a lot of vibrato. The background harmony was just as strong as the soloist, but without the use of microphones. During the verses the background remained steady and quiet. As the soloist transitioned from the verse to the chorus, the background harmony swelled. The second selection was the traditional REMIX medley which consists of R&B songs from the 1990s. Once again, a female soloist performed a song that was originally performed by a male.
The last musical group to perform that night was the Oluponya Record Label. There were three separate performances from students from the record label; however the selection I particularly enjoyed was a diverse group of young men (Asian and African-American) who fused hip hop with rock. Two of the young men rapped lyrics about being the best and “alpha dogs” of their group (a theme often seen in rap lyrics) while the other young men accompanied them with the keyboard and the electric guitar. It reminded me of the current trend in music fusion that has been developing over the past few years. An example of a similar fusion of hip hop and rock are Jay-Z and Linkin Park’s song “Encore/Numb”. The group of four young men kept the audiences attention by waving their hands in the air and “working” the stage. They made sure their lyrics were clear and appropriate for the audience.
All three musical groups were diverse and different in their performances. Each group tended to break the status quo and perform in their own manner. Some small cases of gender bending, or gender equality in Remix, music fusion in Oluponya, and Academical village went against the stereotypical “white boy band” approach and performed Hip Hop selections. Overall, the entire show was an excellent way of learning about the diverse performing arts groups on the university grounds. Did I mention it was free?
Indie Reggae: The Greg Ward Project
The local indie reggae band, entitled The Greg Ward Project, played a show during a college party located on University Court in Charlottesville on September 11, 2009. Though some friends were hosting the party, I was additionally interested in attending, as I saw the band play at a bar called Coupe Deville on the Corner on Tuesday evenings this past summer. The GWP is especially intriguing because the band is a good illustration of crossing the racial divide within music.
The Greg Ward Project consists of three or four members at a time. The band is unique in its construction, as Greg Ward is the one constant member. He performs guitar and vocals. As the leader and creator of the group, he chooses other musicians to perform with him from time to time. Having seen the bad four or five times, it is accurate to note that band never consists of less than three members or more than four members. In addition to Greg’s guitar and vocals, there is usually a drummer, a bassist, and/or a more non-common instrument, such as a cowbell, or even a washboard-like instrument played with a stick. Such instrumentation is canonical for Reggae style music. Additionally, it is significant to note that though the Greg Ward Project plays covers at local bars and parties, they may not only play covers. At the party I attended, however, they did solely cover songs by Bob Marley and other recognizable Reggae musicians.
Reggae is frequently associated with black performers, as reggae music originated in Jamaica in the 1960s. But Greg Ward, along with all the other members of the band that I have observed, are of Caucasian descent. The musicality and lyrics of the sound that the Greg Ward Project exhibits are associated with the “musical encoding of blackness” (Shank, 262). In his article, “From Rice to Ice,” Barry Shank deciphers the characteristics of African –American musical elements – “cries…polyrhythms…blue notes…hums, moans, grunts…” (Shank, 262). In general, the genre of Reggae music displays many of the musical elements that Shank associates with African-American music.
Since black individuals typically sing the lyrics of the covers that the Greg Ward Project performed, so it is a little different to hear a Caucasian person singing them. This seems like a social construction within itself, and brings to mind Eminem breaking into the typically African-American rapping scene. Some of the Bob Marley lyrics that the Greg Ward Project sang included, “I shot the sheriff, but I didn't shoot no deputy, ooh, ooh, oo-ooh. Yeah! All around in my home town, they're tryin' to track me down; they say they want to bring me in guilty for the killing of a deputy” (http://www.elyrics.net/read/b/bob-marley-lyrics/i-shot-the-sheriff-lyrics.html). These lyrics are similar to the themes that are sung in “Cop Killer” surrounding the controversy of the Los Angeles riots (Shank, 269).
The instrumentation, musicality, and lyrics that the Greg Ward Project performs in their Reggae music covers directly relates to historic blackface minstrelsy. Firstly, the concept of white men performing the songs of the culture of black men is similar to the performance of blackface minstrelsy. Even the demographics of the concert support this similarity, as almost the entire audience at the concert was white, and mostly male, just like the audience of blackface minstrelsy performances. Finally, the idea of both love and theft discussed in class are present in the Greg Ward Project’s music, as the band lovingly performed the music “stolen” from black reggae artists. The performance by the Greg Ward Project brought up a great deal of complex ideas about music and racialization.
Symphony under the Stars (Concert Report 1)
(I apologize for the picture quality)
By examining, the demographic composition of the orchestra, one can gain insight into the roles that gender and race play in pops music. First, according to my observation, the orchestra did not contain any African American musicians. The majority of the performers were white with a fair amount of Asians. Granted, these observations were from a distance, so I cannot guarantee their accuracy; however, I am confident to say that the orchestra was comprised mainly of white musicians. Second, the demographic composition regarding gender suggests that musical instruments may be gendered. For example, all of the clarinet players were female. There was only one female trumpet player, and the strings seemed to be more evenly dispersed between the genders. Although these observations are interesting, I believe that in order to make larger conclusions regarding the demographic make-up of the orchestra, an in-depth study is needed to examine the demographics of the population of Charlottesville in relation to the demographic composition of the orchestra. It is difficult to make generalizations about race and gender in pops music from one performance by one orchestra.
Perhaps the greatest expression of race and gender in the performance was the orchestra’s piece selection. In addition to the theme song from ET, “Somewhere Out There” from An American Tale, and John Philip Sousa’s “The Stars and Stripes Forever,” the orchestra performed a suite from Carmen and a selection from South Pacific. In her introduction of the suite from Carmen, Music Director Kate Tamarkin presented a brief history of the opera. She revealed that the composer had difficulty locating someone to play the lead role of Carmen, a promiscuous gypsy, due to the social taboos she embodied as a heroine. However, once the role was filled, the play was not only socially accepted, but it also became one of the most famous operas of all time. By choosing to perform the selection from Carmen, Tamarkin also chose to address the tensions regarding gender that were present in the nineteenth century. As a character, Carmen was a contradictory representation of a woman as compared to traditional Victorian ideals. By performing the selection from Carmen and praising the opera in her introduction, Tamarkin not only displays her respect for the musical genius of the opera but also her support for the opera’s themes. Kate Tamarkin also chose to address racial prejudice in her piece selection by performing a number from South Pacific, a 1949 musical about love, war and racial prejudice. Tamarkin does not shy away from themes of race and gender; rather, she chooses to address these themes through music.
In conclusion, although all of the musicians in the Charlottesville and University Symphony Orchestra dressed identically and performed as a cohesive unit, the themes of race and gender do not disappear. Gender and race are more than overt, outward expressions through appearance and behavior. These themes can be also expressed subtly in musical performance such as though demographic composition and piece selection. However, in order to make greater generalizations about race and gender in pops music, further study is necessary.
On September 19, 2009 the Charlottesville and University Symphony Orchestra performed outdoors at UVA’s McIntire Amphitheatre. The pops concert entitled “Symphony under the Stars” brought together both university students and members of the local community in order to enjoy an evening of music. The lack of words and gestures both work together to mask the expression of race and gender in pops orchestra performance. However, even though gender and race may not be as overtly expressed in pops music as it is in pop music, these themes are still present. Gender and race are simply expressed in more subtle ways in pops orchestra music than in the music of Eminem, Britney Spears, and Kanye West. By examining the “Symphony under the Stars” performance of the Charlottesville and University Symphony Orchestra, one can see the expression of gender and race through the demographic composition and piece selection of the orchestra.
By examining, the demographic composition of the orchestra, one can gain insight into the roles that gender and race play in pops music. First, according to my observation, the orchestra did not contain any African American musicians. The majority of the performers were white with a fair amount of Asians. Granted, these observations were from a distance, so I cannot guarantee their accuracy; however, I am confident to say that the orchestra was comprised mainly of white musicians. Second, the demographic composition regarding gender suggests that musical instruments may be gendered. For example, all of the clarinet players were female. There was only one female trumpet player, and the strings seemed to be more evenly dispersed between the genders. Although these observations are interesting, I believe that in order to make larger conclusions regarding the demographic make-up of the orchestra, an in-depth study is needed to examine the demographics of the population of Charlottesville in relation to the demographic composition of the orchestra. It is difficult to make generalizations about race and gender in pops music from one performance by one orchestra.
Perhaps the greatest expression of race and gender in the performance was the orchestra’s piece selection. In addition to the theme song from ET, “Somewhere Out There” from An American Tale, and John Philip Sousa’s “The Stars and Stripes Forever,” the orchestra performed a suite from Carmen and a selection from South Pacific. In her introduction of the suite from Carmen, Music Director Kate Tamarkin presented a brief history of the opera. She revealed that the composer had difficulty locating someone to play the lead role of Carmen, a promiscuous gypsy, due to the social taboos she embodied as a heroine. However, once the role was filled, the play was not only socially accepted, but it also became one of the most famous operas of all time. By choosing to perform the selection from Carmen, Tamarkin also chose to address the tensions regarding gender that were present in the nineteenth century. As a character, Carmen was a contradictory representation of a woman as compared to traditional Victorian ideals. By performing the selection from Carmen and praising the opera in her introduction, Tamarkin not only displays her respect for the musical genius of the opera but also her support for the opera’s themes. Kate Tamarkin also chose to address racial prejudice in her piece selection by performing a number from South Pacific, a 1949 musical about love, war and racial prejudice. Tamarkin does not shy away from themes of race and gender; rather, she chooses to address these themes through music.
In conclusion, although all of the musicians in the Charlottesville and University Symphony Orchestra dressed identically and performed as a cohesive unit, the themes of race and gender do not disappear. Gender and race are more than overt, outward expressions through appearance and behavior. These themes can be also expressed subtly in musical performance such as though demographic composition and piece selection. However, in order to make greater generalizations about race and gender in pops music, further study is necessary.
Square Pizza and a Double Guitar
Watching “Consider the Source” at Joe Squared was quite an experience. Joe Squared is no different from the other little eclectic restaurants nestled into hidden corners of the city of Baltimore, other than the fact that it serves square pizza, and doubles as a concert venue by night. Joe Squared is located on one of the most dangerous streets in Baltimore and probably the country. I was very surprised to find this restaurant playing rock music where boarded up row houses, stray bullets and hard core rap blasting through car stereos dominates.
It was quite interesting demographically the wait staff was all White except for a Hispanic buser. The clientele was slightly more racially diverse, about 50/50 men and women and ranging in age from about 19-65. The demographics of the restaurant really stuck out to me because it is so different from the rest of the city especially the area in which the restaurant is located which is predominately African-American.
The atmosphere of the restaurant was really laid back. One guy walked in the door, spun on his back( break-dancing move) and then walked over to the bar and ordered a beer and no one seemed to notice his mini performance nor care. It was just a relaxed anything goes vibe. The restaurant has a bar and dance floor/stage in the front and about fifteen tables in the back. I was lucky to get the table closest to the stage which happened to be only 12 feet away.
“Consider the Source” just so happened to be one of the three bands performing that night. A performance was scheduled for 8pm on their website, but when I arrived at the restaurant I was told they would not start until 9pm, but it turns out they didn’t start setting up until 9pm and then didn’t start performing until 10:45pm. Through my proximity to the stage and time spent waiting for the performance (which was aided by delicious square pizza) I learned that setting up a stage takes a long time and is quite complicated. I assume that this delay was common because no one else was complaining.
The band “Consider the Source” is from New York and is on tour with another band. The band is made up of three white men in their 20s, which is I see as the stereotypical makeup of a rock band. The band included a bass electric guitar, drums and a surprising twin-necked double electric guitar. The actual music the band played was really catchy. Even though I do not consider myself an avid fan of the genre of rock I found myself bobbing my head with the rest of the crowd. What stood out to me the most was that they did not have a vocalist, I am so used to hip hop and R&B which is centered around vocals and lyrics it was interesting, and different to hear something that was not. The music had almost an eerie sound, but it was upbeat with strong bass lines and drum beats with plenty of solos. Their songs also included a catchy melody that was important because I think that it was the first time most of the people in the crowd had heard the band and having a catchy a melody makes it easier for the crowd to follow and enjoy the music. The band created a lot of different sounds that I found surprising, the twin-neck sounded like a cello at times and the band sounded like they had a Middle Eastern influence at times. The guitarist would switch between necks continually demonstrating his skill. The guitar player who appeared to be the lead had a switch by his foot that he seemed to be using to change to tones and timbre of this instrument. The drummer also used what sounded like chimes, but appeared to be little crude bells attached to a rope which gave for an interesting effect. I wasn’t excepting this “rock” group to be so influenced by outside cultures and was impressed how they incorporated it into their music.
The band reinforced their masculine gender by their song titles and through their performance. One of the song titles was “Keep Your Pimp Hand Strong” and another was “Whacking Off”. Now male sexuality wasn’t explicit to me in the music, but it sure was in the songs. While playing the lead guitarist made faces that seemed very sexual and he appeared to be moaning in a sexual way, and because the band wasn’t making large movements other than rocking back and forth it forced the audience to pay close attention to their facial expressions and expert playing skills. But it is important to note that this did not deter female fans.
As time passed the crowd grew and surrounded the stage and people started to dance. The band drank beer between songs and alcohol flowed from the bar. Everyone was having a great time including myself and I left with a copy of their CD in my hand excited to hear their music again! This was a great laid back experience for anyone who likes good music, a relaxed environment and square pizza.
It was quite interesting demographically the wait staff was all White except for a Hispanic buser. The clientele was slightly more racially diverse, about 50/50 men and women and ranging in age from about 19-65. The demographics of the restaurant really stuck out to me because it is so different from the rest of the city especially the area in which the restaurant is located which is predominately African-American.
The atmosphere of the restaurant was really laid back. One guy walked in the door, spun on his back( break-dancing move) and then walked over to the bar and ordered a beer and no one seemed to notice his mini performance nor care. It was just a relaxed anything goes vibe. The restaurant has a bar and dance floor/stage in the front and about fifteen tables in the back. I was lucky to get the table closest to the stage which happened to be only 12 feet away.
“Consider the Source” just so happened to be one of the three bands performing that night. A performance was scheduled for 8pm on their website, but when I arrived at the restaurant I was told they would not start until 9pm, but it turns out they didn’t start setting up until 9pm and then didn’t start performing until 10:45pm. Through my proximity to the stage and time spent waiting for the performance (which was aided by delicious square pizza) I learned that setting up a stage takes a long time and is quite complicated. I assume that this delay was common because no one else was complaining.
The band “Consider the Source” is from New York and is on tour with another band. The band is made up of three white men in their 20s, which is I see as the stereotypical makeup of a rock band. The band included a bass electric guitar, drums and a surprising twin-necked double electric guitar. The actual music the band played was really catchy. Even though I do not consider myself an avid fan of the genre of rock I found myself bobbing my head with the rest of the crowd. What stood out to me the most was that they did not have a vocalist, I am so used to hip hop and R&B which is centered around vocals and lyrics it was interesting, and different to hear something that was not. The music had almost an eerie sound, but it was upbeat with strong bass lines and drum beats with plenty of solos. Their songs also included a catchy melody that was important because I think that it was the first time most of the people in the crowd had heard the band and having a catchy a melody makes it easier for the crowd to follow and enjoy the music. The band created a lot of different sounds that I found surprising, the twin-neck sounded like a cello at times and the band sounded like they had a Middle Eastern influence at times. The guitarist would switch between necks continually demonstrating his skill. The guitar player who appeared to be the lead had a switch by his foot that he seemed to be using to change to tones and timbre of this instrument. The drummer also used what sounded like chimes, but appeared to be little crude bells attached to a rope which gave for an interesting effect. I wasn’t excepting this “rock” group to be so influenced by outside cultures and was impressed how they incorporated it into their music.
The band reinforced their masculine gender by their song titles and through their performance. One of the song titles was “Keep Your Pimp Hand Strong” and another was “Whacking Off”. Now male sexuality wasn’t explicit to me in the music, but it sure was in the songs. While playing the lead guitarist made faces that seemed very sexual and he appeared to be moaning in a sexual way, and because the band wasn’t making large movements other than rocking back and forth it forced the audience to pay close attention to their facial expressions and expert playing skills. But it is important to note that this did not deter female fans.
As time passed the crowd grew and surrounded the stage and people started to dance. The band drank beer between songs and alcohol flowed from the bar. Everyone was having a great time including myself and I left with a copy of their CD in my hand excited to hear their music again! This was a great laid back experience for anyone who likes good music, a relaxed environment and square pizza.
The Fustics
I made my way to Miller’s (a restaurant on the Downtown Mall) on a Saturday night to hear some live music. According to my waitress, Miller’s have live performances every night. On this particular night the Fustics (pronounced few-tics) were performing. I actually got a chance to speak with Ronn (the drummer) to get some quick facts about the group. The Fustics is an Americana band from Wilmington, North Carolina. It consists of four musicians: Ronn on drums, Brad on vocals and acoustic guitar, Paul “The Professor” on bass, and Calloway on lead guitar. The band consists of three White males and one Prussian male. Ronn stated that the band was constantly changing and went through four bass players, 3 guitarists, and a keyboard player that recently quit. This present group of four is the most solid line-up the band has ever had.
When I first heard the music I could not define the genre. I heard a mixture of jazz, rock, and blues, but did not know what to call it. After talking to Ronn, he told me that they fall under the genre known as Americana and that their music tends to be a mixture of country blues, folk, jazz, and funk. The music had a collaborative, yet distinctive sound. The music was very upbeat and the beat of the drums was usually dragged out at the end of a few songs. The tapping of the cymbals emphasized the sound of the drums. Some of the songs also feature guitar solos where you really got to hear the power of the instrument. It was at this time that the music reminded me of rock. And there were times when a guitar was played to convey the “folk” aspect of the music. Although the genre was new to me, one song I did recognize was “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” which was originally sung by the Rolling Stones. What is weird is that the lyrics, more so than the music allowed me to identify with the song. The music was a little different than the original because they added their special touch.
The band did not seem to have much interaction with the audience. I believe this was due to the confined area in which they were performing. The stage area was very small and was only big enough for their equipment; they could hardly move around. However, the band did give a birthday tribute to a woman in the audience. Also, during intermission, Ronn was very inviting when I asked him questions about the band; in fact he was glad to contribute to my concert report. So in all, the band had little interaction with the audience as a whole, but through conversation Ronn came across as was very laid back and funny guy.
One of the first things I noticed when I walked into the restaurant was the audience’s interaction to the music being performed. There were three women who stood near the stage area dancing freely to the music. Others either stood by the bar or were sitting down at tables enjoying the music. As far as the demographics of the audience, I would have to say the audience was predominantly White men and women and the ages ranged from 20’s to 40’s. Also, those living in the Charlottesville community (townies) and/or graduates students seem to make up the bulk of the audience. Everyone (including the band) was casually dressed for the most part except for a group that arrived later in suits and dresses as if they had just came from a special occasion. The audience was very courteous. At the end of each song the audience would applaud and others would even shout out a “WOOOOOO!” indicating the song was a hit.
Members of the audience were organized into cliques for the most part while others would mingle. The restaurant’s atmosphere set a clam/laid back tone. Therefore, the audience was not that intense or in close proximity as they would have been at a “big” concert. They clearly went to the restaurant to socialize while listening to some good music. People did converse with one another, but nothing more. The most interaction within the audience was the three women dancing among each other, who I might add had three different rhythms.
In all, this was a unique experience on the Downtown Mall and the music was not bad at all. This genre has broadened my horizon on music.
When I first heard the music I could not define the genre. I heard a mixture of jazz, rock, and blues, but did not know what to call it. After talking to Ronn, he told me that they fall under the genre known as Americana and that their music tends to be a mixture of country blues, folk, jazz, and funk. The music had a collaborative, yet distinctive sound. The music was very upbeat and the beat of the drums was usually dragged out at the end of a few songs. The tapping of the cymbals emphasized the sound of the drums. Some of the songs also feature guitar solos where you really got to hear the power of the instrument. It was at this time that the music reminded me of rock. And there were times when a guitar was played to convey the “folk” aspect of the music. Although the genre was new to me, one song I did recognize was “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” which was originally sung by the Rolling Stones. What is weird is that the lyrics, more so than the music allowed me to identify with the song. The music was a little different than the original because they added their special touch.
The band did not seem to have much interaction with the audience. I believe this was due to the confined area in which they were performing. The stage area was very small and was only big enough for their equipment; they could hardly move around. However, the band did give a birthday tribute to a woman in the audience. Also, during intermission, Ronn was very inviting when I asked him questions about the band; in fact he was glad to contribute to my concert report. So in all, the band had little interaction with the audience as a whole, but through conversation Ronn came across as was very laid back and funny guy.
One of the first things I noticed when I walked into the restaurant was the audience’s interaction to the music being performed. There were three women who stood near the stage area dancing freely to the music. Others either stood by the bar or were sitting down at tables enjoying the music. As far as the demographics of the audience, I would have to say the audience was predominantly White men and women and the ages ranged from 20’s to 40’s. Also, those living in the Charlottesville community (townies) and/or graduates students seem to make up the bulk of the audience. Everyone (including the band) was casually dressed for the most part except for a group that arrived later in suits and dresses as if they had just came from a special occasion. The audience was very courteous. At the end of each song the audience would applaud and others would even shout out a “WOOOOOO!” indicating the song was a hit.
Members of the audience were organized into cliques for the most part while others would mingle. The restaurant’s atmosphere set a clam/laid back tone. Therefore, the audience was not that intense or in close proximity as they would have been at a “big” concert. They clearly went to the restaurant to socialize while listening to some good music. People did converse with one another, but nothing more. The most interaction within the audience was the three women dancing among each other, who I might add had three different rhythms.
In all, this was a unique experience on the Downtown Mall and the music was not bad at all. This genre has broadened my horizon on music.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Musical Postcards: Ciao Bella Charlottesville & University Symphony Orchestra
Musical Postcards: CIAO BELLA
Charlottesville & University Symphony Orchestra
Packed into the auditorium of Old Cabell Hall of the University of Virginia, many people are probably not aware of this wonderful treasure which is offered free to students and for around $20-30 for guests to attend this concert. Ciao Bella (Italian for “Hello Beautiful”) is the first piece to the orchestra’s take on a series of concerts which bring the audience through the landscapes of different countries or regions through music. This initial concert did so with Italy, which was characterized by the orchestra as operatic and outgoing. This music was surely among some of the most beautiful and classical art at its best and included the instruments such as: the violin, viola, cello, bass, flute, piccolo, organ, piano and a handful of others. This music brought observers closer to the sounds of classical pieces which included the works of Giuseppe Verdi, Tomaso Albinoni, Nino Rota and Felix Mendelssohn. This series of concerts will also cover music by France- which puts emphasis on the harp, Central Europe- featuring Polish composers, the British and will end well with “Jefferson, In His Own Words” – which will provide a musical take on selections by the University of Virginia’s founding father, Thomas Jefferson.
The interaction of the audience and the orchestra were very much correlated. The orchestra was very uniform in appearance and in their performance. Almost in a militia influenced manner, the band members were color coordinated, dressed professionally in only black and white attire with serious and determined facial expressions. There were no smiles and there was almost a sense of an omnipotent and well-respected aura that was given off by them. In correlation to that, the audience too was dressed mainly in semi-formal attire and made it a point to not make any noise unless it was clapping at the end of a piece. This shows that different types of music have different expectations in audience interaction. While in other types of music, the band is offended if the audience is not participatory in response, however in this case the ushers made it a point to be seated on time and to minimize any extra action caused by the audience.
In terms of the sound, usually the music was very uniform as well. Often times every member was playing the same melody. Melody is described as the sequence of notes that compose basic structure of the tune; it is horizontal and can be thought of as playing one note at a time. Other times the music was played in layers, such as the violins playing one set of tunes, and the bass playing another, etc. Furthermore what makes this music interesting and a secret treasure of the University is the talents and prestige behind the orchestra’s music director, Kate Tamarkin. Tamarkin has received distinguished national and international recognition as a conductor at many levels. She has conducted some of the world’s leadings orchestras and has even been a part of CNN and the Today Show of NBC. She has received her DMA, Masters of Music and Bachelor of Music Education from Peabody Conservatory, Northwestern University and Chapman University respectively. It’s a shame that a lot of this talent from both the conductor, Charlottesville and University Symphony Orchestra goes unheard of and aware to many students, who have access to it for free. Hopefully this essay has helped others of the University and Charlottesville community alike become more aware of the divine talents that are taking place right in their own backyards.
-Mersedes Sweeney
Charlottesville & University Symphony Orchestra
Packed into the auditorium of Old Cabell Hall of the University of Virginia, many people are probably not aware of this wonderful treasure which is offered free to students and for around $20-30 for guests to attend this concert. Ciao Bella (Italian for “Hello Beautiful”) is the first piece to the orchestra’s take on a series of concerts which bring the audience through the landscapes of different countries or regions through music. This initial concert did so with Italy, which was characterized by the orchestra as operatic and outgoing. This music was surely among some of the most beautiful and classical art at its best and included the instruments such as: the violin, viola, cello, bass, flute, piccolo, organ, piano and a handful of others. This music brought observers closer to the sounds of classical pieces which included the works of Giuseppe Verdi, Tomaso Albinoni, Nino Rota and Felix Mendelssohn. This series of concerts will also cover music by France- which puts emphasis on the harp, Central Europe- featuring Polish composers, the British and will end well with “Jefferson, In His Own Words” – which will provide a musical take on selections by the University of Virginia’s founding father, Thomas Jefferson.
The interaction of the audience and the orchestra were very much correlated. The orchestra was very uniform in appearance and in their performance. Almost in a militia influenced manner, the band members were color coordinated, dressed professionally in only black and white attire with serious and determined facial expressions. There were no smiles and there was almost a sense of an omnipotent and well-respected aura that was given off by them. In correlation to that, the audience too was dressed mainly in semi-formal attire and made it a point to not make any noise unless it was clapping at the end of a piece. This shows that different types of music have different expectations in audience interaction. While in other types of music, the band is offended if the audience is not participatory in response, however in this case the ushers made it a point to be seated on time and to minimize any extra action caused by the audience.
In terms of the sound, usually the music was very uniform as well. Often times every member was playing the same melody. Melody is described as the sequence of notes that compose basic structure of the tune; it is horizontal and can be thought of as playing one note at a time. Other times the music was played in layers, such as the violins playing one set of tunes, and the bass playing another, etc. Furthermore what makes this music interesting and a secret treasure of the University is the talents and prestige behind the orchestra’s music director, Kate Tamarkin. Tamarkin has received distinguished national and international recognition as a conductor at many levels. She has conducted some of the world’s leadings orchestras and has even been a part of CNN and the Today Show of NBC. She has received her DMA, Masters of Music and Bachelor of Music Education from Peabody Conservatory, Northwestern University and Chapman University respectively. It’s a shame that a lot of this talent from both the conductor, Charlottesville and University Symphony Orchestra goes unheard of and aware to many students, who have access to it for free. Hopefully this essay has helped others of the University and Charlottesville community alike become more aware of the divine talents that are taking place right in their own backyards.
-Mersedes Sweeney
Jackmove: Gender and Race in Ska Music
Caitlin Reed
This past weekend, I went home to Virginia Beach, where the annual Neptune Festival was taking place. A local 7-piece ska band named Jackmove performed a free public show on the 31st street stage (an outside venue). I have been to many Jackmove concerts and know several of the band members personally, so I know the general demographic of the audience of their shows: the crowd usually consists of mostly Caucasian males between eighteen to thirty years of age. I think this trend is a result of the kind of music they play (ska and punk), as well as the fact they themselves fall under this demographic. Their usual venues also explain this demographic, as they usually play at bars or other local venues near the beach and in predominately “white” areas with predominately white customers.
At this particular show, however, I immediately noticed a much greater amount of diversity in the crowd than I expected. There were higher numbers of African Americans and Filipinos, as well as more variety in the age groups represented by the audience. There was a general positive reaction to Jackmove when they started to play, but the people who were more familiar with the music (singing along, “skanking” or dancing, etc.) were more energetic and passionate about the performance. They were also mostly male, white young adults. I think the fact that this show was held in a public venue, outside, and during a popular festival explains the diversity of this audience.
I still think it is interesting that there is not more diversity in their general audiences since many of their songs are about and refer to reggae and hip hop influences. The inspiration of these genres and artists are also evident in the music Jackmove plays, as they incorporate reggae themes and sounds in some songs, as well as hip hop rhymes and beats. Rap, hip hop, and reggae (genres of the African American community) are clearly represented in Jackmove’s music, yet African Americans make up only a small part of their fan base.
My favorite part of every Jackmove performance is the brass section. They tend to be the more energetic and bold aspect of the band. Sean Patrick, the trombonist, tends to be responsible for hyping up the crowd and connects with the audience more than any other member of the band. One way of doing this that I noticed in particular is the way in which he moves from one side of the stage to the other, and varies the way he plays the song on his trombone. He also used his trombone to excite the audience members by playing towards certain people in the front (pointing at them with the trombone while playing). For the songs that he was singing instead of playing, he held the microphone out to fans who were singing along to the lyrics of their songs near the front of the stage.
Sean Patrick’s interaction with the crowd definitely lied in a balance between his interactions with males and females. He constantly and blatantly flirted strongly with females, extracting many enamored smiles and shout outs from the females in the audience. He also directed a lot of his attention to the males in the crowd, touching on topics that generally appeal to men and playing trombone towards enthusiastic males in the crowd. In this way, he was able to interact with everyone in the show, including his own band mates.
The audience called for an encore, and Jackmove, usually willing to oblige, could not because another band was scheduled for the next for the next time slot on the public stage. I enjoyed the show, though not as much as I enjoy Jackmove’s shows at their usual venues. I tend to feel more accepted and have more in common with their usual audience in that I enjoy the same kind of music as other members of the audience.
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