Season of the Witch

I have had a growing fascination with witches, lately.  Witches are almost always powerful women, embodied with supernatural abilities which they can use for good or bad.  The first witch I remember seeing was in the animated Disney movie, The Sword and the Stone.  Madame Mim, a short, tiny ugly old women nearly gets the drop on the wizard Merlin by acting crazy, cunning, and seductive, all in equal turns.

Read more

10 Best Movie Soundtrack Moments

Source

God, I love movies!  Most people do.

I actually got my BA in Radio/Television/Film and still try to write screenplays on the side.  I really love the concept of storytelling in all formats.  I learned from my dad and maternal grandfather, the best way to set up a story and then deliver the punchline.

And I really love music! My sister and I used to joke that our dream jobs would be music curators, putting together playlists for a variety of purposes.

Now every entertainment site has a top movie-music soundtrack and/or music score list.  I'm not enough of a music nerd to make separate lists but the usual suspects always show up.  Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Superman, The Magnificent Seven,  The Breakfast Club, Casablanca......

Movies I haven't re watched in years.

So I decided to present an alternative take and chose some newer films.  Yeah, Tarantino snuck in there, sorry.  And I don't get Cameron Crowe, so his films aren't on there, sorry. Here, in no particular order are 10 Best Movie Soundtrack Moments in my honest and most opinion.


1.  Half Nelson - Broken Social Scene "Shampoo Suicide"

The motel scene happens at the climax of the movies, when one of  the students (Shareeka Epps) finds her teacher (Ryan Gosling) in a crack den.  With very little dialogue, we witness a flood of emotions between the two talented actors and are utterly swept away by their raw power and the music in the scene.

2. Sunshine - John Murphy, Original Score
*Spoilers*  Sunshine as directed by Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire) was the rare sci-fi flick with a wealth of fresh ideas and a truly international cast of heavyweight actors, (Cillian Murphy, Chris Evans, Michelle Yeoh, Hiroyuki Sanada).  Early on, Captain Kaneda bravely sacrifices himself, as he stares down the sun, waiting to die the score turns an horrific event into something almost magical.

3. Smokin' Aces - Clint Mansell "Dead Reckoning", Original Score
Clint Mansell is a badass.  In addition to making some of the most recognizable movie music used in virtually every trailer today (Lux Eterna) he has also scored the likes of The Fountain, Moon, The Wrestler and Black Swan.  His music can also transform the ending of a mediocre film into something transcendent, as evidenced below.  *Spoiler*  This shows the end of a movie you probably weren't going to watch anyway unless you were jonesing for pre-Star Trek Chris Pine roles.

4. The Royal Tenenbaums - Nico "Needle in the Hay"
Wes Anderson movies usually show up as MVPs of any movie soundtrack lists.  The Royal Tenenbaums was my first exposure, hence this inclusion on my list.  Something as horrific and gut punching as a failed suicide attempt becomes tragically beautiful and delicately unsettling.  I wouldn't view if you are adverse to the sight of blood, though.

5. High Fidelity - Jack Black "Let's Get it On"
Better named, "The Adventures of a Privileged White Male Music Nerd", this movie name drops music and records all over the place like a gentleman making it rain in a strip club.  As one of his first big roles, we are introduced to the comedic stylings of an up and coming Jack Black, however, it isn't until the end of the movie that we get to hear how well he can actually play guitar and sing.

6. Magnolia - Aimee Man "Wise Up"
Paul Thomas Anderson's films are usually about various individuals suffering in vaguely unsettling environments.  They undergo love, life, and loss in intertwining tales.  When the characters of Magnolia, take time to sing to  Aimee Man's "Wise Up" we are moved by their reflection on life, in a curiously powerful "breaking the fourth wall" scene.

7. Donnie Darko - Gary Jules "Mad World"
This movie is weird, crazy, hilarious, dark and demented.  "Mad World" could not sum the ending up any better.

8.  Scott Pilgrim v. The World - Beck "Threshold"
Ok, full disclosure, I love Beck.  He also put together the soundtrack for one of my favorite films, Nacho Libre.  Beck provides all the songs for the fictional band, Sex Bob-Omb but I included this scene for it's video game characteristics that literally gives power to the music.

9. Napoleon Dynamite - Jamiroquai "Canned Heat"
Sitting through Napoleon Dynamite for the first time, most everyone has the same thought, "is this all there is to this movie?".  Yes, yes it is.  The crowning achievement to the weird, quirky existence that is Napoleon, is the moment he dances before the high school student body and dances like no one is watching.

10. Pulp Fiction - Basically the whole soundtrack 
Yep, for reasons other people have endlessly expounded on.

Got any favorites you'd like to add? (Besides "Let It Go").  Let me know.

Read more

6 Easy Tips for Surviving Your Next Outdoor Music Festival

Because you don’t want to be this guy.

Source: Flickr

My first time attending a three day outdoor music festival I went alone, slept in my car, and almost had a run in with the police.

Let me back up a bit.

Once I had freshly graduated college, I moved to Austin to work as Production Assistant.  That did not work out as planned but I did get introduced to the outdoor festival, Austin City Limits Music Festival. 

The first two times I went, I went for one day only.

My first year to brave (and afford) all three days, I had moved back to Dallas (where the jobs are).

Thus I packed up some supplies and drove south to Austin.  My plans to stay at uncles’ house overnight were quickly dashed as well as my backup plan to crash on the floor of my cousin’s apartment.

No matter – I would just sleep in my car.  The way drug dealers, the homeless, and/or truckers sometimes do.

You don't know discomfort until you've slept in your car.

I survived on just a few hours a sleep per night, absolutely certain someone would alert the cops to my presence or the fear that I would pass out due to a lack of oxygen. 

Sealed windows still let air in right? Maybe I should roll down the window an inch?

A noisy party Saturday night at my old co-workers apartment, lead to the cops knocking on the front door.  Which wasn’t a big deal, except we had several underage drinkers and a few pot smokers perched on the balcony.  Everyone froze until the cops left.  Crisis averted.

Since those crazy days of my youth, I have learned some useful tips for the average outdoor music festival goer.   Some a mixture of common sense, and other methods more tried and true. 

I now present – 6 Easy Tips for Surviving Your Next Outdoor Music Festival!

YAAS! Let's Do This!

Tip #1 – Don’t Bring Your New Sandals

Look ladies, I know there are several cute sandal options out there.  You may be totally tempted to wear them brand spanking new to the music fest and wow everyone with your on point fashion sense.

Don’t.

Those girls that do?  They are plastering themselves with Band-Aids by end of Day One.  Most times the distance between parking and the festival gates are usually a few miles away.  You’ll be soooo excited to get there in a hurry, your new sandals will already be rubbing raw spots on your feet.

You can bring the sandals with you in a backpack to throw on once you enter the festival but towards the end of the night, you’ll either be covered in mud, or dirt or spilled beer.  Your cute sandals deserve better.

Tip # 2 – Come Prepared

Plan on bringing a poncho, a bandana and some hand sanitizer.  Each work wonders.  The porta potties will inevitably of supplies to wash your hand with. 

Also depending on the weather, which can vary wildly in Texas, you may be faced with drenching rains or hot dry heat that can turn the festival grounds into the post-apocalyptic setting of the Mad Max/ Road Warrior movies.

Trash bags work as ponchos too.....mmmyes, that's me!

Tip # 3 - Locate the Free Drinking Water Stations

Most festivals provide free drinking water stations, in which you can fill up at no charge.  At first, most people typically pass right on by but by Day Three, there is line of festival goers waiting up to 50 minutes and totally missing the whole Tune-Yards set just to get some dang water that doesn’t cost $7 a bottle.

Locate the stations early and strategically swoop in at opportune times to ensure you have an adequate water supply.

Tip # 4 – Locate Some Shade

Standing in the sun, watching Matt and Kim tear it up, is one of life’s greatest pleasures.  Standing in the sun after 4 hours straight is literally torture.  Regardless of which band is currently playing.  Make sure you find some shade and take a rest.  Even if you can’t see the band, you can still hear them and in your chillaxed pose can actually enjoy the music for what it’s worth.

This year I didn’t actually see the band Kongos perform, but I heard them live while stitting under a tent providing shade and man, they were just as awesome!

Tip # 5 – Avoid Running From Stage to Stage

My sister loves to do this but I do not recommend it.  Most music festivals purposely book two massively popular acts at the same time on stages on the opposite ends of the fairgrounds or park.  Most first timers moan in agony that they can’t watch both acts at the same time but that’s done on purpose so that the crowds are evenly spaced around the stages.  You wouldn’t want everyone crowding around each other at one end of the park while the other end is completely empty. 

Running from stage to stage in theory allows you to see both, but you are most likely going to miss the band’s performance of your favorite track or their awesome cover of a well-known classic.  You will miss the best parts, is what I have experienced chasing after my sister.

Vampire Weekend, Grizzly Bear and 2 Chainz play at the same time? Tha fu#k?

Tip # 6 – Stash Snacks in Your Car

Stash snacks in your car for after the festival.  You’ll either be running low on cash monies or you may be looking forward to grab a bite to eat someplace nearby.  Problem is, most of the festival attendees will have the same idea and you will find yourself in a bit of a gridlock on the way out.  Not to mention wait times at the closest restaurants, diners, or pancake houses still open nearby.  

You will most likely be hangry and/or thirsty, walking back to the parking lot so why not stash a little something in your car to tide you over?  I recommended trail mix or dried fruit. 

Any tips ya'll have to share?

Read more

Music is My Boyfriend

Man, this past weekend we had beautiful weather in the Dallas Fort Worth metroplex.  As such, I was at the Suburbia Music Festival both Saturday and Sunday.

The newly minted Suburbia Fest, is a two day outdoor music festival located 20 minutes north of Dallas, in Plano, TX.  The suburbs, hence the name.  This was the first year for the brandy new fest and brought local and national acts, like Alabama Shakes and David Guetta.

Surfer Blood

I grew up next door in Allen, TX.  The suburbs make up the majority of the DFW area.  Yeah there are some hardcore Dallas and Fort Worth city residents that make snide comments about the ‘burbs like any city, anywhere in the US but I’m living proof that the ‘burbs turn out some pretty awesome, pretty chill, pretty interesting people as well.  People move to the suburbs to raise children in bigger homes and better schools, and that’s not something to be snide about.

See? Just as many hipster tattoos in the 'burbs. Only more Christian-themed and less exotic.

Plano still kind of has that reputation for being the land of soccer moms, like most suburbs do.  So it was really frickin’ tight to see Plano step up and welcome a festival with open arms that featured rappers like J. Cole and Yelawolf, to drop copious f-bombs in a beautiful park on warm spring day.  The City of Plano didn’t sanitize or censor any of the acts, for the sake of appeasing to its residents.  Because you know what?  People from the suburbs go to music fests allllll the time!  We are the ones loading up the SUVs to travel to Austin twice a year to see the Austin City Limits Music Festival in October and Fun Fun Fun Fest in November.  So it was nice to have something of our own.  Well done, Plano.

Yelawolf

My favorite acts were actually the folk music acts, Midlake, The Wild Feathers, Shakey Graves.  I pumped my fist to the electronic acts like Big Gigantic, GTA and David Guetta.  Rock the Jewels and Yelawolf got the crowds dancing.  I liked the fact that Killer Mike gave a shout out to a chubby little pre-teen boy in a pink polo in the front row.  I had seen him earlier, trailing behind his teenage sister and her boyfriend.  Her hair was glossy and straight, her body effortlessly thin and donning the perfect cut-off shorts.  Meanwhile her brother was struggling to keep up, a little pudgy and out of breath.  His sister oblivious, obviously trying to keep the distance between them.  I gently smiled and shook my head, “poor kid”. 

Midlake

Goddamn it Shakey Graves, you're just....too cool for school, man...I can't even.....

Run the Jewels - Killer Mike and El-P

This kid never cared though.  He made it to the front row of the Run the Jewels show and rocked his little heart out, getting recognition from the man himself, Killer Mike.  This is what I like about the suburbs, it can be kinder and gentler than the big cities but we still wanna rock our little hearts out!  

Yeah, it's blurry as hell but it's David Guetta

He then exploded.....................just kidding

So what did you do over the weekend?  Any big concert plans once the weather warms up by you?

Marg

Read more

Weekend Wrap Up - BeckFest

Source - @xxNicholixx

Hello again.  Look I know I wrote about the Fear Of Missing Out on my last post, and I hate to be a hypocritical jerk but………………………………….

I went to see Beck at Edgefest this past Saturday.  Edgefest is held in the major burbs each year, Frisco, Texas to be exact, and typically showcases artists playing on Alternative Rock radio.  Not quite the eclectic artists you can find on NPR, College Radio Stations and various, various music festivals but more like half Foster the People, half Stained. More commercial music but the trend lately has been getting more and more into offering indie folk music like the Lumineers and pop like Lorde.  I ain’t got a problem with this.  It’s more music that I actually like. 

Anywayz.

This past 24^th installment of Edgefest was headlined by his Beck-ness, Beck and included the Avett Brothers, Bastille, Grouplove, Chvrches, The Neighborhood, Kongos and Bear Hands.  They also had Cage the Elephant and Switchfoot, I guess to keep true to its alternative rock roots but whatever.  It’s not my personal favorite type of music but I guess they wanted to keep original fan base happy.  Even though the concert venue was formally named Pizza Hut Park and the event was sponsored by a Vapor Shop, you know, timeless cornerstones of the early 22nd Century. (Insert eye roll here)

Prior to the past Saturday I have seen my most favorite musical act of all time play exactly one time.  So I had to get my ticket to see Beck.  He played for only an hour and I swear time never moved so fast.  He did a cover of Michael Jackson’s “Billy Jean” that was highlight.  I know some people hate mash ups and blame the youth culture but this was literally, the ONLY good thing about Glee.  And don’t hate b/c covers and mash-ups are amazing.  Like when you find an awesome prize for once in a Cracker Jack box.  (Does anyone ever eat Cracker Jack anymore?)

Beck Setlist

1. Devil's Haircut
2. Loser
3. Black Tambourine
4. One Foot in the Grave
5. Think I'm in Love
6. Blue Moon
7. Lost Cause
8. Soldier Jane
9. Girl
10. Sissyneck/ Billie Jean cover
11. Debra
12. E-Pro
13. Where It's At

 But Marg, what about the other bands?  I gotcha you covered, homie.

The Neighborhood rocked my face and played two new tracks from their upcoming albums, which I assure you is coming along swell.  Grouplove did an amazing cover of Beyonce’s Drunk in Love, and was followed by Bastille covering This Is the Rhythm of the Night.  The Avett Brothers and Chvrches were……..just not my jam…………….I don’t why.  I get what is appealing about both but Avett I’m always comparing to Mumford and Sons and Chvrches to the xx.  They don’t even play the exact same music but I’m dumb like that soooooo sorry.

My new musical discovery though?  Kongos. 

They are a group of brothers that grew up in South Africa.  Their music is a little Black Keys, a little Gogol Bordello, and tiny pinch of Daft Punk synthesizers.  Ya’ll should check it out. (It’s worth it)

Bye,

Marg

Read more

Weekend Wrap-Up in Panther City

Hello peeps,

This weekend started out quite chilly on Saturday in Panther City aka Funky Town aka Cowtown aka Fort Worth, Texas.  Temperatures were in the low 40's during the day but that didn't stop me from attending the Untapped Festival at the Panther Island Pavilion in downtown Fort Worth.

I bundled up in my puffy army green parka, jeans, sweater, scarf and gloves.  I arrived at 3, only to find out the start time was 4 pm, so I headed down a block or two to the Fort Worth Funky Finds Indie Market, to look around.  I picked up a beautiful print by local artist Monica Wright.  She was super-sweet and does amazing drawings and painting that focus on close-ups of hands.  Hands are some of the hardest things to draw accurately but Monica illustrates them in a way that imparts emotion and a deeper meaning.

I picked this one up, because of the interplay of light and dark

Sculptures outside the Fort Worth Community Arts Center

Someone ordered a tree...don't ask me how.

After a hour of wandering around Funky Finds, I headed back to the festival grounds where I quickly discovered my gloves were worth their weight in gold.  The wind started to pick up and rain appeared here and there.  People were grabbing promotional beer coozies and ripping out the bottom to use as hand warmers.

The cold actually helped to send the hipsters and posers home.  The only people that stayed were really either into the beer samplings or the musical acts.  I bought a ticket as soon as I saw the Joy Formidable was the closing act.  More on them in a minute.

All the musical acts were killer.  My favorites were Lucius and Allen Stone.  I had listened to both acts on Spotify as I was getting ready that morning and taking pictures of my new wreaths for the shop.  Their tracks can't compare to how they each performed live.  Despite the cold, they had the crowd cheering and dancing.

Lucius via Facebook

I ran out like a nerd to the Merch tent to pick up their album. Someone offered to buy my gloves off of me.

Allen Stone via Facebook

I didn't get any pictures because it was dark and I was far off from the stage.  The other acts were great in getting the crowd pumped and excited.  Locals like Sam Lao, Topic and Quaker City Nighthawks brought their A-game and made us locals proud.  

\

Sam Lao - Swag for days

Topic in a Cosby sweater..  Not pictured?  His teddy bear backpack. I'm serious.

Other acts like Paris-based La Femme and LA Based People Under the Stairs came to rock and, despite the chill, had us bopping around.  

La Femme - yes that dude is totes rocking a beret.

People Under the Stairs - Rapping about beer, weed, San Fran and such.

And lastly, around 10pm, the Joy Formidable did not disappoint. In any way shape or form.  Fair weather music fans?  Who needs 'em?  This is the way to experience a music fest.  With people willing to brave the cold, the rain, to be richly rewarded with the best acts I've seen live in a very long time.

Joy Formidable

Ain't she cute.  And terrifyingly awesome at the same time?

So what's up this week for you guys?  Any crazy plans for St. Patrick's Day?  Tell me.  I wanna know.

Later,

Marg

Read more

A Look Back - 2013 (Part Two)

Hola muchachos!

Welcome back to the real world.  Sadly, now is time to put away the cookies, hot cocoa, mashed potatoes, Christmas ham, and wrapping paper.  We must now go to back to our jobs, messy homes, and hope for a even better year to be on it's way.  Fear not, though.  Let's take a look back on what 2013 has brought us.  Or me, I guess, specifically.  (Sorry, I sound like a jerk)

2013 Books

I didn't end up reading too many books this year, mainly because the fourth book in the Song of Ice and Fire series (Game of Thrones) was such a slog to get through.  While people who had HBO were freaking out over the Red Wedding, I was plodding through the boring adventures of Cersei Lannister and the Greyjoy Brothers, Theon's uncles.  A task to be sure.  So when I finally finished eight months later, 2013 was almost at an end.  I did manage to read two memoirs, a decent murder mystery and a young adult novel. (because I'm a nerd, we've been over this)

WHY GOD!?!

Recommended if you were born in the 80's and felt like an outsider.  Not recommended if you don't listen to rap which I don't.

Read more

12 Days of Christmas Music

I love Christmas music, almost every Christmas song.  It's my favorite part of the holidays.  I'll listen to Christmas music in the car, after Thanksgiving and even few weeks after Christmas.

My dad used to sing in the Christmas Choir at church when we were kids and one year I was able to sing with him, even though I have terrible voice, so I have fond memories of the music.

I like to compile my own Christmas playlists and have set ya'll up with my first playlist.

Enjoy 12 of my favorite Christmas songs!

 

Read more

Index Fest '13 Wrap-Up

Hola Amigos.  Reporting to you live from....actually reporting to you after spending last Saturday night at the Index Music Festival in Deep Ellum neighborhood in Dallas, TX.

In the cit-ay!

I saw the headliner Girl Talk, bands P.O.S., Warpaint, Sarah Jaffe, Year of the Bear, and Dark Rooms.

Girl Talk with onstage antics borrowed from The Flaming Lips

Read more