Wednesday Wisdom: Redemption Song

Tags

Bob Marley, Marcus Garvey, motivation, Uprising

“Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery. None but ourselves can free our minds.”

Words can have much more meaning to us when presented as part of a song. That’s one reason we turn to lyrics to express our moods. And that’s one reason “Redemption Song,” the acoustic ballad by Bob Marley on his 1980 album “Uprising,” is so moving to a range of listeners.

Marley was inspired by words in a speech by Marcus Garvey in 1937. Garvey said, “We are going to emancipate ourselves from mental slavery because whilst others might free the body, none but ourselves can free the mind. Mind is your only ruler, sovereign. The man who is not able to develop and use his mind is bound to be the slave of the other man who uses his mind[…]”

So, I don’t have a quote, exactly. Today’s Wednesday Wisdom comes in the form of a song. Take a listen!

Freewheelin’

Tags

Bob Dylan, Rolling Stones, vinyl records, winter style

Though the calendar says March and yesterday marked the first day of spring, winter isn’t quite ready to loosen its grip on the Midwest. Feeling a bit of cabin fever (or maybe I actually had a fever?), I was inspired by vintage images of sunny days and vinyl records.

With my hair in a casual top knot (no sock bun needed for this mop!) and the coziest sweater I could find, I dug into my mom’s killer record collection in search of good tunes and old friends. And by killer collection, I mean my mom has more than 20 Bob Dylan records, Jefferson Airplane, a handful Led Zeppelin, two Grateful Dead, a few from the Rolling Stones, Michael Jackson and… well, you get the drift.

Sifting through a personal record collection is so much more inviting than hitting a record store. I love the raw, tattered edges and dusty scent. I love seeing my mom’s maiden name next to dates scribbled in her charmingly imperfect handwriting on the sleeve. I love knowing that these all, someday, will make the transition into my own home. (I guess you’ll have to visit me if you want to take a listen, mom.)

With sun streaming through our tightly shut windows, I slipped “The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan” onto the turntable and waited for the needle to catch the groove. My cat was digging it, too.

See more amazing photos and read about vinyl record collectors at Dust & Groove — one of the websites I’ve come across on every list of best record blogs.

Photos by Michael Ciuni.

Wednesday Wisdom: Lose Yourself

Tags

8 Mile, Cleveland, Eminem, motivation, nature, quotes, stress

“You better lose yourself in the music, the moment.” — Eminem, “Lose Yourself”

We are each the center of our own universe. Life revolves around fulfilling our basic needs: finding food, water, shelter and love. And this isn’t a bad thing. Life is an important and beautiful thing, but with it also comes waiting for buses, sloshing through dirty streets, frustrating coworkers and heartbreak.

That’s why it’s so wonderful when we have the opportunity to get away from ourselves or step into someone else’s world. That’s why it’s so wonderful that we can turn to music, art, film and books.

Getting lost in a book is magical. You can travel to lands you’ve never seen with your own eyes and to worlds that don’t exist. Except Hogwarts — that’s real, my Muggle friends. A movie can provide a perspective you never considered. Art can inspire.

And music? Well, listen to sad music for an hour and tell me you aren’t feeling blue, or crank up Beyonce or The Rolling Stones and tell me you aren’t in the mood to dance.

You caught me. Today’s quote comes from Eminem’s oh-so-thoughtful lyrics to “Lose Yourself” from the “8 Mile” soundtrack. This song pumps me up in any situation, but this line in particular is a good one to pull out of context.

As much as I love a good beat, I’ve always been drawn to clever, poetic and inspirational lines. (Led Zeppelin had this down, my favorite lyrical album being Zeppelin IV… or whatever you prefer to call it.) Music has the ability to alter moods and talk to you (hey look, more Eminem!), which makes songs an efficient vehicle for forgetting your current situation and troubles in order to live in one specific moment.

On a side note, the most humbling of all forms of escape, to me, is witnessing the beauty of nature. Whether that means letting a tall-grass meadow engulf me or standing in awe of powerful waves crashing the Pacific coast, nature is the one thing that can always take me away from the insignificant problems of my teeny-tiny life.

Pump up the tunes, grab a book or head outside (though I don’t recommend that here in snowy Cleveland). Lose yourself in the moment.

Peanuts photo sourced via Pinterest. Like usual.

Brite Night

Tags

Brite Winter, Cleveland, Hollis Brown, music festivals, Nick D & The Believers, Ohio City, The Lighthouse & The Whaler

Midwesterners are tough. We trudge through snow and bundle up against the bitter winter winds. We pass up the perfect summer months to throw a festival in the dead of winter.

Dead — just like my toes were within 30 minutes of trekking to Ohio City for the Brite Winter festival. Oops, I never said I’m tough! If we have learned one thing here over the years it is how to bundle up. I can’t stop giving the highest praise to my arctic-proof puffer coat that covers me to mid-thigh and has a hood that stays on even in strong winds.

Shivering and numb toes aside, Brite Winter was an opportunity for me to support both a growing inner-city neighborhood and a handful of bands I maybe-barely-ever heard of. (Thanks to Jane and Michael for being my guides to discovering new music!)

I kicked off the evening on the right note with Nick D & The Believers as the sun began to set. After a quick warm up at Market Garden Brewery, I caught Herzog, The Lighthouse & The Whaler and Hollis Brown.

While I plan on looking further into each of these bands, Hollis Brown sticks with me the most. I was digging their subtle hints of The Band and other noteworthy musical inspirations from a range of generations.

I’m looking forward to catching up with these new artists… and a warm, sunny spring.

Nick D & The Believers

A bit of light art.

Ohio City stage outside the West Side Market.

Caught the beginning of Herzog, but I wish I saw more.

Doughnuts from a food truck? Winning.

The Lighthouse & The Whaler

Hollis Brown was my favorite set of the night.

I think Townhall needs to make these twinkling lights a permanent feature.

Oh hay thurr! All photos by Michael Ciuni.

Wednesday Wisdom: Pete Seeger

Tags

Annie Leibovitz, folk music, motivation, Pete Seeger, quotes, simplicity

“This machine surrounds hate and forces it to surrender.” Pete Seeger, photo by Annie Leibovitz 2001

“Any darn fool can make something complex; it takes a genius to make something simple.” — Pete Seeger

We live in a complex world, a time when things (like technology, yikes!) aren’t always black and white. I find it refreshing to be reminded that anyone can complicate their lives or give in to complex structures and thoughts. But, like Seeger says, it takes a genius – or a child, or someone momentarily enlightened – to make something simple. Sometimes we all just need to take a step back and look at the bigger picture.

I think it’s been clear throughout the folk singer’s life that he believes strongly in the good of music. On numerous occasions, Seeger has said he never turned down the opportunity to sing and suggested its power in bringing people together. And his wise words have been an inspiration to generations of people, including my mom.

It’s sad to know a great person’s passing is often the catalyst for having the world take a moment remember them. But in the end, the people who inspire us most are never far from our minds.

And just for fun, here’s another one by Seeger that stands out to me among a list of more well-known quotes: “If it can’t be reduced, reused, repaired, rebuilt, refurbished, refinished, resold, recycled or composted, then it should be restricted, redesigned or removed from production.”

All That Jazz

Tags

Broadway, Chicago, Cleveland, Palace Theatre, PlayhouseSquare, theater

Knowing we have such an amazing theater presence in Cleveland is exciting. Each time I head to a show, I fall more in love with the theater-going experience: dressing up, dining downtown, walking along Euclid Avenue to the theater district and enjoying an amazing play, concert or ballet in a beautiful setting.

Three of the four productions I’ve seen in the last year have been in the Palace Theatre. The stage is smaller, but the lobby is beautiful. Marble pillars lead up to an intricate ceiling and a row of sparkling chandeliers.

Over the weekend, I saw the Broadway production “Chicago.” As much as I would love to see “Wicked” sometime soon, I chose “Chicago” because I fell in love with the razzle-dazzle of the ’20s and the exciting musical numbers when I saw the film.

Sometimes it’s hard to watch a live production of a movie whose soundtrack you have memorized down to the tone of each line. But, one of the plus sides is seeing the way the stage actors interact with the audience and their props — including the jazz band that played live and remained on stage throughout the show.

All in all, I had a fabulous night. I can’t wait for the next production I go to!

The Palace Theatre, Cleveland PlayhouseSquare

Lou Reed: Walk on the Wild Side

Tags

Lou Reed, rock, The Velvet Underground, Transformer

 

Lou Reed lived a life that was truly one of a kind. For that and the music he leaves behind, his legacy will keep him alive forever.

“Walk on the Wild Side” is certainly one of his most recognizable and popular songs. That’s because it is so good. I remember driving with my mom when I was too young to know what cool is, and yet I believed if I could channel Reed’s voice and philosophy, I too would be as cool as him.

It was these early moments with my mom that, like much of my taste in music, led to my discovery of new (or should I say old?) music. Because, after hearing “Walk on the Wild Side” enough times, I came across her Transformer record, and I was no longer a fan of a song. I became a fan of an artist, a rocker, a real cool dude. Oh, and that led to my discovery of The Velvet Underground and David Bowie, to name a few.

I played my fair share of Reed songs yesterday, and I plan on continuing that today. Rolling Stone gives us a good place to start: “20 Essential Tracks of Lou Reed.”

“Oh, it’s such a perfect day. I’m glad I spend it with you.” –”Perfect Day,” Transformer

Lou Reed Transformer image via Google Images.

Video Perspective

Tags

Cleveland, Lorde, Midwest Perspective, Royals

 

Happy Hump Day and cheers to a short week! I’ve been a busy little bee for the last few weeks and will be cramming right on to Friday. But I did have time two weekends ago to meet with Michael Ciuni to do a different kind of shoot for Midwest Perspective. Hint: we used video!

Inspired by the times he’s had to watch me get ready for blog photo shoots (and dinner, and nights on the town… poor guy!), we wanted to do a behind-the-scenes project. 

The result is Midwest Perspective’s own mini promo video. As for the song you hear, that’s Royals by Lorde. In case you haven’t heard of Lorde, that’s 16-year-old singer-songwriter Ella Yelich-O’Connor from New Zealand who’s been blowing up my airwaves lately. Can I have her hair? Make-up? Voice? LIFE? I can’t get enough!

So, make sure you check out some tunes by Lorde and enjoy the video above! xo

Summer in the City: Phosphorescent

Tags

Cleveland, indie folk, indie rock, Lord Huron, Phosphorescent, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Summer in the City Concert Series

Apparently Wednesdays are for music. Between Wade Oval Wednesdays, the Rock Hall’s Summer in the City Concert Series, shows at Beachland Ballroom and, tonight, Lord Huron playing at the Grog Shop, I can’t decide where to go.

I discovered Summer in the City Concert Series last week when my friends asked if I would like to see Phosphorescent. Who? I thought. But I had the evening open, and who wouldn’t love to watch a free concert in the plaza of the beautiful Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? I got much more than I bargained for.

Matthew Houck’s raspy vocals immediately hooked me. We tried to decide who he sounded like—did I catch a hint of The Wallflowers on that last song? When I noticed the keyboarder rocking out like he was making Head Banging Beethoven a thing, I was even more invested. At such a small venue, it was easy to get right up next to the stage like we were at our own private concert.

After Phosphorescent left the stage, Houck stayed on to perform “Wolves” from his 2007 album Pride. Using a foot pedal, Houck began looping more and more vocals as the song progressed, to the point much of the audience scrunched their faces and laughed awkwardly with their friends. Though the unique crescendo certainly gives merit to his artistry, I was glad to find the recorded song is not quite as… chaotic. Listen to the album version here.

Long story short, an evening with nothing better to do turned into a love affair with a new artist. I’ve been playing Song For Zula on repeat, and I’m ready for it to hit the Cleveland radio waves.

Wednesday is here again. Next week, head over to the Rock Hall to catch Night Moves open for Father John Misty and nibble on treats from food trucks parked nearby. But tonight, Lord Huron…at the Grog Shop…will be amazing. How do you spend Wednesday evenings?

It’s Fest Season

Tags

best dressed, Bonnaroo, Free People, Lollapalooza, music festivals, SXSW

And the festivities at Bonnaroo have officially begun! Three years ago, I stuffed a light duffle with head scarves, airy tanks and a pair of shoes I didn’t care much about and was on my way to my first music festival.

Bonnaroo weekend was packed with heat, an amazing line up, run-ins with friends, a bit of mud and—did I mention a whole lotta heat? After three days of killer concerts, some by artists I already loved, some whom I have since come to adore, I was ready to rinse the dust off my bronzed limbs and chill in the AC. (Definitely read my Bonnaroo 2010 post to hear all the awesome details!)

Don’t get me wrong, the music is clearly the central purpose of a music fest. But there is a reason entire blogs are created just to showcase fests’ best dressed—and there is certainly no shortage of eyes scanning the computer screens, dreaming up their own wardrobe concoctions.

“Dressin’ for Festin’” is always a favorite topic of mine– I did attend Ohio University, fest capital of the college world, after all. Fest season gives everyone the opportunity to break out of their weekday suits and ruffles in exchange for the fringe and denim of their inner bohème.

Coachella and SXSW have passed for another year, but huge concerts such as Firefly and Lollapalooza still loom on the summer horizon. So grab your friends, book your tickets and start piecing together your fest attire. Here is some inspiration (mostly from Free People, of course) to get you started!

Coachella, via Free People

Coachella, via Free People

Outer Lands, via Free People

Black isn’t ideal in the desert, but it’s a hawt look nonetheless, via Free People

Um, wearing this tomorrow, k thnx bye! Via Free People

Natalie Suarez and Dylana Suarez, via Free People

Governor’s Ball in NYC, via Elle Magazine

Graphic T, metallic shades and a killer hat. Yepp!

Airy dress in tribal print and a henna om, via my own trip to Bonnaroo

Cut offs and lace are always a good way to go

Kid Cudi at Bonnaroo 2010, photo via Hallie Rybka

Best way to start the day — entrance to ‘Roo, photo via Hallie Rybka

Hanging at ‘Roo with my boyfriend

Groovy shades, feminine fest attire

Kate Bosworth, Queen of Fests, knows to go straight to the wellies to avoid inevitable mud pits