My Head and My Heart Explode and I Smile

Old friends.  New friends.  The Fillmore.  Strong drinks in solo cups.  Dancing.  Dancing.  Dancing.  Lost voices.  Drunken giggles.  The Head and The Heart.  Text messages with best friends.  Singing.  Laughing.  Jump, jump, jump.  Racing along San Francisco streets.  The Moondoggies.  Flashing lights and swirling rooms.  Grilled cheese sandwiches.  Wine.  "What's the best show you've ever been to?"  Cold air and warm bodies.  History lessons and impressive conversations.  Apples and show posters.  Sidewalk singers.  Energy drinks.  2 a.m.  Loving my life.

In case you haven't heard The Head and The Heart yet:

Remember That Time I Was on That Popular TV Show?

When we arrive at Cow Palace at 6:30am on audition day, there are already hundreds of people in line.  We're an hour earlier today than we were two days prior when we came to register, and still, there are already hundreds of people in line.  Old people who look tired as they sit on folding chairs they brought with them and listen to their children/grandchildren warm up.  Young people -- who, by the way, are missing their second day of school this week to be a part of this process -- wearing clothes that are a bit too mature for them and talking excitedly with other young school-missers.  People you wouldn't expect to be there, like the nice man in the business suit holding the briefcase (I think maybe he'll sing an opera or something) or the gentle giant, massive enough to be a linebacker for the 49ers with a voice that belongs somewhere in my memories of growing up in Polynesia.  And of course there are people who obviously belong there, if not for their "talent," than definitely for the fact that they look like something out of Alien vs. Predator.  Or a Vegas strip club.  There was one woman who wore a white feather headdress double the size of two beach balls.  We couldn't decide between calling her Chicken Girl or Effie Trinket.  Someone else, a tall, skinny gentleman with dreads, wore a bridal veil, body suit, fishnet stockings and platforms.

We were in amazing company, for sure.

I'm there, not to audition -- the thought of doing so still makes my stomach clench with nerves a little -- but to be company and support for a friend as she takes those first courageous steps towards realizing a dream.  I'm here because this is such a unique experience, a once in a lifetime opportunity.  It really is, because barring even more friends who want to audition (seems unlikely) I'm not actually sure I'll ever do this again. 

This is not for the faint of heart.

We're waiting in line for about 3 hours when a woman (I call her Adele because she has that kind of British accent) finally climbs a ladder, gets on a megaphone, and tells us we'll get inside the arena "in just a second," but first there are some things the camera crew has to film us doing because, after all, "you've got to work for that 5 million dollars, we're not just going to give it to you!"  The first thing we do is cheer and make hand motions (you know the one), then we do some silent screaming (I really can't make this craziness up), then they put on some pop music and make us get in circles and dance.  More silent screaming, more dance circles, then the producers walk through the crowd and have a few people sing for the camera, you know, What's your name, Where are you from, Sing us a little something.  Finally, they drive four black SUVs in front of the crowd, and we're told to "Pretend your favorite judges are in these cars and just GO WILD!  That's right, pretend they're in there!  Scream!  Let them know how much you love them!"

Four hours after Adele begins talking, and we're still in the hot sun, waiting to be let in the arena for auditions.  I think to myself that this is what it must be like to be a glamorous star.  Or maybe not.

When we finally do make it inside, it's a madhouse the likes of which I've only seen a few times before (once was at an NSYNC New Years Eve concert back when I was at the tender age of 17).  There are something like 5,000 people here now, and though there are roughly 30 audition booths through which potential contestants can be ushered, they've only got 8 of them (EIGHT OF THEM) open.  The judges are supposedly a mix of music industry "experts" and producers from the show.  Secretly, I suspect they answered Craigslist ads and just showed up.

It'll be another 4 and a half hours before my friend actually auditions.  We kill the time by figuring out which song she'll sing for her judge, making friends with the people sitting around us (one drove down from Washington state, another was from Florida), and staring at a girl who looked like she just climbed off the set of The X-Men.  Some jerk gets on the megaphone a few times and says jerky things I file away in my brain as the shallow crap industry people in L.A. spew on us lesser beings when they're forced to interact with us.  When she finally does audition, she's put in the line for normal people (as opposed to the line they created for the weirdos), given about 20 seconds to speak and sing, and is then moved along.

What has maybe struck me the most about this entire process (I can't seem to call it anything but a process now), is that it really is a not-so-clever creation of a false narrative that we, as TV watchers and crap consumers, will be spoon-fed once this film is edited and cut and manipulated into the newest season of this show.  What struck me next was that these people could care less about you.  You want to be a singer?  How great for you.  But will you make good TV?  This is not new, it's not surprising.  But it is a little disheartening and, for some, maybe even a little disenchanting. This is not real, this is not even remotely real. 

Am I surprised by what we experienced that day?  Not really.  It makes for a good story, right (funny how the actual truth can make for a good story)?  But it does make me a little sad.  Sad to know that we give in to this sort of thing, that we buy it, consume it, and maybe even sometimes believe them when they call it "reality TV."

As we were leaving the arena, we saw a little girl walking to the parking lot with her mother.  She couldn't have been more than 13 years old.  And she's crying.  Her mother is hugging her, trying to comfort her, and this tiny little girl is just sobbing.  She didn't get through and it just about broke my heart.  I hope someone tells her that this wasn't real, it wasn't the truth, and that there are far better ways to pursue your dreams.

It's Friday, and You Must Love The Civil Wars

I mean, you have to love them.  What's not to love?  I actually had a hard time choosing which videos to play this Friday (like that never happens to me, right?), and because I was tired of fighting with myself I decided to just put three of them up.

There was a time about 2 months ago where all I would listen to was this song.  It got to the point where Nate knew all the words -- would even sing them when I wasn't around -- and would have no idea where it came from.

But there's also this one, which is the first song I ever heard from them.

And then, of course, there's this song, which is huge right now (so yes, it's a little overplayed) and fits in just perfectly with the way I imagine "The Hunger Games" -- from what I've read which admittedly isn't much yet -- would sound if it were a melody.

Are you a fan of The Civil Wars? (Note: If you're not, don't say so or we can't be friends anymore).

It's Friday, and I Have a Problem

You know how every once in a while you'll come across something -- a song, a passage in a book, a blog -- and you just can't stop looking/reading/watching/listening?  Yeah, that's me right now.  Except it's not even just one thing, it's two.  On repeat.  For days.

And because crazy likes company, I'd like you to watch them.  And love them.  And inevitably become as obsessed with them as I am.

Everyone in the entire world has seen this video by now, but I can't help it, she's hilarious.  And my absolute favorite from here on out.

And then, of course, there's Gotye.  Oh, Gotye, Gotye, Gotye.  Could you have created a song whose melody could get stuck in my head any more than this one?  No, because that would be cruel and inhumane.  I mean, I have a life, you know.  I can't just sit around listening to this song over and over.  (Except that I am).

If, like me, you watch these videos and become a lunatic as well, let me know.  We can form a club.  A Club o' Crazy.

Just Because

Because I can't stop watching old episodes of Glee right now.  Because Santana and Mike Chang are my favorites (even though he wasn't my favorite when he was on SYTYCD).  Because FUN is awesome.

And because it's Friday.

Have a great weekend!

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What I'm Listening To Lately

I'm one of those people who can listen to the same song, the same album over and over and over.  I can listen to something on repeat for hours, days, even weeks.  If it grabs me, I'm sold.  It's always been easy for me to get lost in music and lyrics, in the stories they tell, in the way they make me feel.  So I thought I'd share some of the music I've been listening to lately. 

Jack's Mannequin is one of my favorite bands, so it's no surprise that I've had their album on rotation since I saw them perform in San Francisco last week. If you've haven't listened to them lately, or you've never heard of them to begin with (it's surprising to me how many people fall into this category), I'd suggest checking them out.  You could also check out Something Corporate (the lead singer's other band), or the documentary, "Dear Jack" (have tissues handy).

If I could sound like any singer in this whole wide world, it would be Brooke Fraser.  I started listening to her when her first album was all I'd hear on the radio while studying in New Zealand (she's Kiwi), and then a few years ago I started looking for anything else I could find from her.  She's sung with Hillsong United (Christian rock group), and her last album "Albertine" is a-ma-zing.  While I like Albertine a little more than this current album, "Flags" still has some great music on it.  She's staying on rotation for a while.

Now, Amos Lee is pretty new for me, even though this is one of his older albums.  I've always liked the one or two songs of his that I found here and there, but I've never actually listened to an entire album until now.  I want to kick myself for that.  This album is perfect music for a quiet day at home, if you're puttering around the house and want something soothing and relaxing in the background.  This album has been on repeat lately since I find myself doing a lot of that very activity.  Puttering.  Puttering and Amos Lee go hand in hand.  Okay, and it has to be said: his voice is pretty sexy too.

Alright, this album was a given, right?  I feel like I have to give it a try.  And I have to say, I'm pretty disappointed.  It's just...okay.  Like, really.  There are a few songs on it that I like a lot: The Belle Brigade's "I Didn't Mean It" and Imperial Mammoth's "Requiem on Water".  Of course Aqualung.  There are songs by Endtapes, Angus & Julia Stone and Sleeping at Last that are good.  And then there's Bruno Mars.  Bruno.  Mars.  On the Breaking Dawn Soundtrack.  That's where it lost me.  Maybe I just want it to be the New Moon Soundtrack so badly (because that one was great) and it's just not.  It's just not.  So I'm gonna give it just one more shot before it's taken off rotation.

What are you listening to lately?

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I'm currently working to figure out The Mystery of the Disappearing Comment Link.  Until then, if you'd like to comment on this post, just click on the post title.  It'll take you to the posts' individual page and you can comment at the bottom.

What I'm Grateful For Today

Music and shows and singing at the top of my lungs with my eyes closed against the stage lights and friends and Jack's Mannequin.

And the fact that I now have new music to listen to (Scars on 45 opened and were so good).

[Girl♥Health]: I Need New Workout Music!

I have a small confession to make: I'm really bad at keeping up to date with new hip-hop/rap/r&b/dance music.  Like, really bad.  Example: You know that song "Shots" by LMFAO?  Yeah, the first time I actually heard that song was two weeks ago.  Two weeks ago.  It came out in 2009.

Sidenote: In all honestly, I think I've avoided listening to that song until now because holy crap the lyrics are horrible!  What the hell is wrong with us that we actually like this stuff?!

I mean, I don't live under a rock so I've of course heard of these sort of songs, but it's just really not my type of music.  Unless -- and here's where the entire point of this post comes in -- I'm working out.  Then, I want to listen to this crap like it's going out of style.  It's high energy, it's got this massive beat that's great for running, it gets you pumped, it's pretty perfect really.

But my knowledge of music outside of my typical genres consist primarily of my Taio Cruz Pandora playlist (and the only reason I have that playlist is because my best friends listen to it all the time and it's rubbed off on me) and music that came out while I was in college, which was more than six years ago.  So I'm in some serious need of some new workout music!

I would love to hear your suggestions.  What do you like to listen to when you workout?  Don't worry if the lyrics of these songs are just as bad as "Shots" -- at this point, if it's giving me the energy to finish my runs, I'm not discriminating.