Summer is almost here! After a couple of stressful weeks here at VCSU with online classes and the flood, I am definitely looking forward to the summer and all it has to offer. NO school or homework, warm weather, camping, the lakes, and MUSIC.
Around the Midwest area, we have quite a few music festivals happening during the summer. Last year after my boyfriend returned from Iraq, I promised him a fun-filled summer. We attended Moondance, We-Fest, and countless other concerts. Music and concerts are a huge part of my summer.
The line-ups for Moondance, Moondance-Jammin Country, and We-Fest, are all very good this year. Journey is at Moondance so my boyfriend should be thrilled! All of these music festivals offer my favorite summer activities: Camping, drinking, hanging out with friends, and listening to great music.
There are plenty of other smaller music events occurring around our area that I will be attending, most occurring in Fargo at the fairgrounds. This year, the Red River Valley Fair has some newer artists to offer for concerts in the grandstands. Zac Brown Band, a new favorite amongst my friends will be performing along with other newbies Gloriana and Joey and Rory. They will also be joined by veterans Diamond Rio and Joe Diffie.
Rib-Fest is another smaller music festival that is wayyyy cheaper than We-Fest. For just a few bucks you can enjoy Rodney Atkins, Eve 6, 32 Below, and others. Plus you can feast on ribs and enjoy being outside.
Not only are music festivals a big part of my summer, but music in general. I always have my i-pod with me when I am mowing the lawn, or going for a walk. Whenever I am camping with friends, we usually have the key turned back in someone’s vehicle and the windows rolled down so we can listen to tunes while setting up the tent and sitting around a campfire.
Hopefully my blogs this semester have shown you how much music affects our lives every day. Think about how much money we spend on CD’s, downloads, concerts, etc. It is crazy! Enjoy your summer and enjoy the music!
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Monday, May 4, 2009
Giving Back to the Flood Fighters
It finally seems like all of the flood related chaos is winding down. Dikes are being torn down in Fargo, and sandbags are being removed in many towns around the state. Guard units are finally being sent home after some of them (including my boyfriend, Levi’s) have been on active duty for the past six weeks. Our state is finally getting back to “normal” after communities rallied together to help save the Peace Garden State.
We are all grateful for the efforts put towards the flood by everyone in the surrounding area, but what have we done to show thanks? I am sure lots of hugs and thank you’s were given the past month to let those who helped out saving our state from flood waters that their help was appreciate, but the city of Fargo and the Fargo Marathon Organization are really wanting to give back to the community.
This weekend on Saturday the 9th, the Fargo Marathon Organization will be paying for a free benefit for those who helped out in the flood of 2009. The city of Fargo is not paying for it, rather the money will come out of the money saved up from the marathon’s non-profit organization.
Where does music play into all of this you might ask? After the Fargo Marathon, starting at 6 pm and going until 10 pm, Johnny Holm and 32 Below, two popular local bands will be playing free concerts to the public in the Fargodome. Going along with the free concert, there will be free parking, beverages, and food offered to EVERYONE at any age.
32 Below was scheduled to play this year at our final dance at VCSU. I was really bummed out and upset with Mother Nature upon hearing this. . . I can’t pass up a 32 Below Concert! The band cancelled many of their shows in the month of April to help sandbag in their hometown of Fargo North Dakota. The band is looking forward to giving back to their community by performing this concert.
Even though no alcohol will be served at the concert (it is for all ages and they don’t feel it would be appropriate) I encourage everyone around the area to come to the concerts! Especially if you helped out with the flood like most of us did.
If you have never seen either band before, I assure you a good time, they are both amazing performers and put on a fun show. They are all about the fans. They are all about the people, and on Saturday it is a show giving back to the people.
Come support friends and family in the marathon and celebrate the flood being taken care of. I will be there, hope you will too!
We are all grateful for the efforts put towards the flood by everyone in the surrounding area, but what have we done to show thanks? I am sure lots of hugs and thank you’s were given the past month to let those who helped out saving our state from flood waters that their help was appreciate, but the city of Fargo and the Fargo Marathon Organization are really wanting to give back to the community.
This weekend on Saturday the 9th, the Fargo Marathon Organization will be paying for a free benefit for those who helped out in the flood of 2009. The city of Fargo is not paying for it, rather the money will come out of the money saved up from the marathon’s non-profit organization.
Where does music play into all of this you might ask? After the Fargo Marathon, starting at 6 pm and going until 10 pm, Johnny Holm and 32 Below, two popular local bands will be playing free concerts to the public in the Fargodome. Going along with the free concert, there will be free parking, beverages, and food offered to EVERYONE at any age.
32 Below was scheduled to play this year at our final dance at VCSU. I was really bummed out and upset with Mother Nature upon hearing this. . . I can’t pass up a 32 Below Concert! The band cancelled many of their shows in the month of April to help sandbag in their hometown of Fargo North Dakota. The band is looking forward to giving back to their community by performing this concert.
Even though no alcohol will be served at the concert (it is for all ages and they don’t feel it would be appropriate) I encourage everyone around the area to come to the concerts! Especially if you helped out with the flood like most of us did.
If you have never seen either band before, I assure you a good time, they are both amazing performers and put on a fun show. They are all about the fans. They are all about the people, and on Saturday it is a show giving back to the people.
Come support friends and family in the marathon and celebrate the flood being taken care of. I will be there, hope you will too!
Monday, April 27, 2009
Aerosmith Fans "Cryin" Pays Off
Aerosmith happens to be one of my favorite bands of all time. In high school, my friends and I immediately bought tickets when the band was scheduled to play at the Alerus Center in Grand Forks, ND. I looked forward to the concert for months, and then all of a sudden it was in the news that Steven Tyler was sick and they were cancelling some shows. It was no surprise when North Dakota was one of the shows they ended up cancelling. We got our money back but I have never fully recovered not seeing them live in concert.
However disappointed I was at one of my favorite bands cancelling a concert I was looking forward to, I can’t imagine how fans in Hawaii felt in 2007. Over 8,300 people were SOL when the band cancelled a sold out concert in Maui to play a much larger concert in Chicago. These people, unlike myself, did not get their money back, and they were pissed.
Hundreds of irritated fans filed a class action lawsuit against the band. The suit claimed the cancellation cost Maui ticket buyers between $500,000 and $3 million in travel costs, handling fees and other expenses.To settle this lawsuit, Aerosmith is putting on a free concert in Maui. Each person who bought a ticket to the original concert will receive a free one to this concert. All of the out of pocket expenses will also be taken care of no matter what the cost. I am sure the fans were pleased to hear this.
A date for the concert has not been scheduled but it is likely to be later this year around September or October after Aerosmith wraps up its latest tour. Aerosmith’s attorney says that the band wanted to make this up in a way that really connects with the fans of Hawaii. He said that this band is about the music and wants the people of Hawaii to be connected with Aerosmith’s music.
The band should be about the music, but it is easy to get caught up in money. I think this was a cruddy thing for Aerosmith to do, but they are attempting to make up for it. Say what you want about the band, but they make some of the best music out there. If they ever come close enough to home here in North Dakota again, I am so there.
However disappointed I was at one of my favorite bands cancelling a concert I was looking forward to, I can’t imagine how fans in Hawaii felt in 2007. Over 8,300 people were SOL when the band cancelled a sold out concert in Maui to play a much larger concert in Chicago. These people, unlike myself, did not get their money back, and they were pissed.
Hundreds of irritated fans filed a class action lawsuit against the band. The suit claimed the cancellation cost Maui ticket buyers between $500,000 and $3 million in travel costs, handling fees and other expenses.To settle this lawsuit, Aerosmith is putting on a free concert in Maui. Each person who bought a ticket to the original concert will receive a free one to this concert. All of the out of pocket expenses will also be taken care of no matter what the cost. I am sure the fans were pleased to hear this.
A date for the concert has not been scheduled but it is likely to be later this year around September or October after Aerosmith wraps up its latest tour. Aerosmith’s attorney says that the band wanted to make this up in a way that really connects with the fans of Hawaii. He said that this band is about the music and wants the people of Hawaii to be connected with Aerosmith’s music.
The band should be about the music, but it is easy to get caught up in money. I think this was a cruddy thing for Aerosmith to do, but they are attempting to make up for it. Say what you want about the band, but they make some of the best music out there. If they ever come close enough to home here in North Dakota again, I am so there.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Pros of Satellite Radio
Have you ever wondered what the difference is between satellite radio and regular radio? Until recently I thought the only difference was you had to pay for one and not the other. To me, that is a deal breaker, why pay for something that you can get for free? However, there are a few perks to satellite radio that I discovered that makes paying a small fee every month potentially worth it.
Much like online radio, satellite radio provides a wide variety of music. With regular radio we are limited by our location to what we are able to listen to, but with satellite radio we can listen to anything and everything, with limited to no commercial breaks (a big plus). XM radio and Sirius are some of the popular satellite radio providers out there.
Another pro about satellite radio is censorship, or the lack there of. Satellite radio plays songs without “bleeping” out inappropriate language and allows us to listen to the song as it was intended. There is also no censorship on satellite radio talk shows. Howard Stern’s racy and uncensored talk show comes to mind when mentioning this.
Speaking of talk shows, that is another plus about satellite radio. For those of us who prefer to listen to talk shows on the radio rather than music, there are more and more syndicated talk shows appearing on satellite radio. This means listeners have lots of choice in talk shows, sports programming and more.
Part of the appeal of satellite radio is the variety that it offers; music, talk shows, and comedy. A really cool service that satellite radio provides is listeners are able to listen to stand up comedy stations rather than a music station. Instead of buying a comics CD in the store you are able to tune into their show on the radio.
Even though you do have to subscribe to satellite radio and pay a small fee, if you have a few extra bucks lying around, it seems worth it because of the listening options it provides.
Much like online radio, satellite radio provides a wide variety of music. With regular radio we are limited by our location to what we are able to listen to, but with satellite radio we can listen to anything and everything, with limited to no commercial breaks (a big plus). XM radio and Sirius are some of the popular satellite radio providers out there.
Another pro about satellite radio is censorship, or the lack there of. Satellite radio plays songs without “bleeping” out inappropriate language and allows us to listen to the song as it was intended. There is also no censorship on satellite radio talk shows. Howard Stern’s racy and uncensored talk show comes to mind when mentioning this.
Speaking of talk shows, that is another plus about satellite radio. For those of us who prefer to listen to talk shows on the radio rather than music, there are more and more syndicated talk shows appearing on satellite radio. This means listeners have lots of choice in talk shows, sports programming and more.
Part of the appeal of satellite radio is the variety that it offers; music, talk shows, and comedy. A really cool service that satellite radio provides is listeners are able to listen to stand up comedy stations rather than a music station. Instead of buying a comics CD in the store you are able to tune into their show on the radio.
Even though you do have to subscribe to satellite radio and pay a small fee, if you have a few extra bucks lying around, it seems worth it because of the listening options it provides.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Online Radio
We all listen to the radio. Whether it is in your car, on a portable radio, or a classic boombox, we have all turned one on in some point in our lives. My CD player in high school had an AM FM radio in it and I remember thinking that was soooo cool. The other radios in our house were in forms of alarm clocks and the radio that was 40 years old set up in our garage for my dad to listen to while he was working outside. I would say my main radio fix usually comes from my car. It is convenient. I am usually able to find stations no matter where I am driving to (it is harder to in the valley though) and have a large selection of different channels that play different types of music.
When you are in your house you are limited to the stations nearest your home. While you are in your car, depending where you are, some stations come in clearer than others. However, there is something out there that makes listening to the radio even more convenient; online radio.
I first started using the internet as a source for my radio enjoyment while working last summer. I knew that it was out there, I just didn’t know about it. My boss left it up on our computer after her shift, and told me I could play it while I worked. I instantly became a huge fan.
Broadcasting on the internet is referred to as webcasting. The music is “streamed” over the internet providing listeners with nonstop music, or little commercial breaks. With internet radio you are not limited to stations around your local area. Internet radio services are usually accessible around the world. Not only can you listen to radio stations from outside of your home state, but you can listen to music from Europe, Japan, etc. This appealed to me because I listen to a lot of Australian country music.
You can also find any genre of music you want using online radio. Genres like classical, jazz, folk, and standup comedy are hard to find on your local radio stations, but there are plenty of stations online that provide easy access to these genres overlooked by rock, country, and pop.
If this isn’t something you have looked into, I suggest checking out a few of the online radio sites out there like Pandora, Live365, and Yahoo Music. Enjoy!
When you are in your house you are limited to the stations nearest your home. While you are in your car, depending where you are, some stations come in clearer than others. However, there is something out there that makes listening to the radio even more convenient; online radio.
I first started using the internet as a source for my radio enjoyment while working last summer. I knew that it was out there, I just didn’t know about it. My boss left it up on our computer after her shift, and told me I could play it while I worked. I instantly became a huge fan.
Broadcasting on the internet is referred to as webcasting. The music is “streamed” over the internet providing listeners with nonstop music, or little commercial breaks. With internet radio you are not limited to stations around your local area. Internet radio services are usually accessible around the world. Not only can you listen to radio stations from outside of your home state, but you can listen to music from Europe, Japan, etc. This appealed to me because I listen to a lot of Australian country music.
You can also find any genre of music you want using online radio. Genres like classical, jazz, folk, and standup comedy are hard to find on your local radio stations, but there are plenty of stations online that provide easy access to these genres overlooked by rock, country, and pop.
If this isn’t something you have looked into, I suggest checking out a few of the online radio sites out there like Pandora, Live365, and Yahoo Music. Enjoy!
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Fair Concerts
As any 4H alumni can tell you, fairs are a huge part of your life. Then comes the big show: the state fair. I still look forward to the summer time and all of the small country fairs around my hometown, but this year I am especially looking forward to the state fair, and not to reminisce about my old 4H-ing day . . . but because of the music line up set up for the fair that week.
If you know anything about me, you know that I love music, and I definitely have some favorites. I am a big fan of country music so I always look forward to the Fargo fair and the state fair because they usually have a good country lineup. This year at the North Dakota State Fair, Dierks Bently, Taylor Swift, Motley Crue, Rodney Atkins, Heidi Newfield, and my personal favorite Gary Allan will all be gracing us with their presence.
I am very excited.
My hometown county fair never really any big name music stars come and play, but the atmosphere is still amazing. Johnny Holm and Blue Collar Hero (frequent players in ND) are regulars, and 32 Below will be debuting this summer. (They plan to play the last dance on campus at VCSU in April. Check out their site here.) Back in the day, before he was famous, Kenny Chesney played the Ransom County Fair and played a game of pool with my friend’s dad.
Concerts are a great way of bringing people together. After a long week of work in the summer and not having seen my friends for a long time, a fair concert in Fargo at the Red River Valley Fair or Bismarck is always something we look forward to. A lot of my favorite memories involve a fair or a concert. . . I think many people from small rural towns would agree with me.
Concerts are a big part of who I am, and so are small town fairs (yep, still a 4H nerd at heart!) So I encourage you to check out your county’s fair this summer, and if you are feeling really ambitious, drive to our states capitol (if it’s not under water) and check out the State Fair.
If you know anything about me, you know that I love music, and I definitely have some favorites. I am a big fan of country music so I always look forward to the Fargo fair and the state fair because they usually have a good country lineup. This year at the North Dakota State Fair, Dierks Bently, Taylor Swift, Motley Crue, Rodney Atkins, Heidi Newfield, and my personal favorite Gary Allan will all be gracing us with their presence.
I am very excited.
My hometown county fair never really any big name music stars come and play, but the atmosphere is still amazing. Johnny Holm and Blue Collar Hero (frequent players in ND) are regulars, and 32 Below will be debuting this summer. (They plan to play the last dance on campus at VCSU in April. Check out their site here.) Back in the day, before he was famous, Kenny Chesney played the Ransom County Fair and played a game of pool with my friend’s dad.
Concerts are a great way of bringing people together. After a long week of work in the summer and not having seen my friends for a long time, a fair concert in Fargo at the Red River Valley Fair or Bismarck is always something we look forward to. A lot of my favorite memories involve a fair or a concert. . . I think many people from small rural towns would agree with me.
Concerts are a big part of who I am, and so are small town fairs (yep, still a 4H nerd at heart!) So I encourage you to check out your county’s fair this summer, and if you are feeling really ambitious, drive to our states capitol (if it’s not under water) and check out the State Fair.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Weather Announcements
Around North Dakota the past week there has been one topic on every station: The Flood. While listening to the radio at work yesterday, every other normal broadcast was taken off air and there were more than three hours straight of weather related announcements on the air having to do with the flood that is taking over our state.
We have all had our favorite song on the radio cut off by the sudden, scary, buzzing sound that comes before an emergency weather announcement. I have been hearing a few lately. Last night on the television my friends and I even witnessed something none of us had ever seen. Instead of a ribbon at the bottom of the screen flashing a flood warning; every channel went pinkish purple for about two minutes making an annoying siren noise, and flashing a message across the whole screen. You’d think it was the end of the world.
The radio has been full of announcements relating to everything to do with the flood. The announcements range from everything from school and community cancellations, closing of roads, and evacuation of homes and entire streets. Along with the sirens going off every few hours here in Valley City, along with the teams of sandbaggers from the community and college, it seems like we are preparing for the movie The Day After Tomorrow.
Schools and colleges around the state have been canceled for the past few days, both because of the weather as well as in hopes of recruiting sandbaggers. My friends and I are preparing to go ourselves in a while . . . I encourage everyone to go out and help! I was too young to help during the flood of ’97, so I am glad that I am of age and able to help this year. Good luck to all North Dakotans with the fight against the flood. Stay dry!
We have all had our favorite song on the radio cut off by the sudden, scary, buzzing sound that comes before an emergency weather announcement. I have been hearing a few lately. Last night on the television my friends and I even witnessed something none of us had ever seen. Instead of a ribbon at the bottom of the screen flashing a flood warning; every channel went pinkish purple for about two minutes making an annoying siren noise, and flashing a message across the whole screen. You’d think it was the end of the world.
The radio has been full of announcements relating to everything to do with the flood. The announcements range from everything from school and community cancellations, closing of roads, and evacuation of homes and entire streets. Along with the sirens going off every few hours here in Valley City, along with the teams of sandbaggers from the community and college, it seems like we are preparing for the movie The Day After Tomorrow.
Schools and colleges around the state have been canceled for the past few days, both because of the weather as well as in hopes of recruiting sandbaggers. My friends and I are preparing to go ourselves in a while . . . I encourage everyone to go out and help! I was too young to help during the flood of ’97, so I am glad that I am of age and able to help this year. Good luck to all North Dakotans with the fight against the flood. Stay dry!
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