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2020
Jewish Melbourne: FOJAM Newsletters
Festival of Jewish Art and Music (FOJAM)'s theme for 2020 was 'Homeward Bound' and they issued a number of newsletters across the year, collating them on their website. -
2020
Jewish Melbourne: FOJAM events
The Festival of Jewish Art and Music (FOJAM) normally puts on live events, but during the Covid lockdown they have organised a series of livestreamed events for the community. Attended by hundreds of people, some of these events - or excerpts from the events - have been shared afterwards on youtube. -
2020-10-05
Xbox Live Shenanigans
This is a trap remix of Darkthrone’s “Transilvanian Hunger” that I made on my phone in GarageBand. My friends and I usually congregate on Xbox Live every night after we get home from work for the night. With rising costs, dwindling savings, and less work available than ever before, we don’t really plan things anymore. When we do, the plans usually include cooking dirty burgers, drinking beer, and playing board games at someone’s house. That and playing Xbox together are the cheapest options for hanging out that we even have. Lately, our favorite pastime has been making beats on our iPhones in GarageBand. Someone jokingly told me that Norweigan black metal is the only un-sampleable musical genre. I set out to prove him wrong. Laughter and hilarity ensued. -
2020-10-28
Pandemic Playlist: Reflections of Quarantine Life Through Music
In March I was laid off from my full-time job of 6 years. Those first few weeks of unemployment found me struggling to stay productive and positive. With too much time on my hands I did what any well-adjusted person would do in that situation—listened to sad music to make myself feel worse. Tom Waits – More Than Rain Like many Americans, I live paycheck to paycheck. I knew that missing even one pay period would mean falling behind on several bills. I get paid weekly which means that even though I don’t make a lot of money, I at least always have enough to make it through to next Friday. Being broke made me feel like a failure. I resented my pre-pandemic life of always being so busy and going the extra mile at work. What did I have to show for it? “None of our pockets, are lined with gold Nobody's caught the bouquet There are no dead presidents we can fold Nothing is going our way” The “our” in this song made me think of all the other people who were in the same situation as me. I was sad not just for myself, but for everyone else who was out of a job. It reminded me to be grateful for the things I still had. Tom Waits is someone who I admire for his humor, but this particular song is void of any playfulness. The best way I can describe this song is to call it a cross between a lullaby for pirates and a circus ballad for depressed clowns. It features a melancholic vocal and a wearisome accordion sluggishly making its way through the song. “It's more than rain that falls on our parade tonight It's more than thunder It's more than thunder” The pandemic is much bigger than what we initially took it for. It’s poverty, depression, isolation, death… The Specials – Ghost Town The Specials are my favorite band, and this song which is perpetually on my playlist took on several new meanings for me. “Ghost Town” was originally written in response to unemployment and racial tensions in Thatcher era England. Now the song seems as though it was written against the backdrop of Trumpism. “This town, is coming like a ghost town All the clubs have been closed down This place, is coming like a ghost town Bands won't play no more” Driving around downtown San Antonio during the early days of quarantine was incredibly eerie. All the usual sights had vanished: tourists waiting at crosswalks, work trucks driving to their next job sites, bicyclists slowing down traffic, mariachis playing at restaurants, and people strolling the Riverwalk. San Antonio was dead. “This place, is coming like a ghost town No job to be found in this country Can't go on no more The people getting angry” The harmonized ghostly screeches in the chorus set the spooky tone for the song. How can we possibly live in a city that is dead? When everything was closed, I felt like a ghost--dead and unable to enjoy my favorite hobbies. I couldn’t visit friends, travel, or waste time browsing clothing stores. I had a difficult time figuring out how to enjoy life. Ginger Rogers – We’re in the Money Of course a depression era song would resonate with me. For the first time ever I had money in my savings account. This was only possible because I was temporarily laid off and able to receive unemployment benefits. I begrudgingly went back to work when my boss received a Paycheck Protection Program loan. Not only did I have to work in-person putting my health at risk, but I also had to do so at my regular pay rate which was much lower than my unemployment benefits. Body Count – Body Count I discovered this song while watching a video montage of BLM protests on Instagram. I was immediately drawn to Ice-T’s angry vocals complemented by an equally aggressive punk rock backing. The lyrics sound like they written this year, but they are from 1992—a year after the Los Angeles riots. “God damn, what a brother gotta do To get a message through To the red, white and blue What? I gotta die? Before you realize I was a brother with open eyes” The Specials – B.L.M. Just like Ice-T, The Specials have been singing about Black lives for decades. In 1980, Specials guitarist Lynval Golding wrote a song called “Why?” after he was violently attacked because of his race. In that song he seeks understanding and asks his attackers “Why did you try to hurt me?” Almost 40 years later, Golding wrote another song about his experiences with racism. Again, he takes a gentle approach by telling the listener: “I'm not here to teach you I'm not here to preach to you I just want to reach out and say Black lives matter” Cher – Chiquitita These days everything exhausts me, and I feel like I have no time to rest. As soon as Cher opens with “Chiquitita tell me what’s wrong?” I start crying. Thanks for checking up on me, Cher. As with most of her songs, I get happy when her music comes on because I know I’m about to do an ugly sing-along. Nowadays this song just hits different. “You were always sure of yourself / Now I see you’ve broken a feather” I have never felt so uneasy and uncertain in all my life. I used to be the shoulder to cry on when my friends needed comfort. I no longer have the energy to offer my strength. Lila Downs – Una Cruz de Madera Despite being a song about death, the Lila Downs version is a happy, upbeat tune. She turns it into a party song. The overall translation of the song captures how I want my loved ones to handle my passing. Instead of a fancy funeral, I’d prefer a big party in my honor. I don’t want my family and friends to shed tears, or feel any sadness. The only thing I want at my wake is a serenade in the early morning. Toots – Got to Be Tough Toots is one of those artists who radiates positivity. It’s hard to be in a bad mood when his upbeat tempos and powerful, soulful voice booms through the speakers. I saw him perform live a few years ago and watched him with awe. He would step away from the microphone and continue singing at an impressively loud volume—his voice filling up every corner of the auditorium. I was pressed up against the stage because he motioned for everyone to get closer. Toots came over to me several times and squeezed my hand and sang directly to me. In those moments I felt so happy and lucky to be alive. My best friend was right next to me and we both had tears in our eyes. How lucky we were that this Jamaican icon came all the way to perform for us in a stuffy San Antonio venue! We swore that we would see Toots again. I was excited when Toots dropped his new single “Got to Be Tough” earlier in the year. It meant that a tour would follow. The song itself was also a great comfort. “Got to be tough when things get rough You got to be tough and this is a warning You got to be smart, living in this time It's not so easy to carry on” Sadly, Toots passed away from Covid-19 two weeks after his “Got to Be Tough” album was released. Listening to the title single doesn’t bring me much comfort anymore. It makes me think of how excited I was that I was going to see him next year. Now it just makes me nostalgic for the days when we could go to shows and experience a more intimate connection with music. Nothing beats bonding with thousands of strangers who are singing, crying, and dancing to the same music as you. The song makes me miss being as happy as I was that day Toots held my hand and sang to me. -
2020-10-15
Wear a mask
A Disney take on COVID and how wearing a mask is the easiest thing to do. -
2020-05-06
Coronavirus quarantine: 21 classical music activities for self-isolating families
With families and individuals having to go into self-quarantine, a well-known classical music station suggests musical ways to keep busy and entertained. -
2020-07-22
J.S. Bach’s Bradenburg Concerto No. 3 Driveway Concert
Despite COVID-19, members of the Phoenix Symphony are still finding ways to perform and uplift the community while staying safe. -
2020-10-20
Carly's Quarantunes
This is a playlist of songs I've listened to during quarantine and an explanation about each of them. -
2020-10-18
Care after 5km
A friend of mine had a rough week. She lives down the coast, well out of my 5km play pen (the distance we Melbournians can travel from home). The phone calls are fine, but can be draining and don't replace a supportive hug. Feeling a bit helpless as a friend, I put together an hour of music I thought she'd find comforting. Diversifying the kinds of connections we keep up has been relieving in that way. Low pressure interaction, much like spending time in person when it is relaxed, calm, and conversation will bounce off stimuli in the world, is hard to replicate digitally. I've really stepped up my playlist game these days. She loved it. HIST30060 -
2020-10-09
Jacksonville Drive-In Concert
his news article talks about a drive-in concert performed by country singer Jon Pardi in Jacksonville, FL. Since the beginning of the pandemic, many notable concerts and live events have been canceled in the area. Hopefully, until the pandemic calms down, drive-in concerts and theatre will help keep the performing arts alive. -
2020-08-14
Library Takeout Video
A librarian at Duke University made a video outlining the steps for library takeout and it's amazing. -
2020-06-01
Life During Covid-19 Digital Pop-Up Exhibition
Students in Dr. Michael J. Kramer's Digital Methods for Historical Projects seminar at SUNY Brockport share stories about one object from the spring of 2020 during the Covid-19 Pandemic, https://brockportkramer.com/covid19/. Alan Gowans—Getting Past Personal and Public Anxieties Carson Werner—The Day Baseball Stood Still Cecil Frazier—Double Standards Gilberto Diaz III—Memes of COVID-19 Education Jared Rosenberg—Diary From a Mini-tunnel Joe Lasky—The Twitch and the Rosary Jordan Aviles—Music and Other Necessary Items Joseph Massaro—Music as an Escape From (and Turn to) the New Abnormal Leslie Hoag—TikTok-ing History Connections Nate Mundt—Recognizing First Responders Ryan Gibbs—Am I Doing It Right? Samantha Symonds—Saving Lives or Saving the Economy? Sebastian Phipps—Living In a Twenty-First Century Pandemic Steven Willard—Brutal and Grim Realizations Will Secules—Bringing The Office Home -
2020-09-04
Bandcamp Will Continue Bandcamp Fridays Until The End of The Year
"Because the pandemic is far from over, we’ll continue to hold Bandcamp Fridays on the first Friday of every month until the end of the year." Bandcamp has previously held "Bandcamp Fridays" where the music sharing platform has waived its fees, meaning 100% of the money going to the artists on the platform. -
2020-05-02
"The Plan Won't Accomplish Anything..." (Great Scott, RIP)
On May 1, 2020, the manager of Allston music venue Great Scott announced that the club would not reopen. In the days that followed, residents gathered in front of the doors to mourn its loss and share memories. On the blackboard used to advertise each night's bands and set times, someone wrote "The Plan Won't Accomplish Anything If It's Not Implemented," a lyric from the Built To Spill song, "The Plan" (from the 1999 album, Keep It Like A Secret). Built To Spill is not from Allston (they are from Boise, Idaho), but they are a seminal indie rock band and a formative influence for many musicians and fans who frequented Great Scott. The sign also reads "Allston Rock City" and "Thanks!" One of Allston's nicknames is "Allston Rock City." -
2020-08-17
Music Brings the World Together
Over the quarantine, something that I really love was not able to happen. The Drum Corps International 2020 season was cancelled. Drum corps is like marching band, but a lot more intense. There are only brass and percussion instruments, and you spend the whole summer training to learn one 12-minute show. As a result of the season being cancelled, a nonprofit organization has started called Virtual Arts Inc. Over the summer, they put on a virtual drum corps show that I was a part of. I met a bunch of new people, learned a new instrument, and got a lot better at playing music. They are putting on another show in December that I plan to be a part of as well. -
2020-08-20
Coronavirus pandemic impacting Alberta music classes this fall
This article from Canada highlights how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting both music majors in college and students in public school and Catholic school who attend music classes. It outlines many of the adjustments being made for music programs, such as colleges restricting voice, woodwind, and brass lessons to being online. Public schools have banned singing in school, as singing has been deemed a high-risk activity. This really highlights how the pandemic may affect performing arts long-term, as college and high-school students may not be able to receive face-to-face training or recital experience depending on their choice of instrument. -
2020-07-08
Sound and Street Art in San Francisco
A regional street art movement is bringing life and culture to San Francisco's empty streets during the COVID-19 pandemic. SF Symphony Associate Principal Bass, Dan Smith, is contributing to the movement by adding sound. In this video, Smith plays Adam Ben Ezra's "Can't Stop Running" in front of a variety of street art installments in San Francisco's Hayes Valley. As a former San Francisco resident, the sound produced by Smith, coupled with the art, feels exactly like the "City by the Bay." Art and culture are the heartbeat of San Francisco. And they remain alive and well during the COVID-19 pandemic. -
2020-08-19
COVID-19 Concert Cancellations
One of the many issues brought by the COVID-19 pandemic was the postponement and cancellation of many events. In late January my favorite artists, BTS, announced a worldwide tour that was planned to start late April. Fans became excited as concerts not only allow them to see the artists but also interact with other fans and feel a sense of community. Sadly, as the number of COVID-19 cases grew throughout the spring and public safety became of increasing concern, both BTS and their company decided to postpone the tour until further notice. While I am extremely happy the health and safety of both the fans and the artists were prioritized, it does very little to lessen the sadness that haunted fans as they no longer knew the next time they’d be able to see their favorite artists. -
2020-06-05
Singing A Little Louder
For as long as I can remember, there has always been music playing in my house, whether it be as my two sisters and I wake up each morning or up until the moment we fall asleep. Over the years, we have memorized thousands of songs and have connected with thousands of artists as we listen to anything we could find in the depths of our parent’s music collection. Our parents soon realized that they could teach us anything by means of a good song. As we would press play on the little radio that used to sit in our room, each CD would expose us to a different place, time, or mindset, while also subtly infusing messages of acceptance, equality, culture, kindness, and more. My sisters and I memorized songs in different languages, while also learning about the history and experiences that shape good music. Music became our life’s foundation and soon, in addition to listening to music for hours on end, my sisters and I started singing at various places in the small town of Smithfield, VA, where we grew up together. Hungry for more, we each picked up an instrument and learned to play guitar from listening over and over to our favorite albums and the occasional YouTube tutorial. We started to dissect the harmonies that we would hear in our favorite songs and ultimately formed our own sound that we loved sharing with the people we met within our little southern town. After learning hundreds of songs to play together, we soon realized that we wanted to start writing songs of our own. We were excited to create something that was inspired by our own experiences together, whether it be derived from feelings of happiness, sadness, heartbreak, anger, or excitement. Since we had listened to and interpreted music since we were born, the importance of songwriting is was not lost to my sisters and me. We understood the power it holds, as it frees the minds of thousands who desperately want their perspective to be represented and encourages storytelling that is inspired by real love or real loss. We were intrigued by the strong beliefs, wild imaginations, and raw emotions that ensure the timelessness of great songs. Being provided a space and a medium to write down unbridled and heartfelt ideas in addition to working with artists who inspire a safe and collaborative environment has allowed the intricacies of songwriting to come naturally to my sisters and me. Sharing my songs to audiences of all ages and sizes is absolutely exhilarating and I view my passion for meaningful lyrics as the greatest gift that has been given to me. My sisters and I began traveling to and from Nashville, meeting and collaborating with songwriters and artist to create meaningful lyrics and beautiful melodies. As our music began to directly represent what we were feeling as individuals, over the years my sisters and I started to use our original songs to communicate with each other and those around us. On March 13, for the first time in our lives, the music in our house stopped. It was replaced by the sounds of live updates from the news. As we watched the death toll rise and the heartbreaking stories of people who lost their loved ones to the virus, we were silenced by the impact of the disease. We realized that people were unable to interact with each other and that the effects of virus was attempting to strip humanity of things it needed to survive. As for my sisters and I, our entire lineup of summer performances was canceled, as well as the final trip to Nashville we had planned before I left for college. My sisters and I finally had to come to terms with the reality that we may not be able to sing out together again, as I would leave Virginia to move to Boston at the end of the summer. We struggled with the fact that we wouldn’t have the time to say goodbye to the thing that had connected us the most throughout our entire childhood and as we came to terms with our new reality, turned to music to help us get through this challenging time. With the rest of my senior year canceled, I had the time to sit and think about a lot what music has given me throughout my life. I discovered that even though I loved the songs and albums I listened to over the years, it was the time spent with my sisters that meant most to me. I thought about all of the different experiences we have shared over the years and how hard it is going to be when I would venture off on my own soon. My sisters were truly the thing in my life that I loved the most, so how was I going to be able to live 700 miles away in the middle of a global pandemic? My sisters faced the same uneasiness and uncertainty, and as usual, music served as our escape. We realized that while our situation may have been difficult to navigate, we are so incredibly lucky and grateful for the experiences we have shared and the opportunities we have been given. In the end we understood how fortunate it was that we were healthy and committed ourselves to always staying grateful even in times as unprecedented as this. We discovered that all we ever really needed was each other, and that there is more power in the relationships that you build with the people that you love than any virus or other obstacle that may come our way. I think that throughout this pandemic, the world is coming to terms with the same lesson: that human connection is one of the most impactful aspects of our lives. I hope that in the aftermath of a world redefined by a global pandemic, we all hug each other a little tighter and sing a little louder. Attached is my sister and I singing on Zoom for the first time. -
2020-05-02
Merchandise in Quarantine
In Cambridge, MA, we depend on small businesses, whether they’re corner stores, beauty parlors, restaurants, or specialized outlets. This picture is the lattermost, a music store called Cheapo Records, which I visited often before quarantine. Places like this are extremely important for both conserving history and discovering new music (without algorithms). COVID-19 has only exacerbated the danger Cheapo and others are facing due to rising rents. This picture I took before they reopened spoke to me because it shows how the hiatus wasn’t expected to be this long; the merchandise is left outside, behind an iron curtain, in uncertain indefinance. -
2019-04-01
Instant Update
My MacBook Pro has kept me updated on the current pandemic and news. During lockdown, many days were spent watching movies when I was not outside spending time out on the water, paddle boarding or snorkeling. -
2020-06-06
Cancel the noise
Since I've been stuck in the house doing a lot of chores, I use my AirPods a lot. I like to put them in and play some of my artists while I do chores. It makes a not so pleasant activity pleasant. Even when I'm not doing chores it provides a release. I get to kind of take a step back from being stuck inside with my family because I can't hear anything when they are in. -
2020-06-27
Holy Nights
Since May one of my biggest outlets from the stress of the pandemic has been watching MIYAVI perform live from Tokyo, Japan. I stumbled across his music on YouTube in 2008 and he's been one of my favorite artists since. After my dad passed in 2016 I made a promise to not let life slip by and last year I kept up with that promise by going to see some of my favorite musicians live, including MIYAVI. I was hoping to see him in concert again this year since he tends to tour worldwide often but when the pandemic hit I knew that wasn't going to happen. Instead, he has been holding virtual concerts from his home in Tokyo or an empty studio with drummer, Bobo, a GoPro, and a couple of drones. Even though for me seeing his performances means waking up at 7 am, it's so worth it. A lot has changed because of the pandemic but with technology, we can still connect and have fun with people from all over the world. Something MIYAVI mentions often during his virtual performances is that music won't stop, musicians won't stop playing, and that we are connected through music. I think it's very important to remember that more than what divides us, connects us and music is a large part of that. For an hour people from Japan, China, Europe, Africa, South America, and North America join into one virtual space because of music and because MIYAVI continues to remind us we are connected. -
2020-04-13
Music Lifts Neighborhood Spirits
A month into shelter-in-place orders, the streets of San Francisco's Marina District were filled with the sound of a local resident playing an accordion outside. People came out to share in the joy of music during this difficult time. -
2020-03-14
Quarantined Italians Sing Together from Balconies
Before the Coronavirus came to the United States, all eyes were on Italy. They had the highest death rate ever and they were all in a very strict quarantine. They were able to release the stress of being cooped up in their small apartments by singing together while standing on their balconies. Some would play violins, accordions, or tambourines, while others sang. They all joined in and it was quite a unique experience, and the videos went viral. -
2020-05-31
A Very Normal Quarantine
This song can also bring your mood up. A lot of my friends enjoyed the comedic value within the music video. -
2020-05-26
Disclosure quarantine music release
My favourite UK electronic band, Disclosure, released a new single from their forthcoming album "Energy" during lockdown. The track, also called "Energy" is a work of house/electronic music art that reflects the times we are currently facing. It's uplifting, direct, exotic, punchy and a lot of fun to listen to. -
2020-03-24
Tank and the Bangas Perform Live From Home
Tarriona "tank" BALL and Danny Abel Guitar performing their version in “Don’t Know Way” by Norah Jones. The band tells fans: "we’re still practicing #socialdistancing #livefromhome" in response to the pandemic.