Monday, September 15, 2008

Your Favorite Band Sucks, part two.

Please post your new, improved piece of writing here as a comment. Do not include notes about what you have changed, etc...Just the reworked piece.

23 comments:

JM Robinson said...

    Honestly, I amnot much of a music person.  This is very sad I know, but it's the truth.  However, when I am in the mood to relax, I usually listen to 311.  The first time I really listened to their music was on my senior trip.      We were on a beach in Cozumel, Mexico, burning in the hot sun. .  We had just graduated three days prior, and the feeling of freedom was sinking in at full force.  While most of my friends wanted to party and go crazy, I however wanted to relax after a long and rough year.        It was getting late and the sun had started going down under the horizon.  My friend Jack turned on his Ipod station, and the song Amber began to blare on the speakers.  We could all smell the ocean as the sun began to creep farther and farther under the horizon.  The sky started making an "amber" color and I could not help but notice the correlation with the song.  There were iguanas, beautiful girls, and dolphins, all in plain sight.  I could not have pictured a better way to say goodbye to friends and to the end of High School.  Since this experience i have grown to like many more 311 songs.  I strongly doubt however, that you could find a better song to go along with that perfect paradise of a situation.

Tiffany said...

I just knew that couldn’t be the line to get into the party! There wasn’t even a line it was just a big mob of kids outside the doors waiting to get in. I was so tempted to turn around and just go home. I remembered Weebie would be there so I got in the line. It was so hot and humid outside and everybody was so close together I was sweating my hair out!! I could hear the music inside which made everybody even more impatient. So everybody kept edging closer and closer to the door to try to get in and about three fights almost broke out. I stayed in line in three inch heels, and got pushed around for about three to five minutes because I really wanted to get in to see Weebie.
Well if you don’t know Weebie is a rapper from Baton Rouge. Well, after standing in line for about a hour I finally got in. It was so crowded you couldn’t even walk and it had to have been over one hundred degrees in there because everybody was sweating just standing still! That didn’t stop everybody from dancing and having fun. Well Weebie didn’t actually come out until the end of the party. They were playing his song and I heard his actual voice! I turned around and I saw him. A super strength came over me and I pushed anybody who was in my way. I made it all the way from the back of the room to the front of the stage in a matter of seconds! He did like five or six songs and I knew every word to every one of them! I couldn’t even breathe because it was so packed but I didn’t mind because I was in my own world. I didn’t know that fights were breaking out directly behind me! There was so much fighting Weebie’s security guards actually escorted him off the stage.
So after Weebie got off stage I decided to go to the restroom to cool off some. While I was in the restroom my friend called me to see where I was. I answered the phone on the way out of the restroom. I was talking normally for about two seconds when the strong peppery substance filled my lungs and almost choked me to death! The police had actually thrown one of those mace bomb into the room because of all the fighting. Everybody was running all over the place trying to get out of the room and away from the peppery poison. I saw one boy slip and fall on his back in the commotion. So I’m trying to run in three inch heels to find my friends and not get run over. I made it out of there safely and found my friends. We made it to the parking lot and there were police helicopters outside and about six police cars and an ambulance van! I couldn’t believe it. So when I got to my car I thought I was safe……Not! Somebody was shooting at the gas station I was parked by! So my friend and I got down in the car. I didn’t really think I was going to get shot but I was still very scared because I was not used to things like that. It took about thirty minutes to get out of the parking lot. And once I felt I was out of danger I put my Weebie cd in my stereo and blasted it the whole way back to my friend’s house!!

Caroline14 said...

It had been storming all day. The ground was muddy and wet, the air humid and muggy. Despite the horrible conditions, along with hundreds of others, we still showed up for the fun and excitement. It was the New Orleans Jazz Festival of 2006. I joined my step-sister Shannon, and my mom in going to the Fest that year although I didn’t really want to because of the weather. So we went and spent all day trudging through the mud and trying to stay as clean as possible. We listened to all the different bands, jazz, reggae, blues, rock, Christian, and almost everything you could imagine, although none were very popular at the time. The big show of the day was supposedly this band called the Dave Mathews Band. At the time I knew who they were and I knew one or two of their songs but I wasn’t very familiar with them. I had a few friends that really liked them and listened to their music all the time, so I was excited that I would be getting to watch them live!
That day Shannon, Mom, and I walked around and slowly made our way over to the stage where Dave Mathews was playing. When we started getting close, my surroundings changed. The people watching Dave were a lot different from those watching the other bands. These people were more relaxed but at the same time more enthusiastic. Every person there was doing his own thing but all of them were screaming and yelling “DAVE!” and not just singing with the band, but chanting the words of the songs. The aroma was that of an old Bar down on MainStreet, the smoke, the drinks, the sweat, the body odor, the Cajun food, all mixed together creating such an intense feeling. There were so many people crowded in front of the strange there was hardly any room to stand. But Shannon knew how to make her way around, and she lead us to the center towards the front. Mom and I hurried along behind her, Mom with a beer in one hand and the other swinging around in the air to the tempo of the music. I remember the first song I heard Dave Matthews sing was “Satelite”. The big-screen video was playing so the people in the back could even see him close-up. The one thing that I remember specifically from that song was the guy standing next to me. He was sweaty, dirty, he didn’t have a shirt on, but he was the happiest I believe he’d ever been in his life. He was screaming and shouting louder than anyone else there. He was laughing and having an amazing time when he looked over at me, a fifteen year old girl, and offered me a “smoke” and said I need to “chill and feel the music”. So I did exactly what he said, I “chilled” and “felt the music”. For the next thirty minutes I had the best time I’d ever had listening to music. Watching Dave on the stage, seeing him singing, the others in the band it was truly incredible.
After that day my view of music changed completely. I now have an open mind about all different types of music and all the different fans. The day that I saw what is now my favorite band, was a very memorable experience for me. The feeling I got from the Dave Matthews Concert marked the beginning of my career as a Dave fan.

zach rhodes said...

I am a concert junkie! But when my mom bought me tickets to see John Mayer at the woodlands in Houston, Texas, I can’t say that I was overwhelmed with the emotions of excitement and anticipation. I expected to be drowned by a sea of screaming thirteen year old girls. Nevertheless my urge to rock took over and I pursued my passion for concerts and embarked on a journey to see John Mayer. As I arrived in Houston on the day of the concert I was, to say the least a bit grumpy from the four hour ride from my small home town in Southern Louisiana. To go along with my mood I was delighted to find that it was going to be well over a hundred degrees at the concert. Still, I made my way to the arena. As I entered the woodlands auditorium I sat down in my sweat drenched shirt and waited for the performance to begin. I was soon to be blown away! As John Mayer walked out on stage with no shirt on, every single girl in the crowd went nuts. John then opened with a rendition of crossroads. I was shocked to hear what I thought was simply a pop musician play some of the most substant, soul satisfying blues licks that have ever graced my ears. I thought to myself he is the blues child of Steve Ray Vaughn, Hendrix, and Clapton. As he continued his set, the heat intensified as his face melting chops filled the air. He continued to play for three hours and was having so much fun, that he began to play covers such as free falling and voodoo child. He ended the concert with an acrobatic guitar performance as he lit the world on fire by shredding the neck of his guitar behind his back. I stumbled my way out of the arena, stunned by the amazing performance that I had just witnessed. As I regained my senses on the ride back home to Louisiana, I immediately pulled over to the nearest music store and purchased a live DVD of John Mayer in Los Angeles. Since then I have yet to watch regular cable, I find it boring compared to continuously studying the skills of the amazing performer that is John Mayer. Before this experience I would have been embarrassed to say that I was a John Mayer fan but now I am one of his biggest advocates.

Brittaney Hebert said...

Not having tickets to a concert we’d been desperate to go to for months was a huge let down. As 16 year old girls we thought we were fairly mature but still secretly loved the Disney channel. If a friend would call while we were watching it we'd simply tell a white lie and make some comment on Vh1's “Life of the Rich and Famous” instead of “The Suite Life of Zach and Cody” to assure them we were watching the age appropriate show. Quite simply, we'd absolutely be mortified if we were caught. Non the less, we still watched away. We had a particular liking to Aly and AJ, a Disney channel band, and decided that seeing them in concert would be a dream. Tickets,however, were sold out. My brunette best friend and fellow Disney channel viewer, Megan was a member of the House of Blues. Being a “daddy’s girl”, she called her father to see if he could assist in any possible way to get us in to the concert. After a couple phone calls with two anxious teenagers at his side, he gave us fabulous news. We we’re going to the concert! Upon arriving to the concert hall, the tall and muscular security guards snuck us in right through the back entrance. We walked in the fairly compressed room as the high pitched screams of 13 year old girls rung in my ears. The concert was beginning. The strong and sweet smells of citrus fruit spray filled my lungs, as I figured the crowd was all probably too young to wear perfume. The dark room was illuminated by bright multi colored lights and the opening band began to play. I had no idea who the band was, but I was absolutely captivated, simply swept off my feet. I pushed through the crammed room and tried to ignore the irritation on my arms from rubbing hundreds of sparkled and beaded shirts to make my way to the front. Eventually, I was there. Staring with awe upon officially my favorite band ever. They winked at the crowd and sang with angelic voices hitting high pitches I never imagined possible. The main singer dancing around in tight jeans and a short mohawk-which might I add, is a breath taker for me- helped to confirm my thoughts. They were God's gift to mankind! When Aly and AJ came on I joined the younglings and screamed so much my face was hot and stinging from a lack of oxygen. Aly & AJ were phenomenal but when I heard the ending announcement of being able to meet the opening band, I had never been more thrilled. Being overwhelmed with excitement, I held my breath and walked up to the table to take a picture with the three gorgeous rocker boys. Months passed and luckily I saved that priceless photo because the jaw dropping, opening band was the Jonas Brothers! My love for the band has grown tremendously. I have a poster filled wall in my room to vouche for it!

Cassie said...

As I stepped out of Jeffrey’s black Nissan I could hear the music pounding against the gym walls. On the outside it looked like the same old gym that I was tortured in during PE, and the very same where we had mass. However when Jeffery escorted me inside it had miraculously changed, like it did for every dance. The walls were no longer gray but filled with St. Michael red and black. Not only was there a killer dj that was playing the music so loudly that you could hardly think, but there were also the sounds of the Lsu game that was coming from a big screen in the corner. The music playing was mixing with the sound of the students screaming at the game as loudly as possible, which had taken a suddenly awful turn. There were girls wearing beautiful flowing dresses and boys reluctantly in their coat and tie, were all huddled together watching and yelling at the TV.

It was our senior year and homecoming was the biggest night for us; next to prom. Jeffery and I had been friends for all four years of high school, so it seemed fitting that we go together. That night he made me feel like a princess because that was Jeff. He was always trying to think of some way to make me laugh. Occasionally he would whisper something in my ear that no one else could hear and people would stare at how hard I was laughing. We danced, took a million pictures and talked to what seemed like a thousand people. The night was wearing on and my feet were starting to hurt. "Why did I have to wear four inch heels?" I shouted to my almost six feet tall date. As I took them off I went from looking into his hazel colored eyes to his chest. "Not fair" I wined and he laughed like there was no tomorrow.

As he continued laughing at me a slow song came on. It has to be said that many slow songs are played at dances, and we had danced to many. However when Michael Bubles' song Home started playing; something in that night shifted. The melody was surprisingly relaxing and the words were insightful. I looked around me as I felt that vibrations on my bare feet, it was as if ants were underneath them. I saw the colored lights flowing through the air and the falling decorations. I saw my friends dancing and acting silly just because they could. As I slide my arms around my Jeffs neck, he smiled at me. Everything was frozen for just a second. For just that instant we were the only people in that gym. I knew that when the song was over everything would return back to normal and our senior year would continue. However for those four minutes it was just me, my best friend and that music and for the moment that was all that mattered.

Taylor Moncrief said...

Breaking Benjamin is my favorite band; they are amazing entertainers. When describing to someone why they are my favorite band, one particular memory stands out. My two best friends and I decided to go all out and buy floor tickets to the Breaking Benjamin concert in Baton Rouge. We were all seventeen, so any type of event on a school felt hardcore. The hour drive there and back from Lafayette did not stop us; it only motivated our rebellious minds even more!

One word of advice when going to a rock concert, do not wear heels! The pain shooting through my feet was almost unbearable! Then again, Breaking Benjamin was right in front of me screaming my favorite music into the microphone! I watched as the lead singer bounced around stage, taking turns rocking out next to the two guitarists and then the drummer. It amazed me how he had so much energy but wasn’t out of breath! Each song that was sung sounded exactly how it did on my iPod. His voice was perfect. People all around us were starting mosh pits, and they grew larger and larger. Trying to avoid the mosh pits and rock out to the band was becoming a difficult multitask. It just so happened that during my favorite song, the mosh pit moved my way and I was helplessly elbowed in the eye! It only took me a few seconds to recover and continue rocking out to the blasting music.

There were so many distractions going on; my friend lost her shoe while she was crowd surfing, beer was being tossed in the air all around us, and the guys next to us were busted with weed. At the time, all of the interruptions seemed too much to handle, but when I reminisce on the night, there was not a single lyric I missed! My ears were ringing the whole ride home, and it was the best side effect from the concert! Nothing could have stopped me from enjoying the presence of my favorite band, Breaking Benjamin.

Kortney Sorensen said...

It was August 17th, and I had been waiting for this moment anxiously for what felt like forever; but forever was just another teenaged exaggeration. Finally, the most important night of my life had come. When we arrived at the concert, i quickly swung open the door of my friend's beat up yellow Saturn. I ran over to the Sugar Mill where the concert was being held. It looked like an old, eerie warehouse.
As we walked we realized there were no seats, but we did not need them. The only thing I needed was to feel the vibrations of Paramore’s amazing guitarist. The room was full of smoke, and smelled of beer and old sweat. The air wasn’t circulating because everyone was packed in like sardines. The concert started with a few small no-name bands, but I could have cared less about them because I was preparing my lungs for Paramore.
As the multicolored lights shut off, and the spotlight showed on stage, the pushing and shoving became all worth it as Paramore stepped onto the stage. The lead singer asked, “Are you ready to party?” As everyone jumped up in excitement, even the drunk man against the pole, I turned to my friend and said, “That’s an understatement!”
We stood so close that I could feel the sweat drop off the band onto me. For a moment, I myself felt like a star because people were pushing on my friends and I because they were jealous of where we were standing. All of a sudden, the lead guitarist threw himself into the crowd. He glided across the crowd as people held their hands out for him to walk. He walked with his guitar to a thick, metal pole in the middle of the room. There he rocked out on his guitar for the people in the lonely back row. While still playing, he fell into the crowd, which carried him back to his rightful place onstage.
As the drummer was walking off stage, he threw his drumstick into the crowd and my best friend jumped up and caught the stick, she melted like there were no bones in her legs. “OMG!” She said as she held the sweaty stick like it was a newborn baby.
Just like the lights the crowd faded, and I realized I was the only one still there screaming for more.

jitchmohn said...

In order to see my favorite band one would need to be alive in the 1970s era. Therefore in order to experience Led Zeppelin live in my life time would be simply impossible. But when I heard of the band Zoso, “the ultimate Zeppelin experience”, was coming to town I had to see what they had to offer in tribute to the kings.
Here I am walking into the biggest Guedo club in Lafayette, a club usually blaring with techno and smelling like hair gel and jager bombs. If am not there for a purpose I don’t go within 200 yards of the place. I walk in and the guitar riffs of Black Dog are in full swing. We didn’t expect much so we came in late. But, shit, it sounded great!
As I walk toward the stage I notice people young and old, large and small, women, men, ranging from 18 to 55 in age were gathered around. The bar smells more like cigarettes and whiskey tonight instead of hair gel and jager bombs, which actually is lovely. People around me were singing and grooving. It was obvious the whole place was really feeling the rock.
From afar I could see the long dark hair of “Jimmy Page” playing guitar while smoking a cigarette and the glowing blonde locks of “Robert Plant”. As usual “John Bonham” was sleeveless with a bandana. And “John Paul Jones” was played to the T.
As I move in closer their mannerisms become much more visible. The hand movements of “Robert Plant” are the same creepingly metro movements of the real Robert Plant. Their movements, the music, the atmosphere even felt right. Everything was in place, this was really the closest I was ever going to get to the real thing. And it was damn close. Kashmir followed by classics like Stairway to Heaven, Rock N’ Roll, Battle of Evermore. Then came the encore, an eight minute version of Moby Dick with a sick, mind boggling drum solo.
I’ve never seen anything like it. They played the part wonderfully, played the music like true rock gods. I was in total awe. They were even equipped with stupidly tight jeans and British accents. It was a heavenly experience. Seeing the real thing is something I can only dream of. But this was defiantly an experience that will never be forgotten.m

jimmy egu said...

I can"t really say that I have a favorite band but i do, however, have a favorite music artist and his name is Lloyd. I remember the first time I heard him sing. I had just gotten out of a difficult relationship with a girl in louisiana because of another girl in New Jersey who was my first love.
I had just broken up with my girlfriend and I was on the pc looking for a song to put on my myspace page to express how I was feeling. My first love thought that I betrayed her by getting a new girlfriend. I still had strong feelings for her so I wanted to express the fact that I was sorry. After about 30 minutes on the pc I found a song called "Players Prayer." The concept of the song was Lloyd apologizing to a girl because he had been a player and he sings about changing his life for her. He also explains reasons why he did some of the things he did. That song related so much to what I was goin through so thats when I began to take notice of him.
About a year later Lloyd came out with a single called "I cant get over u." My first love and I were still in turmoil and I wanted to let her know that I couldn't get over her and move on so I found that song and put it on myspace. In this song Lloyd stresses the fact that he can't over a certain girl and describes how she's always on his mind. I began to realize that Lloyd and I shared similar problems. That's when he became my favorite music artist.

Evan Riley said...

All year long I wait for Jazzfest to come. The line ups are posted in the newspaper about 3 months before, meanwhile the rumors buzz around New Orleans of who may be coming this year. As I am looking in the New Orleans Lagniappe section I see Tim McGraw closing on Sunday of the first weekend. I knew I had to go to the show, but I am never excited about paying the 50 dollar ticket price. I told my girlfriend that we were definitely going to the show and not being as big of a Tim McGraw fan as I am, she still agreed we should go.
All opening weekend it stormed in the city, flooding the fair grounds, but not keeping the crowd away. I still had not purchased the tickets, but my girlfriend had two 5 dollar child tickets and ten bucks for the show seemed more appealing to me at the time then 100 dollars. It called for rain that day, so we packed a tarp, a blanket and wore old sandals that we knew would either break or get ruined. The day started out positive, we were able to sneak in with the 5 dollar tickets with back up plans in mind of playing dumb as if we just gave our money to scalpers and they ripped us off with kids’ tickets instead of adult tickets. Once we were in the day seemed pretty enjoyable, the sun was out, it wasnt too hot, and it seemed like a good day to hear Tim McGraw.
Tim played at 5 and around 2 oclock things took a turn for the worse. The heavens opened up and it poured, the place flooded in no time and it continued to rain for another 2 hours as we were trapped underneath an art tent. I couldnt help but think my favorite show may be cancelled. At about 4 the rain slowed and we went to grab some crawfish bread to eat and look for high ground close to the stage, yet away from the puddles that grew into lakes in which people were swimming. Tim came out and started the show in still a constant drizzle. He sang his old classics and modern hits and songs not even released yet. His energy and vibe was amazing, wearing his sleeveless t-shirt and cowboy hat it was like I was in a music video. When a rowdy fan was throwing beer on stage he cut off a song and left and I thought the show was over, but as the security guards removed the man, he came back out. Then he started to sing 'Where the Green Grass Grows' and the rain stopped and the sun came out and he finished the show as my girlfriend and I watched from our tarp, surprisingly dry and clean.

Brittany Haynes said...

Everyone entered the gym wearing a navy cap and gown. Some were in tears and others were smiling from ear to ear. This day was very emotional for everyone, it was our graduation day! When we entered the cold gym all we could see were our friends and family in bleachers and in reserved seats. The gym was beautifully decorated in navy and silver and had white sheets draped from the ceiling. As we were walking in our class song, "No Such Thing" by John Mayer, was playing. The song was just perfect for the occasion. When we got to our seats, all that was in front of us was the tall stage that was awaiting for us to walk across and receive our diplomas from our principle.

At this moment I was overwhelmed with emotion, I was upset and happy at the same time. The moment could not have been better when hearing the verse, "I want to run through the halls of my high school, I want to scream at the top of my lungs". This song is so significant because I think everyone in the class was wanting to run and scream in the halls that were once home to us. This day while listening to our class song we realized it was time for us to grow up and enter "the real world".

GeraldSoder said...

“Mom for the last time I know I’m not old enough to go to scummy New Orleans,” I stated as I walked out the door one late week night. New Orleans was a scummy dirty place to my mom, and she often quoted this like a scratched record stuck on repeat in my ear. I usually shrugged it off responding with the usual teenage white lie, “I know mom I won’t go, I promise.” This worked ninety percent of the time, and luckily that night wasn’t any different. I told my parents I was attending a concert in Thibodeaux, a small town half an hour away. The real story was that I was going to a concert at the House of Blues in good ole New Orleans, Louisiana with my best friend and his older brother. It was my first show in New Orleans, and my first show free of supervision. As soon as my friends picked me up it was loud music, and screeching tires. Colin’s brother was the driver, and he was just as cool and chill as Colin. A perfect collaboration of rock fans eager to see a good show. Finally we were going to see Minus the Bear!
We blasted the album as if our radio was the only thing keeping the band together. Soon, after many joints and cans of cheap beer, supplied by Colin’s cool older brother, we arrived at our destination. The ride which took less than an hour seemed more like a pilgrimage, and our tiny green Toyota was a horse drawn buggy. We rushed out of the car and ran down the hot muggy alley to the bar. Rounding the corner you could hear the yelling fans and rowdy teens. As we stopped to gather our tickets and pocket money I took a deep breath and enjoyed the comforts of my intoxicated state. My senses were heightened and every fiber of my being was calmed to a point of meditation. The air was light and smokey somewhat like the smell of a Christmas night. I was ready to see my favorite band blaze the stage. As we made our way to the front of the crowd we realized it was just a crappy cover band, this brief let down almost killed my concert buzz. The duo cover band sat and strummed out lame indie tunes which I paid little attention to. The lead singer looked as if he was on a bathing strike, and his crummy guitar was missing a string. After cracking some jokes with Colin on the poor performance, the band finally got their fifteen minutes of fame and left the stage. The stage went quiet as we awaited Minus the Bear’s arrival. While waiting we passed around a few joints, and quickly the thick marijuana smoke filled the small bar. Through the haze I made out some movement on stage. I mumbled to myself, “Could this be it, is it finally concert time.” Soon the room went pitch black, and a bright light shot up to the roof. All at once the sweet sounds of the synthesizer broke the silence, followed by the sound of organized drums, vocals, and guitar. A smooth, trendy indie guy in a blue blazer sporting a shaggy mane led on the man vocals. Accompanied by a hip guitarist in a suit, and a talented mohawked keyboard player. This was it, my favorite band was playing, and I was at the front of the crowd.
The music was loud but for me it was the perfect volume. As my favorite songs played I fell deeper and deeper into my state of relaxation. I was one with the music, totally oblivious to anyone around me. My ears had a sort of tunnel vision, and I blocked out all the background noise and let the lyrics and beats flood my ears like a roaring river. The lights were beautiful and intense like bright sunshine hitting you on a weekend morning. The vibrations of the speakers and slams from the bass traveled throughout my whole body. It was numbness unlike any other feeling I had ever experienced before. I glanced at my friends who were taking the same sensor filled journey as myself. I was completely and utterly lost in the music.

kevin.tran said...

It was a hot Saturday afternoon, at the annual Buzz Fest held in Houston, Texas when I first heard the band, 30 seconds to mars. I remember walking up towards the coliseum and hearing the faint sounds of the band playing from afar. Eager to find out who the band was, I immediately ran up to the entrance and wasted no time; leaving my brother and sister behind. As I drew closer to the stage, I began to smell the stench of marijuana and other foul odors around me. Being that this was my first time going to a concert, one with multiple bands to say the least, it didn't really bother me. The atmosphere was just intense, with people doing crowd surfs and mosh pits being formed right next to me.
As the band began to play more and more of their songs, I started to like how the beats and melodies of the songs went together. The clashes of the drums, but the subtleness of the music didn't overdue it. The lead singer, Jared Leto wore a distinctive outfit; tight skinny jeans with bangs covering his face, along with his fellow band members. This was typical for a rock band, but to me seemed well brought together. The song that I remember the most from the band's performance was "It's a beautiful lie." For some reason it stood out, maybe because it was their ending song or maybe because I thought it was their best song performed.
As the day went on, crowds began to branch off onto other stages, where other bands were performing and the whole atmosphere of the concert began to mellow down; one thing is for sure though, the band that caught my attention the most was 30 seconds to mars.

Corday Barnes said...

I had just finished shooting basketball by myself outside of the car driveway in which I turn into my own basketball court. I walked inside tired and in desire for a glass of water. After drinking a glass of water, I decided to go search my cousin’s room knowing he had just left to go by his girlfriend’s house just to be nosey and see what’s going on in his room. Only thirteen, I looked up to him by him being 10 years older than me.
I walk into his room smelling the scent of cologne which was very strong but pleasurable. The room was clean besides a variety of outfits spread out on the bed. I begin searching. First, I searched underneath the bed finding some dirty magazine which was very interesting. Second, in his closet, which wasn’t anything but clothes I couldn’t fit. Then, I went in his drawers. That’s when I found his cd case. My cousin has always been a big fan of music and I know he had a large cd collection. I open the cd case and I saw a lot cd’s but the one that caught my attention was Lil Wayne & Sqad-Up. I had always been a fan of Lil Wayne but never heard him with his group Sqad-Up.
I closed the door, put the cd in my cousin large black stereo, and played the music. I played the music loud but not clamorous. The first song had a kind of up tempo beat with aggressive lyrics that would make anyone hype or excited. I played that song almost before every football game to put me in an attacking mood. The second song had a more soft beat and was directed to the ladies. I sat down on my cousin’s bed for probably an hour listening to that cd. The music was interesting and sounded like nothing I never heard before. I took the cd out of case and maybe a week later told him I had it. I waited a week to tell him because I wanted to listen to the cd more and I knew he would have kept it in his car. These artist became my favorite rap group. Even though they are now split up, they are still my all time favorite music group.

Perfect Paul said...

The weekend had finally come. My brother, Jorge, and friend, Alex, were looking for something to do. I offered to drive our crew around for the night. The day was getting shorter and we still had no idea what our plans were; basically we were bored. I decided to go pick up my friend and just drive around until we found something caught our eyes.
My brother and I drove over to Alex’s house to pick him up. When we got there Alex handed me a CD. I asked him what was on the CD. He simply responded, “Just play it”. We all got into the car and took off to who knows where. I had just turned into a main street, Veterans Blvd., which is filled with restaurants and stores. I finally decided to put the disc into the CD player still not knowing what I was about to hear. I felt like a kid getting ready to go up to bat for the first time at a baseball game. I had no idea if the music I was about to hear was going to be the greatest thing I had ever heard or if it would strike out and be horrible. The music that came out was quick and loud and it was definitely worth listening to. I still did not know what the name of the band was but I did know that it was a very satisfying sound. It made me want to jump up and down but since I was driving. I just pretended to be the drummer on my steering wheel. Apparently the band was having the same effect on everyone else in the car. Looking up in my rearview mirror, I could see Alex’s head going all over the place like he was being bitten by ants.
The song had ended and there was complete silence. We had just gone from total chaos to being more silent than the Night Before Christmas. I wanted to hear more but I needed time to soak in what I had just heard. I believe that this was the moment when I found out who my favorite band really was. I took this silence as a chance to ask my friend who we were listening to. He then gave my favorite band a name, The Ramones. We ended up cruising down Veterans Blvd. listening to the rest of the CD. I was no longer worried that we had nowhere to go or nothing to do. Listening to the band was enough for me and I really appreciated what I was listening to. I always listened to music but I did not really have a specific type. That day was eye opening for my taste in music. Before then, I had never really listened to any band or singer that I could truly call The Best.

joel j said...

For me picking a favorite band is tough because the music I listen to usually depends on the mood I am in. The name that comes up most would have to be Slightly Stoopid, which is a band I have not been listening to very long.
The last day of school me and a bunch of my friends were going to a party. As usual to get to the party we all piled in to one of my friends trucks. We were all dressed in our khakis and polos ready to have a great time that night. We all are in an awesome mood because of the recent freedom we had obtained with the final bell at high school.
As soon as we got in the car the passenger of the car, my friend richard, turned his ipod to a band I had never heard before to the song named "Officer". We had it so loud that I thought the speakers in the car were going to bust. Everyone else in the car was singing it at the top of their lungs while I just sat there and took in the moment thinking that there would be no place on earth I would rather be at the time. After that any time that I heard Slightly Stoopid play it would remind me of on of the best times of my life and would give me that back a little bit of the high i had that night.

Phillip Westbrook said...

It was my first time in Baton Rouge. My friend and I were going to a fraternity party to see The Benjy Davis Project play. I had heard of them before but never listened to any of their music. The night was perfect, a clear sky and warm weather. I only knew one person at the event so I planned on listening more than socializing.
The band was playing in the backyard of the house. It sounds like a bad venue for the event but it was perfect. I made my way around the backyard just sorta hanging out. Around eleven oclock I heard a violin start playing. Then a soft voice came over the microphone. The drums started playing and the whole band joined in. Not only was the music flawless but it was the catchiest tune I had ever heard. I didn’t know the songs but it was for certain that I liked them. Hundreds of drunken kids were singing along going crazy as the band played. I watched and listened in amazement. I didn't know it at the time but I was listening to my now favorite band for the first time.
The concert went on and I found myself in the crowd singing and screaming with all of the other people there. The jazzy but rocking tone of the band was unmistakable. I truly felt as though I had found my new favorite band. I could relate to all of the songs in my own way. The music made me feel good and that is what music is supposed to do. The Benjy Davis Project had found another fan.

rebecca paz said...

"Guess who's going to the Rascal Flatts concert tonight?!" exclaimed my older sister as she barged in my room. "We are! I won two tickets on the radio!" she said waving them proudly in my doorway. I would usually give her a dramatic lecture about how she should learn to knock, but not this time! This time, I was thrilled to hear the news! Rascal Flatts' was my all time favorite country music singer. His songs are usually about love, living life, good times, and getting through hard times- which, in my opinion, is what life is all about. Now I had the opportunity to see him LIVE in concert! I felt my excitement quickly turn to panic. "Tonight?! That only gives me like 2 hours to get ready!". So I took the quickest shower of my life, threw on some jeans, a cute shirt, and some heels. Then before I knew it, we were in the car, on our way to the Super Dome.
After standing in the tremendously long line, riding up the escalator, and buying some seven dollar Budlights- we found our seats. And what great seats they were! I had a perfect view of the "T" shaped stage.
The concert hadn't begun yet and we felt like we had been waiting forever. You could hear the excitement throughout the building. You could feel how anxious the crowd was as we waited to see the show.
Finally, the "T" shaped stage lit up in what seemed like a million different colors; the crowd reacted wildly. It was the moment we had all been waiting for. The concert had began with "Life is a Highway", one of my sister's personal favorites. Rascal Flatt's voice sounded even better in person than it did on the radio. His voice was so strong and clear, I felt goosebumps rise on my arms and legs. My sister and I, along with everyone else around us, were yelling, singing and dancing. I knew the all the words to every song. Finally, the concert was over and I told myself "I'd definitely pay to see that again". My sister and I walked to the car, and I thought how lucky we were to have won tickets to such an awesome concert.

Colin said...

5 dollars for a Better Than Ezra concert!” I explained to my friend. All right so what If the concert was at a gym the size of a high school classroom. Nevertheless my buddies and I were real excited to go to another Better Than Ezra concert. The last one was great, but my buddy could not enjoy himself because an old man who wreaked of BO and Jack Daniels kissed him. A random sloppy drunk guy kissed him towards the middle of the show. We had no idea who he was and my buddy was freaked. So he, as was the rest of us, were excited for an enjoyable show. Better Than Ezra was a band from Southern Louisiana. Over the past few years they had produced great songs such as "King of New Orleans", "Hollow", and "Misunderstood". Other than there great music they also put on a great live show by energizing the crowd and getting people involved in a special way. Nevertheless, we were all excited.
We got there early anticipating a huge turnout. We bought our general admission tickets and headed to the font of the stage. My buddies and I watched the opening act still anticipating a great BTE show. After Black Violin, the opening act, had finished a group of about ten people started to make there way to the front of the crowd. Even though the tickets were all general admission we felt we deserved our spot because we got there early and waited it out. For the most part we kept the group that was mixed with girls and guys behind us for the most part of the show. Every once in awhile we had to push them back.
As the night went on this rowdy group of people were starting to piss us off. One thing lead to another and I saw my friend screaming and yelling at one of them. After seeing this I pushed one of the dudes. All hell broke loose after that. One of the guys who smelt like he hadn’t showered in months wearing a flannel shirt that was three times too big for him swung at me. Three over weight security guards jumped in the crowd one grabbing me and tearing my blue jacket. As this was going on the lead singer, Kevin Griffin, was giving a play-by-play of the whole brawl. When the dust settled me and two other guys were kicked out of the concert before I could hear my favorite song, “Desperately Wanting.” What a waste of five dollars!

zfickes said...

The days proceeding hurricane Katrina were extremely gloomy and eerily silent. An overall feeling and smell of dampness seemed to surround my temporary home. For weeks I was stranded away from my home and cut off from any loved ones who had stayed in attempts to wait out the storm. Not knowing what had become of my friends, my home, or my community hundreds of scenarios played out through my mind like miniature horror stories. Crowded into a two-bedroom house with twenty-five family members and friends in Denham Springs I quickly became agitated. I wanted nothing more than to be alone with my thoughts. I constantly struggled to ease my mind turning to cigarettes and alcohol, but all to no avail. It turned out to be through music, which I found my release.

A few of my friends are also big Dave Matthews’ fans, and I happened to have a few of his songs on my ipod. Through Dave Matthews’ music I slowly began to realize that with patience and faith I would get through these trying times. For a while I was down and in a somber mood, until I realized that to pull through this all I just needed to do was stay positive. His soothing uplifting music became my way of imagining myself in better, happier times. It became if nothing else my escape and for the first time in a while I had forgotten about all of my fears and uncertainty. Once I learned to let go of my worries things slowly began to pick up and get better. I first learned that the levees near my house held up much to my relief and in the following days I got in tough with friends and neighbors. Although it would be a month before I could return home that news made it more than worth the wait.

I believe that writing and music are two of the healthiest ways to vent and relieve stress. To this day when I am feeling down about anything I know a positive place to turn. Although music does not offer a permanent fix, it makes the struggle a lot easier. It helps knowing that there is someone out there who can identify with your problems and overcome them. I have since learned not to dwell on the obstacles in life, which are out of my hands. In the end the problems that arise through out life seem to work themselves out more often than not. It’s just a matter of taking a step back and looking at the bigger picture.

Nick Kreger said...

My parents were the first ones to bring me into the world of seventy's music. I can remember the first time I heard Pink Floyd, I was riding in the car with my mom going to mass. I was 7 years old and started listening to my parent’s old "Dark Side of the Moon" record. As I got older the more and more I liked Pink Floyd, and I already knew so much about them. One day I was riding in my dad’s car, the song "High Hopes" came on. I immediately turned to my dad and said "I wish I could have seen them live.” My dad went on search for tickets the very next day, and found them. It was David Gilmour (singer and guitarist for Pink Floyd) live in concert. Unfortunately, the only tickets we could get were for that next year in London, England. My Parents made a deal with me that if I could do well in school we could go. I held up my end of the bargain, and the summer before I went to high school my mom, dad, and I were on a plane to England. As soon as we got there we waited outside the concert hall for almost four hours. We finally picked up our tickets, went in, and sat in our seats. Are seats were incredible; we were dead middle in the second row. We were all so excited! The lights dimmed and the crowd went insane. David Gilmour came out on stage and picked up an acoustic guitar and started the song "Shine On You Crazy Diamond." In the middle of the song an entire orchestra came in behind him and started playing. Song after song I felt so impressed with the concert. On the big screen above Mr. Gilmour there were intense images of many different things. Some of the images were sad while some were happy. I could also see one of the guards dancing to the music while the people to the left of us were making a drug deal of some sort. The lights were moving to the beat of a big double bass just as I was. There were so many different colors everywhere, the smell of cigarettes, weed, and alcohol filled the room. But, we didn't care. We were having the best time we possibly could. Not only were we the only people not drinking and smoking, but we were also the nicest dressed people there. My dad and I in slacks and button ups, while my mom was in her favorite dress shirt and pants. At one point somebody threw a drink up, which ruined my mom’s shirt, but she still found a way to enjoy herself. We were having so much fun it seemed like the concert was ten minutes long when it was really much longer. After the concert we went back to our hotel to get some rest for the remaining of our European vacation, but that’s another story for another time.

Kortney Sorensen said...

"Whoah! Look at this one, it is huge!" my friend Katelynn said as she shoved a gooey booger obnoxiously in my face.
"Ew, get that out of my face," I replied with a disgusted look on my face. As she ignored me, she began to talk about her inability to shit. Just like always, she got bored of talking and finished her story with a nonsense expression," shmanny, shmanny,shmanny." No one ever knows exactly what that means, but I just blew it off and pretended to know what she was saying.Right as I was about to tell Katelynn a story, she jumped up, ran over to me, lifted her leg, and let out a nasty smell.
“I feel so much better," she exclaimed as she rubbed her belly. I got up and walked into the kitchen, Katelynn followed me to get lunch. I immediately lost my appetite when she took out some noodles and sneezed all over them.
“Want some,” she said, as she shoveled in the mucus covered noodles in her mouth.
“No thanks, I’m okay,” I replied.
“Fine, more for me,” Katelynn responded “Whatever, I have to pee,” as she took her lunch to the bathroom. As I went back to the couch, all I could think is I‘ll never have another friend this “unique.”