i named a plant emmett

Hello blogging friendz!!!!! I have been on an absolute photography *kick* as of late, I have been taking my NikonD60 absolutely everywhere.  I think I have been taking photos every other day.  I took a photoshoot with my pal Mikaela who did some siiiick jumping shots and one with my friend Clarissa where we went tromping around a cute little city near us.

Lifeeee-wise.  I have been kind of at a standstill.  I haven't found much motivation besides my photography as of late.  Everything seems routine. 

In honor of Earth Day, my pal Kirsten and I visited a local gardening store and bought some succulents.  Of course, we gave them fun names.  Kirsten's plants are Profe Flug (named after a Spanish teacher at our school), Nachito and Gale.  I named my plants Marty and Emmett after characters from the movie Back to the Future (greatest movie of all time can we agree).

Kirsten is so excited about Earth Day that she wet her plants!!!!!! HAA HA punz.

   On Wednesday, I got the amazingingiging opportunity to shoot some photographs of a band at my church that plays at our youth group.  It's an eclectic little group of professional musicians and they play contemporary Christian songs from bands like Gungor and Hillsong which is pretty neat. They were so sweet, they told me I could sort of romp around stage and do what I wanted. Uh, cool, thanks???

This image is part of a series I'm working on for a photography portfolio called "the unforeseen series" where I focus on different people all with the same element, each of them has their eyes hidden in some way. It's sort of still in the works, but eeep I'm super pumped about it.

I got part of my head shaved yesterday, which is now a thing.  I've always been sort of fascinated by the sidecut look, but honestly I was a little worried about how it was going to turn out.  I didn't want half my head shaved off or something (also I never have had a razor come towards my head before which was slightly concerning). But I really like how it turned out.  Subtle.  

I will be uploading more photoz soon because I have been taking sooooo many photos.  

I wish I could sport a man bun.

 

Hello friends. Contrary to popular belief, I did not fall of the face of the earth, I just was just experiencing an existential crisis of sorts.  It's that time of the year, I suppose.  Spring is sort of around the corner, but not quite here.  Everything is just sort of routine.  I'm not a huge fan of routine, I always have to be doing something different and on the go.  So, I took it upon myself to step out of my routine and try to reach out to some different people that I want to get to know better.  However, all my plans seemed to fall through.  I'm a chaser.  I always am looking for a new adventure to experience, but not many people ever seem to want to chase after me.  But that's not true. You just have to be patient.  I truly believe God has huge plans for me.  Yee.

 

My frin frand Maggie & our new Eskimo friendz

I decided that I'm going to start bringing my nikon everywhere.  I want to document everything & everyone.  Life is so cool, ya feel?  I'm gonna be the girl with the camera.  Yes. 

Rehearsing before our one act performance at the Guthrie

Cool kid hangz amirite

Oh, yes.  This photo was released the other day.  That's me, there, right behind Sean the lead singer of Smallpools.  *heavy breathing*

I've been listening to a lot of Childish Gambino and SNCKPCK recently which is a really odd combination of rap and sunny ukelele playing.  Completely different ends of the spectrum. But I like it that way.

Band to Know: Volcanoooooo Choir

Volcano Choir is the most familiar band you've probably never heard of.  Seriously.  Few have heard of this side project featuring Justin Vernon, the vocals of Bon Iver.  The band consists of Vernon and band members of Collections of Colonies of Bees, a band that greatly influenced Vernon to continue his passion.  Uhhh why is nobody talking about this??? With the mellow sophistication that came off the Bon Iver self-titled album, Volcano Choir slays.

Credit: Volcano Choir Webpage

The Wisconsin six-piece loosely formed in 2005, starting out as a collaboration which created the album Unmap in 2009.  I watched a documentary on these guys (being all intrigued about their music ho hum) and they said it was hard for them to make the first album because they all were individual artists, never really meeting in person.  Repave, which was released in 2013 is their second and most recent studio album was more of a group effort.  They say their success lies in their strong relationships with each other before starting the project. And a humble project, at that.  Volcano Choir proved with their Repave release, that they are much more than a "side-project". They are a bit under the radar, but not something to be overlooked.

My friends Evelyn and Darby encouraged me to give them a listen but with the warning: it's hella sad.  And they are right.  Soft piano and guitar playing to back Vernon's vocals really gets to your core in songs such as Byegone, Tiderays and, well.  The entire album. Which isn't a bad thing.  The lyrics are beautiful and organic. Nothing about Repave seems forced or unauthentic. Those who love the richness of Kodaline and Local Natives will love the sounds of Volcano Choir.  And banjo enthusiasts.  There's a lot of banjo.

Check them out yo:

Music Video: Tiderays - Volcano Choir

Mini Documentary: The Making of the "Repave" Album

Volcano Choir
Discography: Repave (2013), Unmap (2009)
Noteworthy songs: Acetate, Tiderays, uhhh the whole album???
www.volcanochoir.com

 

I went out on a study date with Evy and Darby, which is where they told me to listen to Volcano Choir.  While at ze coffee shop, I doodled a bit.  Yeee.

 

A few recent instant photos taken with my Instax Mini 7s.  From left to right........

1. Scattergories & chill board game night

2. This was taken with our very high class McDonalds dinner for our February school dance

3. I took this at the Hozier concert.  If you squint and lean your head the right way, you can see him.

4. Taken at the Smallpools concert last Saturday.

Concert Review: Hozier Takes it far beyond "Church"

Although he just was at the Grammy's a little less than a month ago, it is clear that Andrew "Hozier"-Bryne is still humbled to play at smaller venues.  Yesterday, Hozier came to First Avenue in Minneapolis.  As Andrew scanned the crowd with a sensitive smile, he said "if music were a religion, this place would be holy ground".

I knew Hozier was coming to First Avenue right from the get-go, but tickets sold out lickety-split.  It seemed I was out of luck until my sister's friend contacted me about having two extra tickets.  And would I like to go? Uhhh, yess!!??

I hadn't seen Hozier live before, but I was very very familiar with his self-titled debut album.  If you're not acquainted, Hozier is a 24-year old solo artist coming out of a small town in Ireland known for his blues-inspired instrumentals and lyrics that address the beautiful struggles of love. His first album was released in September 2014 after a short 2013 EP.  The music video for Take Me to Church has sparked controversy, highlighting homosexual issues with the Church.  In First Avenue's intimate setting, Hozier's rich voice filled the room with a good balance of instrumentals and back-up vocals to match the sounds produced off his album. Hozier started off his set with familiar songs From Eden and the more bluesy tune Jackie and Wilson.  A few lesser-known songs by crowd-goers followed including "Sedated" and "It will Come Back", but without letting down the positive atmosphere.

Back-up singers left the stage for In a Week, a passionate duet ballad about what Hozier respectfully referred to as "what lovers do best".  On this song, the adorably humble Alana Henderson sang vocals to compliment Hozier, getting a strong audience reaction for her smooth voice.  She quietly left the stage after the song and returned to play (tasteful) cello in the rest of the set.  Another surprising favorite followed, Illinois Blues, a Skip James cover, where Hozier aggressively plucked at his guitar and won the crowd over with an unfamiliar tune. Hozier played a few more songs by himself before inviting the band back on and playing the powerful radio hit Take Me to Church.  Although Take Me to Church was the last song in the normal setlist, Hozier didn't make the song out to be a huge deal. To Hozier, Take Me to Church was just another passionate song, like any other in the set.

After leaving the stage, the crowd screamed for a considerable amount of time for the inevitable encore.  I was almost scared he wouldn't return, I'm telling you, it was a considerable amount of time.  But he came back with tea in hand to play four more songs.  Encore songs included the slower Cherry Wine and an unexpected cover of Ariana Grande's Problem.  I am definitely not a fan of Ariana Grande, but Hozier's cover proved how versatile and how creative he can be to present a cover as if it were his own.  Hozier passionately finished with Work Song, my personal favorite.

 

 

This was my first 18-plus show and since I'm under 18, that means Mama Ryan came with.  We both were on the outskirts of the age-range that attended, but we didn't feel out of place. She really enjoyed the show and I'm so so happy she got to experience why I get so excited about attending shows and why live music is so important.

 

 

The opening band Asgeir was a pleasant surprise but it didn't really seem like that to most of the audience.  The Icelandic group was very soft-spoken, saying little except a quick, genuine thank you after each song.  Their set was quite short, only four or five songs filled with rich tenor lead vocals and heavy synthesizers (to the likes of Alt-J).  For some, the synthesizers may have been a bit 'much' but I absolutely enjoyed.  As they sang half their songs in Icelandic, the crowd was chatting and surfing their phones, generally enjoying the set but not getting overly excited.

Notable song to check out: King and Cross

I wouldn't have traded last night for the world.  First Avenue is such an intimate venue without being overly small.  And I love that.  The crowd was a mixture of young 20-or-30-somethings looking for a casual night to listen to some killer music.  I was in such a great mood that I was hardly upset when a lady spilled her beer on my back or when another lady pushed her way in front of me holding up a flag of some sort (screaming every time there was a pause in the music of course).  They were just there to have a good time and so was I, who was I to complain?

There is little I have to say negatively about the experience.  Perhaps the crowd wasn't as overly OVERLY into the music as I would have liked, bobbing their head and focusing on taking pictures rather than throwing their hands up and not giving a care in the world.  The back-up singers seemed a bit unnecessary at times, but gave a nice color to Hozier's vocals when it was needed.

Perhaps the most comforting thing of all was seeing how Hozier was enjoying every moment he was on stage.  He wasn't just going through the motions, performing the same way he did the night before.   It seemed to hold importance to him.  When leaving the stage, he took an extra pause to survey the crowd and closed his eyes, letting the memory sink in.   To him, Minneapolis wasn't just another stop along his tour, it was 'holy ground' and promised he would return.  And I know he means it.

Hozier ft. Asgeir
First Avenue, Minneapolis
http://hozier.com/us/ & http://asgeirmusic.com/

Band To Know: Hippo Campus... Not the Brain

When I excitedly rant to my friends about one of my favorite bands Hippo Campus, I am met with confused stares.  "Wait, hippocampus... Like the part in the brain?"  Precisely.  Hippo Campus' Bashful Creatures EP published on November 18, 2014 was the band's first release.  And an impressive one at that.

This young and sophisticated quartet made up of 18-to-20-year-olds attending the University of Minnesota (Minneapolis halla halla) proves that even with less experience under your belt, you can be successful on the music scene.  A difficult task that they have met with confidence.  Having attended their gig on December 27th at the intimate Triple Rock Social Club, all four band members played as if they had been touring together for ten years. The Bashful Creatures EP features the enthusiastic, familiar voice of lead singer Jake Luppen backed by funky riffs played by guitarist Nathan Stocker.  Other band members include the peculiar drummer Whistler Allen who sports a man bun (!!!) and the adorable, more soft-spoken Zach Sutton on bass. The crisp lyrics and positive energy from the band can be compared to the likes of well-known indie groups such as Vampire Weekend, Foster the People and Grouplove. (Although, don't tell them that. They don't like being compared. Shh.)

Zach Sutton (left), Whistler Allen (center) & Jake Luppen (right) doin their thang

Lead singer Jake Luppen @ the Triple Rock Social Club

Each song on their EP release could have been a single on its own, each with its own depth of thought and refinement.  Songs such as "Little Grace" and "Suicide Saturday" have recognizable and intoxicating melodies, but are far far far from being compared to modern pop ballads.  A particular personal favorite from the EP would be "Bashful Creatures" which happily rounds out the end to the EP, leaving me wanting more than the six songs to listen to. Ugh. Even with repeating these same six released songs, I still have not grown tired of these songs, listening to them in my car. 

 

Luppen's enthusiasm is impeccable and organic

I'm so excited to see what the future holds for these young artists.  The group has been tweeting cryptic messages like "we have some new stuff on the way for you guys... real soon" that are driving me absolutely insane.  The Halocline is going to be the band's first album, without a set release date.  Although it seems to be quite soon. And I couldn't be more excited.  I am hoping to see more contrast in song pacing than in the Bashful Creatures EP, my only critique of the EP is that all six songs are about the same tempo with the same style.  Hearing Luppen's voice in a slower ballad like their single "South" that wasn't released on the EP?  Yes, pleeeeeease.  Hippo Campus is touring with The Mowgli's and FENCES this spring, taking a semester off college to travel the United States.  People are just going to eat them up.  Just wait.

This band encompasses a rare sense of familiarity about themselves the first time you listen to their music.  I feel like I've been listening to them for years even though I have only been listening since November. That's the funny thing about these guys.  Joking around on the Triple Rock Social Club stage as if they perform there routinely, giving each other nicknames and asking for song suggestions makes me feel like I know them quite personally.  Also, every band photo ever taken of them is freaking swiggity-cool.

Band: Hippo Campus
Discography: Bashful Creatures EP, The Halocline (2015, to be released)
Notable songs: Little Grace & Bashful Creatures
Band Members: Jake Luppen (lead singer), Nathan Stocker (guitar), Whistler Allen (drums) & Zach Sutton (bass)
http://thehalocline.bandcamp.com/

She's got two-tone everything.

My brother got married a little over a month ago and I have only just gotten around to looking at the photos from it.  Everyone is always asking if I think it is weird to have a married brother, but it really isn't.  My brother and his wife (okay i will admit that one is weird to tell people) had been engaged for two years already & they had an apartment together, so not much really has changed.  Some of my cousins flew in from Alaska to come visit & I got to see some family friends & get my nails done which was a first & see my brother happy, so I was too.

Cousinz ft. Tyler and his wife Rachel, pictured below two & three in from the left

I'm wearing a dress from Von Maur that I also wore to my school's fall dance with headbands that I thrifted & tights my mother bought me from our local-all-purpose store & frilly socks from the store Atmosphere in Ireland, which is pretty much the European equivalent of Forever21 here in the States.

Oh yes. Also.  When the band The 1975 came to my city, I was super bummed that I couldn't go to the concert because I was involved in the Addams Family at school & we had a show that night. The Mall of America conveniently announced that THE BOYS WERE COMING FOR A FREE ACOUSTIC GIG & ALBUM SIGNING THAT MORNING.  Convenient.  A lot of my friends that I knew that adored the band were going to the concert that night & were waiting out early, so I enlisted my willing friend Jasmine to meet them. We met up with some of my other band friends that I met at the Bastille concert & waited in line for about five hours.  They sang three acoustic songs and Matty's voice was notably more raspy than usual that day.  

*sighs*

What's on your current playlists? Follow my Spotify if you'd fancy it: mckenna.paige.ryan

Ken