Rob Gordon style...2009

My Top 5 Albums of 2009
(keep in mind, they didn't have to come out in '09...I just had to rock them a lot this year)

The funny thing about this list is that all of them have Twitter, and I have so politely given you that information to seek them out and enjoy them as I have.
I have seen 4 of the 5 of them live this year.
3 of them I have taped myself.

I don't do reviews, folks...because it's too personal and emotional to put any kind of rating or rank on it.
These are the 5 albums that spoke the loudest to me this year.

5. Jamie Lidell - JIM (@Jamie_Lidell)
www.jamielidell.com



"All I Wanna Do", "Wait for Me" and "Little Bit of Feel Good" are my favorites from this album.
This guy is like soul and nerd and DJ all in one incredible mix of an artist.
This is the one I have not seen. Yet.



4. SOJA - Born in Babylon (@SOJALIVE)
www.sojamusic.com

I told their merch guy once that Jacob Hemphill and I must have been living parallel lives while he was writing this record.
There are several tracks on this one that I have to pause and wonder if I was being watched...

For example, this little one called "Here I Am"



And "I Tried" made it to my own 2009 soundtrack because of how accurate it is.

I have been able to see SOJA 4 times this year. They never disappoint me live.

3. The Guggenheim Grotto - Happy the Man (@GGrotto)
www.guggenheimgrotto.com

I found this band in 2006, when I helped street team and do merch for one of their labelmates. And I fell for them hook, line and sinker. Two of the nicest Irish boys I have ever met and some of the most beautiful songs I have had the privilege to hear, both recorded and live.
I cannot tell you which one is my favorite - there are so many that speak to me. Happy the Man is their 2nd album, and their first is Waltzing Alone.
If you don't have either, you need both.
And they let me tape them right at the beginning of '09.



2. Band of Skulls - Baby Darling Doll Face Honey (@bandofskulls)
www.bandofskulls.com

Let's see...October or November something I randomly came across this band online. Don't remember how. But I heard "Fires" and then downloaded the rest of the record immediately and have literally listened to it every day since.
So then, in November, I saw that they would be playing in Nashville with the soon-to-be-mentioned (again) and very obvious at this point #1 album band.
And I had to take a cold shower after seeing that lineup.
So you can only imagine (or don't...it could be dangerous) what I had to do after seeing the actual show...
My favorite from this album is "Fires", which is one of the sexiest songs I have heard this year.
But this one, "Dull Gold Heart" just gets to me. Something about it.
The whole album is like that.



1. Silversun Pickups - Swoon (@SSPU)
www.silversunpickups.com

So I read/heard/watched (who knows at this point...) an interview with them saying that Swoon implies something kind of painful, like a negative thing you just fall into without choice or warning. Most people say they swoon when they have some kind of crush or attraction or infatuation with something and don't necessarily think about it as a negative thing.
I happen to be with SSPU on this one. But it is one of those "hurts so good" things. Like a masochistic thing.
And that is one of the things I love about this band and this album.
It lets you get hurt, it lets you feel that shit and go through that shit and also has enough balance to be like "you dumb fuck, feel better, life is pretty fucking good!"
And I honestly cannot find a better way to describe 2009 for me than that.
Which is why this is the easiest #1 choice I have ever made musically. It is organic.
I saw them 6 times in 2009.
I am toying with posting a decent video for this, but my own are more important to me.
I got 4 (shame on me...illegally) at my first time in Richmond. But I am not going to show you one of those.
I am going to show you a shitty one, but a pretty important one.

45 seconds.
Ignore the background yapping. Note that I didn't zoom this one much at all.
And I can honestly say, I was definitely NOT looking closely... Oops.



Now, win that fucking Grammy.



I hope you guys get a chance to check out the ones you don't know. And let me know what you think.
Not a single one of my Top 5 are on a major label...and that is what keeps me going and loving music.
Passion is not optional...

"Stoked the Fire" - my 2009 soundtrack

Cameron Crowe would be proud of me...

It's not a secret that I have had a crazy year.

Movie worthy at times, and definitely more exciting than a lot of the movies I have seen, and oddly similar to a lot of movies I have seen.

At times there were a lot of questions, at times there were too many answers, and at times some foreshadowing would have been really nice. Or not. Foreshadowing can ruin the element of surprise...

Regardless, in an effort to give myself something to remember this year by, I decided to give it a soundtrack.

You can listen to it here. It's about an hour long.

http://8tracks.com/ashole/stoked-the-fire-my-09-soundtrack


And here is the track listing
(but seeing as I am very lyrical, don't let the titles fool you...)
And the order is important...

1. By the Way - Red Hot Chili Peppers
2. Take Me to the River - Al Green
3. Tangled Up in Blue - Bob Dylan
4. All I Wanna Do - Jamie Lidell
5. Butterfly - Mason Jennings
6. Nikita - The Guggenheim Grotto
7. Boys of Summer - Don Henley
8. Dig - Incubus
9. My Doorbell - The White Stripes
10. Drink - Fiction Plane
11. I Tried - SOJA
12. Tennessee - Arrested Development
13. Faith - George Michael
14. I Try - Macy Gray
15. Ramalama (Bang Bang) - Roisin Murphy
16. The Mountains Win Again - Blues Traveler
17. Rusted Wheel - Silversun Pickups

Ciao 2009!

I went to my last concert of 2009 this past weekend.

Unless "something suddenly comes up" (name that stupid movie, folks...) my last live music experience of the year and of the decade was in Nashville.

The whole thing was kind of a capstone for me, really. That city, Music City, has been instrumental (HA!) in the development of this whole Behind the Lens stuff in general.

I could make this entire post sappy as hell if I wanted to. And I kind of do, but I won't.

At the Cannery Ballroom, at the Not So Silent Nights of Christmas, wearing a LOT of gold (including earring and nail polish...it was quite the event for me...lol) I took in 4 hours of music. 4 bands.

Who?

The opener was Ugene, from Nashville.

Then the senses losing experience of seeing my newest musical crush 4 feet in front of me... Band of Skulls.
No lie... If you do not know them, you need to.
You need to download their album and rock it as loud as possible.
And then pray they will come back to the US to tour soon.
I managed to catch their last US show of the year.
They didn't play my favorite ("Fires"), but the bands had relatively short sets. They did play "Patterns", and because it is a song about numbers, I was equally turned on by this. Unfuckingbelieveable performance folks. These guys are incredible.
Get to know them, support them.

Next up was Nashville's own The Ettes
Now I had backed off from my primo spot by then, so I was watching from the back right. Still...
Here's the thing - because I was so hype for BoS and the NEXT band...I hadn't really absorbed much of The Ettes. I plan to though, and because they are from Nashville, I am certain I will see them again.

OK.
So it only seems fitting that my album of the year, band of the year, song of the year also be my last concert of the year.
17 days after their first Grammy nomination, 2 months after I had seen them last, and their first show back in the US after 5 weeks in Europe and their last live show of 2009 (they are on Conan tonight though....which is fucking cool as hell) ...

Silversun Pickups.
(I mean, I don't even need to put a fucking link at this point... lol. Just pick another post...srsly.)

Had it not been 300 degrees in the venue, I might have had enough extra water in my body to cry my face off.
But I didn't.
Instead, I leaned against a post, with my Cheshire Cat smile plastered on, hair wars in action, shoes off and I thanked every single one of my lucky stars.

Closure? What's that?

I don't know much about closure...mostly because I always keep the doors and windows to everything open. I let the bugs fly in, let the heat out...or in...
I don't know an appropriate way to close this post.
There really is none. I could go the sappy route, I could be abrubt and sarcastic. I could quote shit.

All I know is that from the word GO, 2009 was a weird year. Ever just have that "feeling" at the beginning of something that it will be an interesting "play out"?
That is how I felt about 2009.
I knew in January '09 that by the end of the year, many many things in my life would be different, and for the better.
And I can honestly say it is.
My camera and my habit have given me a lot of gifts, a lot of joy, some sadness, growth, hearing loss, perspective, gigabytes, whiplash, memories...

But it is not my personality to live in the past.
And 2009 is almost the past, even if some of it I want to cling to like a security blanket.

If I have learned anything, and I definitley have, the one thing I know for certain is that nothing is certain - my life is a musical, romantic, dark comedy of errors...

Ready for my close-up, 2010.

Take one....

Click.

Congrats Silversun Pickups!!!

Y'all.
I have had way too much wine to even publish this post....

But you know that feeling when you KNOW something is going to happen and it does?

That is what happened to me tonight.
And to a band I have 111% faith in....

Congratulations, Silversun Pickups on your Grammy Nomination. See you soon...

You know, as it turns out, you CAN hold a star in your hands. Enjoy my song of 2009. I sure as hell have...

thank you....

Jason Castro
Jonathan Tyler
The Northern Lights
J.J Grey
Seabird
The Movement
The Guggenheim Grotto
Villanova
G. Love & Special Sauce
Three Legged Fox
SOJA
Kid Rock
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Electrcic Chameleon
Inner Circle
Cage the Elephant
Manchester Orchestra
Silversun Pickups
Incubus
Trent Wagler & the Steel Wheels
Ian Thomas
Can't Hang
Sugar Glider
An Horse
Shawn Fisher &
The Jukebox Gypsies
Maroon 5
Fitz & the Tantrums
Thrice
Brand New
and all of the other, many opening bands, etc, that I unfortunately do not remember all the names for...

I am thankful for you all, in many many different ways....

I am thankful for my life, my family and my friends - especially the ones who totally "get" that list up there. You complete me... [/Jerry Maguire]

XO
Ash

10 days of awesome music

My ears need to start putting out more, cause I am really treating them right lately. Frigid bitches...

So, tonight I get to check out "the walking encyclopedia of rock and roll", Barry Drake, and his lecture on music in the 80s. Fun stuff. I have seen his lectures on the music of the 60s and 70s and know that this one will be just as entertaining.

Ok, then this weekend?? The fine art of containing myself is not something I practice often enough to be good at it. This weekend I get a double dose of Jonathan Tyler & the Northern Lights and I don't even have to get a hotel. They will be local. No one is EVER local for me, so I am like triple excited for these shows. And I really hope they play this song:




Definitely not my video, but with any luck, I will have one of it very soon....

Then I get a few days off to recover (I will probably need them, actually...) and next Tuesday, I get to see these guys:



They are opening for another band, who I will talk about in just a second, but I am really tripping out over these guys and look forward to their set probably more (?) than who they are opening for....
They are Fitz & the Tantrums (something in that Los Angeles air for me, I guess...srsly) and as soon as I found out they were opening, the album was downloaded and on it's way to being memorized. Check them out. They remind me of everything I love in music, and I haven't even seen them yet.
I am hoping for another SSPU August experience (I have to distinguish here, because my SSPU Sept/Oct experience was entirely different...)

Oh, ok, and the band they are opening for? I have seen 3 times already actually, and paid a ridiculous amount of money for a 3rd row seat last time.

Maroon 5. Like I even need to link them. But I will, so y'all can go there and be like "Shit! I love Maroon 5, I definitely need their new album!" You know how I do.

So um, Adam Levine...just so you know, Virginia is for lovers...see you Tuesday. Yowza.

Then my real job kicks in and takes me away - to the great Northest for a long weekend. And I get to see another band I have been really hoping to catch live while in am in the City of Brotherly Love. I am excited for my ebay ticket to the sold out Brand New concert.
Waaay back in August, actually at my first (*sigh*) Silversun Pickups concert (see what I did there? Like that? LOL.) I met this guy named Vic and he sees a lot of concerts and typically people like that and I get along pretty well.
So, we are watching the TVs in that venue with the "coming attractions", so to speak, and the ad for the Brand New concert pops up and he goes "Ok, that is a band you have to see."
Generally, when people who I have just met who also happen to love 80s and 90s era indie/alternative/rock/new wave music tell me that I HAVE to see a band...I try my hardest to do just that.
And I am going to get to. Hooray. I shall report back, as I do.

And then...I guess the best I can put this is "We shall see...."

As I have found over and over and over and over...music leads me to new music and so on. And I look forward to it.

However, there has been a "change" in me recently that will hopefully prevent some of the dramatic things I tend to encounter in these adventures. There is only so much of that a person can take, you know? Keep it about the music, Ash...that is what I keep telling myself.

I hope I listen (which goes back to treating my ears right...)

XO,
Ash

New River Stage

Video blogs in action. Meet Alex Parrish:






Nothing fancy, but here is the general idea...Get the director, actors, technical director....etc. involved in video blogging. Get these things out in internetland. Get people interested, get people in seats, get people in the theatre.

Culture is good for you.

YESvember....

I am an optimist, so therefore I will be calling it YESvember instead of NOvember.

It truly was ROCKtober for me and ended with a bang (I was the Energizer Bunny for Halloween people, nothing kinky here...)
But Halloween night also brought forth an opportunity for change for me, which I definitely needed.
I am very excited to announce that I am moving! Granted, it is only to the "city" instead of the 'burbs...but I needed a social change big time. I will be closer to the local music scene, closer to some more cultural opportunities and will also be in a FIERCE new place with the most amazing windows I have ever seen in an apartment. I am stoked. Granted, I hate preparing to move more than most anything, I currently have 59 days to do it and if I do a little at a time, then I should be golden.
And trust me, I am going to have a little throwdown to break in the new digs a bit. Some kind of theme party in Jan./Feb....so yeah. If you want in on that, lemme know ;-) I am going to be living next door to a "luxury hotel", so.....my out of state friends can certainly be in on this...

Also, my little business is taking a different direction and instead of concentrating specifically on music and bands, I am expanding to include the ARTS in general. Right now, I am doing social media/publicity/marketing for New River Stage, and more specifically their spring production of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.

I have a theatre background, folks.
This is a natural progression for me.
Plus, I really believe there is value in social media as a marketing tool (duh...) and don't see any reason for something as classic a theatre not to get involved. My "market research", so to speak, has been the Broadway production of Rock of Ages. This thing has been on Facebook, Twitter, You Tube....you name it, from its off-Broadway inception. And it has worked.
Now the New River Valley is no NYC, but I don't see why the same concept wouldn't work here, or anywhere else for that matter.

So in addition to tracking down new music, I will be doing the same for art of all kinds.

Limits are limiting, don't you agree?

XO,
Ash

If at first you don't succeed, try again...

So, I tried this one other time. And I didn't stick with it.
I don't look at that as failure, per se....just as the time was not right to complete it.
I amended the rules a little, to make it a little more reasonable for my attention span and lifestyle...relevant to my interests, as they say...



500 Days of Ashley:
50 things I have to accomplish by 3/11/11

10 Categories, 5 things each category. 1 picture or video for each thing completed (if possible)

Professional
1. 2 paying clients for 3HM in 2010
2. attend 1 professional development event each year (virtual or physical)
3. subscribe to a professional listserv or news source
4. don't go anywhere without business cards
5. tape a new band, exhibit, performer, lecturer, play, art of some sort each month

Personal
1. Simplify material belongings (i.e. get rid of shit!)
2. Unplug completely once a month
3. Buy my OWN computer
4. Raise $1500 for Relay for Life '10
5. Test my comfort level often

Cultural
1. visit at least 5 museums I have not been to
2. see at least 10 new theatrical performances
3. I have the NFL and Nascar covered...but need to see NBA, NHL , MLB and PGA live. There are others. So, see at least 10 professional sporting events live.
4. Take the scenic route
5. See a new film each week (on average)

Travel
1. go back to Europe
2. go somewhere new in the states
3. drive in NYC
4. get AAA or the like
5. swim in 3 different oceans

Physical
1. exercise at least 3X a week
2. take daily vitamins
3. remember to see the dentist
4. get regular massages (1 every 3 months, on average)
5. drink less alcohol in general

Financial
1. always carry some cash
2. start a savings account
3. eliminate one credit card completely
4. stay employed
5. start an account for 3HM

Mental
1. Enjoy the silence, daily.
2. Read about something new every month (I'm a slow reader...lol)
3. Read one book at a time (this will be HARD for me!)
4. Take a class
5. Teach something to someone

Creative
1. Keep up with the blog
2. Take at least a picture a day
3. Bead at least once a month
4. Use a potter's wheel
5. Take a class

Social
1. Communicate with a friend or family member daily (like, individually...you'd be surprised...)
2. Say hi to everyone in my office who is there when I arrive
3. Volunteer
4. Plan a getaway vacation with friends to somewhere different than where any of us live
5. Remember all family birthdays and send cards

Miscellaneous
1. Ride an elephant (this one is very important to me...)
2. Get all new towels
3. Participate in at least one charity event a year
4. Move
5. Leave this one blank for something random, yet list worthy

Refocus...change the lens.

You know that Sam Cooke song "A Change is Gonna Come"?

I've been listening to that a lot.

Stay tuned. I plan to stay behind the lens, but what I am looking at (and for) is changing.

I got exactly what I wanted for my half-birthday - a kick in the ass....

Help Find Morgan Dana Harrington!!!

Missing Virginia Tech Student.

She disappeared on Saturday after a Metallica concert.

As a female who more than frequently goes to concerts alone, this hits home on so many levels.

Please look at this link and share the information! Thank you.

Happy Birthday 3HM!

My business is 1 year old today. Awww...

It has been a damn busy year too.

I feel accomplished and positive and confident that the next year will be just as amazing.

Thank you to EVERYONE who has helped me in ANY way. Nothing but love, and maybe a little fangirliness on the side ;-)

XO
Ash

Alive, well and waiting for whatever is next...

Another lull.

But it's ok.

In short, I needed a bit of a lull for personal reasons. It is just a crazy time of year in my "real job" and my actual life needed some attention.

BUT, the good news (for the purposes of this blog being somewhat entertaining...) is that my experiences Behind the Lens are going to take another detour - into my "roots", which would be theatre.

I am going to go Behind the Lens for a local production and plan to do videos, and social media for this endeavor. Lots of cool ideas, and an interesting spin-off on the business.

I don't have anything lined up, band wise, as of right now. But you and I both know (and have figured out!) that that changes so often, I shouldn't even say I have no plans...

I felt a big neglectful of this blog, but I also don't really have much to add here right now. Well, much I CAN add here right now.

Hang in there though, one day you and I both will be like "man, I wish I had a day I didn't have to write/read this damn thing?"

It's coming....I can feel it.

XO.
Ash

Sacrificing sleep

I have grown used to not having a lot of rest when I have a lot of show plans.

I cannot honestly say I function at my best when a little deprived, but I can definitely say that 9 times out of 10, I would sacrifice rest for the experience. Because there is always down time and there is always those "between show" days of sheer boredom where I catch up.

Like now.

Here is something I have learned: There are very different reasons behind each bout of "mid show" boredom.

I have planned (I use that word loosely here....) my adventures to kind of tailor this feeling a bit, so that it doesn't last too long before I have something else to get into.

BUT...it really depends on the underlying reason I am "withdrawing" to begin with.
If it is a need for sound, speakers, crowds, you know - the environment - I have been able to somewhat substitute that need with the lo-calorie version - my iPod and blasting car stereo.

If it is personal, and trust me, there are times like that - even if I don't discuss that here....Well, then it is completely different. Because then, my iPod, while I am devotedly in love with it - can also be the biggest jerk-off ever.

The hardest, however, is the combo pack. When there is a personal investment in addition to the craving for the environment. Yikes. "Danger Will Robinson."

I have said it time and time again, to many many people - I love my "real job". But this chica is so not cut out for 8-5. That is the hardest part of being me.

"Oh poor thing. You have a great job, great friends, great adventures....STFU" - me to me.

Fine. I am feeling a little superior [/JD, Heathers]

Let's talk actualities for a second...because "Behind the Lens" was made of FAIL this week, as far as products. Y'all get nothing. Sorry.

On Tuesday, I saw Cage the Elephant, Manchester Orchestra and Silversun Pickups. Again.
And...I have 46 seconds of actual show footage. And it was really just a souvenir for myself, cause I was feeling a little, uh, "swoony". LOL. Lame attempt at a pun. Forgive me. But I did what I said I would do and be a fan that night. Boy...
But the 2 more times I am seeing them (if you are paying any attention...that means I have since added a show....this tends to happen.) in the next 10 days - I am sure some kind of footage will occur. So stay tuned.

Last night I saw Jason Castro in Roanoke. I didn't get a damn thing - a couple pics, that's it. The "street teamer" in me kicked in, over the fangirl...and I got off on watching the crowd fall for him. That was enough for me. That, Hallelujah and the little "I'm Yours" techno-duet.

I had some very good people there with me too, and a lot of the time, the camaraderie that comes out of these things (planned...or unplanned) ends up being the highlight.

And I will leave this blog at that. That sums it up.

"Always look people in the eye"

So, I have learned a lot during this whole thing...like don't drink (too much) and tape, don't NOT tape and drink (too much), don't NOT tape if at all possible, among other wonderful lessons associated with alcohol consumption.

But the most important lesson, or at least the one I can talk about here....came a long time ago, but has been very important in this musical journey of mine.

See (and I am going to get all sad on y'all again, sorry), my grandma's memorial service was yesterday. My Dad bravely got up and read a little statement and talked about his most memorable lesson he learned from his mother and it was to "Always look people in the eye."
And he said he has carried that with him his whole life, and has passed that lesson along to his kids.

So a derivative of that is to "Never meet a stranger."

And so far, I haven't. If you are a stranger it is for one of two reasons -
1. We haven't met yet or 2. I wanted you to stay a stranger (this is not necessarily an insult, I have to keep the excitement up somehow...lol)

I try hard to make friends and not enemies when I do what I do. I am not a jerk, even though I have a bit of a "filter problem". I am not judgmental - this is probably to a fault.
And it take a LOT to make me really really angry, and most of the time though I want to do this:



...and know I CAN do that, I don't. Because I believe in karma, big time.

Ok, so this week - tomorrow I get to see Cage the Elephant, Manchester Orchestra and Silversun Pickups again. And this time, I am going to try to be sans camera and just be a fan. I need to be a fan right now, actually. Balance things out a little bit...
Then Thursday I get to see (and hopefully tape!) Jason Castro.

Friday my new friends Electric Chameleon are playing in Roanoke, and I will definitely be getting some tape from that show.

Things are happening in the business. I got my .com set, and now I need to "make it official", so to speak.

And remember in my last post when I told you about my illegal video of Trent Wagler and the Steel Wheels? Yeah, here it is. Enjoy:

Cyclical...

I have so much to talk about that I don't know where to begin...but I have never really been all that faithful to starting at the very beginning of something anyway, so I guess that is what works for me.

We all (hopefully) have someone that empowers us....someone that loves and supports us unconditionally, no matter how much we fuck up and no matter how stupid our decisions are. That same someone will be the first to congratulate you on an accomplishment, or know before you do that you are going to succeed at something.
I am fortunate to have several people that fit that bill - but extremely fortunate to have had one of them in my life as long as I did.
On Monday, September 14th, the Lord took my grandmother (Mamama) into the light. She had been sick with cancer, Multiple Myeloma, since 2004 and had her good and bad days.
Only July 16th, she went into an emergency surgery and my entire family was told to prepare for the worst. Long story short, she survived the surgery but decided against any further heroic measures, medical treatment, or nourishment - essentially making the decision to pass away naturally. On July 17th, hooked up to a ventilator and several monitors, she said her goodbyes to each of the members of my family. And then they removed the machinery.
Over 2 months, 4 more goodbyes, a very long, unpredictable summer and one of the hardest letters I have ever written later....Mamama passed on from her life here on Earth.
I don't even really have it in me to write more about it, and really it has nothing to do with Behind the Lens....and everything to do with Behind the Lens.

2 days after Mamama passed away, I was sitting in a Panera, checking my email, getting ready to do my "real job" and lo and behold I read something that puts my emotions in the kind of limbo they did not need to be in in a public place...
Jason Castro is coming to Roanoke...my stomping grounds...for a cancer benefit event.
I know this might sound silly, but one of the things I have wanted to do since the inception of my little business/hobby is tape Jason...for real.
And I don't know if I will get to do that or not, I haven't done the research.
But the jolt that went through me when I saw this event announced is a little hard to describe.
And then, I scrolled through my phone and the first person I wanted to call was Mamama....and I couldn't. And that hit me like a ton of bricks. But I know she knows.
She got up there (with Patrick Swayze, of all people!) and made the right friends (a genetic gift she passed along to me, thank goodness) and pulled some strings. So she knows. And even if I don't tape that show, she will be with me and my Mom there, in spirit.

Moving along, to another cycle, this one a little less heavy - but still just as important.
There are 2 dates in the Behind the Lens/my little business history that are very important.
Sept. 20, 2008 was the first one - which was the day I saw Jonathan Tyler and the Northern Lights for the first time.
Know what I did to celebrate today?
Saw Jonathan Tyler and the Northern Lights. Granted...it was 3 minutes of JT playing the harp with Sons of Bill in a venue at the Bristol Rhythm and Roots Festival that had a sparkly pink castle on stage, with an audience (bless them) of an average age of probably 42...It was still seeing them, getting a hug and a chat in, and delivering some baked goodies to a band that is and always will be like a steady heartbeat for me. It was special, in my little world.
This is going to be a "very big band" [/Jeff Bebe, Almost Famous] and you all mark my words....and days like today will be fleeting.

But after they left, I hung around the fest and am glad I did for 2 reasons -
Trent Wagler & the Steel Wheels and Ian Thomas

Didn't I say I wanted to "discover" a new band each month? And my "silent goal" was to cover as many genres as possible.
Mission accomplished for Sept.
Stay tuned for the video that I learned, thankfully not the hard way, that I shouldn't have been able to take.

Until then...enjoy my videos from my random jaunt last week. SOJA and The Movement are in Cali until the end of the month, and then trekking back East, hitting a bunch of cities. Please take a look at their schedules, check out of the H.D.T (I am not telling what that acronym means publicly, by the way...) if you can. Tell them I sent you...






Next up...a trip to Baltimore for "real work", then Villanova this weekend.
Then Silversun Pickups next week.
Then Jason Castro, who will be with another Idol, Blake Lewis.
Then hopefully Citizen Cope, before another SSPU sighting.

Also, keep an eye out for me to get serious-er about my biz...meaning links and stuff.

And who knows what else...because my life, while very good, is also crazy.

Until next time...
"I dig music." [/Russell Hammond, Almost Famous]

"Turn and face the strange, ch-ch-changes..."

Let's see...
Last I checked in...Sept. 3rd...I was on vacay with my family, had managed to catch 3 shows during that time and was going to enjoy a little beach/down time.

Check.

And on my way home, I made a little (1.5 mile) detour to see The Movement headline a lovely outdoor music fest, called The Getdown. And, in true me fashion, I got some footage. Which I am going to be working on this weekend.

I also managed to work in a little spontaneous show this week. I am not going into the details of how that worked out, but I can say with certainty that I have a finely tuned appreciation for the amount of things one can put into a 24 hour period before burning out completely.... Let's just say I need my weekend something fierce. So does my laundry. So does my car. (Bless her engine and gas mileage)

But this blog title would give indication of change...and none of the things I just mentioned are any kind of surprise or change from my "regular" routine.

The change is this - I changed the name of my business. Lots of things were behind this change, the main one being ownership, another being duplicity, another being inspiration...
So we now have 3 Hearts Media.

Why 3 Hearts?
I have a thing ("It was not a 'thing', I was very much in love, very much in love..." - Heather Mooney, Romy & Michele's High School Reunion) for octopuses.
If you actually know me, then you know this. It is a little unavoidable to know this in my "real-ish" life.
But for you new virtual friends, I do.
Eight legs...and 3 hearts. Hence the name. I always say, they are kind of my power animal - when one heart is tired or broken, just operate on another one for a while.
OR, and this is where the name comes in, 3 hearts can equal a lot of love, and passion. And I have nothing short of 3 hearts full of both of those for what I do.

This blog isn't, and will not be, a pimping site for my business, but it was an important occurrence in the past 8 days, worthy of mention for sure. And the website for it links to here...so I needed to cover my bases a bit.

Ok, gotta go for now.
I shall return with some vids and stories about my last adventure. Considering I really don't have a pending adventure right now (any takers??), I get to focus a little. And rest.
Rest is important.

Ciao.

Beachin' time

Taking a little coveted internet break while here on my little vacation.

Saw The Movement 3 times....twice with SOJA.

And SOJA is my new love.

All I can say about that is "Here we go again..."

Here is the thing, there are 2 albums that ARE my life. I mean, so far...I am only 30.

The first, and this isn't news, is By the Way by Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Every single song on that is something to me. I don't skip a single song and I probably listen to that album twice a week.

But now, Born in Babylon by SOJA is a full on 2nd place contender. In fact, this is a very right NOW album for me. Like the past 6 months to a year, and from present until whenever....
I was taking a beach walk and "I Tried" came on and I had to pause, seriously.
It is a little scary how God, the universe, whatever....works.
You wanna know me? You want an album with some thought and great vibes? Get it.

Anyway.

The first wave I took of this vacation I had Lazy Eye by Silversun Pickups blaring in my ear.
The second one was Hard to Concentrate by RHCP.
The third, the one that completely knocked me on my ass and took me about 6 feet under, I had Scream by The Movement as the soundtrack.
"Come on scream for me." True that.

See y'all again in a few days. 2 more concerts to go....

Life is good.
Hakuna Matata ;-)

A post to send me off....

So I am heading out again. This time on a real vacation (snaps for 6 days of putting my ass on the beach and in the ocean!), sprinkled with some shows.
I am sure I will have plenty of fodder for this little blog of mine when I return, or even while I am there.

But for now, I want to leave you all with a graph my friend sent me today.
It's kind of funny, and at the same time a little sad. I will let you all discuss this:




Do we all think this is an accurate pie chart? Or is the pie a little more, ahem, evenly distributed?

I plan to get some "on the job" input into this little piece of research this week...I will report back my results. And I will hopefully have some of it on tape...since that is, in fact, what I do.

Ciao for now.

one more favorite

Taped this of one of the last performances of my brother's last band.
Gave him this "music video" as a Christmas gift this year.

Love it. And I cannot wait to tape, promote, maybe manage his new band.

It's personal, not business...

There are a couple videos/stories I want to talk about that I had no intention of using as part of my business "portfolio", so to speak.
Videos that are more like souvenirs of really great times.

One of those was this summer, at the end of June, when I was fortunate enough to WIN tickets to see JTNL's first show opening for Kid Rock and Lynyrd Skynyrd in West Palm Beach, FL.
That week was the beginning of what I call, (affectionately at first and it has since stuck) my "Rock & a Hard Place Tour". It is my nickname for this spring/summer/fall....whatever.

So I get there, get my tickets at the BAND will-call (seriously a huge thrill for me! lol!) and take me and my friend into the show. Get our seats and wait for JTNL to come on. And I was hoping I could sneak in a video...and I did.

It ain't great, but it is one of my favorite video possessions. I am so proud of them, and was super honored to be there.



Another one came a few weeks ago.
One of the things I love about music, is that it opens you to more music. And one of the best things I have gotten out of these past several months is essentially a musical "cupid".
This guy introduced me to this band, called Silversun Pickups and from quite literally the 1st second I heard them in that Jeep in High Point, NC, I was stunned. And hooked.
And later, I found out they were coming to Virginia.
And come hell or high water, I was going to that.
I had no earthly idea that I would end up with 4 videos from it, and be able to meet most of the band. It was a great night.

This is a "prized possession" of mine:



Switching to business though, from here on out - August till whenever....mission is this (and you guys can help me if you want!)

Tape one new band/artist a month. As I have found, new bands lead me to new bands....so this should not be hard. But since I have already accomplished my business mission for 2009 (which was having one paying client...), I decided to amend it a little.

I can't wait.

By the way....

My favorite band.
My favorite song.
My motto and my musical heartbeat.

And one of the primary reasons for me being interested in filming music to begin with, is this performance, on this DVD. And it was, of course, a gift from my brother. It all comes full circle at some point..

"Standing in line to see the show tonight and there's a light on, heavy glow, by the way, I tried to say, I'll be there, waiting for..."



To know me at all is to know the importance of this "silly piece of music".

That is all.

Up to speed

I have decided that the best way to get up to speed is to speed up that process.

I am in a "mood" today. Don't know why, I just am. And I that mood is telling me to get up to the present so that I can keep moving forward.
So we need to cover March, April, May, June and July in the briefest way possible.

March. JTNL came to me. In Roanoke. It was a big deal. And there was some personal drama going on too. But remember, I don't talk about that here (yet...)

Here is a video from that night:



An important point here is that I did not tape this, I just edited it and put it online. Regardless, it was an interesting night. I was really glad JTNL made it to my home turf and really glad they had a decent turn out for it.

During March and April I was also stage managing a local musical, which kept me pretty damn busy. And my "real job" is basically hell during March and April. My life was in personal craziness during March and April.

So. This is the part where I talk about and NOT talk about things at the same time. My personal life took a drastic shift around this time, which is all I am saying. And my outlet that was hovering at about 60% of my preoccupation at the time became about 95% very quickly.

One weekend in particular.

Remember back in the February/Nashville part of this tale where I met The Movement fellas? And we discussed them being in my neck of the woods in April.
That was Easter weekend. I was taking a 72 hour hiatus from my life that weekend.
I took my camera and myself and a completely fucked up mind to their show in Salem....

I watched with a friend for a while, and then they left and I was alone. This is a trend folks. A trend that at times I love and other times I curse till I am blue in the face.

Regardless, I ended up with this, finally, a video of The Movement:



And after the show, chatted it up as usual and the short version is this - I ended up going to their show the next day in Columbia, SC. Outdoors, wings, beer and music all sounded perfect to me right then. And I was going to be able to help out a new friend in the process, which is always a bonus for me. I probably "help" to a fault, actually...

There is a long version. From about 1am on April 11 to 4am on April 13, is a really long version. And a fucking awesome story at that. But you won't get that version here. Sorry.

You will get to see the video from that day though:



This was show 3. April 11th. (And it actually just dawned on me that it was an 11...those bitches always pop up in my life. I am having a throwdown to the largest extent on 11/11/11. I am not kidding. Anyway...I digress...)

To say I got (am??) a little caught up is an understatement.

Let's just put it this way, and the important people already know this...I am not heavily medicated right now because of this band and the people I have met associated with this band.
I do this thing, when I am in transition from anything, where it all has to be NEW and different. Well, mission accomplished. And I will leave it at that.

I have been to 13 more shows since then. As of this past weekend, actually.
I can honestly say that each show has had a dual purpose - the first being the music.
It is always about the music.
And I am not going to talk about the other purposes.

Which is how I get to now. Leave that stuff in the past and move forward.
And I don't want you to gleam from this that it is (all) scandalous and negative. It isn't.
Actually, I can only think of 3 specific times where it was negative. Everything else was awesome and positive and I am exactly where I want to be right now because of it.

Sometimes it takes a shift in point of view. Sometimes everyone needs to do that, and I have found that we all help each other do that. We just have to be open to it. Things are not always what they seem, and sometimes they are exactly that.

This past weekend, I went to see The Movement and another band I have taken to since then (because of them...you are probably starting to see a pattern here...lol) called Villanova. They played together. I took the "day off" for Villanova, I had not seen them with their drummer, so I wanted to get the full effect before I started staring at them from Behind the Lens.

But I did tape The Movement.

I had seen some footage of Silversun Pickups recently (another blog topic, folks..stay tuned) where one of the camera angles was from behind the band - specifically behind the drummer. And it was cool as hell.
Well at this past show, I tried that out. I was able to get up on the stage and get about 20 minutes of footage, from great angles, that one included. I am using it all for the larger "Habit" project (Winter 2009 folks...)

But I did get this, which is a song called "Another Man's Shoes" and is essentially about perspective. Or at least, that is what it is about to me. I thought it was appropriate, seeing as I shot this show from a different perspective - physically and emotionally...
So this video is a little symbolic. Plus has a few "experimental" things in it, for my learning purposes. It is uncut, but touched up a bit.
And it is a favorite of mine now, for sure:

"So...what are you?"

You would not believe how many times I have been asked that question in doing this.

"Are you a sister?"
"Are you a girlfriend?"
"What are they to you?"
"Are you with the band?"
"Is this your real job?"

Etc., etc., etc.....

I will admit, 4 years ago or so, I would have been curious about a "me" too. As a fan.

But coming from this point of view, as special as it is to me to have a friendship (?) or whatever...with these people, I reference Lester Bangs to myself on a daily basis to keep it in check.



So the quick answer for me is "No."
(Except in the case of my brother's band...then a "Yes" to the sister question.)

But really, ladies, and sometimes guys, I am not your way "in".
Been there, done that, and know that using ME is not going to work.
Plus it is just tacky.

Back off. Or let's be friends. Or be a fan if you are a fan.

Listen, sing, dance, enjoy and be grateful you have some eye candy for a couple hours. Simple as that.

I will do my best to capture it permanently for you and everyone else who is interested.

Continuum.

So I have learned that I communicate best in 140 characters or less. Thanks Twitter.

But this blog requires a little more than that, I guess. And I hear I have some people waiting for this story to be done already. And "in this great future, you can't forget your past", as Bob Marley says, right?

Odd that I bring up that lyric for this aspect of the story...anyway...

February 2009.
Let's just say that after the January whirlwind, drunken craziness...I felt a little weird.
And I had a weird Valentines Day weekend - but I don't get personal in this blog, so that is all you're getting there - but regardless, here is what happened:

Sunday, Feb. 15th...I woke up at like 5am. Couldn't sleep, had something on my mind - I don't really know what, to be honest, it was like some kind of intuition sort of thing. I couldn't pinpoint it.
This happens to me a LOT. Most of the time I shove it away, don't ask me why, I guess I don't always trust my intuition completely. Maybe I should. Oh well.
I went out to the couch, and turned on the TV and flipped channels. Landed on a movie channel where "The Pursuit of Happyness" was coming on.

Sidebar - I have this weird thing with "emotional" movies. I don't watch them right away, most of the time. I let them come to me at the right time.
This was the right time for this movie, clearly.
I fucking cried my eyes out and was like "This is SO right on!! I have to work hard to get where I want and just DO things sometimes!"

So, I look at the JTNL schedule and see that they are playing in Nashville the next night. Yes.
Really quickly (over that Sunday...) I get together my camera, some tapes and put together some business cards for the business. And wake up on Monday and drive to Nashville.

Crazy. I know. But we have all had those times we just feel driven, or called to something.
That was it for me. The strongest I had ever had that feeling, to be honest.

I got to Nashvegas, got my place to stay (which turns out, was a hot spot for some classic country musicians who happen to roll through town. Who knew?)

I gather my crap, and head to the bar - alone.

Now. Some background, sort of. There were 3 bands at this thing. A showcase, from what I understand, for this booking agency. All three had the same agency.
Seabird, The Movement & JTNL.

That's right...The Movement.

Keep in mind at this point I HAD heard The Movement - from the downstairs bar of Awful Arthur's in Blacksburg...I had not seen them.
Keep in mind what drew me to JTNL - which would be Jason Castro...do your research, I did mine.

So I am getting my requisite rum and Diet to "properly" film. LOL. I am getting backhanded compliments from a couple of locals ("That shirt really leaves a lot to the imagination." Fuck off.)

I see a few of the JTNL guys, say hello, notice a little distress...see Mr. Tyler himself, and it turns out his amp was busted.
He goes to the table behind me, which is where one of "the other bands" was sitting to ask if he can borrow their amp for his set. Cool.

I just casually look around at the table, to see who he was talking to... (people, I am at heart such a band chick...this is a natural curiosity. Give me a break here! We all have our "things"...)

I turn back around as quickly. At that table were more dreadlocks than I had seen in quite a while.

THUD.

Promptly order another rum and Diet. I am going to need this.

This was my first glimpse at The Movement. I had sort of heard them, but not really...I am not going to actually get into detail here...but quite a few "Holy shit!" texts were sent to girlfriends about that point.

I compose myself, somewhat. Go to the back of the bar and get my shit together (somehow) to film JTNL.

I sit on my knees on a stool for the whole set. Yes, ow. I am chatting it up with the bus driver for Stoney LaRue, who tells me that they are playing again the next night...and would I be there.
Um. Wasn't part of the plan. But never say never in my world...I have learned that by that point.

So I get this:



I get a lot of that set, but the lighting is weird.
This, at that time, is my "justification" for trying to go the next night.

So then, I wait around to chat with JTNL, who essentially peace out.
But my ass is sticking around...hello. The Movement is next.

And boy are they.

I sit my lonely ass down on a bar stool about 3 feet from the stage. Three feet from J-Smiles, the bassist, who basically does his best Flea/Anthony Keidis impression right in front of about maybe 30 of us.
And that isn't even talking about the rest of the band....I am not going there yet, if ever.
Just the idea is this: I am smitten as of about 10pm on Feb. 16, 2009.

This is a weird feeling folks, to "fall for" a band. If you have never done it, I am sorry. But "we all have something that digs in us", according to Incubus.

So what is the next step, in the pattern of me? Introduce myself, of course.
Which is where Gary and Josh come in. They were the ones sitting around after the show.

An added bonus for me in the "falling for a band" thing (in addition to music that hooks me, stage presence, at least one hot band member ((don't judge me...)) is approachability.

These guys have that coming out of their pores. I think God (or whoever) has some kind of role in this shit...I fall for the nicest bands ever. Both JTNL, who will talk to fans old, new, pretty, ugly for way longer than they should after shows...and The Movement, are the definition of approachable bands.

Considering I had to drive back to my hotel, and I had acquired at least 2 beers post rum & Diets...I had to take a rain check for the beer offer from the fellas. I just said who I was, that I dug the set big time and that I would definitely see them next time there were in driving distance.

And that was that. No video of their set, because, honestly...I would have dropped the camera. Kind of like my first experience with JTNL...this was going to take some, um, tolerance.

I go back to the hotel, get on myspace, as I do...and add these guys as friends right then and there. Decide to work out staying another day, and do.
Sleep in.
The next day, I go and buy a tripod. LOL! Live and learn, people...save those knees.

The show the next night is at Exit In. Great venue. I get a primo spot up on the balcony, and get the whole set again. I usually pick my favorite or best one to put online from any given show. In this case...



So I tape the thing, street team a little (hand out cards, give out the web address, generally talk till I am blue in the face to some folks about the band) and then head down to the merch area where I generally go say hello after any set.
And JTNL have a long ass drive back to Dallas that night, so they are leaving. Bummer.
But I am chatting with bus driver guy again, and just people in general, and looking forward to seeing Stoney play, so I hang out.

I look around to the side bar, just to check it out...and who do I see but Gary and Josh from The Movement wander in! Holy crap!

End up chatting for quite a while, and find out they are heading to VA in April. Cool deal. Exchange cards/numbers...and I head out. Long drive myself the next day. Not a party night for me.

What is that line in Casablanca? You know the one I am talking about....

Stillwater continued....

I am only half kidding about that title, folks.
I call JTNL "Stillwater", another "Almost Famous" reference, of course.

This is it, more of the JTNL story...so far.

Here is the first part

This part picks up in January of 2009. A nice, way too long break between "viewings", so to speak. It started out as a little "girlfriends" trip to Florida, travel with and see some friends and take in 2 JTNL shows while at it. Innocent enough.

And because I was flying, and not checking any luggage, I decided NOT to bring my camera. I was going to be a fan.

Gasp! Dun, dun, dun....

Now there are a couple of important details here, and I will not get too into it - but let's just say that the evening before I left for this trip, some already frayed nerves were irritated further.
So I went to Florida with some very raw nerves, and a need to really live it up with some friends and see some music.

First stop - Gainesville at Common Grounds, as the band opened for J.J. Grey and Mofro.
Met up with 3 girlfriends, I hadn't even told the band I was planning on going. That is how focused I was on just being a fan, being there "for the music".

Here is the thing - and if you can relate to this at all, please comment and back me up, cause sometimes this makes me feel a little weird....

Live music is healing in the weirdest way for me.
I could have drama coming out of every orifice, have a world of worry and stress on my shoulders and in the most honest way I can put this, the first note of a song - be it a guitar chord, a drumstick click, a word...any kind of sound - all of that goes away.
Instantly.

That is what happened. I absorbed into their music, and I truly get off (almost literally sometimes...) on seeing other people enjoy the music and performance. It is passion at the most heightened state I have ever felt. Really.

I didn't even take a single picture that night. My girl Faith did it all for me.

So, basically what ends up happening is that even though I absorbed into the music, I kick into "help" mode almost instantly afterwards.

I have spent a lot of time thinking about this mode lately...why it happens, and what is my motivation. And I don't know. I have done this numerous times, in this stage of life, and in general.

After this particular show, I basically just offer up a "night off" for the folks that usually man the merch, and generally do the meet and greet stuff after the set. Nothing formal, and maybe I was in the way...I don't know...and what this is NOT, and I feel like I need to make this clear, it is not some excuse to be "with the band". I have the hardest time explaining that.

I want to help, I want to spread the positivity that I am feeling to others...I want my passion for this music to be contagious.

So this night was not dramatic, it was great to see JTNL, and I think they may have been happy for the help...I don't know. I was happy to do it.

And we managed to secure passes for the show the next night - and once again, this is never my intention - in Orlando.

I am going to keep the Orlando show story brief. No camera that night either, because the House of Blues is kind of an asshole venue about that.
I wasn't feeling well, one of my girlfriends wasn't feeling well, the day started out weird - strange vibes. I had some kind of "Oh no, this is the last show!" nervous stomach thing going on. Hard to explain, but there were also some personal "issues" all wrapped into this...

But once again, the second they hit the stage and started playing (killer set too...one of my favorites so far), I didn't feel anything bad. At all.

But the vibe of this night was different.

And here is a lesson I have since learned - I should have just let it go.

But instead, I planned to go completely out of my way to make up for it by hitting the show the next night - in Tallahassee.

No one to come with me, no hotel, had a really early flight I had to change. All of this shit to make up for some "bad vibes".

I am about 98% certain that with a do-over on this one, I could have saved some money and some face. But I am a silver lining kind of girl, I have taken that lesson and saved both of those things many times since then.

I get to Tallahassee. Basically what happens is this - I offer up the rest of my hotel room to the band, no sense in wasting that space and wasting the money. I had a couch and a huge king bed. Plenty of room for a few starving artists...
End up with Mo Brown, which was awesome - from what I hear it was a "break from testosterone". We chilled, got some food, and she got me into the sold out show. Nice. I think I still owe her for that night....

Here is another thing I have learned - but not to the point where I have done anything about it - whiskey is a catalyst for me. Big time. Whatever is going on in my brain is amplified when whiskey is involved.

Now, this venue is a beer only joint. So I had beer. Enough of it that my drunken picture taking, street teaming, general schoozing about and for the band was going at full tilt. I love this mode....this is a fun mode. No one gets hurt, they all get my full attention and passion, etc.

Enter the whiskey. A full plastic cup of Maker's Mark...after about 4 beers.

For some reason, being a total weirdo was what was amplified that night. I said and did inappropriate things, acted a damn fool, and still, to this minute, feel like I totally took advantage of my situation. I hate doing that. Hate it.

I did get some footage though...lol...and a ton of pictures.



But what I really got was schooled....in the art of doing this shit the right way.

And I learned that I am really at my best in this environment when I can hide behind the lens. This is not an avoidance tactic...it is just the best way for me to do this.

Stayed tuned...because February 2009 is a doozy...and a little cosmic.

You will find....

...that there are considerable "breaks" between posts.

Sorry.

Not my intention, but this blog wouldn't even exist if I didn't have those breaks, considering 9 times out of 10, they are a product of some kind of concert jaunt.

Most recently, a three show Movement "tag-along"

And, as usual, there are stories. And there is another piece of evidence supporting the fact that I really should not put my camera down and take a night off. There is always drama. Or maybe there is always drama anyway, but it looks different from Behind the Lens....

Whatever.

I am going to work on finishing/updating the JTNL story....especially since they are IN THE STUDIO right now, recording their first album with Atlantic. Yeah.

Plus, my little project for The Movement is coming right along AND tonight I get to see one of my favorites...and hopefully I will have at least some photographic evidence of that this time tomorrow.

And a shirt. Or sticker. I am going to be a merch nerd at this one, folks. And I can't wait....

Exciting interruption...

So I have every intention of finishing the JTNL story, or at least getting it caught up to the present...
And to be honest, the reason behind this interruption would not even exist were it not for the rest of the JTNL story...I am telling you, one thing leads to another for me...like that song.
Rest assured, you will get a recap of the events leading up to this, but for now...

I am lead to understand I will be getting some traffic tomorrow, as a lovely little iPod shuffle of mine is appearing on a "sister blog"

SO, I feel like now is a great time to pimp a little bit.

My very first REAL editing project (the one my first post here is about...) is appearing on the band's website.
Like their real website - their .com
This is exciting for me. And a little nerve wracking...

But I had to take photographic evidence, for future reference of course.

See?I rock. That's my video front and center. And actually, that is mine to the right too...
I am all up in that shit, "repping like a mascot", as Drake puts it lately.

And they rock too...and rasta. Do me a solid and check them out.

MUAH.

Back soon with the rest of the saga....

One thing leads to another...

So Jason Castro...American Idol Season 7 contestant with the dreadlocks.
Came in 4th.

But he also did something else. He put his friend's bands on his myspace page. A few of them, actually.

And in May(ish...) of 2008, I did what I always do on musicians' myspace pages and troll their top friends for other bands I will like.
I did that with Jason and added this band, Jonathan Tyler & the Northern Lights. I listened to the songs on their page, and bought their album on iTunes that same night. Loved it. Listened to it all summer long.
They are a Dallas based band, like Jason....so their schedule didn't bring them anywhere near me in VA.
But in September, I found out I was heading to Dallas for a business trip (you know, the job that PAYS the bills...not racks them up...) so I looked at their schedule and found they were playing the night before I was supposed to leave. Sweet.
Done deal.
Made the arrangements with a high school friend and a Castrocopian friend to head out to Woody's Tavern in Ft. Worth, TX on Sept. 24th 2008 to finally see JTNL.
I get there, sit at the bar with my friends and start looking around the bar, people (band...) watching.
I see this guy sitting at a table in front of us and say to my friend "Holy crap, that guy is hot." LOL. Had to talk about something while we waited for JTNL to go on...

(Sidebar - this shit is NOT about who is hot and who isn't. I promise. Attraction is an added bonus...)

10 minutes later, that hot guy gets on stage and starts singing from the album I had been killing all summer. It is safe to say, that my ability to NOT stare went very far out the door. I fell for JTNL hook, line and sinker in about 17 seconds. And so did my camera.

The first one....I love this.



So after that show, which I will never forget, I got a chance to chat with Jonathan and Beau, get a picture and generally shoot the shit about how much I dug their album. I bought the "hard copy" and a tshirt that night, from the lovely Mo Brown. And the next day, I took my "prized possessions" back to VA, where I promptly told everyone that would listen - "These guys are the next big thing."

Understand, this was more than just falling in love with a band. This was a giant slap in the face for me, one that reminded me just how much I love live music and how much I enjoy being a fan.
And it made me think - how can I do this, and give back...somehow...to the artists themselves, but also to the people that don't realize that they are fans yet.

Which is where my "light bulb" moment driving to Charlottesville comes into play...that happened in the time between my first and second time seeing JTNL. But I wanted there to be a purpose in the second time....and the contiguous times.

And my little "band taping business" idea was born.
So when I went to Louisville, to be one of 8 people watching the band that night, I also took my Canon S3IS with it's nifty video feature, that was kind to me for Jason and my first little JTNL video.

Which is where I got this...."Time for Love", my favorite song of theirs at the time.



So, I then knew I needed better equipment. I knew that I needed to do this before the next time I saw them.
I owe them a lot, because they continue to tolerate me "learning" on them.
I got my camera, Canon HV20, before the next time I saw them...and they were the first band I taped with that camera....as it should be. *sigh*

And I ended up with this:



And this:



This was in Atlanta, in November....time number 3 that I had seen JTNL.

Not much "behind the lens" action being told, huh? Crap.

I still consider this the "getting to know you" part of my relationship with JTNL. I think by Atlanta, I was known...I don't know as what, but hopefully as some chick with a camera who loved this band "so much it hurt", to use a quote from Almost Famous. If there was more, I don't and don't want to know about it. I treat them like friends, even if that isn't a two way street. Treat others how you would like to be treated....help if you have the means to. So that is what I did....

It is merely a giving back thing for me.
At this point, JTNL had revived me, got me thinking, inspired me to start a business and really take steps to do something about this interest of mine.
Plus I knew people who would love this band, and couldn't necessarily "see" them - which is essentially the premise of my business - bring bands to people that can't get to them as easily or as often as I am able to. And bring them in a real and personal way.

I am going to conclude this chapter here, because the next chapter is a little complicated, plus it begins with a new year, so I need to think about the presentation of it a bit.

A teaser?
It involves what happens when I do NOT bring my camera to a show and try to take a night off from Behind the Lens.
I have done that about 4 deliberate times since this whole thing really took off, and each time has been dramatic in some way.

That should tell me something.

That has taught me a lot, actually....

"So, how many shows HAVE you seen?"

18 times? I think....I am pretty sure that is how many times I have seen Constantine since 2005. It seems like there are more that I am forgetting. But those are the ones I definitely remember.

Have I caught up to that since? Nope.

We are sitting at 13 for one, and 11 for the other.
The rest are in smaller numbers...between 2 and 5.

My point is, I like to see the same acts over and over, in addition to seeing new bands.
I am like that with movies and books too.
If I like something and get positive vibes from something, I want it over and over again.

18, however is over a 4 year span.

The 11...less than a year.
The 13...less than 6 months. Wow.

I have tried to explain this shit, even to myself sometimes...I just don't have one that can be put into words.
There are a few reasons - I love performances and performers, and most of the time, the bands/artists that I love to watch live are just that - they give out more than music (on stage, people...)
I also get off on seeing other people love the bands that I love.
To watch new people fall for someone I have already fallen for is just a huge thrill for me. I like to share. I like to play "musical matchmaker".

And it's like Sheryl Crow so succinctly puts it, "If it makes you happy, it can't be that bad."

There is no present or future without the past...

My "business" was born on October 19, 2008 on a drive to Charlottesville, VA to see a Jason Mraz concert.
It came to me like a flash....a light bulb turning on over my head, like in a cartoon.
It was a way to follow music in the way I like to follow it, and maybe have something come of it someday.
Because I can't sing.
I can't play an instrument.
I can't write music or lyrics.
I prefer to hang with those that can do those things...
And I love to watch all of that from, you guessed it, Behind the Lens...
So my business was born.

But even the drive to Charlottesville to see Jason Mraz was driven by a history and series of events and influence of people outrageously out of my control. And probably a boring story.

Makes for kind of a fun timeline though, so that is what we are going to get...

This would be a good place to start, I think. This was 2005ish.
See that tall guy in the black shirt? That's my brother.
That guy I have my arm around? That's the drummer.
And the guy I am feeding a beer to? The guitarist.
You get the idea. My brother got every single bit of the musical talent in my family. This is a guy who can pick up any instrument and play it. His choice is the 5 string bass though.
The reason I love to know about bands is because of him. No question.


Ok, fast forward a bit...August 2006?
This was the very first experience with being "Behind the Lens" in a video capacity.
I always let everyone else do it, so that I could experience the experience. And I took photos. This time, I was first in a really excited line of eager fangirls to see a little summer tour...so I gave them a preview. Got them a "shout out"...

And that was a feeling I did not forget...from taping it, to presenting it. Kind of a weird power trip, in a generous way.


I didn't tape much more of Constantine, to be honest. That whole thing and everything it lead to was the base, the foundation of some knowledge that I have embraced since. In other words, it is a story I am going to keep to myself. Sorry. It's nothing big, I promise, you aren't missing much...but from Winter 2005 to the present day, this whole thing is a major vein in my heart of life.

But it isn't what pumps the blood, so to speak.

So the reason I started my You Tube account?
I will tell you...the dreadlocks are a constant....
Jason Castro...in his first performance, on his first (of many, I am sure...) major tour. So what if it was American Idol.
And so what if the security guy got mad at me for filming...
This is what sealed the deal, so to speak.



My only video of Jason. Hopefully not for long. Jason put me in the throws of yet another Idol fan community (see link to Castrocopia....over there ---->)
Which is how I ended up even driving to Charlottesville that day to see Jason Mraz, where I met up with another fan-type. We are an interesting group, to say the least.
In general. Fans are unique people...

Jason Castro lead me directly to my muse...who lead me directly to my Habit...who lead me to here...THAT is a story I'll tell.

Stay tuned.....

One ground rule.

So now that I have your attention (hopefully, anyway...) I want to get something straight here...

This blog and my videos will not reveal or ruin relationships.
Of any kind....

Unless asked.

And so far, I haven't been asked.

A girl with a camera can be a dangerous thing, but that is not my M.O.

"Respect is just the minimum..." as Lauryn Hill puts it..

That is all.

My name is Ash, and I have a Habit....(a.k.a "my first post")

Welcome to my blog.

I appreciate your perusal. I do not pride myself on being a writer at all. I thought that was what I wanted to be when I was 11...but as time went on, it turned into more of a "talker" than "writer".
Regardless, I am trying my hand at this, because I have a fairly recent hobby (?) that has generated a lot of stories, experiences and entertainment...and as I have emailed my friends (some) of the details, all of them have said "You need to write a book!" Uh. No.

But a blog I can handle.

So here we have it.

Behind the Lens


Pretty self explanatory. I have a fledgling video business where I tape bands and musicians, and put together videos for them. I have a lot of ideas and a lot of passion, and some very pretty boys I call friends that let me tape them. Hell of a learning process, right? I am a lucky gal.
But at some point, it won't be practice...it will be the real deal.


So for the details of my business, check out the website....


This blog is for the stories.
Because let me tell you, people do a lot of things when there is a tall blonde chick with a camera floating around...


So my first "real" post is a copy/paste from my myspace blog. I had to really get up the nerve to do this, so be kind...



I am a pretty brave chick.

I will do most anything once and talk to most anyone at any time. I am not afraid of new places and change. I jump into cold water and awkward situations easily most of the time.


So when I started this little "side project" of mine last fall, I figured I would run into obstacles and have to learn new things on the fly.

This is an understatement, to say the least. And about 80% of that knowledge has had nothing to do with video.


I have been following bands around for a while...I get hung up easily, and a lot of you know and can relate to this. I have tried to explain it to those that don't relate, and just can't....I like repetition in the oddest ways, for someone who hates monotony. I am pretty sure it is a feeling I am after, and if I find it, I keep going back for more.
These days, I am trying to capture that feeling on film...

On one of my long drives home, fighting off some serious "post show let down", I had a stroke of inspiration. It was the fastest I have ever driven home after a show.
And the 2nd longest time I have ever spent not sleeping in bed....working my ass off, and teaching myself some new things and reliving some stuff.
12 hours for about 4 minutes...which is a little cathartic, actually.

A few key folks have seen this, and for them I am really grateful because they helped build my courage. Why sharing this scares me, I will never know. I guess it is like a musician debuting a song for the first time...after they just learned to play the guitar.

But I have learned a lot about bravery in the past week, and I am taking my cues from that...

So without further ado, as I battle my inner Cowardly Lion and post my trailer for my little project....My name is Ash, and I have a Habit....