royals

You guys, have you heard this song?

I've played it on repeat over the past few days, and just can't get enough of it.

If you're in the mood for some enlightenment, check out the About section she wrote for this video.
The crazy thing is she's all of 16 years old. Pretty sure I was most worried about what outfit I was wearing on a Friday night when I was her age. Not to mention I think she's already better at applying eyeliner than I am. Girl's got talent in so many ways.

I promise to have some fun wedding stuff up on the blog as soon as some big decisions have been made and finalized. Until then, enjoy this jam!

the black keys

For my birthday, Blue Eyes gave me tickets to see a band I've been dying to see since being introduced to them with this video back in 2008. 

It's hard to believe that six years after that video was shot, they're selling out arenas like the Sprint Center. I love these guys from Akron, Ohio and can't wait to see them again. What an amazing show.

welcome back, mr. jt

I'm assuming you've all been listening the majority of the past 4 hours like I have.

So, what do you think?

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birdy

Anyone who gets The Everygirl's daily email was in for a real treat today. (If you don't, I highly encourage you to sign up here.) The second feature in the email showed this pretty little lady, all of 17 years old, going by the stagename Birdy.

As a music lover, yet someone unfamiliar with this Birdy character, I immediately fired up Spotify and began listening to her self titled debut album. Before going any further into her talent I need to preface this with saying I am not one of those people who bash covers. Quite the opposite, I love them. So when I started reading the tracklist and realized all but one were covers (and of really awesome songs) I knew this was going to be one of those times I listen to the entire album in one sitting.

My music preferences usually lean towards guys' voices. I love the deep smokey sound of Dan Auerbach from The Black Keys. Jack White is like.... no words can describe Jack White really. Mark Foster is ridiculously talented, and Britt Daniel's gritty voice is recognizable anywhere. In case you were wondering, the few women who make the "best of" list in my book include Emily Haines from Metric, and Karen O.

One word to describe Birdy's voice would be haunting. I mean that in the best, most complimenting way possible. It reminds me of Bon Iver's rawness, and Ray LaMontagne's emotionality. It blows my mind that she was only 15 when she recorded her first album. She sounds like her heart was already broken five times over.

All of this to say, go check out Birdy. I can't believe it took me this long to hear about her. Now I'm paranoid I'm losing my edge.

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i love love and music

Well I do believe I just found my first favorite song of 2013.

The video is cute, too. Pretty literal, but I bet you can't help but smile while watching it. I like how it illustrates many different types of love, not just the romantical kind.
Preach, The Mowgli's. Preach.

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off you go

First off, I must say *thank you* for all of the emails, comments, and texts I received from Monday night's post. You guys sure know how to make a girl feel better.

You know what else makes a girl feel better? I'll give you some guesses.

1) weekend trip with best friends

2) live music

3) Nashville, TN

The correct answer? All of the above!

I leave for Nashville tomorrow with my college girlfriends.

This is a city I've been to a handful of times, but have yet to experience a lot of the touristy sites and sounds. Most of the weekend is unplanned, although we did snag reservations to Bluebird Cafe for Saturday night. I can't wait!

Fun fact: A few years ago, I saw My Morning Jacket perform from a boat-like platform on the Cumberland River (above) while the crowd watched from the stairs. By far the coolest venue I've been to for a show.

Have you been to Music City?

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bucket list: red hot chili peppers

My love for the Red Hot Chili Peppers started when I bought the Californication album at age 13 before some family road trip.

I listened to it in a red Walkman with a Blink182 sticker on it.

Such a hipster.

Finally, 13 years later, I got to see Anthony Kiedis, Chad, Flea and Josh in person.

Bonus: Anthony only wore his shirt for the first two songs.

It was amazing, and I was so happy to be there. Beyond words.

Cross another wish off that bucket list!

What band/artist is at the top of your music bucket list?

mason jar chandys

First item of note today: All six of my crazy friends landed safely after free-falling from a plane for 90 seconds at 120 mph. Needless to say, I went to church Sunday night to give a little extra *thanks*.

After the long afternoon in the sun, the last thing I wanted to do was go to an outdoor concert. But that's what I did. Old Crow Medicine Show only comes to Kansas City but once a year, and Blue Eyes and I were not going to miss seeing (and singing to) Wagon Wheel in person.

Ketch, Willie and the rest of the band were amazing live! If they come to a town near you, please do yourself a favor and go to their show. Not only is the music and entertainment factor a wow, but the stage decor was possibly my favorite. Ever.

Pretty chevron lights lit up the backdrop and mason jar chandeliers hung from the catwalk.

The whole mason-jar-as-decor thing is not new. Especially if you've been on Pinterest since last June, you've most likely seen the same mason jar pins be recycled and repinned over and over. I do still enjoy a good mason jar vase, but there was something so rustic and whimsy and perfect about these chandys at the concert. I wish I had a better picture than the above. It doesn't give the chandeliers justice at all.

Can't get enough of mason jar chandys now? Me neither. I would love to host a party or shower where I could put these to use!

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hump day playlist

Happy hump day everyone! I am in sunny Orlando at a conference for my job, and have really been needing some motivational music to keep me awake during the long hours of traveling and sifting through spreadsheets, so I thought I'd share what I'm listening to right now with you all.

Fun. - The whole album!
Penguin Prison - Don't F*ck With My Money
Little Dragon - Ritual Union
Electric Guest - This Head I Hold
Ellie Goulding (Bassnectar Remix) - Lights
Dire Straits, Sting - Money For Nothing

Enjoy!!

Christmas vacay announcement!

It's only 10 DAYS until CHRISTMAS! Can you believe it? I can't, especially because I'm leaving for Cancun in six short days! 

I'm going with my immediate family: Mom, Dad and the little bro who is a Senior at K-State. I have not been to Cancun before, although I've been close by - Cozumel last year for a beautiful wedding and Playa del Carmen for high school spring break. I am SO excited and have been listening to Ella Fitzgerald's and Jimmy Buffet's versions of "Christmas Island" every morning for the past few weeks.

My mom has said for the last five or so years that she's wanted to skip Christmas decorating and gifts and the cold, and go somewhere remote. The first few years the dream destination was Australia. Then Mexico. And every year around Thanksgiving she'd say "maybe next year". So this fall when she was dreaming of Cancun again, my brother and I didn't take her too seriously. Hence why this vacation has completely snuck up on me - I kept thinking it would never happen! We have next to zero plans for eight days which is the opposite of previous family vacations where my energetic and over-prepared mom would have something scheduled every morning. That is a trip, not a vacation. All I plan to do is read, drink strawberry daiquiris and work on a tan (aka get more freckles and turn pink). I can't wait!

Have you ever vacayed over Christmas? Do you think you'd ever want to?

Happy birthday to the KING!

of Pop music, that is. Oh MJ, has it really only been over two years since you left us? I remember exactly where I was when I found out: sitting in a depressing cube at my first full-time job out of college where the walls, carpet, and furniture were all gray and everyone was oppressed by our evil CEO.... I cried at my computer screen a little when I read the news, and unfortunately that didn't go unnoticed. But my co-workers had no idea how many hours I had spent in my high school years watching, memorizing, learning and teaching Michael's moves. Don't EVEN get me started on the Katy Perry debacle. She's great, but let's please not try to compare her work to Michael's.

Anyway (sorry for the rant, holy Monday!) who has played Michael Jackson's The Experience on Wii? Oh my, it is a treat. Not only are the dance moves relatively close to the originals, but it is a work out! My friend brings it over to book club every other month and we all have a blast taking turns dancing and watching each other attempt to keep up with the Michael avatar. By the end of one song, I'm sweaty. By the end of three, I will undoubtedly be sore the next day. Plus I probably burn 500 calories from laughing, especially during the Russian part of Black or White.

So in honor of Michael's birthday, I wanted to share with you all what is, in my humble opinion, the three best MJ videos:

1. Thriller (it's the long one, sit back and enjoy)

2. Dirty Diana 

The closest I'll ever get to seeing him in concert...... Plus I freaking love his outfit.

3. Billie Jean

Again with the outfit - how prep!

That was nearly impossible to narrow down, but there you have it! What's your favorite Michael Jackson video?

album l.o.v.e.

I've already mentioned this band briefly a while ago, but I am so in love with them, they deserve their own post.

These guys are brilliant......

You've probably heard their first single "Pumped Up Kicks", released early in 2010 but just now hitting major radio stations. If you like the happy, catchy.... alright, addicting music with the interesting (read: dark) lyrics of Kicks, the entire album will be a thrilling experience for you.

Seriously, I like the whole thing. I can't remember the last time that happened. Not even old faithful The Black Keys do that to me. They're so awesome Weezer did a cover of Pumped Up Kicks at Lollapalooza last weekend. When Rivers Cuomo sings your song at Lolla, you've pretty much made it.

And to look past their musicality, they give back to the community. Just announced today, they are kicking off "Foster The Future" in partnership with The Do Good Bus. They'll work with a charity in each city on their North American tour and spend some time volunteering there. *Sigh*

Embarrassing story time: FTP came to Kansas City for a 7am acoustic show. My favorite radio station in town was putting it on: first come, first serve. Blue Eyes & I were PUMPED to see them (excuse the pun, it was intended). So excited in fact, that we woke up at 4:30 on a Tuesday morning, fully ready to play hooky from work for a few hours, drove to the Firefly Lounge, and parked in the empty lot. What? Were we that big of fans? Or do these early morning shows really not pull in a crowd? Something was seriously wrong.... so we pull up the radio station's website on the Blackberry and sure enough, the concert is at 7am on FRIDAY. I was so excited to see them perform I forgot to listen to the ad long enough to figure out when they were playing. And apparently Blue Eyes believes everything I say, which in most cases is good except when I pull a ditz move like that. As if that isn't bad enough, the worst part is by the time Friday morning came around, I missed the concert. Effff!

Next time, Mark Foster & co, I will make it to hear your music. Come back to KC soon please!

Memorial Weekend Must-Haves

Hello lovelies! And Happy Memorial Day weekend! I hope you all have something wonderful planned, even if it's just kicking back and enjoying some you time.

I am off to the Lake of the Ozarks in t-minus 4 hours. My parents have a beautiful house there (beautiful in the sense that it can sleep 15 people and always has a stocked fridge... not in the white carpet, immaculate interior way) which I frequent almost every weekend during the summer.

Here's what I'm packing...

And a playlist of course:

Foster the People - Don’t Stop (Color on the Walls)
Queen - Bicycle Race

Phil Vassar - Six Pack Summer
Spoon - The Way We Get By
The Secret Handshake - Summer of 98
Steve Reynolds - Dear Rose
Rilo Kiley - Silver Lining
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Minor Thing
Vampire Weekend - Oxford Comma
Mungo Jerry - In the Summertime
Noisettes - Never Forget You

Kanrocksas Countdown

Over the past 4 years, I have been promising to check something specific off my bucket list: Attend a summer music festival. Bonnoroo. Lollapalooza. Sasquatch. They've all been on the summer to-do list, but for whatever reason (weddings, "saving money", lake trips, slacking) I am always disappointed come Labor Day weekend and I realize I've failed yet again.

But THIS YEAR, something AMAZING has happened. Now I love Kansas City, but not in a hundred years did I think we would get our own music festival! But that's just the case! Last month, my Twitter feed started blowing up about something called Kanrocksas. Sounded to me like something real country - woof. After further research, it it is a rock/indie music festival featuring one of my current all-time favorite bands! (Yes I'm link happy today.)

Yes it's at a speedway instead of a field (which we have plenty of here in the KS/MO area) BUT the great news is this just might put KC on the map for progressive music. Which may lead to more shows over more weekends,  instead of suffering through work on a Tuesday morning after a huge Monday night concert because your city isn't a big deal enough to have a weekend show.

Hope to see you, the Black Keys, Muse, GirlTalk, Fitz and the Tantrums, and many more the weekend of August 5th! Woo hoo!

Top 5 Tuesday: artists

Happy Tuesday!

Today's topic: My Top 5 favorite bands/artists currently. I won't commit to "all-time" favorites because, well, I'm just sort of a commitment-phob in the music department. You never know what artist is going to redefine the industry (in a good way) next...

1. The Black Keys
2. Red Hot Chili Peppers
3. Michael Jackson
4. Spoon (the namesake of this blog is inspired by a Spoon song)
5. The White Stripes (super sad about this)

I know, no women on here, except Meg White, whom I have dressed up as for Halloween. No one knew who I was (Meg nor Monica) because apparently Meg White isn't as popular as I thought, and hiding my red hair under a black wig proved to be a great incognito trick. Halloween 2008 fail.

Rain City

On this dreary cold day in KC, I am wishing I brought my headphones to work so I could listen to these songs on repeat:

v  Stevie Ray Vaughan – Texas Flood

v  Aqualung – Brighter than Sunshine

v  Blind Melon – No Rain

v  Bon Iver – Blood Bank

v  Sneaker Pimps – 6 Underground

v  Turin Brakes – Rain City

v  Zero 7 – Somersault

v  Bill Withers – Ain’t No Sunshine

v  Ray LaMontagne – Let it be Me