Tag: Concerts

I See My Name In Bright Lights

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So this whole “blogging regularly” thing is quite the task. It’s not that I don’t have anything to say, sometimes I just get so wrapped up in the delivery that I get overwhelmed and don’t say anything at all. Well, as a writer, whenever I go through a dry-spell, I become like a backed up toilet; clogged and unable to get the job done.

Honestly, writing is like breathing for me; it is essential to my wellbeing. So that said, I must write!!

Ok, now that I have my craziness/dramatics out of the way, I come bearing some pretty cool news. You know that secret writing thing I’ve been alluding to? Well, now I can share it! Last year in October I was approached to attend the HR Tech Conference by a little publication called Forbes. Yup! I was totally ecstatic (Also scared shitless, but I digress)! They needed a Las Vegas based writer to cover the conference for their BrandVoice channel and they reached out to silly old me!

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I can’t get into too much of the particulars unfortunately, but the whole experience was AMAZING. Listening and being part of a conference where professionals met to understand the root-cause of talent acquisition problems was fascinating! It was an incredibly humbling and thrilling journey to say the least. It solidified that I love writing and being able to weave into various industries and learn about them. I felt like I was finally finding where I belonged.

In addition, the HR Tech conference hosted Third Eye Blind to play a concert! The first night of the conference, I was standing around with some newfound friends (yup, this introvert made friends, who knew?) in the front row at the House of Blues getting free drinks handed to us while belting out some 90’s alternative gold. It was a hell of a time. While I enjoyed the research aspect of the gig, I did have some learning to do on the editing side of things.

I learned a vast amount working with the editors at Forbes. They kicked my butt, but in the best possible way. I had to stretch my writing skills to the furthest literary mountains possible and get out of my comfort zone to meet their expectations. They’re high caliber for a reason, and the learning that occurred was invaluable.

So after some blood, sweat, and tears I am published and I could not be more pleased. I showed it to my parents, loved ones, and now I’m getting to share my excitement with my blogging buddies!! I’m not going to lie, being able to say that I have multiple bylines in Forbes exhilarating!!!

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  So without further ado, I Taryn am proudly showing off my work, feel free to check it out and let me know what you think! 🙂

http://www.forbes.com/sites/castlight/2014/12/15/4-ways-to-engage-and-retain-millennial-employees/

http://www.forbes.com/sites/castlight/2014/12/29/3-new-tech-tools-that-bridge-the-gap-between-employers-and-workforce-newbies/

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4 Artists That I am Obsessed With

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Music is in my core being. Growing up in a musical family, I was surrounded by different instruments, musicians, genres, and anything and everything in between. My house was never quiet; and looking back, I wouldn’t have it any other way. As a child, I grew up learning and listening to classical and jazz music primarily (I’ll do a post on my favorite composers/jazz musicians later). They are two of my favorite genres hands down. As I grew up, my musical preferences were/are all over the map.

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If you shuffled the songs on my iPod, you could go from, Death Metal, Classical, Jazz, Pop, Punk in 5 clicks. Seriously, I love it all! Each style of music offers its own uniqueness and complexities, you just have to be open to listening for them. Full disclosure, country isn’t something I can get on board with. While I admire the musical talent of country artists, a lot of the content is very depressing. That said, there are still some country songs that I tap my toes to. While I love almost anything under the sun, there are a few musicians that I can never grow tired of.

4. Killswitch Engage

I’ve been listening to Killswitch for about a decade now (gosh I’m old) and I’ve loved everything they have put out to date. I remember when I first heard them, I was about 13/14 years old. I was intrigued with their sound because they were blending metal with a melodic chorus which was odd but amazing at the same time. My Last Serenade is still one of my favorite songs of theirs to date while My Curse has to be my absolute favorite. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing them live twice now with both Howard and Jesse as the lead singers. I don’t listen to them as often now, but they’ll always still hold a place near and dear to my heart.

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(Warped Tour 07′ and Extreme Thing 14′)

3. Disclosure

Words cannot describe my love for Disclosure. Their chord progressions are out of this world and Latch, dare I say is pure genius. That song is like sex for your ears. I’m not one to put songs on repeat, but I could listen to that song forever and ever and still find something new to love about it. Aside from that particular song, Disclosure’s music is all really good. I have all of their albums and EPs and everything is legit. I have yet to see them live, but before I leave this world, you’d better bet it’s going to happen.

(Their live set in Paris, which is awesome!)

2. Fink

I first discovered Fink back in 2008 when I heard Trouble’s What You’re In. If you couldn’t tell by now, I love emotionally evoking music, and Fink does not does not disappoint. He is another artist that I’ve yet to experience live, but on my short list of live acts I need to see, he is on the top of that list. There aren’t too many artists that I continue to grow with throughout the years, but I doubt that I’ll stop enjoying Fink anytime soon. I highly recommend checking out all of his albums though I will say that I love them all equally and for different purposes.

1. Bonobo

Last but certainly not least, Simon Green A.K.A. Bonobo is on the top of this list. Aside from the fact that he is positively gorgeous, his music is as equally, if not more beautiful than he is. I have no clue how he does it, but Bonobo manages to capture the emotional equivalent of the human condition in his work. Every one of his albums is vastly different, especially his older stuff, yet they all have that unifying quality that is, Bonobo. Each of his albums speaks to me in varying ways and I always find them applicable in different aspects of my life. If I’m happy? Bonobo. Feeling down? Bonobo. Dealing with anxiety, Bonobo. Just wanna groove? Bonobo. If I sound crazy, it’s all good, he’s just that legit. I actually saw him play this year in Vegas with a live band, and it was hands down the best live performance I’ve ever experienced. 

The audience embodied a hugely diverse group of people, yet you could feel the sense of unity among us. Peace, harmony, and acceptance filled the energy of the room. Everybody was swaying to the groove of the music. It was one of the most surreal and ethereal experiences I have had to date (no I wasn’t on drugs). If there’s anything you get from this post, it’s that you need to listen to Bonobo, preferably live. Trust me, you will not be disappointed.

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(Bonobo live at the Brooklyn Bowl LV this year)

(Recurring- My favorite Bonobo song of all time)

So these are a few of my favorite things, lol! Listening to music is such a huge part of my life, as I imagine it is for most people. I hope you check out these people above as I love their stuff immensely. Also I just realized that 3/4 of these Artists are from the UK. Hm even more reasons for Abbey and I to get across the pond sooner than later, lol! Who are the groups/bands/artists that you can’t live without?

So, yeah, I’m Pretty Awesome

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I tend to downplay my awesomeness. I.E. when someone pays me a compliment, I tend to brush it off. More often than not because I usually don’t have the confidence to admit, that “hey, I might be talented”. It’s hard accepting compliments without feeling that A: you aren’t deserving of them, and B: you don’t want to appear cocky. I’ve also realized that I’m not the only one. Why is it, that most people (particularly of the XX variety) don’t take in positive affirmations well? I’m baffled by this. It’s like I’m automatically ready to dismiss anything nice that anyone says about me. It’s kind of sad really. So in my ever-growing quest for self acceptance, I’m challenging myself to take a compliment and accept it. No strings attached, no negative self-talk, just the appreciation that someone else likes whatever it is that I’ve done.

In unrelated news, I’ve been trucking along on my Bum Chronicles. I had the very distinct pleasure of seeing Bonobo in concert. If you’ve never listened to him I have attached a YouTube video of my favorite song of his (I love all of them, but I can’t post everything now can I?). It was at a newer venue in Las Vegas called The Brooklyn Bowl. If you’re ever in these parts, I definitely recommend that you check it out. It’s Brooklyn inspired decor plus the fact that you can eat, drink, bowl, and catch an amazing live act in one place makes it incredibly unique and super awesome to boot. Though it’s technically on the Strip, it’s far enough removed that most tourists aren’t even aware of it, which is nice for locals. But anywho, I digress. I absolutely LOVED the concert, just seeing all different types of people being moved by miraculous sounds is just something words cannot capture. The closest word I think that could describe the mood is: Harmony. I think that leaders of all countries should just attend a concert and get swept up in the vibe. Maybe we’d all get along better. Nothing like a good ol’ concert high. Well, there were people toking it up, but that’s unrelated to what I’m talking about, lol. IMG_10271IMG_10181IMG_1165

 

Also, my ventures to RedRock have been so amazing and great. I’m kind of a nature enthusiast now. Who would’ve thought? Getting out there in the open is so incredibly relaxing. It’s like my soul is being reborn every time I go. Fortunately there’s like 18 different trails, so I’ve been diversifying it up each time. I wish this weather would stay like this forever! So to some this up, learning to take a compliment, going to more shows, and getting outside more often than not are my main takeaways as of late. There’s so much to do and see, I want to take in all of it! I’m putting a bunch of photos of my shenanigans. Compliments are welcomed ;-).

 

 

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3 Reasons Why I Hesitate to Invite Girls to Shows

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I’m going to start this off by saying I’m not generalizing the female population. As a woman, I’ve met all types of amazing ladies who do some of the coolest stuff, be it extreme sports, watching sports, or going to concerts. With that being said, there are a lot of posers out there. Ladies, it’s ok if you aren’t into those kinds of things. Just be yourself. I can’t stress that enough. For this particular instance, I’m going to talk about a concert that I recently attended.

It was the Extreme Thing in Vegas which had bands such as: Killswitch Engage, Emmure, Of Mice and Men etc. They also had some pop punk bands like The Used and Taking Back Sunday. I’ve been going to metal concerts for a little over a decade now and I LOVE THEM. Just being in the front, with all the smelly people, listening to the music that has meant so much to you for whatever reason; it’s amazing. Words can’t describe what it’s like, but you get a bit of a high just being there. It is like a surreal existence where you can actually feel a connection with the people who listen to the same music as you and a connection with the actual band itself; absolutely wonderful. Metal shows are great, but you do run the risk of potentially getting hurt when you’re up in the mix.

As a girl, I am fully aware that I’m not as physically capable as most of the males I’m around in the pit, so it is expected that I take a bit more precaution so that I don’t get swept in and stumbled on. I typically take a slight squat stance to center my weight so that I’m firmly planted on the ground. It’s quite the workout, but I’m stable. You also have to be aware of crowd surfers otherwise they will dropkick you in the face. Trust me from experience, this does happen. So you’re probably thinking, how in the hell do you enjoy the show if you’re having to do as this extra stuff. The answer is simply, I just love the music. Once the band starts playing, all of that stuff seems to melt away like second nature, and you just focus your attention on the music that takes you back to wherever you were when you first heard it.

Extreme Thing was exceptional because two of my favorite bands that I listened to growing up (Killswitch Engage and The Used) made a point to play their earliest songs. It was literally a homage to all the old school listeners. I’m talking about the stuff that first put them both on the map. My inner 12 year old died happy multiple times. It was pretty funny to see some of the younger kids look so confused, particularly at the The Used show. They’ve (The Used) changed so much over the years that their fan base now probably isn’t aware that they originally started out as a punk/alternative band. So when “The Taste of Ink” started playing, I almost crapped my pants. I’d first heard that song when I was 12 and I’ve been in love with it ever since. Ok, so here’s where I get to the nitty gritty.

The cool thing about these shows is that you can either A., get up close and personal knowing that you could be putting yourself in a sketchy situation; or B., be on the outskirts just enjoying the vibes. Either option is totally cool. No one is better than the other. For myself, personally, I like to be up in the front, so when I invite people to a show, I’m always full disclosure about how I’d like the show to go down. Since festivals are all day, I like to go from start to finish. My friend Mandy and I have been to our fair share of festivals so we decided to go together. We had invited a couple of other girls from our Meetup group to join us. Since we were honest about our intentions they decided to come separately. No harm no foul. But once we met up with them, it was clear that our definitions of “going to a show” were 180 degrees different. So here are some signs that this event may not be for you.

1. You’re not concert-wear ready

Extreme Thing (Like most festivals) lasted over 10 hours, so it’s important that you dress accordingly. Since this was a metal show, EDC clothing does not cut it. You’re going to want to wear some comfortable shoes, t-shirt, and jeans as you will be standing for a long time. I can’t tell you how many girls I saw in heels, sandals, or flats it was ridiculous. If you are in the pit with sandals on you will fall down and get swept in very quickly. Also, you will lose your sandals. Guaranteed. Every concert I’ve ever been to, there has been at least one girl wearing sandals who has to go home barefoot. Those same girls were also wearing sports bras, tube tops, and corsets. During the Killswitch set, I saw way too many nip slips for my taste. Seriously it was like a boob festival. If you want to be at the front you have to dress like it. One of the girls whose boobs were exposed was complaining about her tube top falling down. I’m not unsympathetic, but seriously? What did you think was going to happen? 2300774

2. You Can’t Hang For the Full Set and Expect Me to Sit it Out With You

Again, I like to be in the front, so if you decide to go up with me, the expectation is that we see this thing through.This is probably one of my biggest pet peeves. Not only does it take some time and energy to push to the front, but I plan to stay there for the whole set. I will not leave halfway just because you got in over your head (actually, I probably will, but I will be hella pissed about it).Secondly, I can’t take care of you as I am not a steroid abuser. As a chick, I already have to make sure I’m good, so it’s way too much extra work to help you stay on your feet as well. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll give you a heads up for a crowd surfer or flying debris, but I cannot hold you up and myself while we’re being thrashed around by grown ass men. So if any of this applies to you, you’re better off on the outskirts. It’s better for everyone and you’ll enjoy yourself more. e53ce26c2c263e8581afaf19895d48ae334c4284716c8acda71dbbb736a18773

3. You Get Upset When Your Group Continues Without You

I get a kick out of watching girls tell their boyfriends or guy friends that they want to sit down and then drag everyone with them. The looks on the guys’ faces is the equivalent of telling a child that Christmas has been canceled. That is incredibly selfish as I’m sure they came to enjoy the festivities, not babysit you. Be gracious enough to bow out and let them have their fun. No one put a gun to your head and said you absolutely had to come, so be a good sport about it. Too many times I’ve had friends get rubbed the wrong way when they were left behind on their own volition because they expected the rest of us to sit it out with them. Your friends aren’t being mean by letting you do yourthing, they simply just want to enjoy themselves. 3tbelq

So to wrap this up, ladies stop claiming you love moshing/concerts if you don’t. You will get found out quickly and it makes you look dumb. Dress appropriately and know that it’s going to be a very physical day. Enjoy the show at your own pace, if being in the front is not for you, make sure your buddies know that, and if you want company in the back, go with someone who wants the same thing. It’s not right to put a damper the festivities just because you sold a bill of goods you couldn’t produce. If you’re honest about your intentions, everyone will have a good time. It does take practice to be able to hang. When I first started attending shows, I had trouble keeping up, but in time I learned how to hack it, and so can you. I love it when I see different types of people at shows, it’s awesome, but don’t kill the vibe by trying to “impress” people. Just be you. 🙂