The Beach Boys

To kick off my summer concert series, the most recent concert I went to was The Beach Boys at Greensboro’s brand new, White Oak Amphitheatre on June 5, 2011.  This was the grand opening of the White Oak Amphitheatre, which is much smaller in comparison to an arena or stadiums of any sort.  However, the venue still held several hundred seats and included general admission lawn seating (where people could bring blankets to sit on).  Overall, the event was very crowded, but hard to tell if it was sold out due to the fact that there was lawn seating.  I had never been a huge fan of The Beach Boys; I only knew about them from their appearances on the hit television series, Full House.  I only agreed to go to the concert because I enjoy live music, plus my grandfather got the tickets for free.  Thankfully, I was able to witness a legendary American band truly captivate an audience of all ages, by showcasing their talent, all the while having a good time; thus, proving why they have been successful entertainers for over fifty years.

Sitting in the audience (I was in the lawn section), you are well aware of just how big the stage is.  The stage set-up was the one complaint I had with the whole performance.   This was because I have attended many concerts and I know what a good stage looks like.  One thing it should not like is spacious and empty.  The stage was big, but I feel that any major performer should have the means of producing a set design or background image (something!).  The Beach Boys, maybe they have a tendency to be simplistic performers, only had a palm tree, standing behind the guitarist and a lamp/lighting figure on the other side of the stage.  Other than these two objects, only the band and their instruments appeared on stage.  There was no backdrop or extreme set design.  The opening band had more to offer as far as stage detail and pizzazz.  On the other hand, I was not completely negative about the simplicity of their stage set-up.  Because it was so raw, it also seemed more intimate.  It was as if The Beach Boys did not care about the fancy backdrops and scenery; they wanted to connect with their audience on a personal level.  The lighting was also very low-key and simple.  Most of the time it was just a basic spotlight on the band; sometimes the light would change colors to a red or blue depending on the mood of the song they were singing.  There was a definite energy in the air that night, as if everyone was feeling the same kind of high.  All around young people and old people, were dancing, or “shagging,” to the music.  The Beach Boys music is known to be a kind of Surf-Rock/Pop.  Their upbeat songs remind me of a Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello beach party song.  You cannot help but want to twist your hips to the beat.

Throughout the show, I only counted about five or six songs that I had heard before.  Like I said before, my only real association with The Beach Boys was their appearances on Full House, which they performed on several times.  However, the songs I did know were very exciting and well-performed.  Mike Love, the band’s lead vocalist, has such a soothing tone and distinguished voice, making him stand out from the other members of the band as well as any other vocalist in the industry.  Being able to perform well live is talent that earns thriving success.  Mike Love proved to have this skill as the lead vocalist, but The Beach Boys also prove to have this talent as a band. 

The thing I like most about The Beach Boys is that I have literally never heard anything else like them.  When a song comes on the radio and it has close vocal harmonies, an upbeat rhythm, and most likely the lyrics are about surfing, cars, or romance; then, you know it is The Beach Boys.  The band showcased their talent right in front of me.  I got to see them master the craft of playing the perfect surfer boy, rock sound.  Because these guys have been around, and performing together for over fifty years, it is obvious they know how to handle their instruments.  Therefore, what I thought really stood out compared other bands was The Beach Boys’ ability to harmonize on close level.  If you listen to the chorus of just about any one song in their catalog, you will hear a group harmony.  For the songs I am most familiar with, “Surfin’ USA,” “Good Vibrations,” and “Fun, Fun, Fun” all showcase a full group effort a vocal harmonizing.  I personally believe this makes the band stand out in the music industry because it helps to distinguish their unique sound. 

This live performance had, in general, a good vibe in the atmosphere.  With it being outdoors and the only lights were directed to the stage, except for the moonlight; it was a perfect summer night.  The Beach Boys’ music is the perfect example of how a summer should be spent: surfing and falling in love.  What better way to kick off the summer than with a concert by The Beach Boys?  Mike Love seemed to pick up on this energy as he acted as “MC” for the evening, discussing life and telling stories about the band and what certain songs meant.  This personalization and connection with the fans truly shows the passion The Beach Boys have for their fans and it also shows that they really must love what they do.  Mike encouraged fans to dance and sing along with the band, which they did all night long.  This just goes to show that the band really does put forth an effort into their performance.  They want you to have a good time at their show and get your money’s worth.  But, they also want to thank you for supporting them and their music.

The Beach Boys have been around for a long time.  To many, especially young people, their music is either unfamiliar or extremely different than what you are used to.  However, The Beach Boys are a legendary American band and do not deserve to go unheard.  Their unique sound of Surf-Rock and talent of close vocal harmonies put them into a category all their own.  After seeing The Beach Boys perform live, I have gained so much respect for them and I am so thankful I was able to witness the talents of one of America’s greatest bands to date.  They thoroughly proved why they have been extremely successful for over fifty years.

 

 

MASH IT UP! - Music Mashups

Gaining popularity from the club scene to the hit television show, Glee, mashups are being created and played left and right.  Described as being songs “comprised of elements of two or more pre-existing pieces of music,” mashups are exciting and intriguing (www.urbandictionary.com).  What is typical of a mashup is to use pre-existing pieces of music that are completely different from each other and to mix them together making a single song.  A lot of times mashups are heard in night clubs or bars where DJs are spinning.  This is because mashups find their stylistic origin in electronic, pop, and rock music making them perfect dancing and partying music.  It is easy for DJs to create mashups with use of their turntable and laptop software on the scene of the place they are spinning.  Mashup tracks have surfaced all over the internet, mainly through YouTube.  There are even groups such as Girl Talk and The Super Mash Bros. who are considered to be mashup artists.  Producers and DJs release mashup singles and EPs to the internet, radio, iTunes.  Mashups are distinctive because they provide a twist onto pieces of music familiar to listeners’ ears allowing for an outlet of energetic and electronic dance beats.

Mashups typically consist of heavy bass and electronic beats as well as manipulated techniques of the vocals of the pre-existing songs being mashed together.  For instance, mashup artist, Girl Talk, is one of the best known mashup producers in the music industry.  Gregg Michael Gillis, whose stage name is “Girl Talk,” focuses on mashup-remixes.  Here, Gillis uses a dozen or more pre-existing music samples from different songs to create a song all his own.  In his songs you can find quite the variety of genres, ranging from the gangsta rapper with Lil’ Jon to punky-pop sounding Avril Lavigne.  With mashups, creativity has no limits.  Unlike other genres where you have to produce certain songs to fit the style of that genre, mashups mix genres together creating something entirely different.  That is the beauty of being a mashup artist; you do not have to answer to a producer nor do you have fit the constraints of a genre. 

As mentioned before, within a mashup the vocals of a pre-existing song are usually manipulated to blend with the beat.  For example, going back to Girl Talk, in his song “Shut the Club Down,” Gillis blends the rap styles of Dolla and the pop singing of Avril Lavigne. Because of techniques like these that are incorporated in mashups, it is very difficult to sing along with a mashup song. This is because mashups are focused on the energetic beats and unique blending of sounds, not the vocals.  Often times, the new mashup song will go back and forth and completely blend the vocals of the pre-existing songs to where the listener can hardly catch on to what is being sung.  The quick pace of the beat and energetic vibe of the song is what matters with mashups.  This brings us back to why mashups is good night club music.  The electronic beats and heavy bass associated with mashups are related to dance music.  You might not be able to sing along, but you can move your body to the rhythm of the song.  

Because mashups have become and are still being popularized, many recording artists have even entertained the concept of creating mashups of their own.  For instance, hip-hop artist Jay-Z and rock band Linkin Park created an album of mashups entitled “Collision Course.”  The album featured pre-existing hit songs from both Jay-Z and Linkin Park.  Together, they mashed their songs together creating all new sounds and elements.  The album went on to be extremely successful and most likely provided more popularity and interest for mashups in general.

SOURCES:

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=mash+up

Midterm - Beyoncé: 2003 MTV Video Music Awards

In 2003, at the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs), Beyoncé wowed the crowd with her platinum-coated vocal chords and outstanding dance skills proving she was more than capable of mastering the art of solo performance.  This was Beyoncé’s first big performance since taking a break from the R&B girl-group, Destiny’s Child, where she achieved much success and fame, to pursue a solo career.  The combination performance of “Baby Boy” and “Crazy in Love” at the VMAs helped to display Beyoncé’s transformation into the solo superstar we all know today.  By working the crowd and displaying numerous amounts of difficult choreography and sexy gyrations, Beyoncé claims her status as an independent artist and entertainer.  This performance also shows that Beyoncé no longer relies on other group members during a performance; she can entertain the crowd all by herself.  Beyoncé proves she is a master of her craft as well as the stage; and with her vocal capabilities, this performance also proves she is a diva with attitude and a sound like no other.

For this performance, Beyoncé used several stage dynamics to enhance her claim of performance independence.  It was clear from this performance that Beyoncé could handle the stage by herself and still bring immense excitement for her audience.  The presence Beyoncé brought to the stage in this performance displayed confidence and she oozed sex appeal.  Careful production of the performance provided for a unique opening to the performance.  With a pre-recorded track of “Baby Boy” playing, Beyoncé is lowered onto the stage upside-down.  The fashion wear Beyoncé chose to don was of a Moroccan or possibly even a Bollywood theme, which matches the sound of “Baby Boy.”  This captivating opening allowed Beyoncé to intrigue the audience and to motivate them to take part in the performance, when she switches songs to “Crazy in Love,” by dancing and singing right along with her.   Beyoncé’s use of all of these techniques helped her to man the stage, to form a relationship with the audience, and to prove she is a bona fide solo artist in her own right.

This breakthrough, solo performance for Beyoncé made a statement about who she was in comparison to the other members of Destiny’s Child as well as other artists in the music industry at that time.  By having two separate songs included in the performance, which are both very different from one another, Beyoncé shows how her sound has transformed since being in an R&B girl-group.  No longer able to have vocal harmonies, Beyoncé focuses on her vocal range as well as using vocal performance techniques such as improvisation within her performances.  Beyoncé adlibs and goes off on runs that are not on the recorded version of the song during this performance, which gives off the sense that she is really connecting with the song on an emotional and energetic level.  Going back to how “Baby Boy” and “Crazy in Love” differ in sound from one another, it is evident that Beyoncé is moving in a different direction with her music.  Not totally leaving her R&B roots behind, but bringing in different sounds and music that has evidently inspired her.  In “Baby Boy,” you hear a Bollywood type sound with softer vocals; whereas in “Crazy in Love,” there is a much more energetic, pop vibe.  Both songs have a small collaboration with a hip-hop artist providing a mash up of genres within a song.  During “Crazy in Love,” the audience watches a short musical performance between Beyoncé and hip-hop artist, Jay-Z.  With this performance, Beyoncé shows that she samples from multiple genres and is inspired by many things with her art, proving to stand out against the rest of the artists in the industry.

Beyoncé has the vocal capabilities of a diva, the dancing talent of world class entertainer, and an effortless style that can match no other.  This combination of skills makes for a superb performing artist.  Since the 2003 MTV VMAs, “Crazy in Love” has gone on to be a Grammy award-winning song and one of Beyoncé’s all-time best-selling singles, which led to millions of sales, worldwide, for her debut solo album, “Dangerously in Love.”  Beyoncé’s transformation from being a member of the greatest female group of all time to solo status did not harm her fan base; instead, her fan base has grown increasingly.  All three members of Destiny’s Child took a break to pursue solo projects.  All of their fans were supportive and loyal to each of them.  Therefore, Beyoncé had the support of Destiny’s Child fans as well as new fans across the globe, most likely because she incorporated so many different sounds and genres into her music satisfying different music listener’s taste.  Also as a performer, Beyoncé is entrancing, gaining many fans that cannot seem to take their eyes off of her.

For an artist who has been performing for years alongside other girls, it takes a lot of guts to go out on your own and leave everything you are used to.  However, Beyoncé does this with grace and professionalism.  If nobody had ever heard of her, they would never know that she had never been on stage by herself before.  That is because Beyoncé is a well-seasoned, master of her craft and knows how to put on a show, whether she is in a group or by herself.  Her top-notch vocal chops and dance moves will put any audience member in awe.  And this VMAs performance was nothing short.  It is a breakthrough performance for a reason.  Beyoncé worked the stage and wowed the crowd, proving her independence of Destiny’s Child.  She made her mark, claiming that she is capable of having a successful solo career in her own right, with a sound all her own, and that she is here to stay.