Category Archives: Music

Elle of a Good Show

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ELLE KING

“kissing girls like life’s a dream
to be a man would be serene…”

For those of you who read my blog or read this entry, you are aware that I have a love for music and have a fairly eclectic music palette. I happened upon a musician a couple years ago + had the wonderful opportunity to finally see her live last weekend. So, I can’t resist in sharing talent with my friends AND random strangers.

My  “introduction” to her talent was probably when I was MySpace stalking some new tunes/artists or through a series of YouTube music video threads. Either way, I am rambling and how I found her doesn’t matter. What matters is; she’s a banjo & acoustic guitar wielding musical bad ass and if you haven’t heard her stuff – you must.

Enter stage right –  ELLE frikin’ KING

Currently touring with Of Monsters & Men (another great band, by-the-by), I saw Elle perform at the 9:30 Club in D.C.  I had been looking forward to this concert for awhile and it was Elle who I was most excited to hear.

She is authentic…

Laughing with the crowd and laughing at herself, Elle has a wonderful stage presence. What makes it wonderful? She has a “take me as I am” aura and it resonates in her music too. She appears to be pretty damn comfortable in her own skin and I know very few 30 somethings who enjoy this level of confidence, let alone TWENTY-THREE year old women. (Yup, she’s 23.)

(“Told You I Was Mean“)

…She can write AND sing

Her set was only a mere 30 minutes, but she made the most of her time on stage.  Elle writes her own stuff and combined with her bluesy rock vocals the finished product makes for great ear-candy. The audience was treated to her and her stage partner-in-music-crime’s great cover of Johnny Cash’s Jackson 

(“Song of Sorrow” – Another FAV of mine)

… AND she’s refreshingly hesitant

As with any music fan who attends a show, we always hope we get to hear our favorite song. Did I mention that was the SHORTEST 30 minute set EVER and I didn’t get to hear mine?  Yes, yes I know she wasn’t the headliner and that I was more excited to hear her vs them Why must the best things always go by so quickly?

When the set ended I  *may* have yelled ” please play No One Can Save You.” (yep, I was THAT girl.) Understandably, she couldn’t. But you never know unless you ask, right? RIGHT?

A stop at the bar for a beverage refreshment found me standing NEXT TO Elle.  No, I was not stalking her. That’s rude and, not to mention, crazy.  I did however interrupt her conversation and had to tell her that she put on a great show & that I loved No One Can Save You and that I’ve been a fan for a few years and was excited that she was touring. (I really hope I said excuse me & apologized in my excitement!)

(“Ain’t Gone Drown”)

She was so gracious, sweet and apologized for not singing “my” song. Elle shared her fear that the song’s softer sound wasn’t right for the crowd. When she said that there was hesitancy in her face.

Here is a young and talented woman who is preparing to take the music world by storm and she’s hesitant. In a world today where expressing vulnerability and not giving off an aura of feigned confidence is taboo she doesn’t seem to pay along.

I like it

… and I hope y’all like her too.

My (__Music__) “Problem”

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No MusicWho am I kidding? I have lots of problems!  But rather than unleash every skeleton in my already over burgeoning closet, today’s “problem” du jour is my affinity for music.

My affair with music began at birth. My Papa, Dad and Uncles played the banjo, the mandolin, the guitar – you name it – and Bluegrass was at the heart of nearly every song.    I could carry a note or two and was often found singing a song on Dad’s demand at a  jam-session with his buddies or at one of his band’s gigs at a local bar. Sitting at the end of a bar with my own personal trough of beer nuts, listening to my Dad sing, and play the guitar with as many Shirley Temples as I desired was my Daddy and Daughter time. Music joined us then and, to a degree, joins us today.  I may have successfully blamed a parent for one of my issues. Yay me!

Love for music continued through my youth and excitement for a dual tape deck with the ability to make mix tapes is as fresh in my memory as yesterday’s 100 degree 5 mile run. I still recall listening to Patsy Cline’s “I Fall to Pieces” to lull my first broken heart, over-and-over again… Yup, I just admitted that.

My palette has and continues to grow over the years at a higher rate than the standard 4% of inflation – much to my budget conscience hubby’s chagrin.   This is where my music-love becomes problematic.  As far as iTunes is concerned my “problem” is lining their pockets and on a nearly daily basis.  If you also experience anxiety because you can’t afford to download every album and song you fall in love with, feel free to keep on reading. Those of you who abhor music should stop right now and put your head back in the sand.

Pandora and Rdio are great spots to stream tunes and discover new music that is similar to your “meat and potato” artists. (This would be my 2nd food reference.  I’m ravenous – random side note.)

If you have a special place in your heart for Independent artists & are budget aware – check out NoiseTrade  This FABULOUS website is one where you can download FREE albums, EPs, singles, or live recordings. However,  I do invite you to consider making a donation in Noise Trades “tip jar” to assist them in continuing to bring us  über talented artists. The word free and the act of donating to a good cause makes me all fluttery inside… Click here to read a great article about NoiseTrade, should you want to find out more about the site and it’s platform.

Another great spot to listen to some fun new music is by streaming my favorite local radio station, WTMD. They’re the bomb-diggity and run the gambit of indie and classic artist selections. They also play some Bluegrass which, as you know after my T.M.I. moment above, makes me a very happy girl.   I should mention WTMD was also one of the first radio stations to highlight what was once a little known artist named Adele back in the day. Neat-oh, eh?

Perhaps calling this music obsession of mine a problem is unfair. Rather than giving it a negative connotation maybe I should thank my Dad and Papa for giving me this gift of love.  Music has given me a great deal of somethings and a filled the void of whole lot of nothings. Taylor Swift said it best, “People haven’t always been there for me but music always has.” WORD, sister, word…

I hope this diatribe helps ya’ll find some new-found music to celebrate your somethings and fill your moments of nothings with. (Yes, that sentence ended with a preposition. Deal with it.)