With all the voting frenzy going on about Fictionist, you might have missed the fact that there was another competition going on that required votes! For the first time, Stadium of Fire is looking for an act determined mainly by the public. They got many, many video entries and selected their 40 favorites. From there, they opened up voting to the public. The top 25 voted for acts will go on to perform live, and the top three will perform at the Stadium of Fire along with David Archuleta and Brad Paisley. The best act will get $10,000. Pretty exciting!
In the way of general comments, I was very excited to see our very own Velour Live Music Gallery featured in several videos. I was also surprised at the number of kids 16 and under who submitted videos. I wasn't so surprised at the number of country acts that were in the top 40, but I didn't particularly love any of them (though I thought The Hinckley Brothers' song (#6) was very cute, and brought tears to my eyes).
Before I start anything, I wanted to put in a disclaimer that these are only my personal views. I also have to say how hard it was to narrow down these 40 great acts to ten. I tried to be as objective as possible and think about what would be best for the setting and what would fit with the other acts, but there's a good chance I didn't like your personal favorite the best. So take this as you will.
10. The Vibe (#22)
These high energy dancers were a pleasure to watch. Their coordination was great, and the music they used was really quite fun (especially the Beethoven's 5th at the beginning). I'd be okay seeing these guys perform in a stadium setting.
9. Lindsey Stirling (#15)
I was really quite skeptical about this one when I started the video, but Lindsey soon proved herself. She sure knows how to groove, even if her tuning suffers a bit from all the dancing around. Her style is funky, and it keeps it interesting.
8. Iron Chin (#19)
This was just so far out there that I had to include it. Even if you don't end up voting, you have to watch this video. This guy balanced a table on his chin! I don't know how he does it, but it was pretty awesome.
7. John Allred (#2)
I've gone to a couple concerts that he was playing at, and have missed him every time. That being said, I didn't know what to expect from him other than that he seems pretty popular around here in Provo. I really loved his voice and his guitar playing, though, and can see why he'd be a part of so many shows.
6. Truman (#36)
I've heard this name tossed around occasionally, but I'd never heard them play until I saw this video. It was a live concert filmed at Velour, and I love the live videos because you can tell that they aren't doing post-production to the sound (meaning that we'd get something different live than we voted for). These guys have some good instrumentalists, and fun music that makes me want to dance.
5. Justin Williams (#24)
It was really interesting to see this video in the mix. The style is different from anything I'd heard yet. The production of the sound is quite good. I like the beat and the synth work. He also has a great voice. My one concern is that it looks like he's doing most of the music himself, and I don't know he'd manage all that in a live show.
4. Crescent Super Band (#11)
As a fan of big band music, I loved seeing the video these guys put out. They have an awesome brass section, a rockin' rhythm section, and some great vocals. I don't get to see this sort of stuff live much, and I think it would be great fun to see them perform.
3. Party Crashers (#30)
These guys sure look like they have experience in huge gigs like Stadium of Fire! They have some great moves, great singing, and a rocking instrument section. What more can I say?
2. Noteworthy (#38)
These gals are awesome! They harmonize so beautifully, and they really know how to have fun on stage. It's a bit different from some of the usual rock and roll type acts we see at Stadium of Fire, but I think in this case the variety would work in nicely. I was privileged to know one of the girls in this group from several of my classes. I know another girl who used to be in this group but is now the lead singer for...
1. The Whits (#27)
I love this band! They really know how to rock, and Amy has the most impressive voice I've ever heard. Since I've seen them live a couple times, I know that they would be able to put on a great show and impress the masses of people that come out for Stadium of Fire every year. They've certainly got my vote, and I am definitely getting tickets if they get in.
To vote, go to the voting site and click the "vote" button. You can even watch all the videos yourself, but I'm warning you now, it eats up time like crazy! Voting ends tonight, so get it done!
This past week, I ended up going to a concert just about every night. It was great fun, if really tiring, but I thought I'd report back to all of you.
Tuesday, April 5 - BYU Symphonic Band and Wind Symphony
As a member of the Symphonic Band, this concert was really fun to participate in. We played some fun music, including two classic pieces by Percy Granger and the awesomely jazzy "Niagara Falls" by Michael Daugherty. The Wind Symphony also did very well, and their guest artist, Mark Jenkins, did a really good job with the euphonium solo pieces. However, since this is a local music blog, there are two pieces that I want to go over in a little more detail.
Dr. Christian Asplund is a faculty member at BYU. He wrote a series of six Nocturnes for Band, of which we got to play three. I had Dr. Asplund as a teacher for composition last year, and so it was really fun for me to be able to play a piece of his. You can check out some of his stuff at his website.
We were also lucky enough to be able to play a piece written by a member of our band. Not only is Garrett Breeze an extremely talented (and very funny) trombone player, but he is an amazing composer/arranger. His piece, "The Face of Hope", was written specifically for this band. I love the soaring melodies and the colors that he is able to create. You can see some of the music he has arranged at his website, BreezeTunes, and you can see some of his other work on his YouTube channel. I highly recommend it. He is really going to go places.
Wednesday, April 6 - Synthesis (BYU's Premier Big Band)
To be completely honest, the only reason I went to this concert was because I had to write a conducting paper about it. I've been meaning to go for a while, but it never was too high on my priority list. I'm really regretting that after seeing them. I'd forgotten about how much I loved jazz music, especially big band, and these guys (and gals) really know how to put on a good show. They had us cheering and laughing and in awe through the whole show. Seriously, if you have a chance to see them, do it.
Thursday, April 7 - Courage to Hope Benefit Concert with The Whits, Blind Actuaries, and The Brocks
I love, love, love The Whits, ever since I saw them perform at a songwriters' showcase earlier this semester, and I couldn't pass up a chance to see them. The best part was that this show was raising money for Courage to Hope, a foundation that fights against abuse. I was more than happy to go donate money to this cause and see one band I love, one band I sort of know, and one I'd never heard of.
The Whits were amazing. They played all their usuals, including a cover of Bruno Mars' "Grenade" that I heard once before and loved. And Amy looked fabulous, as always. I am super envious of her style; I don't think I could pull it off. In any case, they totally rocked it.*
I had heard of Blind Actuaries before, but I really didn't know anything about them. I was quite impressed with their music, and especially the fact that they had a new drummer and a substitute lead guitarist. Half of what they played was an acoustic set with just the keyboardist and bass player (who played acoustic guitar for those numbers). They are both quite talented singers, and I would give good money to be able to play keyboard like that. Overall, quite impressive.
I had heard some of The Brocks' music before, though I had only heard them play a couple songs on campus. They were pretty good; I liked their synth stuff a lot. I can't say a ton for their title choices (The Ship Song, The Beach Song), but they sure could get a room dancing.
Friday, April 8 - Fictionist, The Moth and The Flame, and Sunflow
Ever since Fictionist became part of the Rolling Stone competition**, their shows have been very full. I ended up standing out in the snow for half an hour before Velour opened their doors and let us in. It took a good hour before the whole line had made it into the venue. Sunflow opened. I've heard them play before, and I enjoyed their music. I liked the keyboards best (are we starting to see a theme here?). The Moth and The Flame were pretty good, too, but it took them a long time to set up (not that I minded too much). I really enjoyed the looping, and the sung harmonies were gorgeous. Add Aaron's amazing drumming, and it was quite a good show.
Fictionist, of course, was incredible as usual. Those of you who read my last blog post would be interested to know that they played seven of the ten songs I listed. The improv-type jam sessions were awesome, and the whole performance was filled with witty commentary. We got to hear two covers and a brand new song, which was great. Fictionist never disappoints.
Saturday, April 9 - BYU Philharmonic Orchestra
I'll keep this one short, but it was such a great pleasure to be able to go see the Philharmonic play. The Hindemith was very fun, and I loved hearing Dvorak's New World Symphony live. The brass was especially wonderful. If you ever get a chance to go see this group, do it!
*The Whits are in a contest to play at Stadium of Fire in July. Please help them get there by voting here for video 27.
**If you still haven't heard, Fictionist is in a contest to be on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine. You can help them get there by going to this site and rating them 5 stars. Then download the four free tracks! You won't be sorry!
