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Showing posts from 2008

Taking Back Sunday and Envy On The Coast [Part Two]

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In my previous TBS/EOTC blog , I described the trials endured before the show, and now I’ll get to the real meat (soy, of course) of the concert experience, the performances themselves. So, let me set the scene for you again: it is December 12th and the show is the Louisville, Kentucky stop on Taking Back Sunday’s winter tour with Envy on the Coast. Frontier(s) First on the bill was a local band, Frontier(s), which also happens to be the title of disastrous French horror film I was recently hoodwinked into viewing- that the names are connected, I am unsure. The set-up time prior to their performance seemed to drag on forever, probably because it did. For whatever reason- it may have been that the crowd was let in too early or that the venue was having technical difficulties, or a member of Frontier(s) was late- there was an unusually long wait before the first band began playing. And the crowd felt it. Impatience was the vibe among fans as the locals performed; the mood wasn’t set well

Taking Back Sunday and Envy On The Coast [Part One]

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On December 12th, 2008 at 7:30 in the morning, two souls found themselves alone and freezing on the carpeted front steps of The Oasis bar and concert venue in Louisville, Kentucky. The only company they shared was that of cigarette butts, foreign newspapers, and forgotten and molding cheese and crackers. Having suspected similar souls would be partaking in the same activity, the two had set their hotel alarm for the “wee hours” and rushed to the bar, which faintly resembled a run-down mosque. Those foolish two were my friend and I, and the more intelligent concert-goers did not start showing up until we had been there two hours, much to the relief of their toes and other freezable appendages connected to them. It was 30 degrees, but concert-goers are strange specimens who are willing to cope with the elements, and even build up an adrenaline-fueled tolerance of them. It’s a sacrifice that is nothing when compared to the reward of clutching the barricade and being nearly close enough

Merry [Creepy] Christmas!

Hey, guys. 'Tis the day all this mistletoe and wrapping paper has been leading to, 'tis the day of giving and gorging, of family and friends, and of creepy Christmas videos, of course. "Wait, what?" Yes, that's right, creepiness. For your viewing pleasure, I give you a "X-Mess Detritus" , a short film directed by Voltaire and narrated by Gerard Way, the singer of my favorite band: "X-Mess Detritus" is the 18th short film of an online film festival put on by Glass Eye Pix. The "film festival" features a daily short film for each of the 25 days leading to Christmas. All of the films have a horror-holiday theme. You can view more by visiting CreepyChristmas.net . Cheers, my dears... XoXo c.

Reality Killed the Music

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Today, December 24th, 2008 is a miserable day for music. Today an era ends. Today music loses just a bit more heart as "Steven's Untitled Rock Show" airs its last episode at 2:00 PM on Fuse. "SURS," as it came to be called over the years, began in late 2004 when FUSE saw a growing demand for "the kind of bands that would play Warped Tour." Remember that heartfelt blog I posted about the first time I saw the My Chemical Romance video for "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)"? Well, I saw that video on the show from which SURS stemmed, "Warped Wednesday." I still remember my excitement for the then doubly-untitled show to air for the first time; Steven Smith was my favorite VJ from IMX, so I knew the show would be great. After its premier, I watched every single episode- I watched the show double in length from a half hour to the hour of air time it deserved, I watched the show before it had a title- I even submitted a title when a co

Becoming Little Miss Slack-y Pants.

So, about that promise I made to blog more frequently, and moreover - to even match the massive amount of blogging My Chemical Romance now do on their website... Yea, I lied. You can go ahead and call me a liar. Excuses are lame, but I have them. The week I made that promise, my father suffered a heart-attack, then I got super-busy. Currently, I have writer's block, and have been focusing on my art and "creative writing" as a means to focus my emotions. I am also busy helping pick the new round of MCRmy Medics- an anonymous group who work through e-mail and the My Chemical Romance street-team to help those who are in emotional need. This time around I'm even more involved with the medics than I have been in the past. I couldn't be happier about my position, because I love helping, but it does take a lot of my time and attention as it should. Despite my other obligations, I will pick things back up on here. I have a list of topics I have been planning, and -not to

I Have a WONDERFUL Week Ahead of Me.

So, about that challenge I made to myself about doing a blog-for-blog with the MCR site... I'm a bit behind, but I will catch up. I just needed to do a little living to gather blog-worthy materials. Now that I have them, you can expect those promised extra blogs, but maybe not this week, for; I have busy and exciting times ahead of me, friends. Here's the schedule: Tomorrow (Monday, December 8th): Shopping for my mother's Christmas presents and drinking the hell out of a lot of coffee. You can probably expect a few late-night/ early tomorrow morning blogs for this reason. Tuesday (at midnight): The Dark Knight , obviously. Thursday: Leaving for Louisville, Kentucky ---MOST IMPORTANTLY--- Friday: SEEING TAKING BACK SUNDAY IN Louisville, KY. Blogs of elaboration will follow.

Becoming Little Miss Bloggy-Pants

I realized something as I went to bed last night at 6:30 pm- I'm not very productive as of late. It was like a slap in the face this morning when I looked at the clock and it said 11:30 am. That sealed it, I need to get on this blogging thing. Yesterday, the rubbing-in started as I watched a great VH1 feature from a couple years ago about media and the young, out-of-control Hollywood scene. My first response to it was, "Wow. I want to be a member of the paparazzi," then -more logical- "I want to work for TMZ," then I lost the stars in my eyes and realized who I was, thinking, "That's just creepy," and went on with my half-attentive watching of the show until The Queen of All Media cropped up his pretty, little head. Ah, Perez Hilton , I'd be lying if I said you didn't inspire me. Sometimes you thoroughly gross me out-- well, that was just one time when you said that the singer of my favorite band "[makes your] manties moist." But

Surviving With Dial-Up.

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So, in Journalism 101 we learn that the world is going digital, mobile, wicked-crazy, and fast-paced. Videos are what's in, and we want LOTS OF PICTURES, oh yes. Make those sites fancy, too, would ya? Well, that's all fine when you are a student and connected to the University's hi-speed, wireless internet, but not so great when you return to your dial-up at home. I was spellbound somehow while sitting in Journalism class and hearing about the scary advances in media, and how sales in newspapers are declining and many simply turn to the internet for their news, and it can't be news unless you know it the second it happens. Not only do those things serve as perfect ingredients for hasty, rotten reporting, but they're also not true for me in the least when I return home and wait 20 minutes to check one lousy e-mail. I'll get my news when I can, thank you-- and you can FORGET about my watching even a one minute video. Just to give you an idea of how slow my interne

"Dallas" Did not Disappoint.

In my previous post , I discussed excitement for the start of the second series of my favorite comic The Umbrella Academy . Today, I made the usual thirty mile drive (yes, thirty) to my favorite comic shop to pick up the first issue of the Dallas series, titled The Jungle , and let me tell you that I can already see my future's being filled with month-to-month obsessing over the next issue's release. In interviews prior to this release, Umbrella Academy writer Gerard Way foretold that the series would reveal more about the mysterious, time-traveling, and long-missing "boy" of the 'Academy: Number Five. The character, who showed up in the first series, Apocalypse Suite , after decades of being trapped in the future, is: stuck in a child's form but is living with knowledge of a grown man, has a love for coffee, shot his adopted sister, has some sort of knowledge in regards to the Kennedy assassination, and he mysteriously destroyed a gang of strange robotic cr

The Umbrella Academy : Dallas [OUT TOMORROW!]

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For those of you who are unfamiliar with "The Umbrella Academy" comic series, I suggest you do a wee bit of research- perhaps starting with the Eisner award it won- and get back to me, but for those of you who are familiar with Dark Horse's new comic force and those lovable Umbrella Academy brats, the day has nearly come for our second round of adventures. Tomorrow- Wednesday, November 26th, 2008- "Dallas" the second series of "The Umbrella Academy" begins, and we will have many months of Wednesdays to anticipate the new story lines writer Gerard Way will bring us as illustrated through the quirky drawings of Gabriel Bá. In the final chapter of the first series, "The Apocalypse Suite," the reader is left with many questions and ruined heroes. What will be revealed about the Umbrella Academy orphans in this series? Who will die? What type of coffee will be served? Only reading will tell, friends. XoXo c.

The New MCR Site : Communication at its Creepiest.

I'm just going to throw this out there: Twitter is kinda creepy: Advanced internet stalkery that can be automatically updated via cell phone from anywhere to tell your "followers" exactly what you are doing at that very second. Yea, it's creepy. I just received a text message letting me know that the drummer of my favorite band's dog was hungry and from the singer telling the band members to update via this creepy Twitter. Earlier, I watched -- through my text messages -- their conversation as the drummer drove to the singer's house and asked him if he wanted anything from Coffee Bean (he did- an iced white chocolate mocha). I feel like a creeper. But I'm not alone. Through My Chemical Romance's new website format , we fans can feel more intimate with that band than we ever have. Even moreso than in those moments when we smelled their post-show stank as we posed for pictures with them, or when we were in the front row of a crowded small venue for one

My Chemical Romance's "Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge" on VINYL!

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Four years have passed since "Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge" My Chemical Romance's first major label CD was released on Warner-Reprise records. It is noted for being the album that really brought My Chem to the forefront of music with their first major-label-released single, "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)" followed by the widely popular "Helena" and "The Ghost of You". To celebrate the album's great success, the band is re-releasing it on special-edition red vinyl and adding a handwritten lyric sheet, artwork that did not make it to the CD, and even a fancy-pants gun stencil! I, for one, am majorly stoked on this release, because this is the CD that I grew up with, in a way. 2004 and 2005 were really huge years in my musical life, and this CD was there for me during those years, introducing me to a new kind of culture and music, and the band that ultimately changed my life. "Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge" has been there for me

Fall Quarter Photolog Conclusions

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Here it is, folks-- the end of my first quarter ever as a college student. My exams are done, bags finally packed, and I will be heading home later this morning (I'm writing this at 2:30 AM) for six, long weeks to think about what I have done. Actually, I say that as if I have been corrupted, but -alas- I have not; try again next quarter, you fiends. Anyway, I thought it would be fun to sum up my quarter in a few pictures I have taken whilst here in Athens, so for your enjoyment here's: Cassie's Fall Quarter Photo Round-Up! The upperclassmen made fun of us freshmen for walking in packs. I don't understand what they mean, to be honest... I like to "introduce a little anarchy..." to chalkboards. Best Friends for LIFE!!! "Kill the Batman," but spare the squirrel, please? Someone proposed marriage to me on the graffiti wall. I love you, too. ACRN grilled-cheese sales on Court Street owned a lot of my weekend nights. Snat, our Rock Lobster, likes to sing

Bill and Trav's Bogus Journey Tour [Part V]

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The Epiphany Welcome to my fifth and final installment in my Bill and Trav blog series. In several of my blogs, I have expressed what drives me to want to work within the music industry, and this show helped me discover even more reasons why. If home is where the heart is, this feels a whole hell of a lot like home. Being able to see the crowd from where I stood was one of the best parts of the show. All the people in that audience were there for the same reason-- in the moments of their favorite songs, they were one. We were all united through music. I. love. fans, and I want us all to be united as we are during those moments at the shows, or when we've been standing in line outside in the snow together for 12 hours, or when we turn to complete strangers in the audience while singing along to our favorite lyrics and feel as if that person is our best friend of several years. We, as fans of music, are part of something much bigger than ourselves. We are in this together, and we n

Bill and Trav's Bogus Journey Tour [Part IV] (With Video!)

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They're Watching ; Always Watching. (The Picture and Video Blog) Welcome to Part IV of my Bill and Trav blogs. To begin, I have a guilty confession to make... I lied in my previous post . You see that part at the bottom there, where it says this episode would elaborate on an epiphany? Yea, that's a blatant lie. Wait, wait! Don't leave yet, I can explain! Okay, so next week I will be returning home, and at this lovely home, I have something not so lovely: dial-up internet. So, I wanted to get the meat (soy, of course) of these postings to you before that evil came upon me. I would have a pretty rough time uploading my EXCLUSIVE, AWESOME VIDEO for you on dial-up, after all. Oh, I'm forgiven, then? Gee, thanks. How many of you have shown up to a show with a camera and been told something along the lines of "By request of the [artist, venue, management, etc], no cameras will be allowed into this event"? Probably quite a few of you who probably took one of the fol

Bill and Trav's Bogus Journey Tour [Part III]

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A Word on Band-Crowd Interaction Welcome to Bill and Trav's Bogus Journey Tourblog part the third. In this episode, I will discuss something I find very, VERY essential to a good band's performance and something which I witnessed at the show I attended on "Bill and Trav's Bogus Journey Tour" featuring The Academy Is... and We the Kings. If you are in an aspiring band or even a prominent band, listen the hell up, because I -as a fan- have some advice for you. In my experience in the front rows of multitudes of crowds, nothing quite sends a jolt of excitement through me as when a band member points out the fans who are singing along ferociously-- when a band shows an active appreciation for its supporters. Now, it doesn't have to be me, but any fan. We all feel exstatic for that person, you can feel the surge in the crowd move in his or her direction, and feel our collective excitement grow when you acknowledge us. For example, some of my fondest memories from

Bill and Trav's Bogus Journey Tour [Part II]

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The Show Review Welcome to Part II of my "Bill and Trav's Bogus Journey Tour" blogs. Here, I shall review the show in full for you guys, and more blogs will be coming your way soon where I will examine various other topics aroused in my mind from the show. So, the morning of November 2nd, I woke at my friend's house without grogginess, for; my excitement had grown in the few hours I slept and replaced any sleepiness that would have normally been there. The plan was for our friend to meet us at my place of slumber for the the night between 11:30 and 12:00, and so it happened. For me, arriving at a show later than 11:30 AM is generally something completely insane (I'm a 4 AM girl, myself), but we were just going to chill and hang back for this one. We headed to Columbus, ate at Mongolian BBQ, then walked around Easton for a bit. The tour's headliner, The Academy Is... was doing a signing at the Hot Topic there at 3:00, and we got to the store in time to shop be

Bill and Trav's Bogus Journey Tour [Part I]

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Last night, I went to the first big show I've attended since August, the Columbus stop on "Bill and Trav's Bogus Journey" tour featuring Hey Monday, Carolina Liar, We the Kings, and The Academy Is... After much trial and error in securing my ride to the show and back to OU, I finally got it all together and had a wonderful weekend that concluded in a wonderful show. Since this is my journalism blog, I figured I'd turn this show into a series of blogs, each of which will contain a different story I saw that was write-worthy during the show. This, my readers, is your classic introductory blog, and I have much to tell you from this single show within my next -at the very least- four blogs. Expect a review, pictures, a video that nearly wasn't, a heartfelt epiphany on my part, and a few words on crowd-interaction. Part II will be the review, so keep your eyes open for the second installment in Cassie's take on "Bill and Trav's Bogus Journey." Xo

Political Tactics

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I am not going to pretend that I am a political person, but the up-coming election was the focus of our J101 class on Thursday, and we spoke of social media and how the candidates have utilized it on their own, but I have something to show you guys that is also bringing politics into the social media spotlight. I present to you some of my "top friends" on myspace: Note that I have circled one of my particular friends. Now, can any of you guys tell me what you would imagine I am and what you would imagine "Heavens" is from this picture? "No:" that's my answer to your thoughts. I'm not an obsessive Obama-supporter who feels the need to tell the world this, and no, "HEAVENS" is not a political group. Heavens is a two-piece band, and those two guys are brilliant Obama promoters. Boom! Suddenly, every person's myspace page with this band on their "top friends" became an ad for Barack Obama. Think about that, oh you strategists.

Music Saves Lives (The Point of it All)

"At their very beginnings, some lives are destined to be saved, or else they will be cut tragically short." This was the first line of a paper I wrote last year about a meaningful experience in my life. I've come to find since writing that paper that there was never one experience that changed my life but several that saved my life: several nights of falling into the comfort of notes of songs, immersing myself in lyrics, and surrounding myself with the love that resonated through my empty room from my speakers. If you never read another of my posts, please take the time to read this one. I have told this story and will tell it again and again through my career. I want to be a writer, because I want to help people. I want to make people feel that they belong, that someone out there cares about them, and that they can make it through whatever this world may shoot at them alive-- The world can fire, but one can evade the shots. I feel as if it is my duty to c

Who Watches the Watchmen?

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Those of you who saw The Dark Knight in theatres also had the treat of feasting your eyes upon something else that was lovely and comic-book related during your movie experience. You, unless you stumbled in late in the dark and probably spilled popcorn on some poor, unsuspecting nerd who thought you did it on purpose, saw the trailer for The Watchmen movie , which is scheduled for release in March, 2009 by Warner Brothers (and 4 days after my birthday, at that). Why is that so special? Well, Watchmen, a 1980s graphic novel written by Alan Moore and illustrated by Dave Gibbons, has been highly regarded as a turning-point publication in the comic book industry- changing views of the traditional "comic book hero." So, this film is "kind of a big deal." Some will only see this movie because of the hype, others will simply want the phenomenal soundtrack that is in the works (featuring My Chemical Romance's cover of Bob Dylan's "Desolation Row"), but s

"Stare at the Sun" - Thrice

"Stare at the Sun" by Thrice has the tiny honor of being among my favorite songs. It is powerful enough to bring me to tears almost every time I listen to it, and today I found new meaning in it when thinking of it in the context of my Difficult Dialogues concerning Religious Beliefs class. In our previous class, we spoke about empiricism vs. romanticism. I tend to not take a religious view on anything, but nearly 100% of the time, think romantically about the world around me and beauty and that it is beyond scientific reasoning. In our last discussion in class, we thought of what scientific dissection of things we can find beautiful can do to our own perceptions of how beautiful they are to us personally. I find myself ridiculously conflicted and wanting more than a scientific reason for the things I feel, and I think this song describes that feeling perfectly. So, for your enjoyment, I give you: "Stare at the Sun" by Thrice I sit here clutching useless lists, keys

Last.Fm

Hey, guys-- Most of you have probably heard about audio-scrobbling, and last.fm , but for those of you who haven't, here's the deal: Last.Fm is a website that can document what music a person is listening to using audioscrobbler technology and compile it so that users can see how musically compatible they are with others when visiting their profiles on the site. As the user listens more, the site begins suggesting artists that are similar to the listener's preferences in music as well as events the user should attend locally and even with whom the person should be friends. You can also make nifty widgets such as this listening quilt from my profile: Neat, right? So why not start scrobbling now? Well, you may get picked on for the music you listen to, and I know you all have guilty pleasures... But, who cares? Forget guilty , be proud of what makes you happy! Now, friends, go forth and scrobble!! XoXo c.

One of the Many Reasons (Frank Iero)...

...why I love My Chemical Romance. The video for which I will later provide a link was taken at Projekt Revolution in Tampa, Florida on August 11th, 2007, which I attended, and which also happened to be singer Gerard Way's 3rd "soberversary," as we in the MCRmy like to call it. This video was taken by Youtube user Musicislife428 , and though I do not know exactly who that person is, I know she had to have been standing very near me for this footage to have been shot. This is rhythm guitarist, Frank Iero at the end of "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)" doing what I feel is one of his most admirable and common actions- being one of us kids. I was right in front of him when this happened, and I think you can see my hand a little bit in the background of the video. Anyway, watch: "Projekt Revolution 8/11 MCR Im Not Okay..Frank is Awesome" Frankie's birthday is coming up in two weeks- this Hallowe'en. So, this is my early birthday tribute to his amaz

The College that Stole Halloween

I'd like to thank you, Ohio University, for bringing more attention than is average to Halloween (I've heard you should start these kind of rants on a positive note). Here's what I would not like to thank you for: SPOILING MY FUN, INNOCENT HALLOWEEN! Halloween to me is this: it's appreciating Bela Lugosi, it's scary movies and haunted houses, it's showing off my creativity with a costume, it's trick-or-treating, Frank Iero's birthday, and being able to dress the way I do and have it considered normal for a day. But most of all it's the sense that one can be anything he or she wants on Halloween; it's beautiful and empowering. I know I am not alone when I say that -yea, sometimes when I put on a costume I feel powerful. For instance, you probably feel a little bit different when you're wearing a business suit than your regular attire, eh? You do. Don't lie. You may even feel better than those around you. The point is; Halloween can

Being a LIKEABLE writer

Going into an industry where writers are facing criticism from the artists they wish to interview can be very intimidating. Take for instance, three well-known artists that I would personally love to interview: The Academy Is…, Panic! At the Disco, and Paramore. On their album “Almost Here,” The Academy Is… present a song, “Black Mamba” focused entirely on attacking music critics. Some stand out lyrics being, Oh, mister magazine/ I never wrote one single thing for you/ or your so called music scene/ they don’t mean a thing to me. Along with This is the voice that I was given/ and if you don’t like it/ take a long walk off of the shortest pier you can find. What I would like to point our to Mr. William Beckett, front-man of the group and lyricist is that journalists aren’t all nasty. Some of us, myself very much included, are even –gasp- fans! In fact, if all works out in my favor, I will be seeing TAI perform at the beginning of November. If they perform well, which- in my experience