Hello Indianapolis, I’m Laura, a new staff writer for Indyconcerts.com. Although I could divulge my deepest secrets and life long goals in this article, I guess I’ll keep this introduction short and sweet so there is something to look forward to in the future. “Always keep them wanting more,” right? I recently graduated from DePauw University and although PR/marketing has it’s exciting moments, I have come to realize that I need to be pursuing a career in something I am passionate about: music.
The title of my introduction is no coincidence. Chris, this is a personal shout out to you (writer of last week’s “The New Guy). Not only do we have indie music in common, but I, too, like to claim the lifestyle of a music nerd. I spend all my time on music blogs, all my money on iTunes, and all of my gas on concerts. Music is not my hobby, it is my obsession. I don’t lose sleep over what i’m going to wear the next day or who will be drafted to which team, I lose sleep over the anticipation of the Coachella line up or how Pitchfork will review the new Hot Chip album. Do you ever wonder who actually buys concerts tickets six months in advance or pre-orders upcoming albums? Well now you know, it’s this girl.
If you really love an author, you will buy the book in hardback. If you love a certain team, you will pay full price for the real jersey. The way I see it is if I really love an album, I WILL buy it in vinyl. This leads me to the million dollar question: what is my taste in music? The easy route would be to simply take a picture of my record collection and call it a day. However, I feel as though such a question deserves a well thought out explanation. With that being said, these lists may seem excessive. I just hope everyone out there understands that when you love a band, you love a band, period.
Once again, similar to Chris I find a lot of interest in indie music. In no particular order my favorites include: The xx, Ra Ra Riot, Animal Collective, Delta Spirit, The Antlers, Vampire Weekend, Grizzly Bear, Blitzen Trapper, Fleet Foxes, Volcano Choir, The Dirty Projectors, Fruit Bats, Bombay Bicycle Club, Fanfarlo, Broken Social Scene, Passion Pit, Metric, Phoenix, Discovery, Yeasayer, Julian Casablancas, etc etc.
Indie music might get me smiling but there’s nothing like a little soul to get me feeling. Let me introduce you to my “soul-savoring crew:” The Avett Brothers, The Black Keys, The Racounteurs, City and Colour, Blind Pilot, White Rabbits, Minus the Bear, Kings of Leon, Iron & Wine, Kings of Convenience, Trevor Hall, Griffin House, My Morning Jacket, Pinback, Radiohead, Ray LaMontagne, and last but not least, the two musical loves of my life…Ryan Adams and Sam Roberts.
So now that we’ve got smiling and feeling out of the way there could only be one other category: dancing. While I would like to consider myself a vocals and lyrics person, there is just something about jam bands that get my blood moving. Perpetual Groove, Sound Tribe Sector Nine (STS9), Phish, Thievery Corporation, and Bassnector simply skim the surface on incredible jam bands every person should experience live.
My taste in music has a story behind it, as does everyone’s. Each individual has specific roots in music, whether that be singing Ace of Base on the school bus or listening to John Denver in your mom’s car on the way to soccer practice. Thankfully, coming from a family with a music loving father and two older brothers my roots include classics such as The Grateful Dead, The Allman Brothers, Led Zeppelin, The Doors, The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, Queen, Moe, Phish, Guns N’ Roses, Pearl Jam, and Dave Matthews Band.
Insert cliche quote here about how your past gets you to where you are today. Where did your music roots originate? Which bands do you remember most from your childhood? Has your music taste really changed at all or has it actually transformed through the years? Let me know, I’m interested.
