Concert Throwback: Arcade Fire

I have been listening to so much Arcade Fire this week and it brought me back to the two times I was able to see them live about four years apart. While I wasn’t a fan from the very start of their existence, I did become one well before they dominated at the Grammys and took home Album of the Year for The Suburbs, much to the chagrin of most of the world. Everything this band produces is so unique and deeply profound that I can’t help but to connect to all of it, even in some small way.

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Concert Throwback: Cute is What We Aim For

It’s a mouthful of a band name, but my middle school emo self loved Cute is What We Aim For so very much. Sadly, the first time I had the chance to see them in concert was about 13 years after I started listening to them. But it was such a great show, and lead singer Shaant Hacikyan was so genuinely happy to meet the fans! When he found out how long I’d been listening to them he squeezed me in a hug so tight that I thought my smile was going to split my face in two. Then approximately five years later I got to see them again! He was just as kind this time around. It wouldn’t be a Cute is What We Aim For show if they didn’t play hits like “There’s a Class for This” and “Moan,” but they also manage to mix it up and play some acoustically, which really adds a special elements to the shows. The band has undergone several lineup changes and they’ve released new music occasionally, but I really hope I get the chance to see them again sooner rather than later. Either way, a real talent, and so impressive live!

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Fan Art Friday: One Direction

Look, I know it’s been a relatively short time since I last posted a One Direction drawing, but tough squash! My love for them is deep and I have drawn them A LOT over the years, so you’re just going to have to deal with it. This time it comes with good reason, though! It’s been ten whole years since they originally formed. Sure, they burned out like a dying star after only five years together, but still. Their dominance over pop culture is something I think people will be hard-pressed to forget anytime soon. I had hoped foolishly, like most of the other Directioners out there, for a reunion announcement with this ten-year anniversary, but to no avail. Doesn’t mean I’ll ever stop hoping for it!

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Concert Throwback: One Direction

Today marks the tenth year since pop boy band One Direction was formed, and even though they burned out after five years, and I was a freshman in college, I still loved them deeply and was lucky enough to catch them in concert once. My heart! A friend and I snagged tickets almost a year in advance, and then an hour before showtime I checked a resale site only to find ninth row floor seats for dirt cheap! Clearly, we snagged them up, and compared to the nosebleed seats we originally bought, it was like a dream come true. They sounded so good and had a delightfully long set. It was bliss! Even though I had a great seat, my camera phone was crap, so you’re just going to have to deal with what I’ve got. I hope that someday they all reunite and tour, because I’ll be all over that!

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