Growing up I listened to only Christian music. My mom was a youth minister for a long time and so she would play Christian music around the house and in the car. I loved it and started developing favorite artists within that music genre. I bought CD's from them and jammed out to their music. And my brother did too. I didn't listen to "popular music." Not that I couldn't, I just didn't because I liked the Christian music my mom had us listen to. Then for my brothers 12th birthday he recieved a guitar and he started getting into playing music. My dad started showing him some of the artists he had always loved that played gutair. People like Bob Dylan and Woodie Guthrie my brother became really interested in the idea of stripped down music with just a guitar and harmonica. He started looking into other artists that played music like this. For a while, he listened to old time folk music, but then he started discovering more current artists like Joshua Radin and Brett Dennen. He would share his musical findings with me and told me that I needed to start listening to that music. It took me a while to realize what the music was. I mean I had only ever listened to Christian music. And I have nothing against that, but all that music is about God. The messages and lyrics are relatively similar. And there was some difference between the artists and beats and tempos, but in general the music was very much the same, and it still is that way today. The music my brother was introducing me to has simple intruments and vocals, and focused on the lyrics. It told stories and asked important questions leaving the listener to ponder. This opened up a whole new world to me. I started realizing what music could be. An art form, a way to express your true self.
I made the transition from listening to just Christian music to listening to more folk and indie music. As my brother says, "I developed a taste for good, real music." I started listening to some of the music my brother was, but also found artists of my own. Although I do listen to some Christian music still, my music enjoyment has definately changed. Most of the artists I listen to are not big name. They don't play on the radio or make a lot of money. But they are doing music because they love it. It is authentically them.
My brother continued to play music becoming better at guitar and harmonica and writing some of his own music. He is now graduated from college and he still plays music. He performs small shows where he lives and this has made me appreciate the craft of music even more. What goes into and the passion behind it. I love supporting, small, independent and local artists.
Now I have been to a few concerts and I have enjoyed all of them. In July of 2013 I saw Michael Franti and Spearhead at Red Rocks Ampethitere. Although he is a bigger artist I still enjoy his music. And I loved getting to see him in concert. His music is so uplifting and happy and makes you want to dance. And the conert venue, I mean, it is so spectacular and breathtaking. Then in 2014 I saw Pentatonix at The Complex in Salt Lake City. They are Youtube artitst that have gained popularily in the last couple years but I think they are especially great because they are acapella artists and should be recognized for them amazing talent. Their concert was awesome, but I didn't care for the venue. It is an inside venue where everyone just piles in and stands shoulder to shoulder. Definately not for anyone who is caustrophphobic. And In June of 2015 I saw Ingrid Michaelson at the same venue. She is a really big artist, but her style is different then most pop artist these days.
Last night I saw Alex G in concert. She is a small Youtube artist. She performed at Kilby Court which is a small venue here in Salt Lake. It was a small, intimate venue. Literally it is a garage that they have turned into a unique little venue. There were not very many people there (maybe 20) and I loved it. There were two small musicans that came on before her, Grayson and The George Twins. They were both really cool artist and I now She has recently written a Share Your Story EP where she has written songs about stories from fans. She sang some of those songs last night and they were absolutely amazing. She shared real stories about herself and I felt like was able to connect with her on a personal level. This was the last song she played and it is my favorite song by her. I get chills every time I hear it because it is so real, honest, and beautiful. This is by far the best concert I have ever been to, and such a special night. I will not forget this concert.
This is what music is to me. An artist producing music that is raw, real and meaningful to them, and making a connection with somone else. It is making music that means something to them, not what other people want. It is attending a concert with only fifteen other people and being encapsulated by the music. It is truly knowing the artist and undertsanding them for who they are. Music is so much more then just a melody or beat or even words. It's more than a sold out concert venue a grammy or a plaitnum record. I challenge you to think about the music you listen to, the way you listen to it and what it really means.
If you are interested here is a link to one of Alex G's songs that she played last night. And go subscribe to her. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--KFo08NPLM