So You Like Snacks?

Here we are on the day of (or possibly in the wee hours of the morning following) the NEEDTOBREATHE show last semester. Sound like fun? Come hang tonight in the Union to learn more!

Do you like live shows? Do you like snackin’? Do you enjoy making some saweeeet stencils? If you answered yes to any of the above, you’d probably be an awesome Music Maker! And you should definitely come to our little mixer we’re throwing tonight at the Union.

In case you’re not familiar with us, Music Maker Productions in a student-run promotional organization hosted here on Mississippi State’s campus. As  Music Makers, we play a major role in the decision-making process of which artists come to campus. We also head all promotion, ticketing, and day-of-show preparation and execution for all MMP concerts.

Entering into new organizations is always nerve-racking. But don’t worry about it, we get it! When I attended the interest meeting last semester, I wasn’t quite sure of what I was getting myself into. I knew that Music Makers did a lot on campus for the local music scene, but I wasn’t aware of exactly how much they actually did. It was a little intimidating walking into that meeting, but in the end, it was well worth it.

If you decide to apply, you’ll find our interview process is a lot different from most, and it’s very casual. First round interviews consist of a conversation between you and all active Music Makers. During this round, we really want to get to know you and see how you interact with the rest of the group. Also, you participate in this round with about 10 other potential Music Makers, so while all eyes are on you………it’s not as awkward. Second round interviews entail a meeting with our exec members and advisors. This round is where we get down to business. We want to learn who you are and what you’re all about. Being a Music Maker takes up a substantial amount of time, so one of our main concerns is your commitment and what you want to contribute to the group.

Being a Music Maker is a ridiculous amount of fun, it’s almost unethical. Whether it’s a night out snackin’, or a heated argument involving the past week’s episode of the Walking Dead, you’re sure to be entertained with a group as close as family. However, it’s not all fun and games. As Music Makers, we are extremely passionate about enhancing the music scene around not only Mississippi State’s campus, but also Starkville. As a result, we are constantly working, promoting, brainstorming, etc. to have a leg up in the game. BUT, we love it.

So, interested yet?

If so, come hang out with us TONIGHT  from 6:00pm-8:00pm in the Union Dawghouse! We’ll be taking questions and talking more about what it’s like to be a Music Maker! And yes, there will be food.

This post was contributed by:

Thomas Fitzner

Lasers + Barn = Party: Ghostland Observatory at MS Horse Park

**$20 Student Tickets! Discount offered 3/19-3/23 only. $25 tickets 3/23-3/30. $30 3/31.**

Until last semester, Ghostland Observatory was a band I had always heard of, but not actually heard. I feel like I have a pretty diverse taste in music, but I had never really given them a fair shake until a friend at work sent me some of their videos on YouTube. You know, because that’s what you do at work. You YouTube. And blog. Anyway…

My immediate reaction to these videos was regret. WHYYY didn’t I try this earlier? Why didn’t I listen to my friends who were raving about this band and their live show? Why did I let the name “Ghostland Observatory” scare me a little? I’m not even afraid of ghosts (because they aren’t real). Well, the answer is simple: I’m the classic late adopter. Like, you don’t even want to know when I got my first iPod. I was rocking strictly burned CDs way into college. If any experience would make me snap myself out of my late-adopter lifestyle, it would be the addition of Ghostland Observatory to my life. Had I just stepped out of my indie-folk-rock box back during my sophomore year upon first hearing the name, I could have had so much more laser light bliss in my life.

My point is that it’s so easy to miss out on good music when you don’t try new things. I guess you can apply that to every part of life, but it happens so often with music. If you haven’t heard of Ghostland Observatory– DON’T put it off! Check out the following videos and imagine yourself at The Barn on March 31 having the time of your life with all your friends beneath the laser rainbow. It’s going to be wild.

Fun fact: There is not a ticket cheaper than $20 on Ghostland’s upcoming tour. Don’t miss out on the excellent student discount offered to you exclusively by MMP. The $20 tickets will be available for a limited time only from 3/19-3/23.

I read a YouTube comment on their cover of Prince’s “Darling Nikki” that described them as “electronic sexysauce.” I think that’s about right…

This post was contributed by:

Hayley Alexander

You Down With CCP?

Is he listening to Kanye or Futurebirds?

I spend at least a couple hours every day looking through tweets containing the hashtag, #np. I look through my news feed on Facebook, scouring for people sharing music through Spotify. I ask people on the drill field with white chords connecting their ears to an unseen iPod in their pocket what song/artist their head is feasting on. I, along with the members of Music Maker Productions, obsess over what you are listening to. We have the responsibility of providing MSU and Starkville with the best live music possible; doing so begins with thorough knowledge of what you are listening to. Over my four years in this group, we’ve polled, tweeted and just asked strangers in passing what they are listening to. These lists of songs and artists always provides us very entertaining playlists to enjoy in the office on afternoons filled with “What if we…” conversations (as I like to call them) among Music Makers.

Well now, we’d like to make some new playlists constructed by the students of MSU and the citizens of Starkville and then share them with all those who helped us create the mix. Hell, since we’ll be sharing it on this blog, we’ll be sharing the local music taste of our community with the world. Our goal for doing this is both to have some fun but more importantly, we want to know what you want us to hear. It’s always difficult to decide from the bands that are looking for shows in our area which would be the most well received. We aren’t choosing based on our personal preference, we are choosing based on what we know about our community’s taste in music. This is no easy task, which is exactly what led us to the idea of making these community crafted playlists (CCP’s if you will).

We want to do the very best job as MSU’s student live music production organization and that begins with all of you sharing your favorite music with us. And it ends with all of you supporting live music so that more and more acts will want to come here. So help us out, I can promise it will be a fun ride.

Take advantage of our comment section below or tweet @Music_Maker with the #CCP hashtag. We look forward to hearing all your suggestions.

This post was contributed by:

Brice Lambert - Student Director

Lungs & Legs: Why You Should See Grace Potter and the Nocturnals at MSU

Grace Potter and the Nocturnals are no newbies to the music scene, but we’ve noticed some folks in Starkville aren’t familiar with their talents. Perhaps you’ve caught Grace Potter’s voice in the background of your favorite One Tree Hill episode. Maybe you’ve seen her rocking the late night talk show stages of Jay Leno, Conan O’Brien and David Letterman. If neither of those, there’s a chance you heard her song, “Something That I Want,” in the Disney movie, “Tangled.”

We know one thing: If you’ve ever seen her, you remember it.

Grace Potter at Vh1 Divas Salute the Troops

When Grace Potter takes the stage, there are no wandering eyes. She’s got a commanding stage presence and a powerful voice many compare to that of Janis Joplin. With an outrageous range and soulful tone, she calls her audience to its feet to share the rhythm with her. And no one cheated this lady on looks. If Grace is on stage and you’re trying not to watch or listen, you don’t stand a chance.

Check out the video of her performing the hit songs, “Paris (Ooh la la)” + “Medicine” and see if you can catch our drift:

If you haven’t heard the good news, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals will be performing at Bettersworth Auditorium in Lee Hall at Mississippi State on April 24.

Something you should know about Bettersworth: Capacity is just under 1,000 seats– and we’ve already sold 40% of those. What does this mean for you? It means you’re running out of time! We expect this show will sell out by the time Spring Break rolls around. With only one general admission section and three sections with assigned seats, the sooner you buy your ticket, the better your seat will be. We’re proud to offer such reasonable ticket prices to this show. GPN tickets in a venue of this capacity can cost $40 or more. The chance to see her in this setting for the prices we’re offering is rare. So what are you waiting for?

Tickets are available in Suite 314 of the Colvard Student Union or on our website!

Have you seen Grace Potter and the Nocturnals live? What are your favorite Grace Potter songs? Leave us a comment and let us know what you’re looking forward to about the show! As always, we love feedback. Drop us a line anytime.

Don’t forget tickets to the Maroon and White game and Sugarland concert are on sale now! The last day to purchase student discount is this Friday, March 2nd.

Music…It Gets The People Going Studying

As a college student, long nights of studying become a regular occurrence, so you find any way to keep yourself motivated and awake. Some people like to down large cups of coffee, some like to eat food, some just like to work late at night for no reason, and some people listen to music. In my case, I like to do all of them at the same time, but the biggest help has to be the music.

Between tests, papers, and homework, it’s hard to stay focused and prevent myself from procrastinating. Music is a huge reason why I can actually finish homework and complete projects. You know the exact type of playlist you listen to. The perfect mix of songs with a good sequence of tempo is all you need sometimes to keep going.

So here’s a playlist of songs I really like to listen to while I’m studying that I hope you will like, too. The funny thing is that I’m writing this post at 2:00 in the morning. So apologies for any grammatical errors I make due to the fact that my eyes are fighting to stay open. Check out the songs below and hear the full list on the MMP Spotify profile here.

At the beginning of a study session, you listen to the feel-good music– you know, the music that gets the hair on your neck to rise.

1. “Brown Eyed Girl” – Van Morrison

2. “Buttons” – The Weeks

3. “We’ll Be the Light” – The Dirty Guv’nahs

4. “Molly’s Chambers” – The Kings of Leon

5. “She’s Country” – Jason Aldean

6. “Drink in my Hand” – Eric Church

Check out KOL and Jason Aldean below:

Next comes the transitional period. This music is more mellowed out than the first set of songs, but also maintains the motivation.

7. “Shine On” – Kooks

8. “Awake My Soul” – Mumford and Sons

9. “Devil’s in the Jukebox” – Ray LaMontagne

10. “Dreaming With a Broken Heart” – John Mayer

Here are songs by Mumford and Ray:

After you get through the mellow phase, late night slowly approaches. At this point, you listen to anything with a beat that will keep you awake.

11. “American Woman” – Lenny Kravitz

12. “Touch of Grey” – Grateful Dead

13. “I Need a Dollar” – Aloe Blacc

14. “Jealous Again” – The Black Crowes

Check out these tunes by Lenny Kravitz and Aloe Blacc:

I hope you enjoyed the songs. Don’t forget you can access the full playlist on the Music Maker Productions Spotify profile. What kind of music do you like to listen to when you’re doing school work? Share with us your favorite study playlist! We’re always looking for some new tunes.

This post was contributed by:

Will West

Look Who Wants More Cowbell!

Join us Thursday night for a barn party with The Dirty Guv’nahs followed by BRANTLEY GILBERT! We can’t wait to show him a good time and good people in Starkville, so be sure to grab your tickets now!

Three ticketing options:

• Come by the Music Maker office in suite 300 of the Colvard Student Union.
•  Go to msuconcerts.com and order them online.
• Stop by Rick’s Cafe in Starkville and get your tickets there!

The show will be at the Mississippi Horse Park this Thursday, October 20. If you need directions, we’ve got you covered here. So, who’s bringing a cowbell?!

Check out a couple of our favorite Brantley Gilbert songs:

 

And if you haven’t heard The Dirty Guv’nahs yet, allow us to fill you in. You will not want to miss this opening act!

Soul, Stories and Substance with JJ Grey & Mofro

Early Friday morning, on October 14, Craig Noone, chef and owner of Parlor Market in Jackson, was killed in a car wreck. Craig was 32 years old and was known for facilitating downtown Jackson revitalization and his ability to treat customers as family. He will be widely missed.

Craig Noone

Hal and Mal’s was a major investor in Craig’s ambitions, and Friday evening, several people gathered there in memory and celebration of his life. Later that night, JJ Grey and Mofro took the stage in front of a cautiously energetic crowd. The atmosphere was spiced but seemed indescribably accurate. When Mofro took the stage, something was right.

My sister, her roommate, a friend and I walked in during their first song; JJ was at the mic, and the crowd was dancing and singing “Here in Mississippi” from their album Country Ghetto. The air was electric. Reservations and inhibitions were checked at the door. It was as if everyone was biologically required to have a grand time.

Being the photo-nerd that I am, I snuck behind the stage and snapped a few shots of the instrumentalists. I love the variety and dynamic of Mofro’s instrumentals. The sax, trumpet, keyboard, guitar, bass, harmonica, and percussion give dimension and substance to their jazzy, rhythm and blues sound. The music can be grabbed from the air from anywhere in the crowd – it is tangible. I believe this is also due to the “storytelling” that JJ does through his lyrics. The backdoor old-school sound of JJ Grey and Mofro allows each individual listener to have their unique experience, and to participate in the way that their minds, their bodies, their souls see fit. It is as if the music, for both the band and the audience, is a reflex.

Halfway through the show, JJ gave a telling tribute to Craig. His message was simple: One instant can change your life. Life is short – live every minute of every hour of every day. They followed the tribute with one of my personal favorites, “Brighter Days”.

The crowd danced on and the energy in the atmosphere never faltered. By far, the best instrumental moment of the night was taken by Art Edmaiston on the saxophone. He gives a deep voice to a brassy instrument that adds color and flair. JJ Grey and Mofro create a blend of simple sounds – they don’t need all the fancy stuff – it’s just good music.

Art Edmaiston of JJ Grey & Mofro // Sarah Beth James

But don’t just take my word for it. I asked a few audience members how they felt about the show:
“I’ve seen JJ Grey and Mofro ten times now; this was the best show I’ve ever seen them play”.
“Mofro is always a ten”.
“I felt the funk”.
“When I closed my eyes, it felt like the music was a part of me”.
“It moved me”.
“You could tell they enjoyed what they were doing and it’s not about the money to them; it’s about the music”.

I spoke with guitarist Andrew Trube after the show and asked him what he thought:
“It’s Jackson, Mississippi; I love it”.

Andrew Trube of JJ Grey & Mofro // Sarah Beth James

JJ Grey & Mofro at Hal & Mal's // Sarah Beth James

JJ Grey & Mofro at Hal & Mal's // Sarah Beth James

JJ Grey & Mofro at Hal & Mal's // Sarah Beth James

JJ Grey & Mofro at Hal & Mal's // Sarah Beth James

JJ Grey & Mofro at Hal & Mal's // Sarah Beth James

My point in all of this is to say that in the midst of tragedy, when our days seem our darkest, music has the ability to take us away from that. It does not take it away from us, but rather gives us an outlet to which we can turn. Whether it’s through your headphones, a microphone in a coffee shop, a speaker on a stage, or from the top of the Apple building in London, music has a way of stopping us in our tracks and reminding us of our full and unhindered ability to live our lives.

Thanks for reading!
The beat is the movement,

Sarah Beth James

If you like what you see here, be sure to check out JJ Grey & Mofro on Facebook and YouTube as well as their Web site for more music & tour info.

Maroon Tunes: What Pumps Up MSU Athletes?

Before an athlete is about to compete in his/her sport, they usually use music to get “in the zone” to mentally prepare/get pumped up. So we Music Makers thought it would be a good idea to share what your Bulldog athletes listen to pre-game. This will be a weekly thing that will be posted each Maroon Friday. We will post athletes’ playlists of the current sports that are in season. We will post info about the athletes, what they’re listening to, and where you can listen. We also have a Spotify playlist for football and cross country you can check out! This week we have:

FOOTBALL

Cameron Lawrence, #10

Position:	LB
Height:	6’2″
Weight:	230
Year:	Junior
Hometown:	Coldwater, MS
High School:	Magnolia Heights HS
Experience:	2 Letters

Cameron likes to listen to some Breaking Benjamin pre-game. Here are some of Breaking Benjamin’s popular songs.

“I Will Not Bow”

“The Diary of Jane”

Brandon Wilson, #58

Position:	LB
Height:	6’1″
Weight:	240
Year:	Senior
Hometown:	Tuscaloosa, AL
High School:	Northridge HS
Experience:	1 Letter

Brandon listens to Young Jeezy’s new mix tape, “1,000 Grams,” which dropped mid-August. Here is a link to download the mix tape (it’s free).

[Warning: Explicit Lyrics. Download at your own risk. Click image to download.]

Dillon Day, #63

Position:	OL
Height:	6’4″
Weight:	295
Year:	Freshman
Hometown:	West Monroe, LA
High School:	West Monroe HS
Experience:	Redshirt

Dillon likes a little metal with his football and has been listening to The Devil Wears Prada’s (the band, not the movie) new CD, “Dead Throne.” Here are some songs from that CD.

“Mammoth”

“R.I.T.”

Here’s the “Born to Lose” music video:

SOCCER

Elisabeth Sullivan, #2

Year: Sophomore

Position: Forward

Elizabeth’s go to playlist before she gets her hat tricks include NEEDTOBREATHE, Lacrae, The Veronicas, & Zac Brown Band.

“The Reckoning”-NEEDTOBREATHE

“Untouched”-The Veronicas

“Keep Me in Mind”-Zac Brown Band

Skylar Rosson, #1

Year: Junior

Position: Red Shirt, Goalie

Lauren Morgan, #15

Year: Junior

Position: Red Shirt, Mid Field

Skylar and Lauren have the same listening preferences and we thought their listening playlists should be put together (and because they’re BFF4L). So together they like to listen to:”For My Dawgs”-Waka FlockaLil Wayne, “Out On the Town”-Killer Mike, Young Jeezy, and “Gucci Gucci”-Kreayshawn.

“For My Dawgs”-Waka Flocka

Lil Wayne iTunes artist page

“Out on the Town”-Killer Mike

Young Jeezy iTunes artist page

“Gucci Gucci” -Kreayshawn

Madison Lane McKee, #24

Year: Junior

Position: Center Mid

Madison likes to listen to Lil Wayne, “Champion”-Flipsyde, and Wiz Khalifa before she has to try to be all over the soccer field at once.

Lil Wayne iTunes artist page

“Champion”-Flipsyde

Wiz Khalifa iTunes artist page

CROSS COUNTRY

John Valentine

Distance Runner
Year: Freshman
John likes to listen to a little rock with Rise Against and a little dub step with Deadmau5. Here’s the latest from Rise Against and Deadmau5:

Juan Salvador Sanchez

Distance Runner
Year: Freshman

Juan has five main go-to songs which are:
1) “Strobe” by Deadmau5
2) “Beautiful People” Benny Bennassi mix by Chris Brown
3) “Lights” (Bassnectar remix) by Ellie Goulding
(video below)

4) Civilization by Justice

VOLLEYBALL

Hillary Parker, #24

Position: L
Year: Senior
Experience: 2 Letters

Hillary likes some of dat rap muzik like Drake, Lil’ Wayne, Yo Gotti, Travis Porter, and Wiz Khalifa.
Drake iTunes artist page
Lil’ Wayne iTunes artist page
Yo Gotti iTunes artist page
Wiz Khalifa iTunes artist page

And last but not least,
Coach Jenny Hazelwood

Here’s what Coach Hazelwood had to say about her pre-game playlist:

“As a player, I always listened to rap/hip-hop (still listen to that all the time when I work out). During warm-up for our matches, the music playing is often rap/hip-hop as well, and it does get me fired up for the match to start. Our music guys have been playing the “Grindin for My State” song during our warm-up lately, and I love that song!! I am SO EXCITED for those guys to perform during halftime of our game tonight!!

The day of the match, I listen to more mellow music to calm myself down a bit. I find that I get so wound up during the week in preparation for the weekend matches, so I will have my Pandora on either the John Mayer station or the Lady Antebellum station (just depends on my mood). Both tend to play more mellow types of songs, and that is what I need on game day. I feel that being more relaxed going into a match helps me focus on coaching strategies, helps me think quickly and just helps me make sure I don’t have so much going on in my head so that I can focus.”

“Grindin’ For My State”

Thanks for reading! Check back next home game for new athletes!
SEE YOU AT MAROON MADNESS TONIGHT!!!
WWW.MSTATEATHLETICS.COM 
HAIL STATE!

Sam Jones

Ain’t Goin’ Back to Barton Hollow

Friday, as most Music Makers caught up on sleep and recovered from the very successful NEEDTOBREATHE concert, I hit the road to Birmingham, Ala. for the Civil Wars’ first concert of their fall tour. This folk-country duo, made up of Joy Williams and John Paul White, reminded me that simplicity and raw emotions make for the best kind of concert.

The opening act was a low-key folk band called Milo Greene. The Civil Wars actually discovered the Los Angeles quartet on the Internet.  However low-key they are, the whole crowd including myself was thoroughly pleased. They not only constantly traded off instruments, switching from guitar to banjo to tambourine to drums, but had an awesome female vocalist and perfect harmonies.

After the band’s opening set, the stage was cleared in preparation for the main act. Meeting an anxious crowd, Williams and White finally walked on stage to their compact stage setting: literally two microphones, one guitar, and one piano.

They started off by saying how happy they were to be back playing in Birmingham, having just gotten from touring with Adele in the UK.  We weren’t only their first stop on this fall tour, but it was the biggest headlining show they’ve ever played.  With that, Williams began singing… “there’s a note underneath your front door that I wrote 20 years ago”.

Throughout the entire show, the interaction between Williams and White made their lyrics seem like an intimate conversation that we as the crowd were simply sitting in on.  Their dancing and smiles during every song made each emotion so much stronger, and it was completely obvious that they both love what they do.

They asked if they could play us some new material they had never performed before, to which the crowd replied with a hefty “YES.” After playing a couple of new songs, they performed an unreleased song that will be featured on the soundtrack for the new movie, The Hunger Games.

They played for about an hour, and I found myself wanting more as soon as they walked off stage. Possibly the best part of the night was their encore performance.  From their version of Michael Jackson’s “Billy Jean” (awesome) to a completely acoustic, microphone-less “Dance Me to the End of Love” sang on the pit cover to a teary eyed performance of their hit, “Poison and Wine,” I was speechless as I left the Alabama Theatre.

It may seem weird to feel so much emotion from a concert, but I’ve developed a much greater respect for the Civil Wars after seeing them perform live. You should definitely go look some of their stuff up (and Milo Greene while you’re at it).  Check out their debut album, “Barton Hollow,” on iTunes. Thanks for reading!

Peace, love, and live music,

Margaret Bernheim

Here are two videos by The Civil Wars and one by Milo Greene:

Who Won Our NEEDTOMEET NEEDTOBREATHE Contest?!

Got Tickets? Get to Suite 300 TOMORROW!

Seriously!!! This contest has been ridiculously fun. We got to rock awesome shirts all day and meet some of the coolest students who love NTB!

In case you aren’t familiar with the contest, our members wore neat-o stenciled and spraypainted NEEDTOBREATHE shirts all around campus today. The rules were simple:

1) Find an MMP wearing the shirt.

2) Take a picture with said member in said shirt.

3) Post said picture on our Facebook wall or tweet it to us @Music_Maker for a chance to win one of three NEEDTOBREATHE prize packages each including two meet and greet passes and a copy of their new CD, “The Reckoning.”

(One entry per person.)

We couldn’t afford to have Pricewaterhouse Coopers proctor our selections, so we thought we’d give you a picture of our highly sophisticated (and darn-right-trustworthy) selection system that guarantees 100% random results. On our True Maroon MMP honor, there were no double dips or peeking:

We are truly elated to announce our winners! Congratulations (!!!) to:

                       Ashley Edwards

Rebekah Griffin

Tessa Brennan

Thanks to all who participated! We had a great time meeting you all and can’t wait to see you at NEEDTOBREATHE this Thursday, October 6 at the Mississippi Horse Park (doors open at 7 PM)! Remember tomorrow is the last day to purchase tickets in the office and no student discounts or group discounts will be offered on the day of the show. On Thursday, tickets will only be available at the venue for $15 + service fee. So if you’re a student, COME SEE US TOMORROW in suite 300 of the Colvard Student Union for your $10 student ticket!

Here are some awesome pictures we got with NEEDTOBREATHE fans throughout the day:

    

    

   

  

  

Thanks again to all who participated!!! By the way, if you see us around campus, please say hi– we’d love to meet you! Also, did you happen to meet NEEDTOBEAST box today?