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.

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.

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.

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

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!

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.

FOOTBALL

Cameron Lawrence, #10

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

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

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

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

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:

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:

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?

The Blue Cotton Soul Express

The Blue Cotton Soul Express –  They shoot for a sound somewhere between Southern Rock and North Mississippi Hill Country Blues. I must say I personally think it’s a perfect mix.

Remember that guy that got on stage at Old Main Music Festival with Robert Randolph and was ripping it? Well, that was Bryce Mitchell, lead singer and guitarist for BCSE, and also a great friend of mine. He’s been playing in Starkville since he arrived on the scene last year. They love to interact with the crowd and make it more of an experience than just another band trying to make a buck. Lee Battle, Austin Lee and Ethan Russell comprise the rest of  BCSE and they keep it exciting for everyone that comes to watch.

The band plans on recording some songs soon and their next booked date is November 12 at  Zorbas after the Bama game. Keep up with them on Twitter through @brycemitchell_.

The Right Way

The Right Way –  The band is comprised of friends that are from all over the state. I saw them a week ago at a party and I must say it’s been a long time since I’ve danced so much. They are the epitome of a good time.

I found out about this band since my friend John William White is in it. What started as just a jam session between a few friends is now something everyone at their shows can enjoy. The band mostly sticks with covers fashioned to their own style, but they also venture into writing original music. They usually play around the Delta, but don’t fret. Check them out on Facebook or contact them at gigtherightway@gmail.com.

Junto & Co.

Junto and Company – Last but certainly not least are some of my best friends for an extremely long time. I’ve grown up with two of the members, Danny French and Dylan Alldredge. They recently recorded their first EP, “Short Stories in Stereo”, at Tweed Recording Studios in Oxford, Miss. The EP has massive potential for real. When I heard the final cuts of the songs, I couldn’t stop tapping my toes and slapping my knees. The energy from the music was undeniable. Check out my personal favorite song of theirs, “Long Haired and Skinny” on the band’s Soundcloud.

The band is currently working on dates for shows and continuing their efforts for even more material for eager ears to hear. They’re also looking for a permanent drummer. Check them out on Facebook and ReverbNation.

All these bands share two particular traits– passion and love for their music and for what they do. When it comes down to it, its all about supporting what you love. And if you love local artists trying to entertain local people and potentially more than just a local community, help your friends out.

Please let MMP know of any artists we should check out. Post a comment and let us know what local acts you enjoy. You all are the best.

Much love,

Justin Cooper

Want to win a NEEDTOBREATHE prize package including Meet & Greet passes for the October 6th show at the Mississippi Horse Park? Here’s how:

Look For These On Campus!

- On Tuesday, October 4th(TOMORROW), all Music Maker Productions members will be on the Mississippi State University campus wearing a t-shirt with a spray painted NTB design on it.
- Find one of these members and either tweet a picture of you with that member to @Music_Maker or post the picture to our Facebook wall. (If your tweets are protected, we can’t see them! So post to our Facebook wall instead.)
- The contest begins at 8 AM and ends at 5 PM.

-Only one entry per person.
-We will draw names for the winners at 6 PM!

Have fun and good luck!!! We can’t wait to get a picture with you!

Be sure to come by our office in suite 300 of the Colvard Student Union to purchase your student ticket (w/ ID) for only $10! Be advised that the last day to purchase student tickets is Wednesday, October 5. On the day of the show, no student discount tickets or group tickets will be available. Tickets may only be purchased for $15 + service fee at the venue. Doors open at 7:00 PM. Hope to see you all there!

The Blue Party - bluepartymusic.com

Saturday night, after the Mississippi State Bulldogs football team managed to barely slip by against LaTech in overtime, it was time to head to The Garden Center for a sure-to-be fun night of celebration with The Blue Party.  This eclectic group of musicians reigns from New Orleans and plays a style that they like to call “Ameriparty”, mixing rock, folk, and dance all in one.

We arrived a little after 11:30 PM ready for the start of the party, and High Top Fade went on at about midnight to start it off.  Though everyone was anxious for The Blue Party to go on, HTF kicked off their set of covers with The Beastie Boys, and continued with other covers ranging from Beck to Flobots to Kid Cudi to Weezer to Rage Against the Machine, and even a drunken accappella cover of the Lion King theme song.  Though they were a fun time, everyone was happy for the end of their set, signaling that The Blue Party would begin their house party shortly.

With certain members sporting ridiculous masks and costumes, the singer introduced their set by stating that The Garden Center in Starkville was their “favorite place to play on earth”, and that it was his birthday and he was ready to party.  They began playing at around 1 AM, and as soon as the first chord was struck a dance party broke out.  With the members dancing with audience members and everyone having an awesome time to their up-tempo tunes, you couldn’t help but watch this band play and crack a smile.

Instrumentation included 2 electric guitars, a violin, a bass guitar, drums, and even some sort of nylon-stringed mini guitar that the singer ran around with while flinging his arms around in sheer excitement of the night that was taking place.  So much energy flowed through the small smoky room, and it wasn’t abnormal at all to see people climbing up on top of amps or dancing around on top of the half-pipe in front of the stage.

At 1:30 or so, the singer announced that the party was just in its pre-game stage, and that the main event was yet to come.  This show probably went on for hours, but at around 1:40 AM my friends and I decided to call it a night.  While squeezing past all the dancing and singing in the room and walking past everyone outside, you couldn’t help but claim you had a great time with a great band and great friends.

This was the last night on The Blue Party’s summer tour, and there’s no doubt in my mind that it was the best way possible that they could have ended it.  We look forward to seeing you again, guys.  And to The Garden Center, can’t wait till next time.

Check out The Blue Party’s album, “Too Young,” here.

We love The Garden Center…have you been yet? Let us know your favorite place in Starkville to hear live music.

This post was contributed by:

Jacob Bennett