This semester I was able to take a deeper look at country music, not only through Rhetoric of Country Music but also from my own experiences. I saw Eric Church in concert, watched Nashville, saw Dierks Bentley perform at the Houston Rodeo, and saw the TX State Museum Country Music display.
This semester I was able to take a deeper look at country music, not only through Rhetoric of Country Music but also from my own experiences. I saw Eric Church in concert, watched Nashville, saw Dierks Bentley perform at the Houston Rodeo, and saw the TX State Museum Country Music display.
https://storify.com/marissagallardo/marissa-gallardo-and-country-music
Coming into Rhetoric of Country Music in the beginning of the semester, I expected the majority of the students would be interested in learning more about country music, like I did, but I soon found out that I certainly did not know as much about country music as I believed that I did. I have been continuously impressed by the knowledge of country music and the vast opinions and tastes of everyone’s unique perspective on country music.
I was excited to begin the country music experience project and also continue enjoying country music as I begin to see it in a new light. I began the project by brushing up on some country music history in San Marcos on the Texas State campus. I actually stumbled upon their country music display by accident. Along with other important figures in Texas history, country music artists and live music in Austin specifically has played a very important role.
Both the Dierks Bentley and the Eric Church concerts were incredibly fun. I had a very unique experience in each of the venues, the Frank Erwin Center and the Houston Live Stock Show and Rodeo. A concert is one of the most personal ways you can interact with an artist, and many find that after they go to a concert they find a new appreciation for the artist and their genre; this is all very true for me. Country music touches the lives of so many people, and a concert gives the audience a shared experience; you connect with the artist and the people around you. Being able to see country music “in action” in the country music community was the best way to understand how and why country music affects people the way it does.
I have watched Nashville from the very beginning! My mom and I love having shows that we watch together, and Nashville has been a great addition to the list. Fusing country music and drama seems like a hard task to accomplish, and it can’t get better than Nashville. I think it is important as someone who is studying country music on a deeper level that we understand how country music is represented in the general public, outside of die-hard country fans.
This course has certainly shaped the kind of music I have listened through during the semester but, perhaps, not in the way you would expect. While we focus on country music in class, it has made me more and more interested in other genres, how they function in society and how they relate to country music. I began listening to country music because of my parents; with that notion, I also reflected in all of the music that I enjoy as a reflection of my parents and siblings. From Ska to Bakersfield Country to Reggae to Texas Country and back again, my taste of music has expanded, my appreciation of all music continues to grow.
The openers, Drive-By Truckers, were a rocky start. The guitar drowned out the vocalist to the point that I really didn’t understand what he was saying the entire time. Their stage presence was so-so; they seemed more involved with what was happening on stage and not the audience, at some points completely turning away from the audience. Watching from high above (in a seat where even the jumbo viewing screens were blocked), it was obvious that the crowd was not feeling them either. The general admission floor was practically at a complete stand still. Because I am more attuned to really active floor audiences that come with other genres of music, this was really surprising, but as it continued, it became more and more obvious that it wasn’t just because this was a country music concert. Continuing to scan the audience, I noticed that nearly everyone around me had their phone out and was scrolling through Facebook and Twitter feeds. If people don’t even want to put their phone down to listen to you, you are doing something wrong! When a high pitched squeal rang out in the Frank Erwin Center, a guy behind me summed up there entire performance perfectly, “That was the best thing I have heard all night!”.
Now don’t get me wrong; Eric Church was phenomenal! His stage presence and audience interaction was incredible; from playing fan favorites to telling stories to signing boots that were thrown on stage, Eric did it all and gave us more than we could have ever imagined for a Wednesday night concert. No matter how fantastic an artist’s performance is, a concert experience can be hindered by anything from openers to the people around you. With this in mind, in the future, I would like to ward you against intertwining the two. Eric Church was awesome! My experiences at the concert were not quite as good, but that does not mean I think poorly of the artist.
The episode’s rendition of the Bachelor, “Farm Hunk”, was hilarious as the female contestants tried to “steal him [Shelton] away for a sec”. This skit gave the audience some good laughs even though the majority of the comedic lines came from the strong female cast. Still, even with a strong cast by your side the typically hilarious “Family Feud” skit was not as funny as expected from this reoccurring skit. “Family Feud” contestants were comprised of the coaches from the Voice and the judges from American Idol. Once again, Kate McKinnon stole the spotlight with an impersonation of Keith Urban. Blake, playing himself, had a few good lines mentioning his beautiful and talented wife, Miranda Lambert.