My newest obsession...

I love musicals, that's pretty much why I ended up studying technical theatre.  However I'd recently discovered a new favourite musical.  My love for it possibly over takes my love for Les Miserables, which is quite a big deal!
What is this mystery musical?  Well it's none other than The Lion King.

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I went to see it in London as a late 21st birthday treat in March, with my friend Jodie.  We both love the film so we were expecting to love the musical just as much.  Except I totally underestimated how much I would love it.
I'm not even sure where to start without rambling so I think I'll just start with the beginning, Circle of Life.

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It pretty much starts out how the film does.  The sun rises and all of the animals come to greet baby Simba.  That's the simple version.  However to be in the theatre with the animals (puppets/costumes/creations) parading down the aisles and looking down from the balconies was overwhelming.  Not to mention the attention to detail, the sun was shimmering as it rose and the lights gradually changed to reflect the dawn.  I've never seen something look so realistic on stage before.
I'm not going to lie, I was so overwhelmed by the beauty of this opening that within about 30 seconds of the song I was in tears.  I could go on and on about it for hours but I'll stop now before I bore you.  If you really do want to know more then feel free to contact me.

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Other than the costumes and puppetry, I think my favourite aspect of the show was the music.  Nothing beats a live orchestra in a theatre setting and there is just something about the African influences that I adore.  Surprisingly it wasn't the songs from the films that became my favourites.  One of those songs is called "He Lives in You".  It's sung by Rafiki and Simba just before Simba returns to reclaim Pride Rock from Scar.  It's a wonderfully uplifting song that's loaded with emotion.  I hope you like it as much as I do!

Like I've already said, I could go on about this for hours.  If you want to know any of my other thoughts on this musical, or anything really, email or tweet me!

Really old quiz time...

This is a really old quiz thing I think I did all the way back in the days of myspace.  I just think it's a bit of fun and it'll give you all a chance to see the random assortment of music I have!

How to Play:

1. Open your library (iTunes, Winamp, Media Player, iPod, etc)
2. Put it on shuffle
3. Press play
4. For every question below, type the song that’s playing
5. When you go to a new question, press the nextbutton
6. Don’t lie and try to pretend you’re cool …

Here are mine:

Opening Credits:A Sentimental Man - Wicked Cast (Erm...  Not a good start.)

First Day At School:
Time After Time - Chet Baker

Falling In Love:
Ratatouille Main Theme (Very fitting, even though you wouldn't think it.)

Breaking Up: 
Dejection - Fast and the Furious Soundtrack

Prom:
Rhapsody on Paganini - Rachmaninov (Beautiful piece of classical music!)

Mental Breakdown:
The Interview - AFI

Flashbacks:
My Cup - Glee (These could only be happy flashbacks...!)

Getting Back Together:
Sensible Heart - City and Colour

Wedding Scene:
Elephant and Castle - Houston Calls

Final Battle:
I Could Have Danced All Night - Glee (Oh dear, 2 Glee songs?... Ooops.)

Death Scene:
No One But You - We Will Rock You Cast (Good song!  Although it does imply that in my movie I'm going to be dying young.  Oh dear.)

Funeral Song:
Cry - Rihanna

End Credits:
Headfirst Slide into Cooperstown on a Bad Bet - Fall Out Boy

Finale:
Sick Little Games - All Time Low

Music

If you know me then you'll know I love music.  I've just re-discovered a band I haven't listened to since I was about 16.  This band being AFI.  I just love everything about their music which is really rare for me, I even like every single song on their past 3 albums (supported by the fact I've had them on repeat for the past 2 days).  I just love how their lyrics aren't just song lyrics but more like poems.  You can read into them however you want and take from them what will inspire you.

One of my favourite songs, lyrics wise, is Death of Seasons.  I'll admit it's probably cause it mentions a lot about stars and I find them fascinating.  Not in strictly scientific terms but I just find it so magical how they light up the nights sky and twinkle.

Anyway I found this picture on deviantArt and I just thought it went with the song so well.

(I Held a Fallen Star by Shinpai)

"I watch the stars as they fall from the sky.

I held a fallen star and it wept for me, dying.

I feel the fallen stars encircle me, now as they cry."

Bulletproof Heart

The big thing that's been happening in Carlisle this week was Radio 1's Big Weekend.  Unfortunately, because I didn't cheat and apply 20 times, I wasn't lucky enough to get tickets.  However I did enjoy watching my favourite acts live from the comfort of my own home.  I'm not going to lie though, I'm pretty bitter about not being able to go, and not because of Lady Gaga.

If you know me at all you should know that I love music, especially rock.  It just transports me into a whole other world and gives me a way of knowing that there are other people out there feeling exactly like me, that I'm not alone.  Music was my support system throughout some tough times in my teenage years and it continues to be the thing I always turn to in times of need.  Why am I telling you this?  Well one of the bands I listened to a lot during some tough times was My Chemical Romance.  Go ahead and call them emo or whatever, I don't care.  I love their music, so what?

They played in Carlisle last night.  I live in Carlisle, but did I get to see one of the bands who I've loved for years?  (And when I say years I mean about 7, which is a long time when you're almost 21.)  No I didn't get to see them.  Life isn't fair like that, but hey ho.  I settled for watching them on TV, dancing around my living room like a loony and singing along at the top of my voice.  Have to say I think I may have enjoyed it more than some of the people there!  Whenever they did shots of they crowd they always looked a bit glum..

There's always this stigma that follow My Chemical Romance.  It's called pretentious people wanting to put everything and everyone into nice neat little boxes.  My Chemical Romance happened to be thrown into the box labelled "Emo".  Which, apparently, gives everyone the right to take the piss out of them and anyone that likes their music.  I find it ridiculous in this day and age when everyone talks about equality and freedom that it's still so easy to feel like a complete outsider, simply for liking a band's music.  Why people still can't accept that everyone has different tastes I don't know, and I find it pathetic.

I know I take it more personally than I probably should.  Ever since I first saw the video for I'm Not Okay on the TV I've loved them.  I feel like I've grown up and evolved with their music and it holds a very dear place in my heart.  It was their music that helped me get over the death of my granddad.  Just being able to listen to their songs and know that there is someone out there feeling the same things I'm feeling when I felt like I had to be strong for the people around me.  I admire them so much, not just because of their music, but because there's these 4 guys who have stuck together through thick and thin for years and I hope they continue to do so no matter what people say about them in the press.

Yes I'll admit that their first 2 albums (I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love and Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge) do have emo tendencies.  Is showing extreme emotions through your music a bad thing though?  It's not just emo bands that do that so I don't understand what the problem is.

Their newest ventures however, they're something completely different, and at no point have they written typical emo songs about how their gf/bf has left them.  They always tackle the more important things in life.  Yet always keep that personal feeling to their music.  I challenge you all to truly listen to The Black Parade and Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys.  By listen I mean to everything, the melodies, lyrics, just take in the whole experience and put out of your mind the fact that this is MCR and they're "emo".  If you don't like it, that's fine, but you have to admit it's some pretty damn awesome music they've created.

Be yourself, don't take anyone's shit, and never let them take you alive.  ~Gerard Way.