2014 Homecoming: My Last UT Arlington Undergrad Experience

 

College. What an experience it can be. People can discover their life through college... through the bonds and friendship, through their challenges of learning, by the passion brought out of them to discover their inner skills and talents. My experience was nothing short of it all.

The UT Arlington Homecoming events of late November 2014 provided a chance for students and
faculty to show school spirit and be proud of their membership to a great university. It especially meant something to me, because I was always "too cool" to go to homecoming in high school, missing out on memories that many people cherish for a life time.

College Center at UT Arlington. Photo Credit: UTA Shorthorn

Here is the story of mine, as well as three other fellow students' experiences at Homecoming.

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A Coming Together

UT Arlington homecoming cheerleaders

The pride that shared at this event was unforgettable. It was like one of my favorite concert experiences, except it was a chance to feel like a part of something that I had never given a chance
when I was younger. It was a meaningful connection with so many students  celebrating their participation with an establishment designed to better their lives and open doors to the future.


 An Abundance of Activities

 The fact that UT Arlington doesn't have football is made up for with more than 20 events over 5 days. Some that were part of the week but not included in the video feature story yet just as fun included:

• Apartment and residence decorating contest

•  Downtown Arlington decorating contest

•  Party on the Plaza  

•  Step Show

•   Fireworks show (cancelled because of weather)

And many more leading up to the parade pep rally, BASH and big game.

 The downtown decorating contest was meant to promote the events ahead of time, and highlight the city with UTA color pride. The art work was quite fancy and fun as you can see in some of the pictures below:



 

J Gilligan's Homecoming Art

Fuzzy's Homecoming art

Building near City Hall

The Music


All events usually featured some form of music, sometimes live bands, sometimes UT Arlington music and culture department performers, and of course the marching band. But, the event that "everyone is talking about" is the BASH, which occurs on Friday, the night before the game.The big venue occurs at College Center and is a late into the night, color blasting everywhere, house/dup-step/hip-hop blasting, confetti showering extravaganza. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend due to work, but I have asked many people as well as heard many people talking about it for the whole week after.  Here is a compilation of the party, credit of Tejas Takur on YouTube.



 Sayonara, UT Arlington, It Has Been the Experience of a Lifetime. 

As long as one of my final grades comes through, my adventures and time at UTA will be over, at least until I decide if I want to go to grad school. I can't say enough how fortunate I feel to have accomplished a goal of graduating, something I use to believe would not be possible, seeing as how I had dropped out of high school at one point and never thought I'd have the money or smarts to make it. I have thanked everyone who has supported me, and can't thank them enough.

What is one of your most memorable accomplishments that you are proud of?

What is one event that has changed your life for the better forever?

Share your story. Until then, thanks for reading folks.

Some Inspiring Moments with UT Arlington's Department of Music

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I started private piano lessons a the age of nine. I auditioned for piano and producing as a freshman and was accepted at Booker T. Washington for the Performing and Visual Arts High School in Dallas. I then studied music at Richland College for two years.


All of this might sound like I was on my way to having a career in music someday, but the fear of failure emerged and held on like a death grip, eventually causing me to make alternative life decisions. Even with the What if's and should have's, I don't regret it.

 You have to go all in, or don't, and I chose the latter.

But my point is that,  I met some brilliantly talented UT Arlington music students that have their eyes set on the prize. It was fun and inspiring to see such dedicated freshmen on my recent story endeavor.

I first met piano majors Julia Large and Wade Girton, who caught my ear when I heard them playing Beethoven's 5th Symphony as a duet on piano. Most people have heard this catchy piece before, with its raw and distinctive G triplet bass notes in the beginning. They worked hard to be able to perform in an honor's recital as freshman, and did a flawless performance at their recital. Unfortunately, regarding the video below, I lost the footage of them playing at the concert, but managed to catch them rehearsing a few times. The experience was great, and I loved finding out what composers/pieces they were studying. Turns out, I know, or had known quite a few that they knew or were working on.

Although piano is my thing, the most entertaining experience was the percussion ensemble performance. The beauty of the xylophone timbers harmonizing with bells in a fury of melodic rhythms was like a trance into a far galaxy. I was lost in a trance with all of the pings and dings, and could close my eyes to see a winter wonderland below a starry black and purple skyline into space.

The world/ethnic rhythms, most of them noted on the program as having African origin, was ear candy and dance worthy. Dr. Michael Varnes, a passionate and very entertaining conductor and director, praised the students for their hard work in preparation for the recital, (some of the percussion parts were obviously very difficult) and thanked them for such dedication, even though for many students this ensemble is an elective.

In the video below, I have highlighted some of the moments I spent with these students, and captured some of the music they performed. The UT Arlington music calendar of events that mark student and faculty performances with instruments and music styles of all types, most of them all free. I highly recommend checking a performance out this semester


If you started learning music at a young age, would you attend college for it and pursue it as a career?


With the type of music that is popular today, do you think jazz and classical music are good options to choose to study in order to find a reliable career?

Thank you, and I hope you enjoy. (I do realize there is some shake camera a few editing mistakes, but this was my first time. I learned a lot of ways to improve the next video though.)

A Day in Fort Worth at Martin House Brewery

Martin House logo inside the warehouse

Driving up to Martin House Brewery on Sylvania Avenue, you might wonder if your GPS has failed you. The seemingly abandoned warehouse of the correct address shows no remnants of life. A quick phone call to the main number posted on their website directed me to pull around the corner in the back. Before turning into the actual parking lot, you see a neato view of the Downtown Fort Worth Skyline on the horizon with the river only feet away. The neighborhood is somewhat sketchy, surrounded by rusty junk yards and auto repair shops, but Martin House is neatly placed like a jewel in the middle of a satisfying location.

Patrons at Martin House waiting for tour to begin

The Martin House logo sits high above the warehouse garage door, which is the entrance for patrons taking the tour. I'm greeted by none only but the owner who seems a little tipsy himself. The friendly volunteer at the door accepted the ten dollar cover, which allows me three pints of the beer of your choice and a souvenir glass. As you can see from my twitter posts: 

I did a walk through #video at #MartinsHouseBrewery. I also asked the volunteer server about favorite #beer http://t.co/lHJDQHLQOK
— AJ Peck (@soundlot) November 12, 2014

 The place has a fun atmosphere, which makes you want to semi-party and practically forget about the tour (the tour is really just a guy explaining the brewing process in front of the brewing equipment in the middle of the warehouse.) The floor is concrete, and the benches are contrived of a large block of wood and two kegs. The walls are made of uneven drywall, and painted in quality art with creates a nice aesthetic value. 

Craft beer is a fun past time for me, but it also is becoming the new snob wine. Most of my experience with trying new flavors are from restaurants, but I felt like this was a much more fun and relaxed atmosphere in comparison to the over priced vendors. 



Out of the four beers on tap there are two that definitely hold their own. The pretzel stout has a rich flavor worthy of a meal that, dare I say, Guinness doesn't hold a candle to, and the Daybreak had a lighter honey taste better suited for the connoisseur who prefers less kick. 

Souvenir glasses

This place has a great following, with at least 200 people there, even right up until closing at 5. Music was performed by a lone guitar player with several funky looking guitars and instruments (yes, I probably should have focused on the music a little more, but he was just wrapping up his set as I got there.) In the back yard there are folks playing a bean bag game and playing fetch with their dogs. A Central Market truck in the mostly packed lot served some unique and socially conscious food.

A view outside in the back of Martin House Brewery

Overall, I had a great time, and it seems as though there are at least several other breweries popping up around Dallas and Fort Worth. Have you been to one yourself? What was it like? 

A Night of Karaoke Escapades

Caves Lounge, a great spot for karaoke in Arlington. Photo by Dustin Kunze

Singer at Jack's Pour House

Tonight, If you followed me via my twitter handle, you'd know that I surveyed the scene and chatted with a couple locals while bar hopping karaoke style. Since living in Arlington, Texas I've noticed the karaoke scene is much more affluent then it was when I was in Dallas. You find many more locations in this much smaller city, and more people seem to flock to it. For example, on Monday nights at Sherlock's off of I-30 and Collins, they have a karaoke show (like I said, on Monday) that brings in a full house, some 150 people I'd say, sometimes more. They also have a big stage to make you feel that much more like a rock star. Sometimes they even have a live band to play along with you as well.

Me doing karaoke

I thoroughly enjoy karaoke after a few drinks, just as other people enjoy games of pool, poker, bowling, a movie, etc. Last night did not disappoint. The people I talked to were full of fun (and alcohol) and were just as into as I was. There are quite some talents singers as well. You can tell they practice or have been previously trained. I sang a few songs from my 90's days, such as "Mr. Jones" by The Counting Crows, "Comedown" by Bush, "Plush" acoustic version by Stone Temple Pilots, and a little 80's with "Love Song" by The Cure. I too use the practice, rehearse approach for just about everything I sing, otherwise my nerves might be unsettled.



Unfortunately, my phone died just as I was about to record me singing one of them. (I'm not that bad though really) I can redeem myself with embarrassment by posting some videos of me singing out and about in the next round.

I also have a karaoke DJ friend that is holding a competition in Arlington that is coming up soon. Winners can take home $100-200 for winning in a night and can be selected to participate in a finale where the winner competes to win $600. I doubt that I could compete against singers of that caliber, but It wouldn't hurt to try.

So, do you do karaoke? What are some of your favorite songs to sing in the shower at least?  Tell me about an awesome bar in your town that has karaoke.

The Border Between a Struggle and a Dream: The Life of An Aspiring Immigrant

Orlando Vite has been through trials unlike many musicians in the United States. He has a story that goes beyond music, and doesn't take things for granted. The purpose of the interviews I did with him was to offer a different perspective from someone who is determined to do whatever it takes, not only to be successful, but to become a citizen and have the luxury of freedoms many Americans don't appreciate.

 Orlando discussed many loves for music during our visit at his work office. His curiosity is to learn all genres music, from jazz to classical, heavy metal to hip-hop. Other than being an expert on guitar he can play drums, bass guitar and some piano.He said that he loves to play a game called "Rocksmith," a hybrid version of the first interactive games such as "Guitar Hero" and "Rock Band." Toward the back of his office where he currently lives, he showed me the many ways you can jam by plugging in a real guitar and setting it to whatever type of genre, key, and scale you want to play in. His skills at transitioning from one type of scale/style to the other were outstanding.

Orlando is currently working with local musicians to form a cover band that will compete to play with other bands at popular chain bars/restaurants in the Dallas area. He believes this is one step to getting back on the stage like he did in Mexico 16 years ago.


While hearing Orlando's story and following him on a "day in the life" at his office, listening to his exceptional musical talents, and watching him in the field selling and setting up signs, I felt myself asking, "What do I do everyday? Do I wake up giving the most I have, or the minimum to get by? How would life be if the freedom to do and be what I want to be is no longer an option?"

After hearing this story yourself, what would you do to obtain citizenship in a country of opportunity? Would you stay in your country and do your best, hoping you can get paid enough to live on or do a job you actually want? Would you ignore the threats and dangers of your unstable homeland? Or, would you take your chances at living a dream of freedom and opportunity, and how would you go about obtaining a legal status if you did?

Thank you for reading and listening today.

The State Fair of Texas and Post Storm Apocalypse



View of Dallas Skyline through the Ferris wheel. Photo courtesy:  www.semissourian.com

My escapades began on a typical Thursday afternoon this week. I was headed to the fair via DART train on a mission to not only stuff my face, but see the latest string of new local music artists that had made the cut this year. For those that have been already, (and those that haven't) you know that the fair has tons of stuff to do and see. (click schedule to see the daily list of events.) But I had a plan geared toward music...keyword HAD. Four bands that I was looking out for were:

•  Red White and You! a contemporary musical flashback show band that features songs from the icons of American pop music. 
• The Killdares a very cool, edgy alternative Celtic rock band 
• The Night Owls, a 10-piece soul band from Austin, Texas 
• Jolie Holiday, an international country music star born in Dallas. 

I got to the fair around 2 p.m. after a few mishaps on the wrong DART train, excited to spend some time trying out all the new fixin's at the food stands such as the The Texas Fried Chicken In A Waffle Cone and the Fried Chocolate Maple Bacon Amazeballz before the shows later on that afternoon. 

But, about two hours in the clouds turned gray and the wind began to rustle. I rushed to the Chevy main stage to see if the Night Owls were at least setting up. Nothing. No one was there. I bought a corn dog at a nearby stand, were the lady that served me warned of a rough storm coming through. The disappointment set in. It was no longer going to be the great day I had hoped for. I asked the same lady if things were going to shut down and she nodded with a yes with a look of misfortune. 

It wasn't ten minutes after that when the sky turned dark, the winds started screaming and the rain began hammering down. I took cover in a nearby stockyard building where others began swarming in. A guy with a look of terror rushed through the crowd yelling "It's a tornado, it has to be!" I scratched my head. Really? Surely not.

It wasn't a tornado, and it only lasted about 30 minutes, but it was rough. I made my way through the gusty, cold post winds and deep puddles back toward the train station. Except for police cars and emergency vehicles with their lights on, the place looked like a ghost town.

Fast forward hours later...HOURS later, because the power was out literally everywhere and the train was malfunctioning and at a stand still, I finally made it back to my car. It was about 8 p.m. now. Most people would have called it a day at that point, but not me. I am pretty stubborn when it comes to a good time. So, after traversing my way around the dark, mostly powerless city, I headed to Deep Ellum, hoping there was a chance that they one had power and two had music... and three, well I needed a beer too.

I was in luck. Adair's Saloon on Commerce Street was open and had a band playing. Also, just right next door The Free Man, one of my favorite bars, was also open and had some swingin' good times music going on from the sound of it.

Adair's had a band called Callahan Divide. Good band that played a few originals that sounded similar to Weezer, and some random covers that included Johnny Cash. I would say they were ok, about a 6 out of 10, but not very memorable.

The Free Man had a band called The Free Loaders, which I found very refreshing. They play mostly jazz covers, and the singer is the drummer and his voice sounds akin to Louie Armstrong. This guy, John I believe his name is, put on quite a drunken show, complete with potty mouth, sometimes offensive comedy. The place was actually pretty full so I believe like me the folks there were entertained, or just didn't want to sit in their dark homes due of the massive power outages across town. You can get a better feel for this one-of-a-kind band by visiting their homepage.

Well, that's it for this particular adventure. It was quite unfortunate that I wasn't able to speak more about the musical experience at the fair. Have you been to the fair yourself? If so, what are your favorite things to do there?


Here is a slideshow of pictures showing some of the experiences Thursday. If for some reason the music doesn't play, then here is the link to the song: Bad Mountain "Even On A Rainy Day"

My Visit To Guitar Center

 This week I spent some time in the Hobby Lobby of Music, Guitar Center. I am a musician, so I do stop by here quite a bit, but today I'd like to share some feedback about equipment I use or recommend that I have purchased here. 


Favorite Keyboard at the Moment

Korg SV-1

 This simple looking set of keys is not you average digital piano. Fellow musicians who have also played guitar understand that each and every guitar has a unique personality and vibe. The SV-1 is a perfect example of such an instrument. This keyboard does in fact use digital samples much like other digital pianos, but the electronics of this instrument is what sets it apart. The SV-1 contains all of the mechanical parts that an amplifier uses, including a valve and a built-in tube. This gives it a true vintage sound of an old rhodes or electric piano by capturing those overtones for the purest effect. It is currently going for $1,499 but truly worth every penny in quality.

Portable Recording Equipment
 

Tascom DR-05

Zoom H4N

To the left is a Tascam Dr-05 portable, digital recorder that I myself recently purchased to record covers and original songs I'm working on. I bought this item because I wanted something inexpensive, but better quality than the usual handheld voice recorder. I found the built-in microphones to have very good sound quality. I am not enough of a professional audio engineer to rate the sound quality on an extremely technical basis, but I do have a fairly good pair of ears, and according to them, I am very happy with the sound quality of the DR-05. The Zoom H4N is reasonably better with bigger microphones and a three track output, but at $399 versus   $99 and my current needs, I went with the Tascam.

Blue Ribbon Woodpecker Studio Mic

This is a high-end microphone that I was personally able to test at my friend's recording studio. The sound quality is amazing, but I mostly wanted to highlight the rich detail it has in this pic. Pretty fancy for a mic!  (and no, not because I'm a Pecker myself.)  There is a cool proximity effect that, if used properly, can really enhance the bottom end tomes nicely. It already has a dip in the middle of its response curve, so you don't need to overdo it on the equalizing. It can run you around $1,299 so it's not quite on my Christmas list but someday, we can hope.

There are countless amounts of toys I could talk about from this place, but I am currently just working with the Korg SV-1 and Tascam for my YouTube/social media purposes. Other than that, just practice, practice, practice. What type of instruments or equipment do you use? Why do you prefer it? If not related to instruments, what kind of gadgets excite you when it comes to music, such as speakers, music downloading websites, stereo systems, record players, etc.?

Q&A Student and President Pizza Party

UTA President Vistasp Karbhari (left)

First off, I must apologize to my fellow music fans for taking my emphasis off of music in this particular post. Because of a misunderstanding, I am going to share what the president of UT Arlington discussed during a Q and A session today on campus. You can see my live tweets on the spot at https://twitter.com/soundlot

 UT Arlington President Karbhari held an open discussion this afternoon in the Palo Duro Lounge allowing students to ask questions about current and future issues at the university. The main incentive, of course, was free pizza. But surprisingly, many students did stick around and stretch it out to an hour long session.

The president began with a brief introduction and then went straight into questions. Although the questions were not the most original, they highlight some new additions on campus. 

Topics of discussion included:

• Q: Will the university be providing more bike accessibility? A: Karbhari said that in addition to the newly added bike lanes, The university is planning to add more bike lanes as well as more bike racks.

• Q: Why is a UTA football team not being funded? A: Karbhari answered by saying that a football team requires millions of dollars to fund and operate, and the risk of its success would fall upon charging students/faculty more money to access the university included tuition, parking, food, etc.

• Q: Because of such a high student population, is the University planning on adding more classrooms, labs and dining facilities? A: The president replied with a yes, but also said that this too, depends on more funding. He said that if one new area is to be improved, another particular area might be affected negatively.

• Q: UTA is supposed to be smoke free. What can be done about smokers that still smoke on campus? A: Because the university is so large and the university police must attend to so many issues, officers are not able to patrol the campus just to catch smokers in the act. The best way to help the university out in these situations is for students to tell or encourage students that are smoking to not smoke on campus. If an officer does catch a smoker, however, the smoker will face the appropriate warnings and disciplines.

• Q: Can rest/nap areas be considered for commuting students? A: As of right now, no designated rest areas are available on campus, although nothing in particular prevents a student from resting in certain areas provided they aren't disturbing anyone. Rest areas can be considered if enough students requests them.

My fellow UT Arlington students, what questions would you have asked? What kind of concerns do you have about the university this semester? What things would you improve?

The Sound of Music: Naked and Exposed.

 Exploring what makes us love music 

Photo Credit: www.devosacademy.com

My intention of creating "The Sound Lot" is to review, learn and discuss my perspective of today's music, popular (and unpopular) works, artists, composers, and even some of my own personal writings and interpretations. As a piano, vocal and writing hobbyist, I am inviting other music enthusiasts to discuss what motivates the artists of our time and what kind of person they are through their musical expressions. I also want to highlight, compare and discuss artists that are not as well known in mainstream popularity.


What makes a good song?

Music is quite the conundrum in that it can be expressed in so many ways. According to a YouTube video posted on gizmodo.com in 2012, a particular song has an almost finite amount of possibilities in which it can be composed, From Johann Bach to Tupac Shakur, it is quite obvious how different music can be interpreted, while still relying on the same principles created many centuries ago. As a classically trained pianist, I have had the pleasure of knowing how it feels to express a composers interpretation by instrument, But what further ignites my passion in music as a writer, is the way lyrics  can apply to harmony and  create a story that can take you from tears to joy, or vice versa, in five minutes or less. Unlike many written stories, music fashions a necessity in our mind to listen to our favorite songs again and again, embedding them into the forefront of  our unbound subconsciousness.

                                        "Will We Ever Run Out of New Music?" Credit: Vsauce via YouTube

Understanding and appreciating what we know, together

In the following posts to come, I will be covering the latest artists that I have come across and write my opinion  as to the the cleverness, beauty and creativity of the composition. The genres I cover will sometimes be broad, again depending what sounds inspire me to discuss. What I would like is to share suggestions from your individual tastes so that we can compare and contrast for an even deeper learning experience. Next week,  my first artist spotlight will cover the virtuoso and contemporary violinist Lindsey Stirling, with insight from her latest album and concert experience.