Kirsten Captures

The world is full of different people, places, and ideas. What do we have in common?

Sound. Noise. Bass. Beat. Harmony. Music.

Music is the common denominator and is a big part of our humanity. Maybe it’s the beating of our hearts that inspires us to organize sound into music. I’m not sure what it is but I know that music is a huge part of my life.

I have always loved music. While I was growing up, my Mom was always driving me somewhere whether it be to school, gymnastics, swimming, etc. A true oldies fan at heart, my Mom would have the 60s station playing on the radio constantly. Mindlessly staring out the window, I would sing and hum along till I had learned the words to almost every tune. Oldies but goodies. After years and years of unofficial practice, my voice became better and better. I also have a natural ear for music. If you play a tune, I can sing it back exactly as is. This was instrumental in my band as I could hear exactly what notes needed to be played in the songs we were learning. Although I can’t read music (I know whether to go up or down), I can hear it very well and help others translate it into notes.

My voice is my instrument and I play it daily. From belonging to a choir in middle school, high school, and college as well as belonging to a cappella and a band, I can say that I love singing in groups. It is absolutely incredible to bring different voice parts together to create a whole new sound.

Music also has the power to bring back memories so hard that they’ll knock you over. I relate different songs and albums to different periods in my life. When I hear that song again, I am immediately brought back to that time. Take Coldplay’s Viva la Vida. That is probably the most important album of my life. Over and over we would blast the album, dancing like lunatics and enjoying every moment.

It was one of the happiest times of my life.

Listening to that album is difficult to say the least. But it reminds me of the incredible influence music has in our lives. I wouldn’t go so far as to say that music is my life, but it is constantly impacting me in some way. Singing is one of my favorite releases. I find myself singing to pass time, humming a random tune on the street, and singing my lungs out in the car (don’t judge).

I have been blessed to have had the opportunity to see some great bands in small venues while in college. My band opened for Passion Pit (it rocked). And last night I was fortunate enough to snag a pass into a private concert at the Mahaffey.

The Killers killed it last night. They played to a room of about 100 people. They were so close I could have touched them. Although they looked pretty sweaty so no thanks. Most people had no idea who The Killers were but were rocking out anyway. I have never seen so many 50 year olds jump around like that. The Killers were fantastic, playing all their popular songs and having a blast. That is so key! If the band is having fun, the audience will have fun.

The lead singer had an incredible voice. I can always appreciate a good soloist. They have opportunity to take it to the next level. And boy, did he ever take it to the next level. Wow. I will definitely never forget this concert.

So I actually found a recording of my own performance of Mr. Brightside on Youtube. But it was not one of our best performances. At all. So if you are interested in listening to me sing, here is my favorite performance thus far. Enjoy!