harp & arrows.

you like worship music?
no?
i don't really either.

i don't know what it is, maybe it's because most contemporary worship songs are so horribly repetitive? or that they don't seem all that creative lyrically? no clue, but usually i'm not super into it as a genre.

however,

i am excited for this release: 

judah, from judah & the lion, is releasing a solo worship EP and i'm quite excited about it. is it just because i have a giant crush on him even though i've never met him in real life? maybe. but more because i've heard the first single and it's got strings and it's deep and it's beautiful. 

good news, you can get the first single for FREE here and have it for yourself! 

the full EP releases tomorrow. 

xo 

frontman friday: will anderson

we've reached another friday! not only does that mean the weekend is on the very near horizon, it means another post featuring one of my favorite men.

let me introduce you to: will anderson

look at those tambo skills! photo credit: the internet

will is the main man in parachute

guy, bro, will, dude, fella = parachute

my friend, bianca, is also an avid parachute lover and even though she loves johnny (the drummer, aka 'bro') she still takes pictures of her kissing will on the cheek and texts them to me just to get under my skin.

(there will be picture proof of this here but it's currently stuck on my phone and i don't know how to get it off, check back.)

one of my favorite parachute videos is for their song, "kiss me slowly." it has over 6 million views and i'm pretty sure 3 million of them are mine. watch it, you will get lost in his blue eyes. 

they played in my state last weekend and i wasn't able to go so this post is my way of paying homage to him because even though he only tweets about basketball and we probably have nothing in common i think we would be the best of friends.

happy weekend.
xo 

interview season.

this afternoon i have been working on setting up interviews with some of my favorite artists.

i am an occasional contributor over at indie vision music, mostly i've done reviews (albums, concerts) but am foraying into interviews because that sounds like the most fun.  i mean, i have a pointed reason to talk to these artists, what's not to love? and this girl loves to talk. 

i texted one friend who is in a band (summertime dropouts) and asked if he would sit down with me at some point and do an interview.

his response: 

"wait, are you asking me out on a date?" 

no. no i'm not.

but if some of those other bands that i'm looking to interview want to think that, i may not be opposed ;) 

if you've got any great questions that you always wish someone would ask artists when they interview them, shoot them my way! 

xo

look how pretty.

i found a wedding dress!

am i engaged? no.
am i dating someone? no.

but i found a wedding dress!

harper's bazaar just put out their best in bridal: spring 2015 and because i had nothing else to do at the moment i scrolled through those 50 dresses like it was my job. some were terrible (in my opinion), others were nice, and some were really gorgeous. but there was one that stood out among the rest. i used to not believe in love at first sight but i may have to change my views now. it's from vera wang's collection and LOOK HOW PRETTY.

photo credit: harper's bazaar

i love the juxtaposition of the hard lines and structured top with the really soft and unstructured bottom. 

so now i just need someone to tell judah (because all of my other frontman crushes are married) that we should probably be engaged around christmas...

xo

frontman friday: bear rinehart

it's friday and that means one thing... a posting about one of my favorite frontmen. since NEEDTOBREATHE released an album earlier this week (that i have already had playing on repeat in my car for days) i thought it appropriate to keep the NTB theme going.

meet: bear rinehart

photo credit: bmoorevisuals

bear is the gravely vocals of NEEDTOBREATHE.

seth, bear, bo

fun facts: his birth name is william stanley rinehart III and bo's (they are brothers) given name is nathaniel bryant rinehart. he goes by bear because of university of alabama football coach bear bryant. bear played football in college for furman university. 

this picture makes my heart explode.

yeah, jon foreman and bear are friends. picture stolen from bear's instagram.

if you haven't checked out rivers in the wasteland yet, what the heck are you waiting for?! the man is as talented as he is handsome and their live show is amazing. they'll be coming to the skyway theater in minneapolis on june 12th and you know i'll be there! 

xo

rivers in the wasteland.

today i say a hearty "holy balls, incredible album!" to the gents of NEEDTOBREATHE. 

rivers in the wasteland released today and being the giant fangirl that i am, i pre-ordered the album. i am terrible about getting to best buy to purchase a physical copy (and physical copies are where it's at!) so i knew pre-ordering was a must if i wanted to have it before they come to town in june. obviously i have to know ALL of the songs when i see the show.  

got into my car this morning, took the peace of wild things by paper route out of my cd player (hadn't listened to that album in like 6 months so it was due time) and popped in my brand new, just-took-it-out-of-the-cellophane-and-it-isn't-scratched-and-the-liner-notes-aren't-fingered-and-smudged, offering from those Carolina boys. 

i was floored. i had heard a couple of the tracks already but the songs that i hadn't heard yet completed the picture. i know i get weepy over songs a lot (don't judge me, we all have our weaknesses) but the title track is so earnest and honest i couldn't help but get teary-eyed. 

the whole record is stellar and if you have a few spare bucks to buy it you won't regret it. and if you want a small glimpse of what they are like live, they're gonna be on Ellen on friday! you know i'll be watching (ellen + needtobreathe = YES.)

xo

frontman friday: judah akers

the very first frontman friday is going to my newest frontman crush. i considered doing one of my longtime crushes (aka jon foreman) but thought, "no, don't be so frickin' predictable, sara."

so here we are: meet judah.

photo credit: chelsea kornse

judah is the lead singer (obvs) of the band judah & the lion. 

 

judah & the lion- judah is in the middle, duh.

he attended belmont university in nashville, where he met the other boys in the band. unfortunately our paths never crossed when i lived in nashville :(

i caught them on the simple tour with andrew ripp...that show was the birthplace of my crush on judah akers.

photo credit: lucas boto

here's a handy video for you to watch. listen to those slightly raspy vocals, look at that precious little smile. and it's got a banjo, what's not to love?! and just imagine the alphabet jump i would get if we got married.

happy friday!

xo

frontman friday.

there are so many hashtags going around the internet these days.

some of the most popular:
#mcm (man crush monday)
#wcw (woman crush wednesday)

i decided to make my own little weekly adoration, i'm calling it frontman friday. no, it will not be made into a hashtag.
i know i could just use the old stand-by of man crush monday but  
a) i like to make things my own
b) almost all of the men i have huge crushes on are in bands and just so happen to be the frontman
c) for obvious alliteration reasons friday is the day!

hence, frontman friday. besides who doesn't want to end the week with a little eye and ear candy?
this upcoming friday will be the first edition.
get excited. i am.

xo

summer shows.

since we just got another 6 inches of snow, apparently minnesota forgot that it's april and supposed to be spring (silly minnesota), i am dreaming of warmer weather and one of my favorite things about summer: concerts galore.

i already know i won't be able to get to all of these shows/festivals but these are the ones that have made the list of "hopefully i'll be able to swing it monetarily and time-wise and convince someone else to go with me and yeah."

• may 2nd- dave barnes at the music box in minneapolis. he's funny and talented and i've never been to this venue so it would be fun to see.
• may 10th- the we won't be shaken tour at north central in minneapolis. i mostly just wanna see my friend micah play. he's the new guy in hawk nelson. 
• june 12th- needtobreathe at the skyway theater in minneapolis. these fellas are always a yes. such a killer live show and i'll know all the words to all the songs because i've pre-ordered the new album like some kind of super fan.  
• june 17th- one republic at the target center in minneapolis. ryan tedder can do no wrong in the pop world. 
• july 12-13th- basilica block party in minneapolis. they haven't even announced the line-up yet but it's within walking distance of my house and they always get phenomenal artists.
• july 17-19- sonshine in willmar, mn. last year the line-up sucked but they have redeemed themseleves; this year's line up includes judah & the lion, green river ordinance, switchfoot, brady toops, ravenhill, tfk, hope country, ff5, jonathan thulin, and it's rumored that needtobreathe is the 'surprise artist' on friday night. 
• august 23rd- minneapolis cultivate festival put on by chipotle. it's free. the mowgli's and grouplove are playing. CHIPOTLE. i'm in. 
• august 29-31st- the fashion meets music festival in columbus, ohio. this sucker is also free and parachute, cold war kids, abandon kansas, switchfoot, new found glory, circa survive, and more are playing. hello, road trip.

i'm sure others will be added to the list and more and more tour dates pop up but that's the running list as of this snowy april day. what shows are you looking forward to this summer?!

xo