Nashville Show Spotlight: Prismatic Tour

On June 27th I woke up like any other day.  I brushed my teeth, combed my hair, added a million sparkles to my hair, and put on a purple tutu…Okay so maybe not just like any other day.  No Today was the day my friends and I had been waiting for since mid January when we had bought our Katy Perry Prismatic Tour Tickets.  We had countdowns on our phones, had planned ridiculous outfits, and my roommate would text me constantly reminding me of our plans for Friday night.

We arrived at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville (duh) early before doors opened at 6:30 to take advantage of the photo ops and giveaways.  My roommate Sarah and I are notorious for winning said games and giveaways.

After hitting the booths, we made our way toward the doors and the merch (aka merchandise that is wayyyy over priced and requires waiting in line for a good 20+ minutes-unless you’re me and make your own line) table.  Here we met the cutest five year olds dressed almost exactly like us.  They sang us songs and told us all about their outfits down to the sparkles.  Their mom was also pretty awesome as we spoke about them growing up and going to college.

We then headed to our seats where the first set was already in process (whoops!). Ferras-or something of that nature-reminded me of a pineapple with his bleached blonde hair pulled up into a top bun.  He sang me 80’s ballad sounding song after 80’s ballad sounding song in his lack luster attempt to be a modern day Prince. (reasons his CD was free at the merch table).

source: Kevin Mazur/WireImage

Next up on the chopping block was Capital Cities, another 80’s sounding EDM bad which is known for their one hit wonder “Safe & Sound”. One thing I wasn’t expecting to encounter was when the bad decided to dance to a track remix of their popular song…I mean dancing to your own song is a little tacky. They then attempted to teach the Bridgestone a good ol’ fashion white boy line dance to no avail but at least it allowed for some stretching before Katy took the stage.

source: Billboard

After fueling up on some sports style munchies (we had kinda forgotten about eating real food in all the excitement that was getting ready for 3 hours) we waited un-patiently for Katy.

And then it happened in a glorious glow in the dark display.  She opened with “Roar” in which we traveled with her and her light up tribal warriors to the jungle setting.  The legit coolest aspect of this set had to be the built in treadmill to the stage and the trapdoors, or maybe it was the Prism Lotus she was delivered to us from.

Following this mystic jungle we were transported to Ancient Egypt where Katy was Cleopatra and our warriors were now mummies and Egyptian royals.  Complete with a moving dancer pony; she sang “Dark Horse” just for me (or so say I).  I mean Juicy J was a talking sphinx with sunglasses.  Throwing it back, “I Kissed A Girl” (the song that introduced me to Katy and that I hid from my parents) took us under the pyramids to a world of mummies.  “ET” turned our pyramids tops into aliens….

…and then We ended up in one of my biggest nightmares ever.  A land where people were dressed as cats.  (I may or may not have a fear and distrust of anything small and feline).  I tried to block this part from my mind.

For a break down set, Katy appeared to us dressed in butterflies and singing from a giant sunflower.  Here she spoke with the crowd about life’s ups and downs and how to enjoy every day you have.  she also told us of her old Nashville stomping grounds where she learned to write and attempted a career in Christian Music.  She then sang one of my favorite songs, “By the Grace of God” which is a testament to the time after her divorce from Russell Brand.

Next thing I knew there were giant balloon emogis flying around the arena and then it was all over…or was it?  No way, we had an encore with green hair and a giant birthday cake (her latest single off of Prism “Birthday” played obviously) and glitter cannons.

But was if over after that?  No, we still had time for PrismVision.  You see, PrismVision is a magical experience requiring Prism Glasses which we had received upon entrance. Katy sang “Firework” as digital fireworks and pyrotechnics detonated flawlessly.  All seen through the sparkly PrismVision which made everything shiny and even MORE SPARKLY.  Yes, one could probably reach this point by getting high, but the intentional PrismVision made the set.

source: Celebuzz

After “Firework” Katy crawled back into her “Prism Lotus” and waved goodbye to us all and it was officially over.  I felt like I had run a marathon, like I had gone to Vegas for two hours, like true magic had happened in front of our faces.  Cheers to you Katy Perry on one hell of a show.  And Kudos-I had to wait a week and a half to process and find the words to write this blog.

So after a Katy Perry concert what do you do?  Well going home and watching Friends or King of Queens on Nick@Nite is not an option.  So we hit the town.  We swigged beers in a honky tonk singing “Wagon Wheel” with the hottest out-of-towners we could find. Then crossed the street to a club complete with terribly mixed pop music and enough douche bag guys willing to buy you overpriced alcohol just to dance with you.

Needless to say rolling into bed at 2 am I was tanked. Completely and utterly exhausted from a day that seemed it would never end-and as if I wanted it to.

So friends, do yourself a favor and buy some tickets when Prismatic comes to a city near or far from you.

Best-Jess

It’s Jess!

I feel like a New About Me is in order after about six months of changes! So let’s get down to business!

Hey, I’m Jess.  I just graduated from Belmont University with a BBA in Music Business.  I love working in the Industry and I recently interned with CMT.  My next step in this crazy career path is Law School, so in the Fall I’ll be a professional Elle Woods.

 

I really enjoy: Nashville, country music, baseball, farmer’s markets, girl’s nights, puppy dogs, anything with Elephants,  coffee (two sugars, one cream), and causally capitalizing words I think should be.

 

 

I’m really good at: rambling, awkward situations, making vines of my roommate, ordering takeout, drinking a six-pack of Angry Orchard when I’m happysadgoofymad, and losing my keysphonewallet.

 

Mostly Likely you will find me: documenting my life and my friend’s (regardless of their opinions) lives via social media…or making nachos.

 

 

Aliases: “The Original SCB aka Stone Cold Bitch”, “Captain”, “Maverick”, & “Boo Bear”

 

 

I’m working on: that being right all the time thing…and being a southern belle… as well as world DΘMINATION.

 

You Can Follow all my Adventures on Twitter and Instagram under:Just_JessieLynn.  And I will be Guest Blogging on NowThatsCollege.com website.

So You Want to Get into the Music Industry

Check out this blog post and other’s this summer on Now That’s College!

Every year freshmen infiltrate Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee with the dreams of making it big in the Music Industry.  Whether that means playing, writing, producing, managing, or marketing music-they descend into this town looking for their “break” which will usher them into the big leagues.

What they lack to understand is that they aren’t alone.  Not only are there upperclassmen vying for these jobs and opportunities, but there are post grads, those opting out of school, and newly unemployed industry professionals on the chase.  Not to mention the people in New York, Atlanta, Austin, and L.A. who are trying to make it as well.

And as the Industry becomes increasingly smaller and smaller by the month with mergers, acquisitions, and bankruptcy-the available employment opportunities begin to dwindle.

For lack of a better word: the Future of the Music Industry is Bleak.  Blame Generation X, the Government, the Recession, the Internet, Piracy, and really anything else you can capitalize…but its still a reality.

So why do we still attempt the impossible? I mean, the odds are not “ever in your favor” when it comes to this type of profession.

Maybe its the last frontier to make the American Dream a reality.  It and professional sports, seem to be the only occupations left that can be won by the common man and lead them to a better life.

Maybe its all those Disney TV shows about kids turned pop stars that brainwashed our generation.  Maybe its the “You’re Special!” notation that our generation grew up on.

Then there’s the overarching theme: We are all helpless hopeless fools who have been romanticized by our love of song.  Some days I like this one: the struggling artist.  I mean we are the ones in all the movies who end up making it and get the girl…right?

But if there is one thing I have learned after living and working in Nashville for four years (and trust me I acknowledge that I have much left to learn): it is that this sense of entitlement and this foolishness cannot get you a job and it will not put food on your table.

So If after reading all this, if you still cannot squash the notion of falling into this abyss; I have five tips to help you get an edge on everyone else who is on the hunt for your dream job.

1. Buy A Suit

Regardless of how you imagine the music industry is fashion-wise, you need to buy a suit. Sure, you probably won’t be wearing it every day to work, but when you show up to an interview you want to look your best.  You want to look as serious as you are.  (And if you’re not serous, stop wasting yours and everyone else’s time).  Put your best foot forward and spend some money on this; odds are you will be donning this monkey suit quite a bit.

Ladies you need a nice dress/skirt/Hillary Clinton Pantsuit that does not show off your assets.  In this industry, mainly dominated by men, there will come a time when you are accused of using your womanhood as a way to get ahead.  If it hasn’t happened yet (and bless your heart) it will. You will also have to prove that the info in your head is actually useful for things other than fetching coffee.

To all my artists out there, this is still relevant to you.  Gigging every night will not get you the contacts you need to get a head in this industry, so just buy the suit (or at least something nice from Nordstrom) so you can have a day job.

2. Volunteer

Yes, for free.

source: Grammy365

In Nashville, it is very common for labels and different associations to ask for help around album releases and festivals such as CMA Fest. You may find yourself stuffing press packages, escorting artists, or manning an information booth passing out koozies….

Volunteering may seem unimportant or boring-and at some point it will be-but it puts you in the right place at the right time with the right people. You will meet contacts this way which can lead to future employment.  That is, if you do a job worth remembering.

Leading into my next tip, these are also Resume Builders.  Adding these opportunities to your resume make you look like you have experience (which you kinda do), a good work ethic, and an interest in working in the industry from the ground up.

3. Have Your Resume Reviewed

To all my Business people:

source: LinkedIn

PLEASE USE SPELL CHECK.

PLEASE KEEP IT TO ONE PAGE.

PLEASE HAVE MULTIPLE COPIES-nothing is worse than showing up to an interview without having more than one copy.

PLEASE USE LINKEDIN, PLEASE.

As for Artists with their Youtube/Instagrams/Twitter Accounts/CD Baby/Reverbnation Websites/Facebook Pages:

BE SOCIAL-like actually interact with people who are interested in you.

MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS EXCELLENT QUALITY-nothing worse than shitty sound recordings or your mom’s shaky video.

POST OFTEN

HAVE A ONE SHEET

4. Get A Degree

Regardless of what you want to do in this industry, I highly recommend getting a degree.  Sure Iggy, Steve Jobs, and Taylor Swift didn’t need one, but the kicker is you are not them.  And with all the odds I laid out to you, its better to be safe than sorry and get something you can fall back on in the event that this whole crazy dreaming doesn’t pan out. Many Colleges and Universities offer Songwriting, Entertainment Industry Studies, Production, Vocal/Music, and Music Business Degrees.  So invest in yourself and get one.

5. Intern, Intern, Intern…Then Intern Again

Lastly, Please Intern, and then do it again and again.  You will learn so much about the climate of the industry and you will meet so many people who can help you with getting to where you want to be.  Some internships suck.  Those are the ones you take and still learn something from and move on.  Some internships are awesome.  Those are the ones you take and hopefully run with. Internships lead to contacts and jobs.  They are you’re big break silly. Regardless if you are bringing your boss coffee or transcribing Luke Byran’s newest interview, it is the relationships you make that will help you in the long run.  In this business its not only what you know, but who you know. So put the entitlement aside-and intern.

As for my Artists:

Play everywhere and anywhere.  Going on a family vacation? Play for the locals.  At a party? Plug in your iPhone for a song or two.  Play Everywhere and Anywhere.

Pass out your links to where people can find your music.  Get a following.  Make friends with people who are trying to get into the business/are in the business and help each other.

 

That my friends is only the tip of an iceberg and I could probably write a book of do’s and don’t’s, but hopefully these will help you reevaluate if this is for you or not.  And if it is, hopefully they lead you to where you need to be.

My Best-Jess

The 2014 CMT Music Awards: Behind the Scenes

Last night I had the opportunity to work backstage at the CMT Music Awards in Nashville at the Bridgestone Arena.  But when I say last night, that means I got there at 8 AM that morning…

Upon arrival I had to go through credentials to get my assignments and backstage pass. Then all of the Artist Escorts (aka Me) had to gather together to learn the run down of the arena and the many paths we would need to take throughout the night.  Memorizing dressing rooms, appearance schedules, which elevators and stairs take you where…it was a lot to take in.  Thankfully, the Talent I was assigned to was not performing so I had a low key schedule until they arrived.

Starting at about 9 AM, the final dress rehearsals began for the show prior to the final show run through.  The ever talented and beautiful Carrie Underwood and Miranda Lambert took to the stage to sing their new duet “Somethin’ Bad” which is featured on Lambert’s newly released album Platinum.  Between the glitter cannon and the bad ass lyrics, we all knew this performance would be the highlight of the show.

Then came the rehearsal for the opening act where Luke Bryan, ZZ Top, Florida Georgia Line, and Jason Derulo (and his ever allusive dancers) all performed a mash up of their songs “La Grange”, “This is How We Roll” (which features Luke Bryan), and “Talk Dirty”.  From pyrotechnics to strategically planned remix, the act had the potential to epically fail.  Timing had to be just right, and it took several go throughs to get it down.  However, by the last run through it was show ready.

We broke for lunch around 1:00 PM and that gave me some time to run through my Talent’s schedule and switch out my walkie’s battery pack.

Next thing we knew, acts were arriving and the buses and dressing rooms were filling up.  Lines began to form around the Bridgestone and press was filing onto the red carpet.  Catering at Craft Services and the Crown Royal Room began to serve up food and drinks.  People were running golf carts to and from the bus lot frantically picking up and dropping off acts to rehearse.  The best way I could explain it is organized chaos.  Everywhere you looked people were running and tracking their acts.

After picking my Talent on the red carpet, we took an elevator down to the backstage level. Here we had time for them to access the press room, WonderWall, and the Crown Royal Room to mingle with the other Talent onsite as well as their managers, publicists, and friends/spouses.

You’re main job as an escort is to be a babysitter for lack of a better term.  You keep track of where they are in the building 24/7.  You make sure they are where they need to be when they need to be.  You keep them calm, fed, glamed up, and hopefully on time.  I think that was the hardest aspect for me; trying to babysit my Talent without feeling weird.  After all, they were adults and honestly I think they were capable of going places and coming back to me on time.  Yet its live TV, and we run on a strict timetable with no room for error.  I had a booklet at least 20 pages long of our detailed schedule down to the second.

By 8:00 PM my feet were toast and we were not even half way through the show.  And I was pretty hungry seeing we hadn’t gotten a dinner.  Yet keeping up with mine and others talent (“Anyone have eyes on Luke Bryan?”, “Jess to Kelly, What’s You’re Twenty?” “Copy that”) made the time pass pretty quickly.

Next thing I knew the show was pretty much over and “ZZ Top has left the building…Lady A has left the building…Tyler Farr has left the building…Can anyone find the Derulo Dancers?” came flooding over the walkies.  As the mass exodus of stars caravaned down our hallway, they for once seemed like normal people.  It was like a college reunion where all these people who lived busy schedules were able to finally reunite and be with people who understood their lives.  They caught up and planned after parties or when they would finally catch up again.  For once, I wasn’t feeling the star struck wide eyed feelings I had to suppress all day.  These were just people under the fancy clothes and makeup.  They work harder than most people and for a few seconds in that tunnel they got to just be themselves.  It was very cool.

As Miranda and Blake, Carrie and Mike, Dan + Shay, and Brett Eldridge funneled out into their limos and buses, we finally met to turn in our gear and head out.  Sitting in my car had never felt so good, and I was so excited for the thunderstorm we had in Nashville last night to fall asleep to.

Perhaps I’ll get to actually watch the show sometime this week (I honestly only heard a few parts), but if I do so say myself; my view was ten times better.

-Jess

Forever

Forewarning: This blog is gonna be sappy and sentimental.

Few things last forever.  Milk spoils in about 2 weeks.  Tire treads wear out in a few years.  Prime Time TV runs only about 6 seasons on average. Fashion evolves with the seasons. Kids grow up and move away.  Shops on Main Street will open and close.

Things change a lot.  I’ve never been good with change.  I actually hate it, I attempt to control aspects of whatever is going on.  I’m wayyy tooo Type A.

People change.  I know that’s debatable, that we in essence are the same people we have always been but over time we grow and adapt. But I believe that people change and that I am no longer the quiet kid from the Catholic School in Ohio.

Nothing in my life has ever been constant.  I’ve always felt a bit on my own.  Like I was always watching out for myself.  But in hindsight I realize that’s not the case.

You see, God must have known that I couldn’t do things on my own.  He knew I needed a best friend.  He knew I needed a sister.  So he gave me my best friend of 17 years.  We have very similar families, for a while we could pass as sisters, we had similar interests, and a maturity level that seemed only laughable at times.

She’s my person, my rock, my soul mate.  But in the past year I’ve felt farther from her than ever. More than when they separated us in high school. More than when I moved 500 miles away four years ago.

And I could get into all my fears and self doubt and nights when I just felt like I was losing a piece of myself.  When I would compare our lives and question which one of us was on the “right” path. There were times when I blamed myself for leaving her alone at home when I was living a crazy schedule in Nashville.  The Times I felt like I had abandoned her.

There were times where I felt forgotten, like I didn’t matter anymore.  There were times I felt we couldn’t be more different.  There were times when people would tell me all the cliches “People Change and that’s ok to just not be friends anymore.”

I tried to accept that, but I couldn’t.  I couldn’t give up 17 years of friendship over night.

And there was a time I figured I could, that I could just wave goodbye and she would be okay; she’d found someone to replace me anyway.

But I selfishly could not.  After all this girl had saved my ass more than once and been my only friend for a long time.

And I’m glad I have not.  Because after all the wondering and conflicted times; I’ve realized that we are Best Friends Forever.  I’ve got at least one stupid plastic necklace from an arcade to prove it and a million pictures to support as evidence.  We aren’t friends for now, or for another 10 minutes, or 10 years…

Forever means there are times when she’s gonna hate my guts, when I wear an awful shade of tangerine and hold her bouquet, when she FaceTime’s me so I know if the outfit for my date looks ok, when I babysit some grubby kid with her face, when she comes to my Law School graduation, and when we make up reasons to drink wine and eat cookie dough from the bucket.

I mean we have a lot to go through in the next 75 years or so.  A couple bumps in the road ain’t gonna stop us.

So bring on the times when I have to tell her things she’s gonna hate, when I wear an appealing gray dress and hold her bouquet at her wedding, when I FaceTime her for 2 hours all about my date, when I get to babysit her adorable babies, when she plays in a fountain with me on my Law School graduation, and when we eat cookie dough and drink wine for no reason.

 

 

 

All 4 The Hall SongTellers

Last Tuesday, My friend Drea and I went to the All 4 The Hall Benefit show at the Bridgestone Arena. Presented by Keith Urban and Vince Gill, the Nashville event to raise money for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum has entered its 5th year.  The lineups have changed since my first year attending (2011) and the difficulty of finding tickets has too, but the meaning and purpose of the night hasn’t changed at all.

The event merges together the worlds of Country Past, Present, and Future by showcasing today’s up and coming acts with their material and that which inspired them.  There are also legends and Hall of Famers such as Reba and Ronnie Milsap who performed some of their biggest hits and the story behind them.

The theme of the night was to be Songtellers, which is what all artists and writers do; they express a story or a feeling in song.  Dolly Parton (not in attendance, via video) explained it as one of her most treasured activities.

Artists would sing one of their more popular hits or some new material explaining how the song what written and the story behind it.  They then would cover a song written by someone in the hall and explain how they influenced them.  For anyone who is as big of a Music History/Research geek like I am it was a real treat.  And getting to see my favorite artists cover such amazing legends reinforced the concept that history is so important to Country Music.  Preserving it, preserving the Hall is key to its longevity and to the education of the next generation.  It is also where we honor those who forged a path for country music to be the genuine and honest music it is.

Some of my favorite performances of the night were Kacey Musgraves cover of “Here You Come Again” (Dolly Parton), Kip Moore singing “Dirt Road”, Deana Carter singing “Strawberry Wine”, Reba singing her version of “The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia”, and Keith Urban Showing up in the back of the arena to sing near my section.  Not to mention every act had Vince Gill and Keith Urban as their band…not too shabby.

     

The night ended up raising about $600,000.00 for the Hall which will go to offering new programs, renovations, and educational opportunities.

My Best- Jess

Check out the Set List here: All 4 The Hall

 

 

Look I Did It! I Won College…

…because essentially that’s what I did! It took four long years but I did it! I officially have my Bachelors of Business Administration from Belmont University, the school everyone expected me to fail out of.  To get too Homesick and run away from.  To realize it was too crazy of a dream and pick something more practical.

 

I won my World Series.

Some people dream of finding love and some to spend forever with (the MRS Degree).  Some people dream of traveling the world.  Some people just want to do better than their parents.  I’ve always wanted to be better and do better than what people expected me to do.  Tell me I can’t do something only fuels me. I’m stubborn and Hard Headed.  I know what I want and I go after it no questions asked, no consequences considered.

And yeah I fall on my ass quite a bit… and I usually say shit I shouldn’t…and what usually looks like failure probably is…but I never live this life with regrets.  I love fiercely and wear my emotions on my sleeve.  I’ve worked my butt off to be someone in this industry and that’s what I plan to do.

I want to be a mix of Hillary Clinton, Blair Waldorf, and Olivia Pope.  A Lawyer with class and a woman with wit and intelligence.  I want to help people, serve justice, and care about people.  I want people to know my name and know these things about me. “I come from a long line of sinners like me…” who paved the way for me to get here.  My grandparents were rebels…they came from virtually nothing and overcame things I am blessed never to experience.  They finished high school and loved and raised their kids…who loved and raised me on partial college degrees…they set me up for this.  I am the first College Graduate in my family…and as long as I’m around I’m going to make sure my brother and eight other cousins do too.

I thank these two the most 🙂

But for now I have to focus…I have this thing called law school to try my hand at. And its gonna be awesome.

Here’s to the next adventure!

My Best -Jess

Good Bye for Now CMT

Its my last week at CMT and just a few days until I graduate from Belmont University with a degree in Music Business (BBA).  Its a really stressful, exciting, crazy time in the world of this graduate, but keeping a regular work schedule helps. 

This week we had Cole Swindell and Jerrod Niemann in house working on a new feature for CMT’s Listen Up!  And while I could only attend the Cole Swindell taping it was truly worth the experience.  While waiting for the set to begin, I met two women who worked for Warner in their licensing department.  It was very interesting to learn that one of them had grown up around where I had, we casually reminisced about hometown favorites (Graeters, La Rosas, Skyline) and life working in Nashville.  It was great to learn about her journey to Nashville and how she had gotten involved in the industry. 

I always used to think that it would be very difficult to get into the industry as a woman and it very will still be that way, but after my time at CMT and working with other companies; I’m beginning to see this trend shift.  My supervisors and bosses at CMT were mainly women who had worked hard to get to where they were.  Many of the team leaders and contacts I had in LA and New York were majorly women.  I think its an exciting time to be breaking the glass ceiling in the entertainment and music industry. 

But back to the taping.  Cole played a few go through’s of his songs “Chillin It”, “Hope You Get Lonely Tonight”, and “Let Me See Ya Girl” and recorded a few introductions to the program.  The crowd was very excited for this up and coming artist who is touring with Luke Bryan on his That’s My Kind Of Night Tour.

At the end of taping, representatives from Warner brought Cole back up on stage to present him with two framed records.  The first was awarded to him for his single “Chillin’ It” reaching Gold; but because he had been on the road so much they were unable to award him a Platinum recognition as well. 

It was really interesting to be able to see this all happen at the beginning of someone’s career and to see all their hard work pay off.  Regardless of what you think about Cole, the artist life style is very difficult and requires a lot of hard work and sacrifice.  Just because they always look glamorous or happy doesn’t make it so.  In the music industry the product we sell is not just music, its an experience and an image.  Taint either or be off your game once and its a major road bump-especially for a new artist. 

{check the video here: http://instagram.com/p/nETxUfuKQZ/ }

That’s what our business has become, only now its harder to hide because of social media and people like me who comment and write about everything.  We work and live and breathe in a business of perception.  There are days when the reality can smack you in the face and make you want to give it all up.  Its harsh and dog eat dog. 

But then you meet people like my coworkers at CMT, songwriters who don’t care if they have a number one they just want to write, artists with kickstarters to fund their new album, and it all gets a lot easier.  In Nashville, we look after one another, we care about each other.  Its intense but not as bad as LA and New York.  Sure there are crooks but ultimately we all have each others backs. 

I left CMT having learned so much about Media, Licensing, Corporate Life, Viacom, and Music, but also with a new set of industry friends and contacts.  My supervisors and coworkers are amazing, hands down.  They are people I hope to stay in contact with regardless of where this crazy world takes us.  My fellow interns have become great friends whom I’m sure I’ll still see and work with.  Because Nashville is that small town in the Big city.

My last day at CMT was busy for sure with exit interviews, license request letters to draft, song data to update, a programming department showcase/info session, and plenty of people to say goodbye to. My department did make time to schedule a goodbye lunch at Pub5 which was delicious.  It was definitely a great way to end my semester with the people who had taught me so much.

I have plans to work the Award Show with an outside company and I have several industry contacts I’m meeting with now…so don’t count my industry blog out just yet!  Until the next big thing, I’ll be showcasing all of the art and culture and fun this town can bring you and I’ll be working with my long term job Wannado to bring you the best events in town!

My Best To You -Jess

Nashville Concerts: Demi Lovato’s Neon Lights Tour

A few weekends ago, My roommate Sarah and I fulfilled one of our childhood dreams: to see Demi Lovato perform live.  We bought the tickets almost a year in advance and had had count down apps on our phones letting us know down to the minute when the concert day would arrive.

Not In Adult Land Anymore

We bought pink temporary hair dye and Demi’s line of nail polish (the New Black), wore our best rock-n-roll outfits and hit the town to sing all the words to Let It Go, Did You Forget (in a fake crying voice of course), and Sky Scrapper. Yet for some reason, it did not hit us until we arrived that we might be the oldest people there (minus the poor dads who had been brought along because their preteen daughters needed supervision).  Yes, the atmosphere was totally different: the vendors walked around selling Gatorade and cotton candy instead of Budlight and Coronas, between performances there was a teenage magician, and the girl sitting next to me habitually cried at the sight of anyone famous.

I know what you’re thinking: this sounds awful. And all the piecing cries of 11 year old girls was, but all was forgiven by the excellent performances by Fifth Harmony, Cher Lloyd, and of course Demi.

Lights, Camera, Action

Fifth Harmony (a runner up girl group from America’s X-Factor) opened the show with a simple but classically choreographed set in which they covered a Destiny’s Child song that no one in the crowd (basically because they were all not born when the song was a hit) knew the words to.  They closed with their new single Miss Movin’ On which is basically a girl power ballad that got everyone on their feet; including me because who doesn’t love feminism.

Cher Lloyd (an UK X-Factor runner-up) brought even more sass to the stage with her hits Want You Back, I Wish (one of my favorites), With Ur Love, and Oath.  She would also join Demi on the Stage for Really Don’t Care which features Lloyd.

And then it finally happened, through lots of stage smoke and screaming preteens, Demi appeared and killed every song she sang.  From her hits such as Heart Attack to Neon Lights, she belted every note and even though you could tell she was a little tired (this was the second to last stop on her tour when ended in Indianapolis), she kept the crowd energized.

 Thriving not just Surviving

Demi also took time out of her set to devote to awareness about Self Harm, Eating Disorders, Substance Abuse, Depression, and Mental Health issues.  She doesn’t try to hide the fact that she struggled with all of them, nor that she ended up in a rehab clinic for several months to help her with the daily battle of dealing with all of them.  Her Bravery in sharing with the world all of her past allows for so many people to acknowledge their problems and also seek help.  Lovato also added that though its a daily struggle to be healthy, that shes “pretty F*@king happy now”.  She then played an acoustic set of Warrior on piano.

To end the night Demi encored with Sky Scrapper and Give Your Heart A Break.  The night was not only fun but inspirational and I was really impressed at how different it was from any other concert I have ever attended.  It was positive and geared toward a healthy and proactive lifestyle while still addressing realities of our world.  And I think that really resonates with who Demi Lovato is: Pink Hair and smiles with Realities and Scars, thriving not surviving.

Show Spotlight: Swamp Pawn

So for the past couple weeks I have been working on deliverables for the second season of Swamp Pawn.  Swamp Pawn is a show that is set in Bayou Pigeon, Louisiana where Pawn Shop Owner Rick Phillips sells anything that the swamp can bring him including alligators.  The people of Bayou Pigeon live off the land and focus on each other to survive.

The show also features the quirky father-son fisherman duo of Coy and Shorty Gomez who spend most of their time arguing with one another or looking for work. They also make frequent visits to the Pawn Shop.

The show just wrapped its second season and episodes can be watched on CMT.com or on the new CMT App as the re-airings are not in this coming week’s lineup.  But don’t worry, Swamp Pawn Season 3 will air this fall.

Part of my job when closing a show is to organize all of the Guest, Logo, and Material Releases as well as Location agreements. I upload them to a central document file and then input them into our secure database which allows for anyone who would need the information to access it.

Reading over some of these documents is interesting to me as you can imagine some of the legal circumstances if they were not signed. Concern for Minors and location’s are high on my list for securing the documents.  Once they are all organized I send the file to legal and they begin the work of completely closing the show.