May 2 - A 32 Year Black Celebration

On May 2, 1988 I went to my first Depeche Mode show.
On May 2, 2020, I saw Depeche Mode inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. 

At least, I was supposed to.

I have started and stopped this blog post so many times. This was going to be about my journey to Cleveland and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. It was going to include journal entries I made showing the range of emotions I felt from the moment I was lucky enough to buy tickets to the moment the ceremony was postponed due to Covid-19. Now it's going to be musings from my mind and a celebration of May 2, 1988 - May 2, 2020.

It was 1988. Depeche Mode were on their Music For The Masses tour - you know, that one that culminated with the famous Rose Bowl show that would be documented in the D.A. Pennebaker film, 101.
I was so excited to go the show. From the moment the opening beats of Pimpf began, to the last notes of Everything Counts, I was a screaming, dancing, singing 15 year old. It was not my first concert ever, but it was my first experience with the power of a live DM show. And it was incredible.

Fast forward nearly 32 years.

On January 15, 2020, the news I'd waited years to hear came - Depeche Mode were going to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. As a fan, I was ecstatic. I started thinking about how I would be able to watch coverage of the ceremony. Would it be aired live? Would I have to wait until after the fact to watch it online? 

The induction ceremony would take place on May 2nd. 
May 2nd? Why did that date feel so familiar to me? 

Look at that ticket price!

It never occurred to me that I might have an opportunity to go to Cleveland to see it happen in person.

*Insert a lot of unnecessary backstory here*

I got tickets! 

Somewhat affordable seats at the back of the venue? Yes.
Did I care that I'd be sitting in the suburbs of Cleveland? No.
I was going to be in the same venue as Depeche Mode, and I was going to celebrate the 32nd anniversary of my first Depeche Mode experience by seeing them rightfully inducted into the Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio.

*Insert every emotion imaginable coursing through my veins day after day, week after week here*

Once Covid-19 started to spread and events were being postponed and cancelled, I knew deep down the induction ceremony would not go on as planned. Then the news came - it was postponed indefinitely. 
Eventually a new date was set (which could still be postponed again). 
Unfortunately, I will no longer be attending.

*Insert every emotion imaginable again here*

May 2, 2020 may not have gone the way I had planned, hoped, and wanted it to go. But I still spent the evening with other devotees, celebrating the band and their accomplishment, via a Zoom meeting - the new way to hang out with friends while Covid-19 has it's way with the world. I only knew a couple of people in the group, and didn't really say much (which is normal for me even in groups of people I know, to be honest). But it was still a much needed evening spent with people that share of love of this band that has been a soundtrack to all of our lives. 
Much thanks to Rob from Depeche Mode Global Fan Group on Facebook for setting up this Hall of Fame pre-pre-pre-pre-pre-show funk. And to DJ Tony Stewart for providing the tunes after the main chat. 

Congratulations to Depeche Mode and the rest of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Class of 2020!

We'll see you next time!

Ioanna Gika - Thalassa

It's easy to find adjectives to describe the vocals of Ioanna Gika.

Ethereal.
Hypnotic.
Haunting.
Hurting.
Hopeful.
Passionate.

But describing her music isn't quite as easy.

Eva Cassidy meets Massive Attack?
Enya meets Faithless?
Hope Sandoval meets Cocteau Twins?
Portishead meets, well, Portishead?

All of these are true. 
But when it comes right down to it, Ioanna Gika is Ioanna Gika. 
She's a talented vocalist, songwriter, musician. 
She's a humanitarian. 
She's a fighter. 
She sings from the heart. 
She sings from her soul.

And she has brought all of this to us with her debut solo album, "Thalassa", available now from Sargent House.

I have been a fan of Ioanna's since 2007. Her band Io Echo was one of two opening bands for She Wants Revenge on their tour to promote the album "This is Forever." I had no idea who Io Echo were when I walked into the Showbox in Seattle, WA that night. I walked out with a signed EP from what I knew were going to become one of my favorite bands and a top favorite female vocalist. 
To this day I fangirl over the work that Ioanna does. This album gets, and deserves all my geeky fangirlness. What a treat to the auditory senses. 

Beginning with "Roseate" and ending with "Drifting", this album hits on love, loss, and life. It's everything I had hoped for and more. My personal top song picks are "New Geometry", "Swan", "Roseate", "Ammonite", and "Drifting".

It took me almost a week of listening to truly be able to get out what words I did get out here. It's not much. It's not detailed. But it is from the heart. I love this album. And if you find yourself listening to it, I hope you do too. 

Pain and Suffering in Various Tempos

On March 6, 2017, I got to do something I haven't been able to do for 8 years. I bought tickets to see Depeche Mode.

DEPECHE. MODE.

For the average person, this may not seem like a big deal.

But to me, this is a huge deal. This is me, getting to see my favorite band in concert. And not just any favorite band - my favorite band for the last 32+ years.

For me, Depeche Mode is about music.

About meaning.

About feeling.

About love.

About life.

Music has always been a huge part of my life. I grew up listening to everything from Abba to Queen, John Denver to Luciano Pavarotti. I still do, to some extent, though I caught the New Wave bug at an early age and have yet to shake it.

I was 12 years old when Depeche Mode caught my eye - or ear. I had been a huge Duranie when I was 10 and 11 years old. At 12, things started to change. I listened to KJET and KYYX, early 80s new wave based radio stations in Seattle. I was introduced to artists like Kate Bush, The Cure, Siouxsie & The Banshees, and Depeche Mode.

"People Are People" is the first song I remember hearing. And I loved it. When I saw the video? I loved it even more. I became an instant fan. Soon, Duran Duran started disappearing from my bedroom walls and 4 lads from Basildon quickly took over. I bought "Some Great Reward". Not long after, I added "Speak & Spell", "A Broken Frame", and "Construction Time Again" to my collection. In listening to those other albums, I realized that I had heard "Dreaming of Me", "Just Can't Get Enough" and "Everything Counts" before. I figure that they weren't the right songs at the right time, though, because it wasn't until "People Are People" that Depeche Mode stuck in my head.

By the time I was 16 years old, both "Black Celebration" and "Music For The Masses" had joined the family. At 15, I got to see DM live in Seattle on the MFTM tour. It was magical and made me love them even more. But it would be a track from Black Celebration that would quickly become the most important song in my life - and would continue to guide me through good and bad, happy and sad so many years later.

When I was 16, I began to suffer from depression. It wasn't the 'woe is me I'm a moody teenager' depression. It wasn't the 'you listen to depressing music, how can you NOT be depressed' depression. 

(For the record, I have never found DM's music depressing, and I loathe the nickname Depressed Mode)

I was always the shy, quiet girl. In school I had friends - good friends; great friends. But I still often felt like I didn't fit in or belong. This is something I still struggle with on occasion, well into my 40s - but I'm working on it. I was different from some of my friends in the music I listened to, the way I dressed, the ways I wore my hair. And though I know they liked me, there were still moments where I felt unsure. I began a spiral of feeling like if I never existed, it wouldn't matter. If I were in the hospital, no one would come visit me. If I ceased living, no one would miss me. Let me say this - I never hurt myself. I never even really considered doing myself any true physical harm. 

This was purely mental for me. 

In one of my 'moments' I was listening to Black Celebration. "But Not Tonight" came on. I always liked that song. But it wasn't until that moment, 2+ years after its release, that I truly LISTENED to that song. That I truly began to appreciate that song. And found an absolute true love of that song. Like a brick wall, it hit me and left an impression so deep that I carry it around with me today. I don't know why it was that particular moment in time that it struck me so deeply. But it did, and I will forever be thankful that it did.

"And I haven't felt so alive, in years..."

Things started to get better for me by the time I started my senior year of high school. I have continued to cope with depression throughout my life off and on - some bouts worse than others. 

"But Not Tonight" is not always the solution when I am down. But it does help and will forever mean something special to me and will always hold my hand when I need it.

In the years since, albums have been released, and over and over again I fall head over heels in love with certain songs, each meaning something important to me for one reason or another. There is something very special about this band. They have been a part of my life longer than most anyone else, other than family and a few friends. Martin Gore (and now Dave Gahan) writes for people like me, people like you, and people who want and need to feel like they belong somewhere. The lonely. The popular. The young. The old. The jaded. The optimist. We're all welcome here. And through this fandom, I have met some amazing people. The online DM family is full of excitement and friendship. In person, the family bond is even stronger. 

I may get geeky about Depeche Mode - at a level normal people can't understand. But it's a way of life that got me through awkward teenage years, through relationships, through friendships, through pregnancy and motherhood, and continues to get me through the world we live in and life in general.

Kenna - Taking a Journey With Songs For Flight

Once upon a time, I discovered a singer by the name of Kenna. I formed an instant love for the music that this man made. 12+ years later, I still have a deep and intense love of his music, his talent, his words, his meaning, and his cause.

With a new album in the works, I considered doing a Throwback Thursday-type post about Kenna's first two albums, "New Sacred Cow" (2003) and "Make Sure They See My Face" (2007). These are both incredible albums that mean a lot to me. I could write an analysis of each album, of the songs, and why they matter. Instead, I encourage you to find them, listen to them, and form your own opinions. While you're at it, check out the "Land 2 Air Chronicles" series and singles. In the meantime, I'm going to focus on the NOW in Kenna's musical and personal journey.

Kenna's goal is to become the first One For One Artist.

A One For One Artist? What is a One For One Artist?

From Kenna.com:
"The spirit of being One-For-One is about being a person who is for the well being of themselves and others. We are all one and as brothers and sisters we can look out for each other. 

A “One-For-One Artist” is an artist of any genre who agrees with the above statement and makes a commitment to improving the world through the daily sales and business of music.

I am committed to give up to 50% of the money I personally make to the causes and social issues that my fans and I care about." 

While writing and recording new music for the upcoming album "Songs For Flight" Kenna is giving his fans an insight into his world and his processes. He's also crowd funding to help support the making of the album.

I could continue on, but I'd like you to hear about the mission from Kenna himself. I kindly ask all of you out there to please visit Kenna.com. Read. Listen. Get Involved. Share. Spread The Word.
You can also follow Kenna on Facebook & Twitter.

Thank you for reading.