July’s playlist is brought to you by our supervisors Justin and Walker. Take a listen to this bright, summer playlist. Roll your windows down and turn your volume up!

COIN is a band name that is all too familiar to indie/alternative fans across the world. Consisting of Chase Lawrence on vocals and keys, Ryan Winnen on drums, and Joe Memmel on guitar, the American pop-rock band has gained major success in the past four years with their three most recent studio albums. Formed in 2012 by three friends at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, COIN has put out a total of five albums that cover a range of musical styles such as indie pop, alternative rock, and new wave. The band’s most recognizable song, “Talk Too Much,” is certified RIAA gold with over 150,000,000 streams on Spotify.

After their third album Dreamland was released in early 2020, COIN began touring across the United States, but like many artists, the band had to cancel their plans due to safety concerns with the pandemic. Nevertheless, the sudden change of direction motivated the trio to focus on songwriting and producing their fourth studio album: Rainbow Mixtape.

Initially, COIN had three full albums worth of written material, yet none of the songs felt cohesive or continuous. The plan for Rainbow Mixtape slowly evolved into three separate sections for each “theme” that the music represented. “Indigo Violet” was the first installment of the series, released on October 22^nd, 2020. The EP was influenced by a classic indie-pop feel which is more characteristic of COIN’s discography. The second EP, “Green Blue,” debuted on March 12^th, 2021. This selection of songs is more intimate and mellow than their previous music but incorporates a nice mix of folk and energy-filled soft rock to balance out the sound. Finally, “Red Orange” was released on April 30^th, 2021, only to be included within the full album. This specific collection of songs draws inspiration from 70’s psychedelic rock and R&B, fully fleshing out the sound of the complete Rainbow Mixtape album.

I have chosen my personal favorite song from each of the three EPs to give a taste of what the full album is like.

Indigo Violet

• I Feel Alive?

This song has an overall similar sound to COIN’s classic work. It has a heavy, driving bass, a full background choir, and a drum beat full of energy. The chorus is repetitive, and I can tell this song will be the type with a sing-along feel. This song is extremely summery, and I know I will be playing it while driving with my windows down!

Green Blue

• Sprite

COIN went for a mellow vibe with this song, with relaxing synth keyboards and lots of electronic clips and drum samples in the background. The wispy guitar and deep bassline keep the song flowing forward, making this another quintessential song for the summer.

Red Orange

• Dream House

One of the three songs to be added to the final album, Dream House takes inspiration from 70s hypnotic R&B. The psychedelic feeling of this song is also perfect for the summer, as it feels warm and sunny.

Overall, Rainbow Mixtape is a spectrum of emotions from happiness to heartbreak to sorrow, each song correlating with a different shade of the rainbow. Additionally, the band announced their 2021 “Rainbow Dreamland” tour on April 26^th, 2021, a few days before Rainbow Mixtape was released. The tour will focus on the music in both the new album Rainbow Mixtape and their previous album Dreamland to cover for the album’s canceled 2020 tour. Throughout the tour this fall, COIN will be featuring Valley and mazie as openers on specific dates.

References:

https://americansongwriter.com/coin-color-their-musical-spectrum-with-rainbow-mixtape-trilogy/

http://www.thecourieronline.co.uk/coin-green-blue-indigo-violet/

https://www.hebronhawkeye.com/entertainment/2021/05/07/coin-paints-a-colorful-picture-with-rainbow-mixtape/

 

Written by: Zachary Grabill

Zachary is a Sophomore studying Business Administration: Project Management. He is passionate about music, traveling, and adventure, and enjoys sharing his experiences with others. He appreciates the opportunity to write for the blog as a platform to both entertain and discuss culture from a creative and personal perspective.

Like most of you, my first experience with Student Activities was my freshman year. I attended a movie night on the lawn my first week at Liberty and was impressed with how well the department created an environment for students to connect with one another. A few years later, I was still in my undergrad and needing a part time job. I had always admired how SA served students and I was eager to learn more about joining their team. After volunteering for a semester, I quickly became invested and was hired my senior year. I’ve held many positions at SA, all of which have fond memories; from an event supervisor to promotions manager to my position today as director, I’ve seen so much of SA through the years. Throughout my time, we’ve grown from 50 events a year to over 80 events, revamped our calendar dozens of times, and even began the Outdoor Recreation department (originally a division of SA). I’ve had the opportunity to help change and shape this department in so many ways, but this month, all of that changes as I move on to a new career. It’s a bittersweet moment, one that forces me to reflect on the last decade. With reflecting comes a lot of gratitude and “thank yous” to all that have influenced me in leading this department over the past decade.

I’ve worked with hundreds of students and in a lot of ways, SA has become a home. We’ve spent some late nights together prepping for events, failing, succeeding, and everything in-between. I have countless stories of events that almost didn’t happen, bands canceling at the last minute, working way too many Block Party’s in the rain, and all the times I made the wrong decision. But I also have so many memories that outweigh those difficult times – memories and people that have taught me to be adaptable, patient, flexible, and to give grace and empathy. Those are the most important lessons I’ll take with me.

What I’ve always admired about SA is how it transcends time. Working at a university means so many people move on each year, but our department’s success has never hinged on one person (though I would like to believe I’ve played a small part in our immense growth the last few years). This department is a collective group of people who are willing to care and grow and change – who, when they move on, leave an imprint on our department that continues far beyond their physical time here. That’s one reason I’m sitting here writing this today – I want to thank anyone who has influenced me, who has made this department what it is, and who comes alongside us to fulfill our mission every day. Each of you help grow our community and foster the culture around us, and I’m grateful to have led this team and to have learned right beside each of you. One of the greatest lessons I’ve learned in leading people is that my position at the top doesn’t mean I know everything – it is actually quite the opposite. I’ve learned more from those I lead than I ever could on my own.

To our students – though I haven’t met nearly all of you, SA would be nothing without your support, encouragement, feedback, and love. You make Liberty a great place to serve and SA possible. You are why we do what we do! 

To all the event and marketing staff – you have taught me the most about team work, how to lead empathetically, and that work friendships are some of the best gifts of all. Thank you for making SA such a wonderful place to come to each day.

And to all the full-time staff I’ve worked with (this is the hardest one) – you’ve changed my life so much. You’ve seen my worst days, you’ve stepped up when I couldn’t, and you’ve trusted me to lead you well. You’re the reason I love leading people and why this job is so important to me. I wouldn’t be me without each of you.

And to anyone reading this, I want to encourage those of you who feel like change is difficult or who are feeling sad about moving on to what’s next. Maybe it’s even for those of you who aren’t fully investing in the people here. Each experience we go through comes at the most perfect time. I don’t ever think we’ll be ready for change and I don’t think I’ll ever grow to like the process of it. But as someone who sees the end of a chapter nearing, I encourage you to not lose sight of what’s right in front of you right now. Focus on where God has placed you, because that’s where He will build and shape you for your next move. Use this time to build friendships, lean on one another, and live this experience to the fullest. I promise, you won’t regret it.

Thanks for a great 13 years, SA – you’ve changed my life and I’m so lucky to have been the one to lead you. I can’t wait to continue to watch you grow.

 

Written by: Steph Ward

Steph is the Director of Student Activities. She has a B.S. in Visual Communication Arts: Graphic Design and a M.S. in Management. Steph oversees the overall calendar and vision of the Student Activities Department from promotion to execution and analysis. She also leads the Student Activities staff, comprised of 20+ full time and student worker employees.

On this episode of the podcast, we sit down with three people who help us bring events to you. Kristian Stevenson of Event Production, Katrina Chase of University Events Office, and Bobby Keating of Broadcast Communications. Each of these departments play a crucial role in making your college experience special. Check out this episode for an in depth look into what makes events at Liberty so great!

This podcast features Steph Ward (Director of SA), Drew Snavely (Assistant Director), Katrina Chase (Associate Director, University Events), Kristian Stevenson (Manager, Event Production), and Bobby Keating (Manager of Campus Production, Broadcast Communications). The episode was produced and edited by Clay Copper (Special Events Coordinator). Our jingle was created by Judd Harris.

The spring semester is finally in motion, and with that we have a jam packed calendar of events for you and your friends to enjoy. From the classics like Open Mic and Coffeehouse, to exciting new events like… Well, give the episode a listen for details on these new events!

This podcast features Steph Ward (Director of SA), Drew Snavely (Assistant Director), and Kaitlyn Skarstein (Special Events Coordinator). The episode was produced and edited by Clay Copper (Special Events Coordinator). Our jingle was created by Judd Harris.

This podcast features Drew Snavely (Assistant Director), Landen Swain (Event Staff), Andrew Reynolds (Event Supervisor), Kaitlyn Skarstein (Event Supervisor), and Mike Tammaro (Event Supervisor). The episode was produced and edited by Clay Copper (Special Events Coordinator). Our jingle was created by Judd Harris.

On this episode of the podcast, we sit down with Josh and Becky Kirk, owners of MayLynn’s Creamery here in Lynchburg. They lend insight to the journey that made them small business owners, and how they connect with the community through their creamery. We learned a lot about one of our favorite local businesses on this podcast. Be sure to check it out!

This podcast features Steph Ward (Director of SA), Drew Snavely (Assistant Director). The episode was produced and edited by Clay Copper (Special Events Coordinator). Our jingle was created by Judd Harris.

On this episode of the podcast we get to know some of the writers for the SA blog. Kaitlyn Skarstein and Andrew Reynolds have been writing on the blog for years, contributing pieces that discuss everything from grief to frisbee golf. We get the inside scoop on why they decided to contribute and what motivates them in their passions and active consumption of culture. We know you’ll enjoy listening to these conversations, so put on those headphones and press play!

This podcast features Steph Ward (Director of SA), Drew Snavely (Assistant Director). The episode was produced and edited by Clay Copper (Special Events Coordinator). Our jingle was created by Judd Harris.

On this week’s podcast we chatted with LU Alum and Marketing Coordinator for Downtown Lynchburg Association, James Ford. We talked about his time as a student here at Liberty, his career and life move to Arkansas, and his return to Lynchburg. He offers insight into what is happening downtown and his role at the Downtown Lynchburg Association, as well as some of his favorite things to do around town. We had a blast learning more about our friend and are sure you’ll enjoy the listen!

This podcast features Steph Ward (Director of SA), Drew Snavely (Assistant Director). The episode was produced and edited by Clay Copper (Special Events Coordinator). Our jingle was created by Judd Harris.

As we approach one of our favorite events, Block Party, we had the opportunity to chat with three of the artists who will be performing. This podcast sheds light on GAWVI, Angie Rose, and NICE.’s upcoming performances as well as their lives as performing artists. We had a blast interviewing such talented acts for the podcast and know you’ll enjoy the listen!

This podcast features Steph Ward (Director of SA), Drew Snavely (Assistant Director). The episode was produced and edited by Clay Copper (Special Events Coordinator). Our jingle was created by Judd Harris.