Blog
June 8 Releases!
June 5, 2018
We’re back this week with more information about what you should be looking for in the entertainment world! Check out the newest music, movies and television for the week below.
Music (6/8):
Dave Matthews Band – Come Tomorrow
Dierks Bentley – The Mountain
Sugarland – Bigger
If you’re a country/rock fan, this week is the week for you! Dave Matthews Band is back from an original album hiatus of six years with their new album “Come Tomorrow”. Dierks Bentley and Sugarland are representing the country world with their upcoming albums, and there is undoubtedly a large fan base for Sugarland that is extremely excited about the duo’s return after an eight-year break from music.
Movies:
2036 Origin Unknown
211
Hearts Beat Loud
Ocean’s 8
Won’t You Be My Neighbor?
You can read more about each of these movie previews and more here.
TV Shows:
So You Think You Can Dance (FOX) – 6/4
American Woman (Paramount) – 6/7
Nashville (CMT) – 6/7
Say Yes to the Dress: Atlanta (TLC) – 6/9
Check back with us next week for some new releases, and let us know what you think about this week’s at @libertysa on social media!
Disclaimer: Student Activities does not explicitly promote the albums/television shows/movies we write about. As always, we seek to engage with and review what is happening in our culture in order to interact with it in a godly manner, which is why we do what we do. For more information about movies/music that we do promote, check out our FAQ page
A Conversation On Country
June 3, 2018
Written By: Steph Ward and Clay Copper
A Brief History of Country Music
Beginning in Bristol, Tennessee, the country music genre dates back to the 1920s. It transpired from artists like Vernon Dalhart and Jimmie Rodgers, who mixed aspects of jazz, blues and bluegrass to create a new sound that became wildly popular by the 1930s. As the sound progressed, artists like Hank Williams (the artist behind the original yodel boy’s “Heartsick Blues” track) and Roy Acuff led way to the Honky Tonk era, which embraced a more wild lifestyle. Loud and fun, the Honky Tonk era was influential to many of the pioneers of early rock and roll, which highly influenced and drove the popularity of this style of country music. By the mid-1950s, Nashville, Tennessee, became the Country Music Capital of the World. During this time, country artists started to dig deeper into their roots by producing a more distinct and twangy sound that led to artists like Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, and other “outlaw country” artists who sang of life on the road and the depravity that may come with it. This era of the country music genre lasted throughout the 1970s. Shortly after, many pop artists like John Denver, Olivia Newton-John and Linda Ronstadt began recording albums heavily influenced by country. This pop-styled country paved the way for perhaps the most notable artists of the era, including Garth Brooks, George Strait, Reba McEntire and Tim McGraw. By the late 1990s and early 2000s, artists like Sheryl Crow and Carrie Underwood began to gain popularity. Over the last decade, the rise of pop country has brought much popularity to artists such as Taylor Swift, Luke Bryan and Florida Georgia Line. These artists, and those alike, make up the current state of country music.
We sat down and chatted with our Director, Steph Ward, and one of our Event Supervisors, Clay Copper, about their opinions on country music as a whole. Read below for the interview, conducted by Erin Diaz, one of the Assistant Directors here at SA.
Q: List your top 5 artists within this genre.
Steph: I have six…I couldn’t narrow it down to five.
- Lee Brice – a newer artist, probably my favorite. His “Love Like Crazy” album has been important to me personally.
- Sugarland – Jennifer Nettles’ voice is distinct from any other woman in country music. I appreciate her vocals a lot.
- George Strait/Tim McGraw – but 90s only. Tim McGraw is not the same now as he was then.
- Lady Antebellum
- Chris Cagle
Clay:
- Willie Nelson – it’s gotta be Willie.
- Kris Kristofferson
- Johnny Cash
- Chris Stapleton – probably the only current artist that I enjoy.
- George Strait – but I agree with Steph, 80s/90s was his golden age.
The first three guys I mentioned pioneered the sound of country music when it was more bluegrassy and stripped down. They turned it into something more. They have all been huge influences on blues as well, and I don’t think it’s common for a country artist to be a big-time influencer on other genres.
Q: What is your overall opinion of this genre?
Steph: My overall opinion is that I love and appreciate country music. I think it is completely undervalued. That portion comes from what everyone thinks country music is now, which is more of a pop-country where top charts mostly include Florida/Georgia Line, Thomas Rhett, etc. That’s how people define country music, but my appreciation roots deeper into years ago. You can’t deny that there is creativity in that type of music, even if you don’t like it.
Clay: I would for the most part agree with that. Unfortunately, when country music comes on the radio it’s probably not going to be something I enjoy. I think a lot of artists today still make country music that has more depth and an old-school sound, but they’re harder to find. The style of people like Chris Stapleton isn’t really popular right now. I like blues in general and his is a bluesy country. Old country was something I have always liked because of the heart-heavy lyrics – they’re always heartbroken and complaining about something, which I like. My overall opinion is that I love and hate country music. I really do not like the vast majority of what country music today is, but I still am holding onto hope for the future of the genre.
Steph: Same, Clay. Same.
Q: What specifically about the genre forms your opinion about it?
Steph: One of the things that Clay talked about a little bit in his opinion is something I relate to – I’m a bit of a sap for slower love songs. I think that’s what a lot of classic country was. Music, if you allow it to, can be based on experiences or nostalgia that you feel is related to times in life. I can pinpoint specific moments that I have listened to country music in my life, like when I would go to my aunt and uncle’s house in high school. It was an hour drive there and back and we would listen to country music, and I love getting to think about those memories. I think that’s why the time of country music that I love the most was the 90s, because that’s when I was growing up. I grew up in a small town in Ohio, so maybe everybody expects that of me. Those experiences I had when I grew up formed my love for country music, but this is a broad answer because anybody could relate to feeling this way about a certain style of music.
Clay: My overall opinion is that I like older country music, both because I like it musically but also for the reason of nostalgia – it was played in my home growing up. The new sound of country is cookie-cutter, everything sounds the same. Lyrically, it’s pretty shallow. There is a lot of talk about pick-up trucks.
Steph: Yeah, literally every song is about pick-up trucks. (rolling eyes)
Clay: Steph, I looked up the top country song right now and the first line is actually “baby lay back and relax, kick your pretty feet up on my dash.” Anyway, for the same reason that you like country music because of sentiment, I dislike it because of that. For years I had a built-up hatred for country music because in my small town, everybody loved it. There was a weird stigma that if you didn’t listen to it you were weird. Classic rock? That’s okay, but alternative rock was not accepted. Now, looking back on those people that listened to the genre and dismissed other types of music, it feels like a lot of them are in a place I wouldn’t want to be in when it comes to complacency. Unfortunately, that is something that I associate the genre with.
Q: Where would you like to see this genre go in the future?
Steph: I wish it could return back to the classics. I agree with Clay in that Chris Stapleton is doing that, however there are not enough artists doing it. The problem as to why it can’t happen this way is because technology dilutes music. It’s available to anyone and you can create music so easily. There is positivity and discovery in technology, but it makes it easier for all pop country or music on the radio to sound the same. it seems like anyone who has the desire to “make it” can do it now, and it doesn’t mean you’re good just because you’re on the radio. I want it to go back to the classics – Reba McEntire, Willie Nelson. I don’t know how that happens with a generation that seems turned off to it and more interested in a feel-good, roll my windows down type of music (which in some ways I love, admittedly).
Clay: I think I’m just different because I don’t always enjoy listening to happy music. Good mood music for me is upbeat rock or pop punk. A lot of people think that because it’s a beautiful day, it’s time for some pop country. But people like Chris Stapleton – that’s what I want to see more of. I also recently came across a song by Courtney Marie Andrews and I listened to it all day yesterday. She’s kind of alternative country, but she’s really good lyrically and she has that country/soul-driven voice. As I’ve stated already, I would like to see the old style come back, but I don’t know if that’s possible. I feel like that’s asking for Def Leppard and Lynyrd Skynyrd to come back. I don’t know what it would look like, but I just want it to get away from that pop sound.
Steph: I thought you loved Florida/Georgia Line – “Cruise”!
Clay: Shhhhh, don’t tell!
Check out our country music playlist on Spotify and let us know your thoughts! Contact us @libertysa on social media or studentactivities@liberty.edu.
June Acoustic 2018
June 1, 2018
Check out our new June Acoustic playlist that is great for late-night bonfires, daytime chilling and all things summer. Enjoy!
June 1 Releases!
May 28, 2018
June is just around the corner, and we’re getting pretty excited about it! June is known to bring about blue skies and warmth (at least here in Lynchburg, that is), as well as some recognizable entertainment.
This Friday, we have some exciting releases in music, movies and television to look forward to. Check them out below!
Music:
Ben Howard – Noonday Dream
Natalie Prass – The Future & The Past
Pete Yorn & Scarlett Johansson – Apart
Roger Daltrey – As Long As I Have You
Ben Howard’s long awaited third album is finally coming out this Friday after four years since his last album, “I Forget Where We Were”. Natalie Prass, singer-songwriter from Richmond, Virginia, is releasing her sophomore album “The Future & The Past”. Pete Yorn & actress Scarlett Johansson are teaming up for an EP entitled “Apart”, and Roger Daltrey of The Who is releasing his own album “As Long As I Have You”.
Movies:
Adrift
All Summers End
American Animals
Breath
Nossa Chape
You can read more about each of these movie previews here.
TV Shows:
The Bachelorette (ABC) – 5/28
Arrested Development (Netflix) – 5/29
America’s Got Talent (NBC) – 5/29
World of Dance (NBC) – 5/29
American Ninja Warrior (NBC) – 5/30
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (Netflix) – 5/30
Check back with us next week for some new releases, and let us know what you think about this week’s at @libertysa on social media!
Disclaimer: Student Activities does not explicitly promote the albums/television shows/movies we write about. As always, we seek to engage with and review what is happening in our culture in order to interact with it in a godly manner, which is why we do what we do. For more information about movies/music that we do promote, check out our FAQ page!
The Enneagram & Why It Matters
May 23, 2018
Written By: Erin Diaz
You’ve heard the word for the past few months/years, whether it’s been in a church setting, school setting, or in a social circle: “Enneagram”. Most people respond to the word the same way that I did when I first heard it, which mostly has to do with butchering the way it’s supposed to be pronounced. Once you get past the easily mistaken morphology of “Enneagram”, the next question posed is usually “what on God’s green earth is that?” The long answer to the question is “It’s a personality test like Myers-Briggs but more in-depth about what your motivations are behind the things you do,” and the short answer is “I’ve never had something explain me to myself better than this.”
The Enneagram is becoming more popular in some circles, yet its origin is anything but new. Relevant Magazine’s recent article “The Rise of the Enneagram” states, “Depending on who you ask, its earliest iterations were either in the 1950s or the 1910s, though there are some experts who say versions of it can be found in the writings of fourth-century Christian mystics (and there are some who trace its roots all the way back to ancient Egypt).” The pretty amazing part of why the Enneagram is so cool is that it has adapted to the world through decades of change. No matter how long the world goes on, people will always desire self-exploration and identity, which is why the Enneagram still matters (maybe even more so) today.
As the Myers-Briggs test uses four letters to explain what your tendencies are as a person, the Enneagram focuses on numbers, beginning with one and ending on nine. Although it is easy to think of a scale when you think about numbers, the Enneagram isn’t a scale at all. Each number is distinct in its strengths, weaknesses, motivations and desires. A few months ago, I told my friend (who had no prior experience with the Enneagram) that I felt like she was an eight, to which she responded “Does that mean I’m better or worse of a person than 1-7?” Her thinking cannot be faulted, but it is not a true statement. Within each number there are many different types of people, and the range within the numbers is sometimes classified as “healthy/unhealthy” or “growth/weakness” and more.
I’m no expert on the Enneagram, so I will not be the one to tell you about each number in depth, as there are plenty of people who could do a better job at that than me (check out Typology to start). The numbers, as previously stated, are descriptive of each person and what motivates them in life. When I realized what my number is, I couldn’t believe what I was hearing about myself. I felt more known by the Enneagram test than I had felt by any other personality examination I had ever conducted on myself.
This blog post could easily turn into a research essay about the Enneagram and its ins and outs, but there are some other places that could explain why it’s important a bit more. Check out www.exploreyourtype.com to take the Enneagram test and begin finding out more about yourself in a way you never have before!
Summer Weekly Release Posts Are Back!
May 21, 2018
It’s finally here, everyone – summertime! Another great Commencement weekend has come and gone, and we’re finally able to park our cars as close to our offices as it gets. Of course, in about a month we’ll be wishing that school was bustling again. What can we say? We like putting on events for you guys!
This summer, just as last summer, we’ll be posting on Mondays to let you all know what’s up with the what’s up for the week when it comes to entertainment. Just as last summer, we will be posting a disclaimer on every blog post that has to do with releases, because we want you to know that we are not promoters for the entertainment itself. There are many reasons why we will not be promoting certain releases, but the main two are as follows:
- We are, as always, a department that is grounded on our university’s beliefs. Student Activities’ prides itself on being forward-moving in terms of cultural engagement while also standing on the grounds of our faith.
- We are not promoters of entertainment that we have not yet had the opportunity to listen to, watch, hear and pull apart. When we host movie nights, Coffeehouses, concerts and more, there is always a purpose behind anything that we are presenting.
Each week, we’ll be posting releases on our blog that we may have not had an early preview of yet. We take our jobs very seriously as instigators of cultural examination, yet we do not encourage engrossing ourselves in anything that would be deemed by our university as inappropriate or unnecessary. Basically, we’re not talking about culture because we want to be edgy – we’re doing it because it matters.
With all of that being said, we’ll be back next Monday to start discussing some releases in entertainment. Check back with us then!
Disclaimer: Student Activities does not explicitly promote the albums/television shows/movies we write about. As always, we seek to engage with and review what is happening in our culture in order to interact with it in a godly manner, which is why we do what we do. For more information about movies/music that we do promote, check out our FAQ page!
Senior Highlights
May 14, 2018
There are big things in store for our graduating seniors and we couldn’t be more proud of them! Check out what Morgan, Makenzie, Hailey, Zach and Clay will be up to post-graduation.
Morgan
After graduation, I plan to move back home to Florida. For a couple months, I will work at Disney World as a Food & Beverage Host. In July, I will start the Compassion Go Program for a nonprofit called Compassion International. This program will allow me to travel the country and become a part of a volunteer leadership team. Our goal is to release children from poverty in Jesus’ name. I am very excited to gain experience and make a difference in the lives of others! My time as an Event Staff at Student Activities has helped me gain skills that I can apply to my future career. I am so thankful for the opportunity I’ve had to be a part of the SA family these past two years!
Makenzie
As my time at Liberty comes to a close, I have developed a tangible, love-hate relationship with the question “what comes next?”. The long answer is that I plan to return home to Cincinnati, Ohio and work for Cincinnati Children’s Hospital at their psychiatric hospital as a Mental Health Specialist. I also have aspirations to return to school to get my Master’s/PhD in Psychology. However, the short answer to that question is, I have absolutely no idea what I am doing with my life and I change my mind like I change my clothes and I just made some sort of decision literally yesterday. However, I think that there is something beautiful and exciting about having no idea what I am doing next and I am really looking forward to watching my next chapter unfold!
Hailey
I’m so sad that my time as an Event Staff has come to an end, however, I am so excited to say that I have officially accepted TWO new jobs!!! This Summer I will be working as a Software Engineering Scrum Master Intern with FireEye, Inc. (outside D.C.), AND THEN— starting this Fall I will be continuing my work with the Student Activities department, but taking on a new position as the Marketing Project Lead while working towards my MBA (which I will begin working on this May). I am so grateful to have spent two years as an Event Staff on SA & am very excited to see where these upcoming job opportunities might lead me!
Zach
Being a cinematic arts major has been such a rewarding experience for me here at college. I got to learn plenty about the technical, but what I’ll take away most, is to always humanize your art. I’m very excited getting to take what I learned and getting to apply it my future jobs. The job market in the cinematic world are very different from other jobs be it that I’ll mostly will work from job to job, film set to film set. My plan is to move down to Atlanta (East Coast Hollywood) where I’ll have the opportunity to work as a freelancer, working from film to film. My eventual hope is that after I’m more established, I’ll get an opportunity to tell stories that I’m passionate about. I’m passionate about communicating truth I feel honored and humble that I get use my gift of storytelling to be a part of the most influential medium we have today.
Clay
The last four years here at Liberty have been filled with learning and growing. As my time here as an undergraduate student was nearing an end I realized I wasn’t ready to be done with my college days, so I enrolled in the graduate school. I will be earning my MBA while continuing to work here at Student Activities. My time here at SA has been an incredible opportunity to learn more about myself and grow, both personally and in relationships. While I am not sure what the future holds for me, I know that my time here at Liberty and SA has been preparing me for whatever it may be. I’m not one for planning too far ahead, so for now I am looking forward to summertime here in Lynchburg; drinking coffee, enjoying the hot Lynchburg sun, and spending time with the people who have helped me get to where I am today.
A Trip to San Diego
April 25, 2018
By Makenzie Theiss
Over spring break, I was able to spend the week soaking up the sun in San Diego, California. I had never been there before and the suggestions from friends were pouring in of everywhere to visit during my time there. It became a repeated theme within those suggestions that I would need to dine on Mexican food at least once during my stay. Much to my delight, once I arrived in San Diego, the Mexican cultural influence on the city far surpassed a few taco places.
As for a little history on the city, it was a Spanish explorer that first stepped foot onto, what is now, San Diego in 1602. Mexico received independence from Spain in 1821 and thus took control over a lot of land, including the San Diego area. It was not until 1848 that San Diego was established as a part of the United States, and this was after the Mexican-American War*. The Mexican influence on San Diego, and much of California, runs deep in the history of the city. Apart from the apparent Spanish names of cities and streets, it was easy to see the history in the food, architecture, and art within the city of San Diego.
In accordance with the many suggestions from my friends, our first stop of the trip was to get tacos at a restaurant called Puesto. While I am no Mexican food critic, I can confidently say that these were some of the best tacos I have ever had. However, my favorite Mexican food experience during the trip occurred at a restaurant called The Mission. We ate there for breakfast one morning and it was amazing to not only eat, but also to encounter a different style of breakfast than the traditional bacon and eggs.
During my trip, we stayed in the heart of the city in the Gaslamp District; and we had the chance to walk to almost all our destinations that week. It was difficult to stroll down a single street and not stop and admire a building dripping with the beauty of Latin-style architecture. On the first day, we planned to walk to the San Diego Zoo, one of the many attractions nestled within Balboa Park. It was overwhelming to consume the intense artistry and craftsmanship of the architecture of each building we passed. La Jolla, home to one of the most beautiful beaches my eyes have ever seen, was another place that had incredible architecture in every home and building in the area. This remained consistent throughout the duration of the trip.
Another incredible aspect of San Diego that pays tribute to its Spanish and Mexican roots is the art. Within Balboa Park, there is the Spanish Village Art Center. The streets of this little village are covered with brightly colored tiles and hanging throughout the trees are Spanish-style lanterns and flags. The stucco buildings house many different studios and art galleries. In addition to the Spanish Village Art Center, there is Chicano Park found underneath the San Diego-Coronado Bridge in Barrio Logan, a predominantly Mexican-American and Mexican-immigrant community. Chicano Park has the largest collection of outdoor graffiti in the country. The artwork found inside Chicano Park carried such historical significance that it was deemed an official historic site. This was one of the most incredible places I went to throughout the whole trip because you could tangibly experience and appreciate the history and culture there.
For me, San Diego is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. I strongly suggest that you take any opportunity you may find to get out there and experience for yourself the beauty and history that is San Diego.
Resources
*https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sdut-mexicos-impact-region-2010sep16-htmlstory.html
What we’ve been listening to – April 2018
April 20, 2018
With the weather finally changing, it’s pretty hard to not stare out the window and think about anything besides the paper sitting in front of you. On the latest “What we’ve been listening to”, you’ll get to listen to some songs that go along with that periodic daydream and get you in the mood for summer!
Preview: Black Panther & Thor: Ragnarok
April 20, 2018
By: Naomi Bower
Black Panther preview
The Black Panther has reclaimed his throne in the box office ranking as the highest grossing February release of all time*. Just a week before the movie hit theaters, Black Panther debuted a personal album instantly reaching its status as number one on the Billboard Top 200**. Kendrick Lamar, producer of the movie’s soundtrack, has a prominent voice in the music scene as his most recent album released just a year prior to Black Panther. Lamar was highly involved in the making of the album everywhere from the production to the features. It is not a surprise that Lamar played such a major role within the album as the movie centers around issues that he is passionate about***.
This film encompasses a variety of issues from the complexity of family dynamics to the overwhelming responsibility that follows power. While the movie itself is fictitious, the underlying themes resonate with many people today. Black Panther is a story of resilience as the main character T’Challa struggles to balance the challenges of the world while maintaining the overall best interest of his people. In his fight for the kingdom, T’Challa must determine what he values in attempts to achieve his place on the throne.
Come watch how T’Challa leads the people of Wakanda at our April 28 movie night on the Commons Lawn! Black Panther will begin at 10:45pm.
By: Trae Christian
Thor: Ragnarok preview
If you’re a fan of Marvel movies, then you know that ever since Thor: Ragnarok came out on November 3, 2017, it has changed the game for the superhero franchise. Thor: Ragnarok, the third movie in the Thor series, offers viewers the perfect amount of humor and action, something that Marvel seems to be including in more of their movies.
This movie follows Thor as he tries to save his home planet Asgard from Ragnarok, which is the end of civilization in Asgard. Thor must fight against Hela, the goddess of death in order to save his home planet from destruction. From the beginning of the movie, Thor finds himself in challenging situations such as being enslaved, not having his hammer, and fighting against the Hulk. Seeing Thor fight so hard to save Asgard throughout the movie kept me on my feet the whole time.
If you are like me and haven’t seen the first two Thor movies, you can still enjoy this one because it is fairly easy to follow and very entertaining. Marvel did a great job of using humor to make the plot easy to follow and the characters more relatable. Overall, this was a great movie filled with humor, adventure, and action. It got me really excited to see Thor in the upcoming Avengers: Infinity War.
*http://www.businessinsider.com/marvel-cinematic-universe-movies-ranked-by-box-office-list-2018-2
***https://www.spin.com/2018/02/review-the-black-panther-soundtrack-the-album/