gavin degraw

Something to look forward to – Summer Shows!

| cheriarmour

I love live music. It’s like top 4 things I like to spend my money on. The others being food, races, savings/paying off bills, and mani/pedis. Best money spent in life (I feel like).

So when Beyonce happened to mention that she was launching dates for her Formation World Tour at Sunday’s really disappointing Super Bowl. Made less-disappointing by that fact that we had a bunch of friends over. But still. So Bey announced the tour in the most Bey way possible, by inciting a little controversy (which, I’m not here to argue about), and then running this commercial that looked like an ad for her new fragrance.

And this ceremoniously kicked off my personal tour de music for the warmer months. Which makes me hopeful because this cold weather is absolute trash and I really want nothing more to do with it.

Here’s what I’ve got so far!

April 8th – Gavin DeGraw at Red Hat – this will be my second time seeing him at this particular venue, and probably like my 5th time seeing him in real life.  Every time I’ve seen him has been awesome, and I stand by my confidence in the fact that he once called me pretty.  ::tosses hair::

May 3rd – Beyonce at Carter-Finley – this will be like my 4th or 5th time seeing her altogether.  Acquiring tickets may be tricky, so I’m going to go into this process with a really open mind and hope for the best.  But if I don’t get to see her, Bey, there’s always next time.

May 11th – Pentatonix – I have never seen this group live, but I’m so looking forward to this.  Can’t Sleep Love ended up being one of my standout faves from the album, and I desperately adore Mitch and Scott.  Avi is bae.  I would love to have dinner with these guys.  INTERVIEW THEM FOR THE BLOG?  Even though as I say that, I have no idea what the heck I would ask them, and would probably just creepily sit in the corner as they filmed Superfruit, laughing my head off.  Just a guess.

July 2nd – Demi Lovato – I saw her once before in Charlotte, and she was really awesome.  The show was full of tweens, but I think we’ve established that I really am not super affected by the audience.  She was really good.  I think my fave was Nightingale, because she through in a BANANAS key change after the bridge.  YAS!

July 6th – Justin Bieber – This will be my second show with the Biebs.  I actually just went back and listened to the singles off Believe, and I am so stoked for the show.  Love him or hate him, he put out some good stuff with Purpose and I’m here for all of it.

Wish List:  These are artists I’m really needing new music from/would love a tour from sometime this summer.

Allen Stone – he is at Bonnaroo this year.  Something tells me I won’t be making it to any festivals this year, so I’d love a small show.

Katy Perry – I’m ready for a tour AND new music.  I’m very much a Teenage Dream fan, so I’m ready for another album with FIVE hit singles on it.

And this is what I got!

What shows are you excited about seeing this summer?

What’s the most you’ve ever (you would) pay for a concert ticket?

My year in music.

| cheriarmour

I’ve used Spotify for years – love it so much that I actually pay for a premium account, and have access to all my faves on all my devices.

Spotify has been with me at every single race I’ve ever run, and now, at least since last year, Spotify has been analyzing your listening patterns, and it makes December a little more fun when you get to remember specifically what you were listening to, with numeric proof of how obsessive your personality is.  Here’s a little bit of info about what I was listening to in 2014.

My top artist?

Demi

None other than the gorgeous and talented Demi Lovato.  This is two years running now, and my obsession shows no sign of slowing down.  Even though I do wish that she would break if off with Wilmer and then maybe she and I could be good friends.  Maybe more than friends.  Idk, we would take it slow, just see where it goes.

My Favorite Artists

My faves

Like I said before, Demitria obviously came in at number one, followed by Ariana Grande, who ruled the charts in 2014, followed closely by my friend and confidante,  Gavin DeGraw.

Gavin DeGraw and your peeps truly!
Gavin DeGraw and your peeps truly!

See! I told you! Friend and confidante!

The most fun analysis of them all!  Top 100 Songs of my 2014?

Top 100We got Magic’s Rude, we got Bailando, and really weirdly enough, we have Popular Song by Ariana and Mika.  And I’m not mad at it.

The coolest little thing about what Spotify did is that they went ahead and made a playlist of your Top 100, which I was having fun with on a boring treadmill run the other day by clicking around and taking a little jog (at six miles per hour) down memory lane.

What made your top lists in 2014?

Sunday Social

| cheriarmour

Once again, because mama loves to talk about herself, welcome to the Sunday Social, pull up a chair, move all the magazines off my coffee table, and look into my eyes.

socialsundaynew

So follow Neely and Ashley, and here are this week’s questions!

 This Weeks Questions:

1. When did you join twitter?

I joined in October of 2009. Here’s my first Tweet…

1012080_10100291492179313_263679379_nIt took me back – when I joined Twitter, I was going through a nasty breakup, and began to find myself by performing in bars and things Downtown.  I don’t think my parents have seen me perform in a number of years though, and I wish they had.

2. Who is your favorite non-celeb to follow? 

Hm – I think any of my friends form Elon.  It’s cool to be able to keep up on the day-to-day when we’re all kind of spread out.

3. Who is your favorite celeb to follow? 

The reason why I joined Twitter was to follow @GavinDegraw and @Billy_Norris after I saw them in concert that month, and figure out where they were going when they were on tour.

10335_584285011173_5935226_n

 

That’s me and the sister, when we met Gavin, who was incredible live.  He also told me that we were pretty so you really can’t tell me nothing.

10335_584285021153_5939781_nI chased this gentlemen from across a field, and he didn’t act scared and he signed my beer can.  He goes where Gavin DeGraw goes, and is very talented himself.

4. Have you ever had a celeb respond to a tweet? 

I was reading Andy Cohen’s book, and there was a quote that had me laughing so hard that I was crying, so I tweeted him.  HE TWEETED ME BACK.  Proof.

Screen Shot 2014-04-06 at 12.40.03 PM

5. What is your favorite store/brand to follow? 

Hm, I don’t really have one…I love following people, and love following celebs because it gives you a glimpse into their lives!

6. Give us three tweeps we should be following. 

@Andy (Andy Cohen of Bravo), @Cheri_Angela (me, DUH), and @KidFury (he’s hysterical).

Link up!

Songs to love by.

| cheriarmour

I posted this last week.  A breakup playlist of sorts, after I saw a guest post on Helene’s blog.

I hope none of you thought that my breakup playlist was any indication of the status of my relationships with my man-hunk, Austin, or Austie-Bostie, as my mom calls him, but rest assured, I’m still in love with my groom-to-be, and despite the fact I sometimes neglect him to do work on this blog, I’m sure he still  loves me too 🙂

That said, in case you were worried, here are some songs to love by to balance out the breakup playlist I posted last week.

So I love love.  I love the way love makes me feel.  And each one of these songs reminds me of a wonderful time in my relationship, and it makes me feel warm and fuzzy to share it with you.

Love on Top – Queen Bey

Duh. I have no explanation except that this song is really incredible.

Easy 2 Luv You – Stacie Orrico

I first heard this song with another boyfriend, but it took on new meaning when I met Austin.  It really is so easy to love that man.  Similarly, I also feel like it’s easy to want to yell at him sometimes, but goodness, he makes me feel like a natural women, and this song says it.  Plus Stacie is amazing.

Lightweight – Demi Lovato

You guys knew that she would make an appearance sometime, right?  I heard this song at first last spring, when I was running the Nike Women’s Half Marathon, and as soon as I heard it, I felt like it was written for us.  Austin has my heart, and that’s all I can think of when I hear this song.


You Give Me Something – James Morrison

I have been obsessed with this song/with this artist for years, and again, this song took on new meaning when I met the nearly-husband. It didn’t mean nearly as much as when I had a schmoopy to share it with.

Sugar – Stevie Wonder

This song remind me of when me and Austin were first dating, and when he gave me his FM transmitter for my car for a long drive I had to New Jersey. I played the song the whole drive up and sang it to him.

One Night Stand – Jazmine Sullivan

This song is a good one cause it’s fun, and it describes perfectly who I was before Austin. I was a fun lady, and I had no idea that I would find someone that I’d want to marry as much as I want to do him. And then he got me heart. 🙂  Also, Jazmine, where the hell ya been girl?  I’m ready for new music!

Never Knew I Needed – Ne Yo

“You’re the best thing I never knew I needed.”


Soldier – Gavin DeGraw

I’m not yet married (did I mention I’m getting married!) but this song is what I envision the union to be like.

“I’ll get it, if you need it. I’ll search, if you don’t see it. You’re thirsty I’ll be rain, you get hurt I’ll take your pain. I know, you don’t believe it, but I said it, and I still mean it. When you heard what I told you, when you get worried, I’ll be your soldier.”

I want to be his soldier.

I had literally 10,000 more songs on this list, and let me be 100 with you guys, this list was way, way more fun than the breakup playlist to compile, and it makes me just want to love on everyone.  Now your turn.  What’s your favorite song to love by?  

@GavinDegraw be mine.

| cheriarmour

I promise this is going to go somewhere running related.

So, like 8 years ago (gulptiy gulp), I think it was like an SAT day or something, and my mom let me leave school, because I was a senior and I didn’t have to be there.

ANYHOO, so I left school to go to a CD store (cause iPods were like barely a thing yet,) and I bought this thing for like $10.99.

Chariot

And I was hooked to the one and only Gavin Degraw. He had the voice of a black man, but he was all white and stuff. He covered a lot of old Motown, which I’d grown up on, and he played guitar, piano, and danced like he actually was performing and having a good time on stage.

And thus, my stalking began.

It started finally my senior year in college.  I saw him perform at High Point University with a friend, and he stayed after to sign some autographs.  I think he signed my program, and stared at him with my mouth open, until he did a double-take, and asked me, rightfully concerned, if I was okay.  I closed my mouth, and died.

I saw him again at a furniture thing in High Point.  This time, I was ready.  A little liquid courage inspired both my dance moves, the inappropriate messages I yelled to him, and the stalking I did to his bandmate, Billy Norris.

After the show, we waited for him.

GDG: Pretty girls, come take a picture!

(Gavin called me pretty. You can’t tell me any differently now).

GDG: I saw y’all dancing down there!

(We were dancing hard, it’s not hard to believe.)

Me: Will you sign my beer?

(He signed my beer.)

10335_584285011173_5935226_n (1)The third time I saw him was in Jersey with my other boyfriend, Adam Levine. And the fourth, I’m pretty sure he glanced in my direction.  But I can’t be entirely sure.

So where is this going?

GDG

Okay, so it looks like my boo, Mr. DeGraw will be performing at the Finisher’s Concert after this half-marathon.  In Cleveland.  For those of you Cher fans living elsewhere, I live in North Carolina.  Not close to Ohio.  I need to go, run this race, and get to this concert for a few reasons.

  • Gavin DeGraw. He may call me pretty again.  He may congratulate me on a job well done, as I will have finished another half.  HE MAY CALL ME ON STAGE TO SONG OF MY CHOOSING.  And that’s really important.  I know all his ad-libs, so he needn’t worry.
  • Gavin mentions Carolina in his new single.
  • Another 13.1 could help.  I need to get myself in a few more race situations before the full in October.  I haven’t properly raced since April, and I need it to light the fire under my behind.
  • This could be a small concert.  Meaning that I will get to wave at Gavin and bandmates with my hands.

Now I recognize, flying off to Cleveland isn’t necessarily advised.  Believe it or not, blogging about making smoothies doesn’t pay 400k a year.  But it isn’t necessarily ill-advised either.  Cause I’m a baller.  So, what do I do?I need your advice.