Rainy Days + Rereading Books

It's raining, I'm in a coffee shop, and I'm tapping my feet along to a Spotify station. It's a Sunday, post-church, and I'm looking out of the huge window-wall at a Starbucks while I write this, drink and phone to my right. Outside, I can see people hiding under their umbrellas, making a beeline for the coffee shop; they're on a mission to simply find shelter and a warm beverage. Dustin Tebbutt is singing "Plans," in my headphones, and the rain outside along with Dustin's beautiful voice is making me feel so at peace right now. I have been under a little bit of stress lately - self-inflicted as well as the inevitable kind - so to be able to write a new post with this newfound calmness is refreshing.

The reason that things have been a little on the not-so-peaceful side, is because I am making the transition from "taking a semester off" to "going back to the U and finishing up my degree." I'm so stoked that I get to finish my last year and a half with my friends. However, it's kind of stressful getting from point A (home) to point B (at school and enrolled in all the proper classes). There are a lot of processes involved, guys. Who knew. 

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Let me update you all on what I've been reading/listening to/coffee beverage I've been drinking this March. I'm really good at focusing on one topic at a time, as you can tell.

• Current coffee drink: Double shot on ice with 2 pumps of caramel instead of the classic syrup, and a little bit o' soy. Hint: there are three shots of espresso in a grande, so you're welcome. And it's the perfect amount of sweetness.
• Current album: American Teen by Khalid. Some people say, "I've had this song/album on repeat!" and they've played it maybe three times. But seriously... I've had this album on repeat (minus when I was listening to Dustin Tebbott a few paragraphs earlier). I've listened to this album many many times - PS: it's great to listen to while writing. PPS: "Winter" is my favorite track. 
• Current read: Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen. It's my 2nd time reading one of my favorite novels, and it's almost better the second time reading it; I'm noticing little things that I didn't before (or at least I'd like to think that I have been), and it reminds me why I love Dessen's books so much. I've been listening to the audiobook while I clean, and last night, I listened to it and read along while drinking a cup of tea - it was a crazy night. Let's take notice that this book is making me drink TEA now. This book changes you in ways you never thought possible. #CoffeeDrinkerTurnedTeaDrinkerSometimes

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Below is a picture from when I met Sarah Dessen on her book tour for Saint Anything in 2015. There's something about seeing and being able to talk to an author whose books have played such a big part in your childhood/young-adult-hood and overall development as a writer. It gave me that boost of hope and and comfort, knowing that what I've chosen to do with my life isn't a waste.

Books matter. Words matter. 

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I'll leave you with one of my favorite quotes from the book:

“That’s the thing, though. You always think you want to be noticed. Until you are.”

— Sarah Dessen, Saint Anything

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Reagan Fleming

| The Naked + Famous, XYLØ, and The Chain Gang of 1974 | Concert Review

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On November 7th, 2016, The Chain Gang of 1974 started off the night with their high energy singles and matching stage presence. The venue, Newport Music Hall, provided an intimate experience for the concert-goers and performers. The architecture of "America's Longest Continually Running Rock Club" was astounding - ornate with cathedral ceilings and intricate designs. The singer of the Chain Gang of 1974, Kamtin Mohager, swiftly moved about the stage, making me wonder how he wasn't too out of breath to actually sing. The band performed songs such as "I Still Wonder," "Sleepwalking," and even one that is not yet released. 

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The brother/sister duo, XYLØ, is comprised of Paige Duddy and Chase Duddy, whose music style shares similarities to Lana Del Rey, yet with a more electronic twist. (Take a listen to their song "America" and you'll know what I mean). Paige Duddy came on stage sporting an Ohio State University sweatshirt, which was a nod to the university that is in close proximity to the venue. The crowd seemed to be quite engaged in the electronic/pop songs, and Paige did a great job of keeping that energy up in the crowd throughout the set. 

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By the end of the night, when The Naked and Famous was due to come on stage, the crowd had almost doubled. I didn't even try to emerge from the crowd to explore the venue more - I would have never gotten back in. So, I patiently waited to hear what song TNAF chose to start their set with. 

The New Zealand natives surpassed all of my expectations by choosing "The Water Beneath You" as their opening song - the powerful bass and quick tempo got the crowd hyped immediately. Their recent hit, "Higher" quickly followed what I would call The Perfect Opening Song.

I think that anyone in the crowd that night would agree with me when I say that not only did TNAF provide an amazing concert, but they also had a perfectly-timed light show throughout. The entire band wore very neutral colors on stage, which allowed the bright lights not to clash. Red and blue hues flashed on stage at various times, which I believed paid homage to their 2016 album cover of Simple Forms. Later in the night, during the song "No Way," they replaced the epic buildup at the chorus with soft notes on the piano and corresponding bursts of light.

It has been a dream of mine to see my favorite song of all time, "Young Blood" in concert. And on November 7th, 2016, that dream was fulfilled. Obviously they saved this as their second to last song of the night, since it's their most well-known song. Before the song began, Alisa of TNAF told the crowd that she loves it when they sing along with her. So, I sang along here and there, but I mostly wanted to listen to her sing it. I wanted to remember those three minutes - and the rest of the night - in my mind, forever. 

Review: Nashville Live Concert Comes to Tulsa

When I went to school in Oklahoma, I had the privilege of writing a few pieces for the university's newspaper, The Oracle. There was one piece in particular that I had a lot of fun with - it was a concert review. 

I have watched the show Nashville ever since it came out years ago, and I am extremely stoked to see the newest season on CMT in January. Last year, while I was still attending this school, the musicians of Nashville went on tour - the tour was called "Nashville Live in Concert". I offered to attend this concert and write up a review. The review is provided below and can be found on The Oracle's website here.

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Charles Esten (who plays Deacon Claybourne) and Clare Bowen (who plays Scarlett O'Connor) sing and dance on stage during a duet. 

(Photo credit: Reagan Fleming)

The cast from the ABC show, “Nashville” performed a live concert at downtown Tulsa’s Brady Theater this Thursday. The actors and singers sang beautifully-written original songs from the TV series, ranging from season one up until the current season. The lineup included: Clare Bowen who plays Scarlett O’Connor, Aubrey Peeples who plays Layla Grant, Jonathan Jackson who plays Avery Barkley, Chris Carmack who plays Will Lexington and Charles Esten who plays Deacon Claybourne. The singers sang several songs never performed live. In addition, some singers including Carmack, Bowen and Peeples sang original songs, giving the audience a refreshing change.

The Brady Theater has two seated areas for the show: a balcony seating area overlooking the stage and a ground floor. The venue captured the same ambiance as the Grand Ole Opry, allowing for a more intimate and relaxed concert.

The show opened with Carmack singing a much-loved Will Lexington song, “What If I Was Willing.” The other performers came out one by one and performed a single song as their characters on the show. They all portrayed their character’s stage presence perfectly, making it feel as if the audience was watching them on TV.

The highlight of the entire night was when Esten and Bowen came into the crowd. The entire room went ballistic. Esten was the crowd favorite, especially when performing with his on-screen niece, Bowen. Bowen twirled across the stage in her bare feet and Esten impersonated Elvis with a popped collar at one point. The audience could clearly tell Esten was having the time of his life on stage; he is a natural performer.

The cast also performed covers of songs such as “Love Rescue Me” by Bono and Bob Dylan and Prince’s “Purple Rain.” The crowd gave the “Purple Rain” cover the most applause and acclamation. The entire stage took a purple hue during the song and Esten claimed the crew only practiced it earlier in the day. The crowd stood up to sing along to the extremely moving performance.

Nashville Live was the perfect concert to attend to in order to unwind after studying for hours, in spite of the loud, overly-enthusiastic men and women who screamed, “We love you!” to the performers multiple times. Each singer gave a stellar performance with crystal-clear voices, a sharp movement and spot-on harmonies. Catch the season four finale of “Nashville” on ABC, Wednesday, May 4 at 9 p.m.