Author: dj dragonfly

Alt rock and grunge lover.

Categories
Playlists

DJ Dragonfly’s November Favorites

Snow covered canyon
Snowy Grand Canyon National Park. Image by Grand Canyon National Park, licensed CC BY 2.0 Generic.

** Image license **

Another day, another dollar, another “DJ Dragonfly’s Favorites.”  

The end of the semester is upon us but that isn’t stopping me from keeping this series going.  This month, my tastes seem all over the place.  As the temperature cools and the days grow shorter, my music tastes usually grow more distorted.  I move away from the upbeat indie beachy Summer-y feel to a more alternative rock, grungey, nu metal feel.  Despite this, I have quite a few choices in this playlist that do not fit into that box.  So without further ado, the playlist.  Some of these songs have explicit content, so fair warning to everyone.

Earlier this month, I had tickets to see Yung Gravy at The Ritz.  I saw Yung Gravy years ago in Charlotte but I went to see him again.  Because of this, I have several Yung Gravy and bbno$ songs in the playlist.  Additionally, the opener for Yung Gravy was a young rapper by the name of Pertinence.  I wasn’t expecting him to be there but I was pleasantly surprised by his performance.  I have added one of his songs to the playlist as I have been listening to it quite a bit lately.

I also have some songs that I featured in my “Guilty Pleasures” article.  Because of the playlist I made for that publication, I have songs such as “Karma Police” by Radiohead. 

Lastly, I recently rewatched “10 Things I Hate About You” and was reminded of just how many bangers there were in that film.  For the first time while watching the film I realized that I could simply look up the songs in the hopes of finding them on Spotify.  And indeed I did.  I have “Calypso” by Spiderbait and “Come On” by Letters To Cleo in this playlist and so I hope everyone will enjoy this playlist and its eccentricities as much as I do.  

Categories
Playlists

Guilty Pleasures

A set table at a restaurant with two drinks
A couple of drinks. Image by Sophia Dutton-Rodkin

When it comes to anything in life, we tend to have our patterns.  Whether it is our favorite foods, movies, activities or music, no matter how broad our tastes, there are patterns.  That being said, we often have things we enjoy that are outside of our usual patterns.  At times, there are things we enjoy for which we might be ashamed.  

Some examples of this might be horror movie fans being into wholesome Disney films, science fiction fans liking chick flicks, quiet and calm people loving adrenaline inducing activities and so on.

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Categories
Movie Review

“Chicago” (2002) – A Review

Two women in 1920s stage attire with a man in a suit standing in front of a large red neon letter C
"Chicago" 2002 movie poster

CONTENT WARNING: This review, film and/or soundtrack contains themes of sex, murder and infidelity.

I am back with another musical review.  This one has a very strong basis on jazz and tells a story of fear of missing out.  Let’s get into it.

Background

“Chicago” was originally a play written by Maurine Dallas Watkins in the 1920s.  The play was meant to be a satirical interpretation of a pair of unrelated murder cases at the time involving two women who were eventually acquitted.  The play was brought to Broadway in 1926 but is now referred to as “Play Ball,” so as to avoid confusion with the more modern musical.  About 50 years later, the play was picked up and reimagined for a Broadway musical in 1975.  In 2002, the story came to the screens starring Renée Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Queen Latifah and Richard Gere. 

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Categories
Music Education

Preparing for a Vocal Performance

Modern microphone on a stand with warm lighting in a blurry background
Microphone. Image by Studio 7042, licensed CC0 1.0 Universal.

I was recently asked how I prepare for a vocal performance.  I realized that there are probably other people who are also looking for tips and tricks to prepare for a vocal performance so here you go.  

As my regular readers know, I play in a band in Raleigh.  I play rhythm guitar and lead vocals in an alternative rock and grunge band.  That being said, I have a variety of vocal styles I have to incorporate.  Some noteworthy artists would be Layne Staley of Alice in Chains, Chris Cornell of Soundgarden and Audioslave, Dolores O’Riordan of The Cranberries and most recently Leigh Nash of Sixpence None The Richer.  As you can see, these four people have vastly different styles.  It is also worth noting that I am an alto with a smoother voice but I like to incorporate vocal fries, flips and I’m even learning to scream.  

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Miscellaneous

Service Animals: What They Are and How to Interact with Them

Large black dog in service vest on hind legs in the snow
Service dog, Percy, wearing his vest in the snow. Image provided by M.R. and M.D.

Ever been out in public and see an adorable dog jauntily bounding beside their owner in a snazzy vest with the words “Do Not Pet” on the side?  That, my friend, is a service animal.

As someone with a service animal, I thought I’d explain what service animals are, their various purposes and talk about how to properly approach a situation with a service animal.  

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Categories
Playlists

DJ Dragonfly’s October Favorites

Yellow trees across a lake with their reflection in the water
An October scene. Image by Drazen Nesic, licensed CC0 1.0 Public Domain

It’s finally October and sadly it’s coming to an end.  With that comes the next monthly “DJ Dragonfly’s Favorites.”  

I know that I am not alone in saying that this month has been a rough one.  With all the midterms, fall activities and the sun setting earlier and earlier, tensions have been high.  I have personally been falling back on comfort and so many of my favorites this month have been repetitive of  the last couple months.  That being said, I tried to compile a list of songs that I think accurately measure my favorites this month, excluding repeats. Some of these songs have explicit content, so fair warning to everyone.

This month, I feel I have a dichotomy of nu metal or heavy distortion and indie or high reverb feel in my playlist.  I like to think there is a gradient especially with all the Halloween playlists I have been working on lately.  I believe a couple of the songs in the playlist are kind of Halloween-esque, such as “Oh Klahoma” by Jack Stauber.  

I have a couple other songs that I had recently been reminded of and haven’t been able to stop listening to.  One example would be “Deceptacon” by Le Tigre.  The other night, I was taking my lovely dog Daphne out and I overheard a car passing by with this song blasting.  I hadn’t heard the song in ages and decided I needed to listen to it right then and there.  Thus, the song has become one of DJ Dragonfly’s October Favorites.  

Another example might be “Suffragette City” by David Bowie.  I was also reminded of this song as it was playing in a TV show I was watching.  I couldn’t just let that song slide.  I needed to start listening to it again.  That honestly led to a spiral of Bowie songs which of course led me to now want to rewatch “Labyrinth” from 1986.  I suppose I have my evening plans.  I hope everyone enjoys this months’ selections.

Categories
Miscellaneous

Seasonal Affective Disorder: A SAD Feeling

Fall, forest trail with figure walking away in horizon and fallen leaves on the ground.
A pensive Autumnal scene. Image licensed CC0 1.0 Public Domain Universal.

Daylight savings time has come to its timely close, on Halloweekend no less.  While I’m sure many of us enjoyed and appreciated that extra hour Saturday night, there are many more changes still to come.  

The days are colder and the nights are longer.  The sun is setting earlier and earlier every day and with that comes many an annual affliction.  Aside from the flu and getting paler, seasonal depression comes a-knockin’.  

Officially referred to as seasonal affective disorder, this silent criminal of good feelings is not an all or nothing affair.  There are many ways to combat the seasonal sadness most tend to feel around this time of year and so I have decided to compile a list for anyone in need.  

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Miscellaneous

Surviving Midterm Season

Black and white image of a man asleep on a lawn chair on the sidewalk in a city
Exhaustion represented by Ng Wei Bunn, licensed CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 Generic

** Image license **

We are officially in the middle of the fall semester. That can only mean one thing: midterms.  I can’t speak for everyone, but most everyone I know, present company included, have been drowning in exams, projects, presentations and extracurricular activities.  The most prevalent feelings I have observed in myself and others have been stress.  That being said, I think it’s high time I did another mental health check in.

With it feeling like everything is happening all at the same time, I want to provide a guide for how to deal with the stress and how to get through this dreaded period of the semester.  

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Categories
Movie Review

“The Rocky Horror Picture Show” – A Review

A man dressed in lingerie and heavy makeup lounging on a pair or red lips with the words "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" hovering above in red.
"The Rocky Horror Picture Show" (1975) movie poster

CONTENT WARNING: This review, film and/or soundtrack contains themes of sexual expression, violence, assault and conspiracy.

Around this time of year, hundreds of movie theatres across the country host midnight screenings of cult classic, “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.”  While I have yet to actually go to one of these events, I have seen the movie numerous times.  I love the film and feel like it is rightfully a cult classic.  

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Miscellaneous

SCarowinds 2025 – An Honest Review

Scare actor in a cloak and scary mask holding a staff with a skull in dim lighting
A scare actor, Halloween Horror Nights. Image by Inside the Magic, licensed CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 Generic

** Image license **

Those who have lived in or near Charlotte, NC know that every fall, popular rollercoaster park Carowinds does their annual nighttime scare program.  There’s haunted houses, performances, decorations and monsters everywhere, at least normally. I have personally been going almost every year, if not every year, since I moved to North Carolina. This year, I have been severely disappointed.  

What Once Was

Let me explain.  In the past, the park would close around 5 p.m. and reopen around 6 p.m. with the scare actors out and ready to play.  The park wouldn’t close for the night until 1 a.m.  I could leave my house at 5, which was about 45 minutes away, and get there in time for opening, get through ticketing lines and be ready to have fun within an hour. There were three or so haunted houses and mazes along with different parts of the park acting almost like boroughs with different themes. There were very few “safe” places where you couldn’t be scared.  Additionally, there have been areas around the park with dancers and there was always a big performance in the front apex of the park where the Carolinas’ meet.  

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