laceblade

This concert was a complete surprise, announced while I was already in London for the month. Shoreditch was the neighborhood next to mine, so even though it cut into the weekend that we ended up traveling to York, I went to this concert, one of a handful Lea has had thus far to promote her new album, Places.

The line to get inside extended around the corner of a large city block, and there was some palpable excitement.

I had a balcony seat, and a decent view. The music being played overhead prior to Lea was all Bon Iver [I think]. I lost my shit a little bit when I recognized The Wolves, which is a song that's on my [Glee] fic playlist, although I had previously only been familiar with the Ellie Goulding cover and didn't even know it was a Bon Iver song, lol. BUT. SO MANY FIC FEELINGS UGGGHHHH.

When the lights dimmed imperceptibly, everyone screamed. We cheered and clapped for a long time, and eventually Lea kept trying to talk but couldn't because the clapping persisted. She was clearly overcome, thanked everyone sincerely for having come. Someone in the front yelled, "You deserve this!"

The band joining Lea on stage included a drummer, a cellist, a pianist, and some string instrument(s) I couldn't see, probably including a violin. This led to some different intros and interpretations, just because some of the orchestral/electronic effects couldn't be recreated on a live tour. For example, I remember really liking the percussive intro to Cannonball, the first song.

"Love Is Alive" was the first song to give me goosebumps. Like, her voice is just phenomenal, but there was a point of realizing, I AM IN THE SAME ROOM AS LEA. SHIT.
Her story introducing how she got this song [from a writer] was pretty hilarious, but I think completely loses its effect if not told verbally.

I eyerolled when she said she wished Darren [Criss] was there just before beginning Battlefield - he sang the duet with her on the album. Everyone else cheered, though, so I struggled to keep my reaction non-verbal so as not to ruin the moment for the people sitting to either side of me LOL.

Often on the slower songs, Lea would give a manual cue to the pianist/orchestra members to speed things up, making a "go" motion circling her index finger, which cheered me because slow songs tend to bore me live too, :D

When introducing "Sentimental Memories," she said something like, "One of the great things about being a singer is that you get to express these feelings...AND TALK SHIT ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO FUCKED YOU OVER." lmao.

"Heavy Love" gave me some 'these strange steps' feelings, mostly due to the Dear lover / put another pill upon my tongue lyric.

( Full setlist )

A tweet from Lea's twitter feed, showing her on the stage.

Since the concert, the whole Places album has been released. I'd like to listen to it more, and spend time comparing it to Louder, but I feel like her voice sounds healthier here, like you can tell she's had a lot of rest. I think her voice is still damaged from Glee, but it makes me happy how nice it sounded.
I want to punch the reporter who asked her whether "Hey You" was about Cory. The direct references in the lyrics make it completely obvious that IT IS, why ask her?

"Anything's Possible" gives me a lot of fic feelings. I'm adding it to my fic-writing inspiration playlist.

Everyone who's watching The Flash & in love w/Grant Gustin has seen his performances on Glee, right?

I post about Glee fandom less here than any other social media space, but it is still a huge part of my life.

Cory Monteith's death is hugely upsetting to me & it's only going to get more intense as other cast members break their silence & release statements (especially Lea, God).

So if I'm quiet or weird or not around for a few days or whatever, this is probably why.

Set This Very Second on Fire
Glee mahou shoujo AU drabble (or whatever you call a few hundred words of a drabble).

Born from a heinous conversation on Tumblr.

I thought it was funny.

And then immediately struck with thoughts about how to string this out forever & have everyone make contacts with some Kyubey-type character.

BUT I AM ALREADY WRITING A SRS BSNS GLEE FIC?!

Anyway. I put it on AO3 so I could find it whenever I wanted to, & cackle to myself.
YOU CAN READ IT IF YOU WANT?!

This year I listened to more current music than I have in the past - usually I get obsessed with an old band for a year (Tool, Placebo, My Chemical Romance). I absolutely credit this change to Glee/Glee fandom.

Born to Die - Lana Del Rey : I bought this because everyone at ontd_glee was talking about it. Her performance on SNL wasn't great and I actually didn't really care for Video Games, the first single off this album, but I bought it anyway and I fucking loved it.
The opening drama of the strings on Born to Die pull me in, and this album makes me think of getting myself into my car after surgery and driving myself to work because it hurt too much to stand on/ride the bus. This album is pain and recovery, to me.
My favorite song is National Anthem, although I also really like This is What Makes Us Girls, Off to the Races, Born to Die, Summertime Sadness, and Lolita.
Faith, don't fail me now / Take me to the finish line are the lyrics that made me drag my hopeless/depressed/WILL I EVER GET BETTER JFC ass to work, to the fucking grocery store, etc.
It's hard to put into words how much I love this album. It's one of my all-time favorites, for sure.
After about a month, my boyfriend despaired over its constant presence in my car's CD player.

Mix by littlebutfierce: The list of tracks/thoughts of j. are here! I really liked the PMMP songs and the Delgados. This was my first introduction to Attack All Around and my re-introduction to Stars WHICH WILL BECOME IMPORTANT LATER IN THIS POST.

Attack All Around - megamix compiled by littlebutfierce mix & videos & track list are here.
I LOVE THIS TRACK LIST SO MUCH. The music is incredibly upbeat, and so are the lyrics. This was very much my, "Alright LET'S DO THIS!" album of the year, and I typically listened to it as an entire album rather than individual songs.
If my life were an anime, "Overdrive" would be my OP, tbh.
Overdrive lyrics - this song is so RAWWWW FEEL MY POWER to me.
I <3 Samurai Heart for similar reasons.

Let It Beat lyrics - Don't whine / Bare your fangs!
Are u ready?
I’ve found my glory days
I’ll let this love be my weapon
Let it beat! Let it beat! Let it beat!
I can move on, dreamin'
Are u ready?
Gonna strip away, another day
My regrets until I’m left with zero
Until I get hold of the pieces of tomorrow

Gossamer - Passion Pit - I also started listening to Passion Pit because of Glee fandom, specifically the fic These Strange Steps by thememoriesfire. The fic starts off as Rachel hits rock-bottom in her life and starts a relationship with the stripper, Quinn Fabray. But the entire fic goes on to cover their climb back up from rock bottom, and it's so good. She and Puck are the ones who make the music that is Passion Pit's.
I love the rhythms on here, but the lyrics are also quite devastating imo, which I wouldn't expect from just zoning out and listening to the way they're sung.
I <3 this entire album, and I really like listening to it as an album.
Faves include Take a Walk, Constant Conversations, On My Way, Love Is Greed, and Where We Belong.

All the things you can't control
Should never destroy your love or hopes
I found a place, I found a place,
I found a place where we belong

Vows - Kimbra - I also bought this because people in ontd_glee were talking about it.
I liked the rhythms of "Settle Down" and "Sally I Can See You" and so I bought it. This is definitely an album that's grown on me the more I listen to it.
My two favorite songs from the album are "Sally I Can See You" and "Warrior." Honorable mentions to Come Into My Head, Cameo Lover, and Settle Down.
I feel it growing from whisper, to a shout and a fist in the air is my fave line of "Sally I Can See You," but I really like the entire song, mostly the rhythm (I'm a pretty rhythm-oriented music listener in general. I played piano for a decade but I also did percussion in middle school & high school).
I would quote "Warrior" in its entirety, I love the lyrics and the music. I suppose my favorite bit is:
You're just pushing me down, pushing me down, pushing me down
(They tell you 'trust your head, be like men' but never feel like you're good enough)
You're just crushing me down, crushing me down, crushing me down
(They wanna take our light, make us fight, but never cry for the ones you love)
(I'll be your warrior, warrior)

The North - Stars - This definitely isn't my favorite Stars album, and I think I really need to listen to their songs lots of times before they grow on me. Still, there are a few songs I like quite a bit: Hold On When You Get Love And Let Go When You Give It, The Loose Ends Will Make Knots, and Walls.
"A Song is a Weapon" gets high marks for finally giving the Glee fanfiction I'd been working on for most of the year an actual title. I really like that song especially.

Revolution Summer EP - Muncie Girls: Discovery thanks to littlebutfierce, who blogged about them here. I don't know what I'm gonna do & I'm sick of having to decide could have been my anthem from the first 8 months of 2012, I think.
I'm looking forward to hearing more music from Muncie Girls.

Magic Hour - Scissor Sisters - Started listening to this album because they covered Let's Have a Kiki on Glee. I bought the album off iTunes the same night I listened to it.
In addition to LHaK, I like Baby Come Home, Keep Your Shoes, and Self Control for groovings. So many great rhythms in these songs.
I think Only the Horses and The Secret Life of Letters are my favorite two songs off the album.
I know that Only the Horses is about getting out of the city, but I choose to believe it could be post-apocalyptic, too.

As for The Secret Life of Letters...
What is the full speed of language
When there is nothing to say

and

How many days in a sentence
I feel like passing this phrase
These aren’t my friends
Maybe they’ll be again

Glee Cast - various covers - I'm not going to list out every single song I've bought this year, but I do spend money to buy the ones I like. I think almost the entire fandom is still watching solely for the cast and the music, at this point.
"Scream" is undoubtedly my favorite; it's my all-time favorite Glee performance (even though the context annoys me in terms of Artie's characterization on the show). I wrote an entry about this song/performance here.
The Michael Jackson tribute episode aired after my surgery, I think two days after I left my parents' house/care to spend time in my own apartment on medical leave, solely dependent on my boyfriend to do anything involving bending over, lifting, or getting things on/off the floor.
The music had already been out on First Listen Friday and I'd been listening to the song for days. The performance solidified it for me - Kevin McHale and Harry Shum Jr. totally killed it in remaking the Michael/Janet Jackson video, imo.
In the midst of the worst pain I'd ever felt, and my body making frightening alien-type noises every time I ingested food or water, I listened to this song on repeat.
Everything was way worse than I had imagined it being. This song, on repeat, got me through a lot, especially at work, driving to/from places I didn't want to go, driving to/from work, going to fucking medical appointments, listening to it before/after arguing with medical billing people, etc. etc. etc.
Things got worse than it ever had been in the past, at certain points. Nothing made sense; people wanted to help but there was nothing for anyone to do.

Kicking me down
I got to get up
As jacked as it sounds
The whole system sucks

Kevin's screams in the background, just this entire song was very therapeutic for me. Hands-down my most listened to track of the entire year.

The "Rumour Has It/Someone Like You" mash-up sung by Naya Rivera and Amber Riley was another immediate favorite (this might have technically been released in 2011, I can't remember). This song was something of a feature for Santana after having her sexuality outed to her entire community by Finn, white boy/hero of the show (who was never punished for it, btw). Santana's vulnerability and bitch-slap of Finn cemented her as one of my favorite characters (if not my absolute fave, which I think she is). Amber's and Naya's voices blend so nicely. I like this mash-up much more than the original singles by Adele - when I listen to either one, all I can think is, "There's not enough going on, where's the rest?"

I very much liked Unique's three singles from season 3 - the "Starships" cover had me loving that song before that multi-fandom vid that a lot of my friends liked came out (the vid did really nothing for me, tbh).

I could go on & on about each Glee single I bought and what it meant to me.
I should probably add "We Are Young" to this list, although I think that episode aired in 2011.


A Song is a Weapon Playlist - cultivated by me, located here with links to it on YouTube/Last.fm/Spotify. I've likely listened to every song on this list 100x or more, having become obsessed with each one in turn.
Each song elicits specific feelings from me about the characters/situations/themes of my story, and I'm so glad I made it because it's helped me get "unstuck" multiple times.
In the past few weeks I've taken a bit of a break from writing my fic, but I'd like to get back to it in the near future, and this playlist is going to be the first place I turn.


Honorable mentions also go to Kanye West, Stars (long a favorite of mine, but I really dug them again this year), My Chemical Romance (Danger Days gets a special mention for getting me to/from many a place I didn't want to go in my car)

Special 2012 bonus: PSY performing Gangnam Style with MC Hammer (Hammer comes in around 2:50):

It's probably worth mentioning that I'm on Last.fm as ribbonknight - this scrobbles what I listen to at home, which I'd say is about 1/4 of my listening. 1/4 = in the car, and 1/2 = at work (my iPod doesn't sync with iTunes b/c it has loads more music ^^;).

As I've mentioned before, cultivating a playlist has been very valuable for me. It allows me to think about my fic when I'm not writing: at my desk at work, in my car, while I'm making dinner, etc. It also allows me to get into the mood to write, as I've assigned certain songs to certain characters/relationships.

Ways to Listen to the Music:
On YouTube | On Spotify [missing Yellow Brick Road] | On Last.fm

The songs & the order of the songs is subject to change, but it's settled into this set for a few weeks now.

---

The Wolves (Act I and II) - Ellie Goulding - This is Quinn, season one, I think.

Girls Like You - The Naked and Famous - Quinn, as treated by the narrative on the show and her "rich white girl problems," right up through On My Way and the car crash.

Everyone will remember you when you're gone
And your heart is a stone
Buried underneath your pretty clothes
Don't you know people write songs about girls like you?

What will you do when something stops you?
What will you say to the world?
What will you be when it all comes crashing
Down on you little girl?
What would you do if you lost your beauty?
How would you deal with the light?
How would you feel if nobody chased you?
What if it happened tonight?

How would you cope if the world decided to
Make you suffer for all that you were?

Ballad of a Politician - Regina Spektor - Kind of a creepy little interlude about political power, ;)

My Life Would Suck Without You - Glee cast - This and the next song are very much the united feelings of Glee club as a whole, I guess. Setting the sort of happy-go-lucky mindset everyone is mostly in at the end of high school.

We Are Young - Glee Cast

Empire State of Mind - Glee cast - This and the next song are very much for my “New York City” mindset. I love the ensemble use of voices in this song, Finn & Puck & Artie on the verses, Rachel & Santana & Mercedes distinct in the backgrounds.

It's Time - Imagine Dragons

Come Back (Lorn Remix) - ESKMO - This is kind of the “oh man, shit just got real” transition.

Shot Me Down - Bare - from the fan video that inspired it all, making Glee look like an action movie. You saw that, right??

Wild Tigers I Have Known - Emily Jane White - This is Quinn again.

Silence is a power and a tool
For you
...

You keep your heart from your chest
It'll be gone just like the rest
'Cause it's a man's world
Say all the right words
And hold your heart from your chest

Turn Me On - David Guetta feat. Nicki Minaj (I know that this song is actually about sex, but it's easy to take the "I need a hero" lyrics literally when you're distracted & writing, :D)

Power - Kanye West - This and the next song are very much about “the man” & power, obvs.

Handlebars - Flobots

Golden Sand - The Republic Tigers - I fucking love this song. Sort of the ND kids’ answer to the above, but also about the whole “How do you fight what you hate WITHOUT BECOMING WHAT YOU HATE?” conflict (see also: Animorphs).

How much responsibility do you bear
For the ill uses others might make of your ideas?
Almost as much responsibility that you'd bear
If you failed to speak your mind
When it might have made some kind of a difference.
So make a difference.
Could you make 'em dance
Turn your bleeding hearts into some bleeding hands?

Blow (Cirkut Remix) - Ke$ha (I have this scene in mind where Santana's singing this quietly over a walkie-talkie while they're waiting for a bomb they planted to go off, idk if I'll do that or not, lol)

The Bones of You - Elbow (still being in love with someone a long time later, and being reminded of it suddenly! This is my only Finn pov at the moment.)

Who Are You, Really? - Mikky Ekko - also love the fuck out of this song, I would quote it in its entirety. I like the "lift me higher, let me look at the sun" like trying to figure out the truth but the whole song is a little about suspicion and stuff too, and at some point I'd really like there to be a schism between everyone in which they're like, okay is Quinn really trying to take these guys down, or is she just manipulating all of us?

Scream - Glee cast - this is a good song to listen to when angry (omg I listened to it a billion times on medical leave), it's also very much a "fuck the system" kind of song, imo. I think this is still my favorite song that Glee has ever done. I've listened to it more than any other.

Knights of Cydonia - Muse

What Doesn't Kill You (Stronger) - Glee cast

Warrior - Kimbra - this song feels the most like Santana's pov in this fic - her sense of no control.

You're just pushing me down, pushing me down, pushing me down
(They tell you 'Trust your head, be like men' but never feel like you're good enough)
You're just crushing me down, crushing me down, crushing me down
(They wanna take our light, make us fight, but never cry for the ones you love!)

Fallen Empires - Snow Patrol - all of this.

float - bush - I like the lyrics for all of this song, but most specifically:

When I am with you I feel a little brave
The madness and the wars the circles that we run
Confusion we import look what we have become
And all of this time I was just trying to reach you

Counting Bodies Like Sheep to the Rhythm of the War Drums - A Perfect Circle - At the moment, I view this very much as Quinn talking to Rachel.

Don't fret, precious, I'm here; step away from the window and go
back to sleep
Safe from pain and truth and choice and other poison devils,
See, they don't give a fuck about you like I do.

Marching On - One Republic - omg I <3 all of this song.

There's so many wars we fought,
There's so many things were not,
But with what we have,
I promise you that,
We're marching on

Lose Your Soul - Dead Man's Bones (Quinn) - I need to decide if I'm killing anyone in this story or not.

i get up in the morning
to the beat of the drum
i get up to this feeling,
keeps me on the run.
i get up in the morning,
put my dreams away,
i get up, i get up, i get up again.

My Love Is Your Love - Glee cast - If I wake up in World War III ... And I feel like I want to go home / it's okay if you're comin' with me. Also the lyric, "It would take an eternity to break us," which is the emo title I used when first thinking of a title for the fic.

Moth’s Wings - Passion Pit

Whose side are you on?
What side is this anyway?
Put down your sword and crown
Come lay with me on the ground

Seven Devils - Florence + the Machine - your shit is fucked.

I don't want your money
I don't want your crown
See I've come to burn
Your kingdom down

Blood and Fire - Indigo Girls

I am looking for someone, who can take as much as I give,
Give back as much as I need,
And still have the will to live.
I am intense, I am in need,
I am in pain, I am in love.
I feel forsaken, like the things I gave away.

Yellow Brick Road - Kris Delmhorst (ugh, this is like the perfect Rachel song)

I'm off to see the wizard with his curtain and his crowd
But my hands are not trembling and my head it is not bowed
Cause I'm not looking for any answers, no truths to be revealed
All that I am asking is to show me something real

First Breath After Coma - Explosions in the Sky (a coda)

Babel - Mumford & Sons - &, at the end of it all, they can take it all on & keep going.

'Cause I'll know my weakness, know my voice
And I'll believe in grace and choice
And I know perhaps my heart is farce,
But I'll be born without a mask

Everyone keeps posting Avengers fic recs, but you are absolutely correct if you think I'm going to keep posting Glee fic recs anyway.

Pezberry
June, She'll Change Her Tune by littledust - Santana and Rachel have some beer and nurse their broken hearts by a pool.

shedding feathers under fluorescent lights by el_em_en_oh_pee - Santana really doesn't want to have Rachel Berry appear on her wildly popular talk show, Snix at Night! for a multitude of reasons.
"Think of the ratings," Puck says, though, and when it comes down to it, she can't argue with that.


A billion Puckleberry fics
I Forgot the Bitter by smc_27 - Puckleberry. AU. Puck owns a bar and Rachel opens a bakery next door.

I'm Just a Habit You Can't Break by smc_27 - It takes him a day and a half to decide that since he and Rachel are both single, they should probably do that thing where they get each other off again. Part 2. Part 3.

You In a Song by smc_27 - AU. Rachel is cast as the love interest in Puck's music video.
Follow-up is It's a Little Too Early

I've Only Ever Told You the Truth by smc_27 - "I know you love Finn and it's always going to be Finn, but I love you. You should know that."
And its sequel, Someone Like You Burning Through Me

Closer Than the Poison of My Pride by smc_27 - He kinda loves her though. Not in a...Whatever. Not like that.

I've Been Dying To Tell You Anything You Want To Hear by smc_27 - It's not her fault she's secretive. Okay, well, it is. It's just that she can't very well tell her husband she's a trained assassin, and really, she hates that term anyway. Puck and Rachel, Mr. & Mrs. Smith style.
Part 2. Part 3.

The City by smc_27 - Somewhere between coffee at Dean and Deluca and riding the Staten Island Ferry just for fun, he starts to think that it actually makes a lot of sense for the two of them to end up going rogue the week after graduation. Puck/Rachel future fic.


Kurt/Sam
Impersonal Space by hoarfrosted - Kurt values the luxury of being comfortable in his own home. Sam enjoys the innate ability to get under Kurt's skin. Eventually, their opposing positions lead to an impasse.

Going Backwards Through Time (At the Speed of Light) by questceque_cest - Kurt asks Sam to find him a new boyfriend in time for Christmas. Sam more than complies.


Quinntana
An Officer and a Batwoman by backitup_baby - In which former Army Lieutenant Quinn Fabray moonlights as Batwoman and keeps running into Officer Santana Lopez.
(I KNOW, BATWOMAN/GLEE, RIGHT?! OMFG IT IS SO AWESOME.)

The Elements of Style by amiranaxagoras - Russell was always a period, a full stop, hard and uncompromising. Judy is like an ellipsis, soft and uncertain and never complete. Quinn would rather be a comma than either of her parents.


Quinn/Tina
That one time Tina and Quinn kissed when they were the only two girls left to compete in Sectionals and they were both nervous about it. - Quinn/Tina drabble by novel_concept26

The Best of All the Things That Come Our Way by nightshifted - Quinn and Tina meet again in a women's studies class.


St. Berry
i've been wondering if maybe you've been thinking about by smc_27 - St. Berry. Every time she gets drunk at a summer party, she texts him.

---

As always, I keep a master Glee Fic Rec list here.

lmao, last time I made a fic rec update in June, I wrote, Unlike FF7, I don't think Glee is a fandom I'll ever feel compelled to write in. Oh, self. .....Oh, self.

UHHH, so anyone feel like reading 8400 words of my first draft of chapter one of my Glee fic & telling me if it's worth continuing??

( Spoilers for Props and Nationals )

Songs purchased from last night's ep: Pinball Wizards, Starships, Edge of Glory.


Related, I liked Van Der Waff's evisceration of NBC's Smash in his Glee recap:
After some solid episodes near the start and a couple of randomly good hours in the middle of the run, the show was just a bland, boring mess, a show that had literally no idea what its audience thought about it at any given time and often seemed to race in the exact opposite direction of what the audience wants.

I never understood the dislike for Marti Noxon because I still liked the latter seasons of Buffy.

But then I found out she wrote tonight's episode of Glee, and just....WHAT THE FUCK.



ETA: If anyone is looking for what actually happened on the show last night, here's the review round-up for last night's ep over in ontd_glee