Harrow frandz,

So yesterday was just a turbine... First, I did a photo-shoot for a friend and got all my make-up and hair done, it was crazy! I looked so vintage, totally matched my personality :) Here's a little sneak-peek:

Next, I went on an awkward bus ride looking like this (in a different lace dress) holding a duffel bag of clothing, back pack, purse and guitar. Yes, people were staring! Twas awkz...
Anyways, then I progressed on and went to the Arctic Monkeys!! They were so rad, before the encore Alex threw his mic back and then swung his guitar onto the floor; so punk!!! haha. But it's weird because I used to listen to them in grade 7 and now I've seen them live and I just couldn't stop thinking that if I were still 13 this would be the best day of my life, now it's just like living my past dreams. Still, such a rad concert!! :)

Enjoy the sun!

xx. julie

Rainy-Day Playlist

Salutations dear ones,

Today I got on a random bus with no idea where I was going, it was pouring rain outside and I just wanted to leave all my thoughts behind and let them wash away with the rain. This bus ride was cleansing... It took me to Value Village where I ran around and tried on old vintage outfits from the Halloween department of the store. After my fun-filled shopping I left the store with one lace dress and twelve dollars less in my bank account. On the journey home I plugged in my iPod and sat in the middle section of the bus and gazed out the window while watching the rain drops race across the glass. I began to find myself drifting off into my past, my old iPod has such retro indie music and it's so easy to lose yourself in its awesome-ness. For that bus ride home life was so carefree- I was the younger Julie. 

Here's a playlist, hope the rain washes away all those bad thoughts for you too. 

Cleansing list:

enjoy. 

xx. julie

Blissful Broken Social Scene

Hai thur night crawlers,

So, last night I had my breath taken away; I was standing in Stanley Park under the night sky, gazing up at the fast moving clouds all while listening to great friends playing music that they are truly passionate about... Yes, last night I was at a Broken Social Scene concert! Saturday was such an inspirational day. I started off the day by doing something that I had been yearning to do for quite some time now, then everything else just seemed to fall perfectly into place. Nicole (my roommate) and I got on the Skytrain and headed down to the Malkin Bowl, when we got to Stadium-China Town Station Nicole noticed Charles Spearin (from BSS) so we got off and went over to talk to him (it took a while for me to get the nerve to speak to him), it turned out he needed to get to Commercial Station so we directed him there and each got a pic with him and he totally remembered me from last year in Kelowna when I met him. After going our separate ways we finally made it to our destination and got into the venue. When we were inside I recognized one of the sound roadies of BSS, Aaron, so I went over and said hi and he remembered me from Kelowna as well! Then Ra Ra Riot opened the concert and everyone immediately started dancing and the joints began to get passed along the crowd. Ra Ra Riot were a great opener and really set the mood of a good night. Next was BSS, everyone had been waiting for this moment... It was their last Canadian show for a longgggg time as their tour is almost over and they're all off to do their own separate things. As the lights began to dim the crowd started to go crazy, then when Kevin Drew approached from the right of the stage people began to lose it... the concert was about to begin!! It was a solid set and it was just such a mellow mood; people having a good time, no strings attached. "It pays to have good friends" At the end of the concert I asked Aaron for a set list and he gave me one and I couldn't help thinking to myself, Kevin Drew is so true: "It pays to have good friends."
A day and a night to remember. I walked home in total bliss.

Enjoy some videos of mine from the show:

xx. julie

Free Ambiance

Dear friends,

Today out of total boredom I created a song. I used synths, keyboard and some deep breathing to make this music. It may be shitty but it can also be considered slightly relaxing... It's an ambient kind of music. I call it "Free Ambiance" Enjoy! http://soundcloud.com/julieannemarie/free-ambiance

xx. julie

Hi lovers,

I'm going to see Broken Social Scene for the third time this Saturday and I couldn't be more excited! They're such an inspirational band to myself and I'm sure many others as well! So I was talking to someone the other day about BSS and they asked me what my three favourite songs were of the band... I stood there for like five minutes trying to decide and still ended up naming over fifteen songs, hah! There are just too many to pick from. So, I've put a lot of time into deciding what some of my most inspirational songs of theirs are:

Emily gives me chills with this song and all the harmonies are just too pleasing...

I just love the lines: "But I really don't wanna think about those things anymore, no I don't really wanna think about those things" This is a song for your future.

Sometimes I imagine the feeling of falling back into an ocean and I think that if it were to happen I would be hearing music like this. So cleansing and uplifting... Optimistic?

Holy eff, every time that I hear this song I remember why I love music so much. Also, it always pumps me up for a concert! They play it live so well!!!

This song isn't just Kevin Drew's favourite...

Any girl who has ever been 17 understands this song. And any boy who has ever liked a 17-year-old girl understands this song. Basically anyone can relate... And I know I can f*cking relate. I've changed.

Kevin Drew's 'Safety Bricks' gets me every time. It's my favourite song of ALL time. And this version is just beautiful. "It pays to have good friends, everybody."

This song leaves me with chills. It makes me wonder about love... But I wish that I had the same type of connection with someone as Feist and Kevin Drew have with one another.

I can relate to this song so well... I've definitely thought that different people were the "sweetest kill" in more ways than one. "All the time we get by trying to figure out our lives, like a fade out."

The best end to any concert or playlist... Also my dad's fave song by BSS. Yes, it's an energy booster and super catchy!

So there you have it; my top ten(ish) I missed out so many songs!!!!!!!! :'(
But uhhhh... I have so much love for this band of friends! SO MUCH LOVE.
If you haven't then you should totally watch there movie: "This Movie is Broken" 
see a trend?

take care and much love 

xx. julie

Hi everyone,

It's weird, I get so sad every time that I talk to people from back home. I know that I shouldn't, but it's just so hard to talk to people but not be with them. I miss all the crazy things that my friends and I used to do... It's such a surreal feeling to know that it's all in the past and I'm moving on now. I'm happy that I get to talk to them still, don't get me wrong, but sometimes I just wish that they could be here with me... I'm so selfish in that sense. It's okay though, no matter what we always find a way to get by; we make things work no matter how hard they may be to get through. I'm just grateful that I have such amazing friends that bless me with all their love. Even though I've moved, life will still go on... We'll all "Float On."

Miss you all, dear friends!

xx. julie

Hi there fellow night owls,

So here it goes... My iTunes library is about to throw up all over this blog post. You guessed it! I'm making a playlist for all of you lovely friends.

1...

2...

3...

GO!

1. Oh No- Andrew Bird

2. Home- Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros

3. Deep Blue- Arcade Fire

4. Safety Bricks- Broken Social Scene presents... Kevin Drew

5. Hellhole Ratrace- Girls

6. First Day of My Life- Bright Eyes

7. Everlasting Everything- Wilco

8. Guru- Plants and Animals

9. Hangover Days- Jason Collett

10. Sunshine Blues- Bahamas

11. Bowl of Oranges- Bright Eyes

12. Chinese Translation- M. Ward

13. Goodnight Moon- Said the Whale

14. Lauren Marie- Girls

15. My Favourite Book- Stars

16. Home As a Romanticized Concept Where Everyone Loves You Always and Forever- Woodpigeon

17. Mourning Song- We Are The City

Mourning Song

18. Changes- Stars

Enjoy your late night playlist... From me to you, with love.

xx. julie

Greetings dear friends,

Lately I've been wondering: "What makes a good friend?" 

I've had a lot of people throughout my years who I have entrusted personal information into only to have them expel it to the rest of my peers. I've also had those friends who are all sugar, spice and everything nice until you stop giving them exactly what they want then they snap on you like a slap to the face. Yes, there are so many different types of friends out there. It's just hard to decide whether or not they really are your friend. But throughout time you will discover everyones true colours and flaws. Sometimes flaws are good, quirky little features that make the person who they are. But other times flaws are nasty little bugs that you find in peoples teeth (bad and yucky). Unfortunately, over my years I've found a vast amount of my friends to have these bugs stuck in their teeth, some of them more noticeable than others... You can try as hard as possible to ignore the fact that they're there but sometimes they just sit there smiling right back at you. You can try to change or remove these bugs but most people don't like it when you touch their teeth. No, it's a cruel world and you must learn to accept the fact that sometimes people just aren't what they seem and there's nothing you can do to change it. The only thing that you can change is yourself. And that doesn't mean that you have to go put a tarantula in your mouth; you just have to learn how to deal with these little flaws a bit better. 

I think a good friend is someone who you always have chemistry with; you don't want a boring friendship, there should always be a spark to it. You can share things, get advice, have fun, respect one another and most importantly you must know how to live life to the fullest by appreciating every moment that you spend together.

And I for one understand the rough times of change... Small city to big city I'm making it work! I constantly find myself spacing out while listening to this song because it's just so relative to my life. It's seriously the most beautiful song of my life. And it doesn't hurt that it's by such beautiful and kind people. Stars are such an inspiration. "I am the photographer." 

keep it real and friendly!

much love.

xx. julie

Hi there internet lovers,

Miss me?
So I'm pretty much addicted to Twitter and today We Are The City tweeted that they were handing out 15 free copies of their 7" 'Mourning Song/Morning Song' at the Vancouver Art Gallery at 7pm. I worked until 6:30pm then hopped on the Skytrain and booked it like lightening down to the VAG and made it there by 6:50 and got my free copy of their single. Holy eff. Like wow. Okay, I don't have the right words to explain, but you know those songs that just leave you playing them on repeat all night? Yeah. This is them. The two tracks are fan-funking-tastic!! Literally, I'm at a loss for words. I remember almost 2 years ago when I first hear Morning Song on YouTube because they recorded it outside in the early morning with Amazing Factory Productions Inc and Sven Peterson, it was like my anthem wake up song for all of grade 11 and 12. Now it's like I've moved on from my high school days and I still listen to it every morning. God, I just have so much love for this band! They're one of those bands who just make me proud to say that I'm from a little town in B.C. called Kelowna. I never knew how big this band was going to become back when I saw them in 2008 but when I went to VAG tonight and there was a crowd of about 40 people I couldn't help but smile... It's such a satisfying feeling to see such genuine people get so far doing something that they are so truly and deeply passionate about. LISTEN TO THEIR 7"; BUY IT ON ITUNES FOR $1.98 and SEE THEM LIVE if they're coming to your hometown, because you will not regret it.

And here's your opportunity to listen to their full length EP with amazing video...

Enjoy their blissful tunes.

xx. julie

Hello beautiful people,

Check out my Flickr, I need to update it... but still: Julie's Flickr
Check out my Twitter, I tweet all the time... so yeah: Julie's Twitter
And you can only add me on Facebook if you can find me and know me.
luvluvluv xx. julie

Greetings my lovely friends,

As promised, here are some photographs taken by yours truly.

Just a taste of much more to come, enjoii.

 xx. julie

Hello dear friends. 


I'm sorry but I just love this whole idea of blogging. I'm sitting in my room listening to the rain tapping against the roof ("pitter-patter") and eating frozen yogurt while attempting to keep my feet warm in bundles of blankets because it's so cold and the frozen yogurt really doesn't help...
Sometimes it takes me forever to write out these posts because I get so distracted by my surroundings; like, right now I'm looking around my room and I see all these little things like my alarm clock and I can keep typing without watching the screen because I'm so enticed by what I'm staring at... But aside from that I've been thinking all day about how badly I urn for a synthesizer (synth/vocoder Julie wants) and loops (not this kind of loops), like HOLY $#!+. Sorry, but I've been in love with these two things ever since listening to those old space-y 80's tunes... And even newer Braids. Also, Chromeo has a bit of an influence on my love for synth and vocoder. I'm totally listening to Sonic Youth right now and keep getting dragged in by there catchy riffs and sooooo distracted. OHHHH Also, I love Phoenix for synth/loops.
Anyways, that's totally not why I was writing this post! I was going to share some of my photographs from this past year! So wait for it... I'm about to create an album! ;)
But don't you worry little ones, I have some music in this post for you! luvluvluv.

xx. julie

Hello all.

Here is my first music related post. Prepare yourself... 

So next week begins my adventure out into the music scene here in Vancouver! It's going to be a full jam-packed weekend. Not only is Olio Festival taking place but Broken Social Scene and James Blake are also playing. Unfortunately Bon Iver is playing the same night as James Blake, which was tough to pick between the two but so far I am happy with my decision. For Olio Fest I'm most excited to see Besnard Lakes which includes my best friends aunt and uncle as bandmates, their melodic harmonies and intense riffs and bass-lines all come together in such a beautifully cohesive nature which often leaves me feeling like I'm floating on a cloud. Braids is also a band that I'm looking forward to seeing at Olio. Even though I've seen them multiple times their flawless looping and enticing vocals keep me hooked; the louder the better. Broken Social Scene is going to be such a treat, third time's a charm! The past two times that I've seen them I've never been disappointed, I even had the opportunity to go for a bike ride with them one evening in Kelowna, they're all such inspirations to myself. James Blake will be great as well, I'm sure. But really, I'm just overly excited for Broken Social Scene most of all.

Check out some links to the artists featured in this post:

xx. julie

Greetings,

Incase you're unaware, I'm Julie. I love all things music and arts. I listen to a lot of independent and up-and-coming music, but the genres all vary very much from punk-rock-grunge-lowfi-classical and everything in between. Somewhere we all fall into place and hopefully you can find your place here...

So I've decided to diverge from my depressing blog postings and instead spread my love and passion for the arts... I don't understand Tumblr so I'm using Blogger. Or maybe I'm just too much of a hipster for Tumblr, yeah, that's it, it's just too mainstream for me... Duh! But uh yeah, I'm making this blog to share some music, photos, concerts and everything cool like that. Basically, I'm a small-town girl turned city lights and all that glitz and glam. With each day I'm growing more and more into that typical city clown (minus all the office clothes and high heals), but deep down I'm always a small-town girl at heart, just living in a big world. So here it goes; I'm spreading my wings and soaring into the unknown, a whole new city with a whole new name and it's up to myself to try and win this game! 

Imagine if I had moved to this city...

 just to put a face to the name.

xx. julie