Mark in Dublin alongside Mike Stanley, and Brandon Steadman.
Country Artist: Mark Mckinney
Mark Mckinney and fellow Texan artists, along with their fans, were able to experience the beauty of Ireland this year. The bands teamed up with Texas Troubadour Tours for a week filled with incredible sights and good times, during the Red Dirt Pub Crawl tour across Ireland. From Dublin to the Cliffs of Moher, Bunratty Castle & Folk Park, Guinness Storehouse, Jameson Irish Whiskey, Galway, Limerick, Doolin, and more. The artist’s were blown away by the kindness and beauty of this place and its people.
Saint Patrick’s Cathedral
Mark Mckinney along with Bart Crow, Walt Wilkins, The Dirty River Boys, Rich O’Toole, Sarah Lee-Anna Hobbs, Steve Helms Band, and several other Texas pickers ventured into the cold of Ireland Nov 27 through Dec 4. They were able to offer their fans an incredible package included the following:
*Roundtrip airfare with American Airlines
*Roundtrip airport/hotel transfers
*Room at the recently renovated and historic Temple Bar Hotel
As the emerging artist SORLIVE gears up for his album release on January 18, 2018. The team has been focusing on expanding the brand. A fresh new Louisiana sound, along with rumors of a “FRESH” line of apparel. The word on the streets of the south is SORLIVE got NEXT!
#SORLIVE CD Release Party
DATE: January 27th, 2018
Venue: The GIM
Location: 1819 Memorial Drive, Alexandria, LA.
Time: 6:00pm
Name of Album: Fresh
Hosted by: Amanda Sapp
SOR is a passionate and dynamic recording artist from New Orleans, Louisiana. SOR was quick to pick up on the Hip-Hop style, taking inspiration from artists such as Will Smith, Lyfe Jennings, Black Eyed Peas, J. Cole, & Kid Rock.
Specializing in high energy music with a pop sound, SOR dreams up positively in the music industry, creating catchy punchlines and vibrant tunes without profanity to maintain core values and modern day morals.
Conquer Entertainment is hosting a BEST OF THE BOOTHTalent Showcase at the 2018 World Conference being held Friday Feb 2nd in Miami, Florida at the American Airlines Arena. Conquer is looking for new talent. Bands, Singers, Rappers (no hardcore), all genres to perform. There will be over 25,000 attendees. Performers do not need to be on the Conquer platform. Contact your favorite artist and submit the requirements below. They will receive a MAWC2018 TICKET for themselves as well a guest pass to the 3 day conference with VIP seating.
Details:
Submit a video link of artist performing ASAP (Singing or instrumental) and the Conquer team will pick their favorite artists Jan 10th. The artist will then be provided a MAWC2018 TICKET to the conference and will be invited to perform at the Conquer Booth during the Talent Showcase lunch break Friday Feb 2nd. Plus VIP seating on the arena floor for all 3 days of conference.
Judges will vote on their favorite booth performance, and the winner will receive a FREE year membership on the platform as an official Conquer Artist!
Any questions email info@conquerentertainment.com
All travel, lodging and food expenses will be the responsibility of the performer.
Now that you’re sufficiently on edge, lets talk scary music! So when people think music, “scary” isn’t usually the first word that comes to mind, right? Well the magical thing about music is that it is capable of invoking any kind of emotion. In horror movies a soundtrack is particularly important to the overall impact of what’s happening on screen. The music helps to create atmosphere which allows for a deeper emotional response
Example you say?
Take this video by YouTuber and filmaker, Bobby Burns.
Add a Gothic filter, some chilling music (yes that was a pun); and Voilà! Disney’s hit film “Frozen” makes your hair stand on end, and your blood run cold. (Okay I’ll stop)
I know you’re interested right? So in honor of the Halloween season, lets take a look at some of the ‘scariest’ music out there!
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – “Song of Joy” 1996
Contrary to it’s lighthearted title, Nick Cave’s “Song of Joy” is a dark and eerie piece from his album “Murder Ballads”..Equally dark and eerie. It chronicles a mysterious man who, on a cold winter night, chooses a house at random to seek shelter. He tells the story of a murderer, and the gruesome crimes in which he committed. The lyrics are beautifully poetic, but if I were the dude listening to his story. . . I probably wouldn’t let him in.
Radiohead – “Climbing Up the Walls” 1997
When you think Radiohead, you think of music that is utterly haunting. Probably best known for their song Creep, Radiohead has remained relevant through the years with music that is so masterful in form and execution, it still can’t be topped. One song that stands out in particular in my quest for ‘scary’ is “Climbing Up the Walls” from their album “OK COMPUTER”. A song that is presented from the point of view of . . . well a murderous psychopath. The lyrics are so intense that it feels as though you’re looking directly into the mind of someone truly disturbed.
The Beatles – “Revolution 9” 1968
Okay so this one is just weird and creepy, not simply because of the song itself, but because of its place in history. This experimental sound collage by The Beatles apparently inspired cult leader Charles Manson to commit the atrocities he did, due to some strange interpretation he had of the piece.
Randy Newman – “In Germany Before the War” 1977
Randy Newman is probably best known for his work in various Pixar films; (“Toy Story”, “A Bugs Life”, “Monsters Inc”, Etc.) Before that however, Newman wrote some pretty harrowing pieces. I chose to add “In Germany Before the War” because of how genuinely powerful, and very real, the emotions that are evoked from this song seem to be. On the surface, this song is about the “Düsseldorf Ripper”, a serial killer of children who was at large in 1931. Going even deeper, it is a powerful metaphor for a country about to enter a period more horrific than any form of media could possibly conjure. The melody of this song is absolutely chilling, and I can’t listen to it without getting some serious goosebumps.
Joseph Bishara – “Insidious” 2011
Okay I hope you didn’t listen to that with headphones in. . . Oh wait – Yes I do! I’m insidious like that. (Sorry, I said I’d stop…I lied.)
Insidious, though receiving mixed reviews, it was positively received overall due to its fresh take on a been there done that genre. No matter how you felt about the movie, you can’t deny that the soundtrack was absolutely terrifying. Most of the score was actually improvised, with a sort of atonal screeching of the violins to put you on edge, and sudden bangs on the keys of a piano to really make your heart pounce. Composer, Joseph Bishara, did an amazing job at creating a tense and suspenseful atmosphere. (Fun fact: Bishara also plays the red faced demon in the film.)
Giuseppe Tartini – “Devil’s Trill Sonata” 1713 – 1740 (Exact date unknown)
So I felt I needed to add a little classical to the compilation. This masterpiece is by the Italian Baroque Composer, Tartini; a violinist known for his incredible technique. There is so much mystique to this song and its creation that it definitely gets a place on the list. The legend goes that Tartini was visited by the Devil in his dreams, in which he made a contract with the entity, that it would be at his service on all occasions. In order to see what kind of musician he was, Tartini handed the Devil his violin. What followed was a sonata so absolutely beautiful that it left Tartini breathless. A song that surpassed anything he had ever heard or could possibly imagine. When he awoke he grabbed his fiddle and desperately attempted to recreate the piece he had heard in his dreams. The result was his greatest work, the “Devil’s Trill Sonata”. However, Tartini found his piece to be so inferior to the song in his dreams, that he was tempted to destroy his fiddle and leave the world of music forever. Over the years, the sonata and its composer have been stooped in mystery, and only a violinist of virtuosic skill could possibly play a piece so ‘devilishly’ difficult. Take a listen (I mean REALLY listen), and its supernatural origins will seem very real.
Cover by Hit House (Original by Duran Duran) – “Ordinary World” 2017
Okay I got a little carried away on the last dude, so here is a cool one. “Ordinary World” is a song by Duran Duran released in 1993, Essentially it’s about dealing with the loss of someone you love, and learning how to cope and move on with life. Recently it was used as the theme song for the Horror Survival game “The Evil Within 2“, where it has been reworked by Hit House to create a more eerie and menacing twist to the song. In the context of the game, the words become very literal, as the protagonist must overcome the ghosts of his past, traverse a nightmarish world to find his daughter, and return to the peaceful life he once knew. “And as I try to make my way / To the ordinary world / I will learn to survive”.
This list could go on and on, but I think I’m gonna end it here. . . Cause I’m writing this at 3 in the morning, It’s storming outside, and I’m pretty sure I heard something in the other room.
Got some songs you find scary? Let us know in the comments!
Got some topics you’d like to see us tackle? Let us know in the comments!
I guess what I’m trying to say is. . .LET’S HEAR YOUR COMMENTS PEOPLE!
If you were born before the 90’s, you probably witnessed 9/11. It’s a day that’s hard to forget. Though it’s been 16 years since that horrible day, the sorrow felt is something that doesn’t ever disappear. Each year, the Big Apple shines their lights bright in the sky, commemorating where the buildings once stood.
The city of New York also created a beautiful memorial for those who lost their lives that day, at the 9/11 Memorial & Museum. If you haven’t been, I encourage you to go experience this heartfelt place. For as much sadness that is present, there’s an equal amount of hope, and I am so glad that I had the chance to pay tribute to the victims.
Today we at Conquer recognize all of the families that lost someone on that dreadful day, and in case you haven’t heard, here are a few songs from our artists that also pay tribute to the 9/11 victims. May we never forget.
Caroline Messina – “The Fall (9/11)”
Post Partum Productions – “911 – Children Of Zion”
A few Fridays ago, Conquer premiered our first ever booth contest, “Best of The Booth”, at our partner company, Market America’s International Convention (and also 25th anniversary). We put a post out to the local Triad, NC community (Greensboro, Raleigh, Winston, and surrounding areas), and got back such AMAZING artists and talent!
This week, we want to give a special shoutout and thanks to all of the artists and judges that participated in our contest!
*Special thanks to TISHMONE’ for putting together this cool recap vid of the day’s performers! Check it out!
Dust off your cowboy boots, pull out your hats get ready for some good country music with a side of BBQ to celebrate National Cowboy Day! July 22nd was the day for celebrating the western lifestyle, and honoring cowboy roots. We are going to the place that has it all “TEXAS”!
Country music is not hard to find in Texas. There are however some historical locations that make you feel like everybody issomebody. That is right I am talking about Luckenbach. Know for its old west style saloon, dance hall & general store located in Fredericksburg, TX. It all started back in the summer of 1973 when Jerry Jeff Walker, along with the Lost Gonzo Band, recorded the live album Viva Terlingua at the Luckenbach dance hall. The album became an outlaw country classic. Later in 1977, after Crouch’s death in 1976, Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson vaulted Luckenbach in the national spotlight with the #1 country and #25 Pop charting song “Luckenbach, Texas” (Back to the basics of Love)
Texas barbecue has no peer on earth. Usually they are small establishments with little décor but the warmest atmosphere and delicious food that will have you coming back to savor over and over. Once in a while you will find them located out in a field with picnic tables seating over 800 and a barbeque sauce that has no tomatoes so it won’t burn. The Salt Lick has over 50 years’ experience cooking their slowly over an open fire fed by live oak. On a Saturday night you may have a little bit of a wait they serve over 2,000 in just one night.
The Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame is located in the Fort Worth Stockyards National Historic District. It features more than 100 inductees. Well-known names include country music legend George Strait and 9-time world champion rodeo cowboy.
You can also visit the Frontier Times Museum located in the Cowboy capital of the world. You certainly don’t want to miss The Fort Worth Stockyards while celebrating the American cowboy. It was named “The best tribute event” by American Cowboy Magazine. If you are ready for some live rodeo action head over to the historic Cowtown Coliseum of the Forth Worth Stockyards. There’s nothing that says cowboy better than hopping on horseback for a trail ride.
We here at Conquer had the awesome opportunity to interview Alternative Country artist (though one would consider her unrestricted by genre) Jess Taylor about her ongoing crowdfunding project. Hitting the ground running in High-school, Jess’s songwriting and vocal skills quickly led to a large fan following within mainstream country. 5 years later, and Jess is back in a way you’ve never heard her before.
Caitlin Koch is a Nashville-based Country Artist best known for her performances on Simon Cowell’s production,. “The X Factor, USA” Season 1.
Originally from Orchard Park, NY, Caitlin started singing in church. Early on, she was influenced by Elvis Presley due to her parents’ musical tastes. Caitlin attended Orchard Park HS where she was a scholar athlete.
In 2011, Caitlin took her talent to the international stage when featured as the singing rugby coach on Simon Cowell’s production, “The X Factor USA” on FOX network. Caitlin received a standing ovation for her version of “Stop In The Name Of Love” by The Supremes. She ranked in the TOP 8 of Cowell’s team, but was cut before the show went to a live audience.
Caitlin Koch – “The X Factor, USA” Season 1 Auditions. Performs “Stop In The Name Of Love” by The Supremes but done a little bit different.
In 2015, Caitlin followed her dream to Nashville, TN in pursuit of music as an independent artist.
“I was at a crossroads in my life. I was not where I wanted to be in my career, so I had two choices: give up, or make a move. I made a move”, says Caitlin.
She relocated to Nashville and immersed herself in all the city had to offer.
