Music under a wide Open Sky....

Apologies for blogging so infrequently lately. I thought that going school-free for the summer would free up my time but sadly I'm even busier it feels. I really can't complain though, getting out and about around Edmonton has been a great trade off for my studies so far.

Last weekend I had the pleasure of volunteering for the 3rd annual Open Sky Music Festival in Edmonton. I may have had a connection through my roommate and PR star Natalie Harper but it was just the perfect kind of event to get me out of the house and kick off my summer.

Boasting the reggae, surf-rock and alternative sounds of groups such as The Wailers, Shane Philip, The Whytes, Five Alarm Funk, Souljah Fyah and others (see here), the weekend, while rainy, was still a great chance to get out and dance. The best part of the weekend was getting the opportunity to meet all of the local and international artists one-on-one and see how humble and real they all were.

I've got a few pics and videos posted but it was hands-down one of the best weekends I've had in a long time. Count me in for next year!

 Scott Cook & The Long Weekends

 Five Alarm Funk

 

  Micheal Bernard Fitzgerald

 

Lesley Pelletier

 

 The Wyhtes

 The Wailers

 

 Chali 2na

 Five Alarm Funk

 Kim Churchill

Can social media spark and maintain the next revolution?

In his article Small Change: Why the revolution will not be tweeted, Malcolm Gladwell probes the emergence of Twitter and Facebook as tools to mobilize the masses for protest. He believes that really Twitter and Facebook are just tools and they can not create or start revolution like the organized sit-ins in the Deep South of the U.S.A. in the 1960s.

An interesting discussion erupted in class today when we discussed this article, one that everyone seemed to participate in. At first when I read this article I went back to look at the date on this article ~ because I felt that it was written before the Occupy movement. I was right (it was written in 2010), and while Gladwell wasn't privy to some of the events that happened this past year, I understand what message he was trying to convey in this article.

Yes social networks have a plethora of tools to choose from today to help stay in touch. And yes these tools have been used to motivate the public to join in something that they believe in. Gladwell argues that these "revolutions" or social movements that are organized via Facebook or Twitter have no lasting impact unlike Rosa Parks sitting at the front of the bus.

This is where I beg to differ - I think that while the tools may have changed, the reasons for being involved are still the same. In fact my classmate Amanda put it best, "It's not about the social tools, it's about the social movement. The reasons why people want to be a part of something have never changed." I agree with her - the desire to be involved in something that will make a difference has always been a part of people's DNA. Today we just have different ways to mobilize and educate people.

I see where you're coming from Mr. Gladwell but I don't agree with what you're saying.

Slave Lake: One year later

Tomorrow the community of Slave Lake marks a sombre anniversary. It was one year ago that a wildfire rolled through their community, destroying most of the buildings and infrastructure and forcing many families scrambling for cover.

I remember a year ago sitting at my computer writing a paper for COMM 503 and watching with horror as my Twitter feed filled with photos and panicked pleas from shelters and organizations as they mobilized to help the displaced population.

I blogged about Slave Lake last year, the tragedy and horror that I witnessed the night of the fires. But in the days following the fire, I remember classmate Dianne tweeting locations where others could drop off clothing and personal hygiene items. I remember my co-blogger Felicia mobilizing her social network on Twitter and Facebook, collecting enough items to fit in a shipping container to be sent to the families in Slave Lake.

Out of so much heartbreak and tragedy I saw people come together, whether they knew each other or not to help others who needed it. That is really the power of a social network to me.

I Was There

Hockey is part of the Canadian backbone ~ something that most kids learn to play from a very young age. I remember becoming a 'rink rat' at the age of five as I went to my younger brother's hockey practices and games. There is something about the crisp air in a natural ice hockey rink (can you smell the onion rings?). Never one to miss out on the action, I played ringette (definition here for those who have never played) in high school and campus recreation hockey in university. Needless to say it's in my blood.

So when I was approached by a fellow former PR classmate to be involved on the 2012 World Junior Hockey Championship social media committee, I couldn't say no. Held from December 26 to December 31st in Edmonton and January 2 to 6th in Calgary, there was plenty of opportunity to be involved. I volunteered for eight months on the Twitter account for the World Juniors and what an experience I had. Together with eight other social media pros spread between Calgary and Edmonton we built an amazing following on Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare and YouTube. It exceeded my expectations!

Look at me Ma! I'm tweeting.

My roomie Natalie multi-tasking for Facebook.

My view from the press box.

The theme for this year's tournament was "I Was There" ~ so fitting from every angle when you think of it. I can say that I was definitely there and the memories and impact on me will last a lifetime. Thanks to this opportunity my love for hockey has been reignited.

This Canada flag is HUGE! Passed around the crowd

before every game.

This was the pre-game skate before the Canada v.s. U.S.A game

on New Year's Eve. It was loud in the house that night!