#because i go to contest at the end of the week and the brainrot is unfortunately very real

[deep-hearts-core]

The Competitive Barbershop Music Explainer, and Why More of Tumblr Should Be Obsessed With It.

I've been threatening this for now almost a year, so here it is. You probably have an idea in your head of what a barbershop quartet is: maybe you’ve seen The Music Man, or possibly the Louie Zong Hatsune Miku song. But barbershop exists as a hobby these days, too, and there are parts of it that are deeply cool and nerdy. Some of you--gasp--might actually enjoy it. 

What the hell is barbershop music?

Barbershop music got its name from the Black barbershop social space out of which it evolved. In the early 20th century, groups of guys would get together and harmonize as a way to pass the time. The style later got appropriated into white culture (I’m going to come back to this, keep reading) and evolved into what most people think of when they hear the phrase “barbershop quartet”. 

Barbershop got a lot less popular after the 1960s or so, but it’s not gone! Today, it’s overseen primarily by the Barbershop Harmony Society (formerly the Society and Preservation for Barbershop Quartet Singing in America, but… that’s long…), which organizes contests and codifies the “rules” of what barbershop is and how it’s different from other a cappella. Those rules are mostly music theory stuff, which I won’t go into here for fear of boring people, but if anyone is curious my askbox is open :D 

It’s not just quartets, either. There are also choruses that sing in the same four-part style, following the same music rules as the quartets, and they compete too. This is how I got involved.

Why is Tumblr supposed to enjoy this?

Reason #1: The competition. I’ve been on Tumblr for several years, and do you know what we love? Ranking things, picking favorites, and watching talented people do their thing. It’s actually kind of similar to Eurovision--there’s a jury and a points system, and people get mad about it every year; there’s a qualifying round and a nerve-wracking calloff; it’s even international! BHS operates in the US and Canada, and most competing groups are from here, but there are sizable scenes in the UK, Sweden, Australia, and Aotearoa, as well as smaller organizations across Western Europe and beyond. The Japanese organization held its first ever competition this year! Regional contests happen all over once or twice a year, culminating in the international competition the first week of July, where quartets and choruses battle it out to be the best of the best. People have favorite groups and try to guess where people are going to place each year. If you’re me, you can even do the Eurovision fan thing and overanalyze the running order. 

Reason #2: The talent. Listen, many of these people are incredibly talented singers. Take The Clementones from Denmark, for example, who delivered amazing Addams Family character work this year. Or Smoke Ring, the New York City-based quartet trying to singlehandedly make barbershop sexy again. I could give you so many examples of singers who can hold long notes forever and ever, but I’ll show restraint and only link two: Vocal Spectrum and Midtown. And of course I have to link this fucking amazing Hunchback of Notre Dame medley. Many singers also arrange songs specifically for their own groups. If you’re a music nerd in any way, this is for you.

Also, if you enjoy niche subcultures or #hobbydrama, there’s so much to rotate in your brain. This is part of what hooked me initially. 

But it's racist/culturally appropriated!

Well, you’re not wrong… but so are a lot of things. Bear with me for a second. I'm not going to come out and blindly defend the history and say oh there's nothing wrong with the organization we can't blame them. The organization was segregated for a long time. Women were only allowed to join as full members in 2018. The Black origins of barbershop singing were actively obscured by SPEBSQSA for decades and have only recently become well-known to most members. Hell, when the BHS went co-ed a splinter organization formed to try and keep the hobby all-male. There is bad history.

BUT. People are trying. There's a sizable contingent of young queer people who do well and become well-connected within BHS--including Smoke Ring, who I linked above. They’re causing a nonzero amount of controversy and are visibly queer and something new and unapologetic about that. More and more nonwhite people are joining and finding success competitively. Academics on the subject actively spread the history that barbershop is a Black genre, and this is increasingly common knowledge especially among young barbershoppers. The most successful barbershoppers in Aotearoa (BHNZ) are predominantly Māori and Pasifika. The BHS board, while they do not have any real understanding about how to execute this at all, does at least want to reckon with the history and is, in theory, trying. For all its many, many faults, there are good people here who are making change.

Ok fine, you've got me. Now what?

Go click on all the links in this post and then let the YouTube algorithm do its work. Also, send me asks! I can go on about this shit forever and ever.

Here are some more suggestions for you:

the chorus performance that first got me interested

Panic! at the Disco but it’s barbershop

these guys also do Spiderman! 

girls who will step on you and you will like it

the air raid warden song from that one tumblr post

air raid warden guys sing about ducks

totally not never gonna give you up. what? what are you talking about?

the first ssaa group to medal in bhs have since changed their lineup but this performance reigns eternal

And if you like to sing, see if there's a chorus (click here for SSAA only) or chapter nearby. I won't get preachy and say you'll have a great experience no matter what. Sometimes people suck; I have the luck to live in a major city on the East Coast and I can say with reasonable confidence that not everyone is going to be as chill as my people are. However, this is such a small space that everyone will be excited about a new person coming in and will likely give you a little leeway. 

I've only been doing this for a year and a half, but I can easily say that I love it and it's changed me. So, even if you scrolled to the bottom of this post rolling your eyes because I should just shut up about this already, thanks for listening. <3

[popponn]

bits and such, about him.

summary: he loves you in his own way. (aka expanded hcs on how he shows his love to you)

note: i want an isagi so bad at this point i will just cry. also i miss sae. nagi is kinda there ig (jk nagi u shojo protag). sometimes thinking about these guys are very comforting even when it comes out as pure brainrot. warning: none, just fluff. isagi is downbad, sae is a house cat variant, and nagi is something else. reader's gender unspecified, implied post canon au.

characters: isagi, sae, nagi

isagi falls in love with you again and again over the smallest things. it could be you rearranging your things, it could be you looking up to the sky, it could be you crouching alongside him, it could be you laughing at something he finds actually unfunny—repeatedly, without fail it keeps happening. in these sorts of moments, it is very obvious too. his breath would come to a halt slowly, his shoulder sagged, his mouth opening into a silent gape, all while his blue eyes would stare at you, filled with feelings that are impossible to word out. his signs are obvious enough that even strangers could know them. the worst thing is that on times like this, it means isagi yoichi's infamously smart brain will go on a holiday for a bit. adding to the fact that his eyes rarely leave you whenever you are in his vicinity, this means it happens a lot in a public setting. after the third time of seeing this happening right in front of them, most of his friends sort of agree that it would be best to leave the lovesick, down-bad isagi alone. more for their sakes because all they get is either a dumb "huh" that is very cute actually or a very angry, on-field tone of "shut the fuck up fucking donkey i'm admiring right now" which unfortunately did happen to a genius, a speedster, and a king. it nearly ended in a bloodbath multiple times but at least you know he is a man that could not be moved.

sae likes it when you play with his hair and vice versa. the annoying thing, though, is that he rather doesn't say shit for three days than admitting this to your face. some call it an acute case of terrible communication skill some call it kuudere rizz—nobody knows which one is the correct term but the good thing is this guy speaks louder through his action than his words. which mean acting like a spoiled house cat with shitty attention seeking tendencies—where you could be working or resting your exhausted leg and without any warning, you will have his head on your lap. don't bother protesting, you will lose the inevitable staring contest. just play with his hair, comb it, pat it, arrange it while praising him—just spoil him. and if he says "your hair is wet" even right after you dry it off, just sit down and let him " dry" your hair. no, it's not an alibi to have you chatter while he listens and touches your hair. no, he does not kiss you on the hair you are imagining shit. and no don't let anyone touch your hair. sae's possessive streak is a rare thing but if anyone touches your hair, that's just asking for it. honestly, it will be easier for both of you if he just says "hey can we forego the hairdryer and have your head on my lap instead this time" but this is an itoshi bloodline elder. the best he could manage is just suddenly burying his face in your hair or suddenly touching it when he is not in the mood to play a game. again, like a cat just taking something he wants. the cat is handsome and loving in his own way though.

nagi turns out to be a very very vocal person when it comes to you. aw, he must be away for a week because of a match? good luck to everyone on his team because he will whine about it every minute or so. some wanted to murder him, but thank god, an "if you look cool don't you think they will be happy?" is enough to shut him up—on camera at least. and wow he thinks you look good in your clothes? you will know it. nagi will say "wear it again", " it suits you", and many other short sentences indeed—he is still not a wordsmith—but simply by the sheer frequency of his praise? everyone and their grandma will know it. one time a brave, poor soul asked him "why the fuck are you so noisy about them?!"—and turns out it is simply because he likes your reaction to his words. you could respond back with cheer, with a calm suave, or sometimes flustered laugh, and nagi eats those up. remember to have special reactions for him though, since he is not above copying a koala or maybe some flirty toucan to have those. nagi has been a tad bit shameless though, despite everything, therefore maybe it's not unsurprising that he kinda of becomes after getting together with you. (in the background, niko nods sagely, "i see. so it's like your oshi character who you want every info of from a dating sim." while barou snaps with a "fucking what?" nagi takes a second to think, and goes, "...kinda." which is obviously an understatement.)

[bruciemilf]

brain go brrrrRRR buuut... BRUCE being forgotten on the day of his birth <33

Bruce tired from patrol, sore and aching forgetting HIS own day because he has been used to never celebrating it until his children show up.

Granted, Alfred has tried before. Greeting him on the occassion but never pushing, too scared that one day the flighty bat would break once again and he is left with oueces he can't fix.

But anyway, the kids celebrate for him in little ways when they were young. Maybe treats with dick, reading with jason, info dump with tim, art with damian (dami says he sucks btw but is glad for the activity), steph conjures a waffle contest (she wins), just yea spending time as a birthday present is enough just for him and the greetings "Happy Birthday B" or "Your birth old man" even the silent approach of cass's kiss on the cheek. So, he never forgot his day.

Yet lately, everything has been his fault. His relationship with the kids are strained. Everyone else is out of town or offworld or busy for days, weeks or months. Then his day comes, no greeting just a ping on his phone calendar. BIRTHDAY it said, knowing no ither notification will settle on his screen.

So he sits in the cave. Tired and aching, not unusual but the hollow ache of his soul hits him harder than the rough patrol. He finds himself alone, for the first time in a while and he accepts it. Welcomes the dark of his mind telling him what he always secretly believed in growing up from the boy in the alley to a man in a suit.

" YOU make yourself lonely B, WE deserve it but it's okay. Gotham needs the bat more than anyone will ever need YOU."

It aches but it's okay. Everyone forgot, they should eventually. Unable to sleep off the ache of the last minutes of his day he goes back to the grave and it's been so long since he'd done this but-

"Happy birthday" he sings, quiet and low to mama and dad and leaves quiet and empty parting with the words he thought he had long forgotten before-

"just- just another year, so please take me home soon"

*** ANYWAY i needed to brainrot because bruce having thoughts of awe that he lived past the age he thought that it would be the end feels so good, thank ü 😔

When Bruce steps back in the manor, he almost jumps out of his skin.

Jason's much bigger than him now, but he still jumps in Bruce's arms, mirroring his 10 year old self. "Finally! Thought you'd never come back."

Bruce blinks, "Wha..."

Alfred tuts. " Come now, sir. We mustn't let Master Grayson's baking go to waste."

"It's cake mix from Batmart, Baba. I'd rather eat a corpse."

"Come on, Damian! How would you feel if I told B you've been bringing stray cats home for a week?"

"They're my birthday gift. Baba and I will find them good homes, like this one." And bruce just wants to cry. He does. In Jason's shoulder. Even if Jay tells him only suckers cry (he cries in Bruce's shoulder, too)

[meandmyechoes]

TへT look... i know it’s stupid to think this way, it’s not a contest, and even if it is, i was never among the top tier of contestants. I didn’t aim for the first prize because it would be unrealistic with my qualifications. I was going more for a, special jury prize. and frankly? this edit is just performing typically, like right on the growth curve. It doesn’t exactly ‘flop’ in the universal sense, because it is a very niche topic, and it reached all the usual milestones, but it obviously is on the lower end if we count the amount of notes. and you know usually how I don’t really ‘care’ about the number? Largely it was because I was accustomed to queueing gifs to post so that when I wake up they have a pretty decent number already, but also because I could quite cast a realistic projection. and this time I panicked and published it during the day and it made me so nervous. But once it pass the three-digit mental barrier, I was so much more relieved. and as always, most importantly, it is about the right people liking it more than a mass appreciation. and in terms of the quality of response, I’ll treasure this one.

but! that wasn’t what this wall of text was about. I just feel so inadequate seeing all this talent explode over my dash. (and I kinda wanna bitch about the bigotry on the local forum, but like I don’t have somebody to listen and I obviously can’t talk-behind-backs to a one-of-them, a very cishet dudebro). I’m just overwhelmed, I’m not jealous, it’s just makes your jaw drops and you stare, like. how do i live up to that. what’s the point even putting my piece of trash onto this world when such fine art exists. I don’t want to divert attention from them, these masterpieces don’t deserve it. but as I’m typing it I’m feeling a little better now. It’s about my participation and my passion. Most importantly, my tenacity to keep up with posting original clone wars content for a whole week. It’s about a celebration and a magnificent party. It’s about coming together, so I shouldn’t shoot myself down like that. I think I’m gonna keep walking my “creative” route and be a little bit quirky-thoughtful with the prompts. 

Technicality is not my strength. Palette, is the height of my skill, so far. Sure, now that I saw it, I can figure out the text effects and the fades and brushes, but technical intelligence really is not my strength in giffing. I guess I’m more like an original type, where i became inspired, and clash it together, but I can’t do generic very well. I just can’t do something “good enough”, I have to make something uniquely me. which is why I was iffy with ‘favourite character’ as a prompt because I’ve done that gifset before and I can’t repeat the same theme when I have so many more ideas to explore! so no offense, not saying people are avoiding coming up with innovative ideas, like, it’s just what they are capable is a completely different way of thinking than mine. and I appreciate that, and I’m very impressed with it. 

I think what threw me off my game, is that there’re only just two entries (in the ahsoka department) that I was able to predict, and everyone else’s is just, wow. Bro... you guys are really not pulling back, on just the first day.... Compared to the brainrot I see on Facebook and else, this is such a haven. like, I love tumblr tcw fandom man.