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Introduction: Music has played a big role in my life. Growing up my parents listened to all types of music, which is why I have a wide range of genre preferences. I go through many stages when I obsess over a specific genre, band or song, but there is one band I will always obsess over: Maroon 5. The main reason why Maroon 5 has been my favorite band for so long is because they do not only play one genre of music. They have songs that range from pop/rock to jazz. Being able to observe them will help me learn more about them as band and as individual band members.

Observation 1 Monday, January 27, 2014 Time: an hour and two minutes Note: The recording length of the concert is 1 hour and 2 minutes, however the observed time is 28 minutes and 21 seconds. Description of the Location: Maroon 5 performed at the Mandalay Bay Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. This was one of their locations for the Overexposed North America Tour 2012/2013. The performance took place indoors. The stage was locating in the front, which allowed all the fans to be facing the band. The stages set up consisted of: the drummer and one of the keyboardist in the back, the guitarists were on both the left and right extremes of the stage and the vocalist (Adam Levine) traveled up and down the stage but also performed in the center of the stage. Figured worlds to me is a group that shares common interests and are able to communicate with each other a certain way. They all are a part of one large community but have various discourse communities. The figured world I am observing is the pop rock band Maroon 5, led by Adam Levine (the vocalist). Their purpose is to entertain those who enjoy listening to music. They entertain people by making music videos, holding concerts, having in interviews, participating in television shows, etc. All these various activities have occurred over time, including the present. Maroon 5 is heard world-wide and people of all age groups enjoy their music. Since their audience can range from children to adults, they have to maintain an appropriate behavior that will be accepted by their fans. No nudity, keeping profanity to a minimum, not portraying a bad image, etc. are just a few obvious behaviors that they follow. An appropriate behavior that applies to all activities is, creating music that is appealing to their whole audience. Having a storyline is an example of an appropriate behavior for their music videos. Appropriate behaviors at concerts include: dancing, changing wardrobe, shouting, etc. During interviews, responding to the questions respectfully is an example of an appropriate behavior. Adam Levine, the only one in the band that participates in a television show, demonstrates appropriate behavior during The Voice when he offers advice and supports the contestants. Being unprofessional, rude and bad role models are all examples of behaviors that are inappropriate. Loud noise is expected, especially during their concerts.

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There are two major discourse communities I expect to find in the figured world. The first discourse community is the band itself, Maroon 5. The fans are the second discourse community. Other minor discourse communities can include: the interviewers and the other singers participating in The Voice.

Actors are the people who make up the figured worlds and the discourse communities. Adam Levine: The vocalist of the band. He is also the most famous and well known band member. During their performances he not only sings, but he also plays the guitar. James Valentine: The lead guitarist and the backing vocalist. He is the second well known band member. He become part of the band in 2001. PJ Morton: The keyboardist during the Overexposed tour. He is not part of the band but he toured with them from 2012-2013. He was Jesse Carmichaels replacement, since he was not able to go on tour with the band.

Artifacts can be described as objects that have a specific meaning to certain actors. These objects can help us figure out a certain actors behavior. Microphone and microphone stand: Used in all performances, throughout the whole performance. This object is important to all band members, but it has a greater significance to Adam Levine. He relies on this object, because without it his fans wouldnt be able to hear him. Stage: This object is important to all band members, because they all use it. It helps keep them away from over excited fans. The stage also gives the fans a better view of the band. Lights: The lights is another object that is significant to all the band members. This object helps make certain band members stand out from the others by using the spotlight. The color of the lights help emphasize the tone on stage and it helps make the performance dramatic. Instruments: Each instrument is important to a certain band member. The instruments are the reasons why the band members became part of Maroon 5. These objects define each band member.

Discourse communities are small groups within the figured world, the actors in these smaller groups share common interests. The guitarists: Each band member plays a different instrument, except for the guitarists. There are 2 guitarists in the band, the common interest they share is being able to play the guitar.

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The fans: The fans may have different opinions and beliefs but they all have one thing in common, they enjoy Maroon 5s music. Seating sections in the arena: The seating sections split up the fans by how much they paid for their ticket. The fans that are closer to the stage paid more money to see Maroon 5 and are most likely bigger fans then those who are in the back of the arena.

Literacy Practices can be described as the way the actors communicate with each other, either in writing or speaking. The band members communicate with each other throughout the whole performance. They not only do it by talking, but they queue each other with the each other with the notes they play. For example, James Valentine finishes his guitar solo with a long note once he finishes the note, Adam Levine has to start singing again; the long note was his queue. There was another occasion where Adam queued PJ to start the next song, by telling him to start the mood. The Observation: This observation is a recording of their concert I found on YouTube. It contains clips of each songs in order. Most of the clips are the whole song but a couple of them cut off before the song is over. 1st Song: Lasted roughly 3 min 47 secs. Their opening song was Payphone. The lights start off blue but being to flicker. The color changes with each flicker: red, blue, yellow and purple. As the song comes to an end the lights flicker faster, adding a dramatic affect. The tone and beat stay the same throughout the song. The pace is slow for the majority of the song, it picks up its pace a little during the chorus. 2nd Song Makes Me Wonder: They started performing this song at 3 min 50 secs and ended at 6 min 35 secs. This time Adam, while singing, walks up and down the stage going from one extreme of the stage to another. He sings next to the guitarist James for a couple of seconds and then goes back to the center of the stage. The spotlight changes between band members and the lighting continues to change colors. The song has a moderate upbeat pace. The instrument that is mostly distinguished in this song are the drums. 3rd Song Lucky Strike: Starts at 6 min 41 secs, cuts off at 7 min. Lights flicker to match the beat of the song. The color of the lights switches back and forth from blue to red. The whole song is fast paced and upbeat. It picks up even more during the chorus. Both the drums and guitar synchronize to match each others beat. 7 min. Adam asks the audience to make noise for the upcoming song. He then queues PJ to start the next song. 4th Song Sunday Morning: Lasted from 7 min 18 secs to 11 min 15 secs. Lights are still, reflecting of a clam blue and deep yellow. The color of the lights set a soothing mood to match the song. As James begins his guitar solo, the lights slowly change to red. Once his guitar solo is over and Adam continues to sing, the lights go back to blue and yellow. As the song comes to an end the lights flicker on and off, and stay of once the song ends. This song is slow paced and maintains the same beat, even during the chorus. 5th Song If I Never See Your Face Again: Adam begins the song at 11 min 20 secs. This is the first song he has performed with his guitar in this concert. During most of the song, Adam

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stand by the microphone stand. The lights go off, the spotlight is put on Adam and James. After a couple of seconds the lights turn on again, revealing the whole band. Adam begins his guitar solo, the song finishes once hes done with his solo. End time 15 min 9 secs. This song is very fast paced and upbeat. The guitar is the main instrument playing through the song. 6th Song Wipe Your Eyes: Song starts at 15 min 11 sec and ends at 18 min 12 secs. The lights flash from blue to yellow across the stage. Adam continues performing with his guitar. The lights turn off, and the spotlight is put on Adam for a 4 secs. The lights turn on again, but are only reflecting blue. They turn the lights off again, but leaving the spotlight on Adam. When the lights turn on again, they are reelecting purple instead of blue. The lights begin to switch from blue to purple for 6 secs, then they remain blue. As the song comes to an end, the spotlight reveals each member one by one, and stops at Adam. 7th Song Wont Go Home Without You: Begins singing the song at 18 min 24 secs and ends it at 21 min 49 secs. The spotlight is on Adam only at the beginning of the song, then a spotlight is added on James. All the lights turn on to show the other band members. Instead of staying in the center of the stage, Adam sings at the extremes of each side of the stage. Throughout the whole song Adam is moving up and down the stage. He ends this song in the center of the stage. At 21 min 51 secs, Adam introduces the next song by asking the audience if they are ready. He then continues to inform them the song he is going to perform has never been performed at a concert. The end time is 22 min 31 secs. 8th Song Love Somebody: The song begins at 22 min 35 secs and ends at 25 min 29 secs. Lights reflect both red and blue. As the sing speeds up the lights begin to flicker faster. Spotlights turn on, but do not focus on ant band member. Instead the spotlights wonder the stage aimlessly. Adam walks up and down the stage with the microphone stand. Once the song ends all the lights turn off. This song goes back and forth from fast paced to slow paced. 9th Song Harder to Breath: Song last through 25 min 40 secs and 28 min 21 secs. Begins with lights dimmed, reflecting blue. Once the song starts, the lights begin to reflect red and purple. For 2 secs the lights turn black, this added a dramatic effect to the performance. Adam begins to dance as he is walking up and down the stage. He then encourages his fans to sing louder as he finishes the song.

Observation Two February 1, 2014 Time: 12 minutes 19 seconds Description of Location: In 2012 Maroon 5 participated in an interview before the Grammys. The interview was conducted by a couple of their fans. The room was fairly small. It was set up with two couches, a small stand with a lamp, chairs for the interviewers, and a long banner that said Grammy. Adam Levine and James Valentine were on one couch. Matt Flynn, Jesse

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Carmichael and Mickey Madden were on the other couch. There was a total of about 15 interviewers, which were all female, and 2 camera men.

Actors are the people who make up the figured worlds and the discourse communities. Adam Levine: As the lead vocalist in the band, most of the questions were directed towards him but he allowed his band members to answer the questions as well. He started most of his responses jokingly. James Valentine: Throughout most of the interview, he only spoke up a hand full of times. For the majority of the interview he just listened and laughed when jokes were told. Mickey Madden: Next to Adam, he participated the most throughout the interview. On at least one occasion he was the only band member that responded to the interviewers question. Jesse Carmichael: He was the only band member that did not respond to any of the interview questions and only listened to his other band members responses. Matt Flynn: Occasionally he would speak up, but there was only one instance where he participated in responding to one of the interviewers questions. Fans as Interviewers: The number of fans was not stated in the video, but there was roughly 15 fans. Only 6 of them were able to ask the band a question.

Artifacts can be described as objects that have a specific meaning to certain actors. These objects can help us figure out a certain actors behavior. Grammy banner: This banner is significant to the interview because it lets the viewer know the reason for the interview. Couches: The couches give the room a house warming feeling, which makes the interview a little bit more personal. Cameramen Equipment: The interview would not have been able to be viewed by the public without the camera. The microphone was important because it allowed the band members to hear the interviewers questions and it allowed the interviewers to hear the band members responses.

Discourse communities are small groups within the figured world, the actors in these smaller groups share common interests. Maroon 5: Adam, James, Mickey, Jesse and Matt all belong to the same band, Maroon 5. They all share a common passion, music. Fans / Interviewers: Their common interest is Maroon 5 and all the fans were females. Crewmembers: Recording the interview and making it good quality are the things the crewmembers in this interview have in common.

Literacy Practices can be described as the way the actors communicate with each other, either in writing or speaking.

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Responses: Throughout the whole interview the band members added on to each others responses. They would either agree with each other or add their own opinion. Their responses showed how strong and close they were as a band. Adams Joking: For the first couple questions, Adam started his response jokingly. This added humor to the interview, which made it fun to watch.

The Observation: Question 1: What is your favorite song you have ever done together? What song means the most to you? (Time start: 11 seconds) - Adam Levine begins his response by jokingly stating I hate them all. Mickey Madden then responds to the questions by saying their favorite song constantly changes a lot for all of them. The band members all agreed with his statement. In the end Adam, James and Mickey agreed Makes Me Wonder was their favorite song to record. Question 2: How have you guys changed throughout the years, as a band and as individuals? (Time start: 1 minute 8 seconds) - Adam also responds to this question jokingly by stating Well in the beginning we had integrity. Adam continues his response, but in a more serious tone. He tells the interviewers that as a band they are incapable of staying the same. Since they are inspired by all types of music and genres they dont stick to making the same type of music. Throughout time their music has changed, but in a good way. They are able to balance their changes and not making dramatic changes. Question 3: Would you talk about life on the road and what it has taught you if anything? (Time start: 2 minutes 50 seconds) - Mickey begins to answer the question. He tells the interviewers that overall, as a band, they are very well suited to be on the road. It has made the band a lot closer, which helps them become a much better band as a whole. He states it is good to keep a familial vibe. Matt Flynn adds to his response by stating, they go along well which makes it easier to be on the road. James Valentine also adds to their responses. He stated being on the road is basically the only life they know, when they get home they freak out a little because they dont know what to do. Question 4: Who or what do you miss the most when youre on the road? (Time start: 6 minutes 4 seconds) - They all agreed on friends, family and loved ones. Adam goes in and adds that recently he has been going through a phase where he misses his dog a lot. Each time he sees a golden retriever he thinks of his dog, which makes him miss her even more. Question 5: Would you talk about your writing style and where you get your inspiration and how you guys like to write? (Time start: 6 minutes 39 seconds) - Adam is the first to respond to the interviewers question. He starts off by stating most of the ideas start from a random melody. They all begin to work on the melody, as the melody grows he begins to get ideas for the lyrics. Mickey then states that the majority of their inspiration comes from listening to various types of music and really digging into it or finding a song that they love and finding reason why they love that specific song.

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Question 6: What was it like winning your first Grammy? (Time Start: 8 minutes 57 seconds) - This time Mickey responds jokingly by stating the experience sucks. Adam then begins to summarize the events that happened the day they won the Grammy and he explains how they were all completely shocked when they were announced the winners. They then began to tell the story of the time they opened for the Grammys and how certain moments made that event humorous and memorable. Matt told most of the story, with the help of Adam. Start time 12 minutes 9 seconds - The interviewer ends with all the interviewers/fans taking a group picture with the band.

Observation Three February 4, 2013 Time: 7 minutes 44 seconds Description of the Location: Adam Levine appeared as a guest on Late Night Show with Jimmy Fallon on June 14, 2013. This show is hosted by Jimmy Fallon, in 30 Rockefeller Plaza, on New York. It comes on NBC (TV channel) on Mondays at 12:00a.m. The stage is set up with a desk and two couches. Behind the desk and couches there is a window with a picture of the city. The set up gives off the impression of an office. This makes the environment more relaxed. Actors are the people who make up the figured worlds and the discourse communities. Jimmy Fallon: The host of the Late Night Show. He asks Adam Levine questions and brings up certain topics they can both discuss. Adam Levine: The lead singer of Maroon 5. Jimmy Fallon invited him on the show. This interview helped promote his participation on The Voice as a judge and Maroon 5s new tour Honda Civic Tour. Live Band: The band is part of the Late Night Show crew. They are there to help make the show more entertaining and welcome the guests.

Artifacts: Furniture: The furniture not only makes the environment more relaxed, but it also makes the stage seem more presentable. The couch gives Adam, and the other guests to sit. The desk is where Jimmy sits, which gives him a sense of authority. Laptop: The laptop on the desk there for both decoration and to help Jimmy keep track of the questions to ask Adam. The laptop serves as a replacement for note cards. Mugs: There are two mugs, one on the table next to Adams couch and the other on Jimmys desk. Throughout the show they both take drink form the mugs. The mugs help with the relaxed atmosphere. It makes the interview seem a little more personal.

Discourse Communities:

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Audience: The audience is there because of their shared interests with Adam Levine and Jimmy Fallon. Participants: The participants during this interview are the host and the guest: Adam Levine and Jimmy Fallon.

Literacy Practices: They communicate with each other using the question and answer form. Jimmy asks Adam a question, the question can lead to other topics which helps the conversation continue. They both make jokes throughout the interview, this helps make the interview more entertaining and funny for the audience.

The Observation: 8 Seconds: Jimmy Fallon (host) introduces Adam Levine (guest). He states that he is part the lead singer for Maroon 5 and a judge on The Voice. Adam Levine comes on stage and is greeted by the band playing a melody and a cheering crowd. 58 Seconds: Jimmy points out the fact that Adam has been awake since 8 because he performed on the Today Show that same morning. They then continue the conversation and begin to talk about The Voice, which Adam participates as a judge. Jimmy jokingly calls Adam a loser, because his team did not make it to the finals. 1 Minute 3 Seconds: The two men continue to talk about The Voice. Adam states that as the show progresses he begins to care about all the participants, which makes it a lot harder when one of them has to be kicked off of the show. He then goes on to talk about the finalist. He was unable to pick who he would like to see win, he said I would like to see everyone win. 2 Minutes 39 Seconds: Jimmy then brings up the Honda Civic Tour, which is the most recent Maroon 5 tour. Adam continues the conversation by stating how excited he is to kick-off a new tour. He enjoys being on the road even though it is different for him compared to other rock-pop bands. Even though he is on the road he still tries to maintain a healthy life style. 3 Minutes 19 seconds: They then move on and begin to discuss Adams first real gig. Adams first paid gig was on April29, 1992 at an open mic club in Las Angeles. During that time he was the vocalist for a band Blurred Vision. The performance didnt go too well, and the next day he was kicked out of the band. 4 Minutes 26 Seconds: Jimmy brings up the fact that Adam has a new record label called 222 Records. Adam shares his excitement about his record label. He is happy that he will be able to help out new artists and guide them on the right path to start a good career. Rozzi Crane was the first artist to be signed on to the label. Adam continues to explain Rozzi inspired him to start a record label, without her 222 Records wouldnt exist. 5 Minutes 56 Seconds: Jimmy tells Adam how much he loves his voice and how great of a singer he is. Adam responds by complimenting Jimmy and how he is the best impressionist. Jimmy then convinces Adam to do impressions. Adam does an impression

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of Aaron Neville. He does it facing away from the audience because he doesnt want the audience of the cameras to see his facial expressions while he does the impersonation. 7 Minutes 31 Seconds: The interview ends with Jimmy announcing the date and time of The Voices finale. He thanks Adam for being on the show.

Interview Questions for Maroon 5 Fan 1. Have you been to any of Maroon 5s concerts? If so, tell me about your experience. If not, tell me what you expect at one of their concerts. Yes, I have. I went to the Honda Civic Tour last year on September 11. It was the first time I have seen them live. At the event I bought pit seat tickets, which allowed me to be right in front of the stage. It was hands down the best concert I have ever attended. 2. Why did you become a fan of Maroon 5? Do you recall the first song you heard by them? Actually, I became a fan of Maroon 5 because of the first song I hear by them, She Will Be Loved. Im also a big fan of Adam Levine, whats not to love about him. 3. Tell me your favorite song and why it is your favorite? Its hard to pick one song, but if I had too I would have to go with She Will Be Loved. This is one song that I can listen to none stop all day for daysIve actually done that. 4. In your opinion, is Adam Levine helpful to rising singers in The Voice? Out of all the advices hes given, which one do you believe helped out the most? Personally I havent been able to keep up with The Voice, I wish I could though. I do try to watch a couple episodes every season. The episodes that I have seen Ive noticed Adam is very helpful. I dont remember any advice hes given, but I do remember all of the participants he mentored were thankful for his advice. 5. Out of the 5 band members, which one is your favorite? Why? Adam Levine of course!!!!! Like I said before whats not to love about him???? His voice is amazing and hes very handsome. In his interviews hes funny and very charming.

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