Category Archives: music

It Was Long Ago and It Was Far Away

There are just some songs that the moment you hear them, you raise the volume and start singing and dancing regardless of where you are or who might be watching.

Yesterday, I was reminded of this joyful experience not once, but twice with Meatloaf’s Paradise by the Dashboard Light. The first time, it popped up in my iTunes shuffle mix. The second time, I was driving home from an event and it came on the radio (man, was my volume up today when I got back in my car). Then today, I was reminded of my college days with an old Housemartins video I stumbled upon in a graphic artist’s blog.

Thank the Powers that Be for YouTube…

Paradise By The Dashboard Lights – Meatloaf

I will say, I’ve noticed that if you’re not just the right age, you could really care less about Meatloaf and this awesomest of awesome songs. My husband, a music fanatic, had never even heard this song (or thought enough of it to remember it) before I played it for him (at full volume, of course) – then again, he also didn’t know that Meatloaf played Eddie in the Rocky Horror Picture Show.  His younger sister also hadn’t heard the song when I had it played at my wedding. My younger friends at the wedding also didn’t recognize it. So my totally inaccurate, non-scientific theory is…if you’re not between 38-43, this song means nothing to you.  And that’s a shame if I do say so myself.

Happy Hour – Housemartins

Have I Mentioned That I’m Not a Fan of Blues?

But I do love me some Candye Kane!
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Saturday night, after hanging with the family in the Inland Empire, we headed out to Cozy’s in Sherman Oaks to listen to blues great, Candye Kane. I’m really not a fan of blues, but I find it to be an entirely different sound when it’s 1) sung by a woman and 2) has more optimistic lyrics just set to a blues sound. And well, since kicking cancer’s ass, you better believe that Candye’s music is more upbeat and optimistic than your average blues song.

She looks great and is on the market looking for a man or woman to settle down with (for the insurance, she says). I love how she calls herself a “black drag queen in a white woman’s body.” Her eldest son was on stage as her drummer (and has been for a few years now). I loved hearing Laura Chavez on guitar (now that’s what the blues is all about) – she has quite a following, especially for her age. Paul Loranger was on bass. It really was a great show.

If you hear that she’s in your town doing a show, go see her. And trust me, even if you’re not a fan of the typical blues, you’ll like the show. You’ll laugh. You’ll dance. You’ll clap along. You’ll have a good time, I promise.

I’m posting two videos below. The first one is “I Put a Hex On You” off her latest album, Superwoman. I wish you could hear it better, but you’ll get the idea. She’s got a great voice and I think this song shows some of her range. Laura’s guitar playing also sounds amazing. Overall, just a fun, great song – and who wouldn’t love to put a hex on someone that’s done you (or in this case, your friend), wrong.

This second song is “Toughest Girl Alive” off the album of the same name. This was one of the first Candye’s songs I think I heard. In fact, the first time I heard of Candye was on Donny and Marie’s talk show about 8 or so years ago. At that time she wasn’t quite so bluesy and was having more fun playing the piano with her abundant boobs (which are now much smaller since her battle with cancer).

The Love of My Life

Last night we hung out with the in-laws while the uncles held court. It was fun to get together with everyone and catch up. I was out of it for most of it having been dealing with a migraine. But by the time this rolled around I was feeling much better.

Check it out, my darling, moppet of a husband accompanying his eldest niece while she sang for the family. I was bummed that I ran out of space on the card (so be warned it will be cut short), they were sounding pretty good.

Not too bad considering they both *just* learned the song about an hour earlier.

We Have Live Video!

This first clip is from the Allman Brothers show at the Greek. I’ll admit it, I didn’t take it, the hubs did.  By this point, I was hanging out on the Zeus deck on a chaise, under the heatlamps, drinking hot chocolate, chatting it up with security, listening to the (much quieter) show in the background.

Ahh, turns out it’s not even the whole song. Either way, here’s some Ziggy Marley with the Alllman Brothers doing “I Shot the Sheriff”…

Here we have some Styx from the Nokia. I was so into the fact that it was “Come Sail Away” that I totally missed the first verse. Either way, it’s still a great song and you can totally feel the vibe from the show.

I Said I Would Blog and Dammit, I’m Blogging!

The Live Music Edition

You’d think that as someone that teaches others how to blog, I’d know not to freak out when I hit a schlump.  I mean, I tell my clients all the time that it happens. I also suggest that they have some stuff written in drafts so that they can have something, anything to post without the pressure of having to create something.

Do I follow my own advice?  Hell no!

I didn’t even have anything worthwhile in my drafts.  But in my defense (yeah, yeah, here come the excuses), I really couldn’t look beyond how damn exhausted I was.  Next semester I’m going to have to come up with a better plan.

But good news…I’ve been to concerts.  Many, many concerts.

Let’s see, in the past couple of weeks, we’ve seen Carrie Rodriguez at McCabe’s, some bands I did like and some band I didn’t much like at the Troubadour (of course I can’t remember their names – but I do have photos somewhere), the Indigo Girls at the House of Blues in Anaheim (no photos), the Allman Brothers at the Greek (I love the Greek, it’s my favorite venue for shows), and last night we saw REO Speedwagon and Styx at the Nokia.

So you see, I have been busy.  While we wait for the FOREVER time it takes videos to upload, I’ll share some photos with you…

Maria Taylor

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Carrie Rodriguez

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Allman Brothers – as if this doesn’t say it all…

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REO Speedwagon

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Styx

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I’ll get the videos up in another post once they’re done.

I Want My Money Back!

Well, I think I have to call this what it is…a blogging schlump. Funny thing, I’m not completely blocked.  I’m still writing at my other site and I’m full of things to write about on my biz blog.  But for some odd reason, I don’t have much to say here.

Even odder still, I’ve been busy.  Both with work stuff (I did hire an assistant and have client work to keep me busy) and with personal stuff (I think we’ve been to a show or two every week now).  I’ve been to fun events (like the Got Milk party on Thursday). I’ve even been taking some pictures.  But when it comes down to write something, I just get a brain freeze fart and really have nothing much to say.

I want to be witty.  I want to write something that will bring in tons of traffic (who knew folks were so interested in RSVP protocol).  But right now I can’t seem to be able to do either.  No worries.  I’ll be back when I have something worth saying here.

Until then…Just Enjoy The Show!

I’ve got to let it go and just enjoy the show…I want my money back…Just enjoy the show…I want my money back.

I Dreamed a Dream: A Little Late

I’m sure by now, you’ve heard of Susan Boyle and her amazing rendition of “I Dreamed a Dream”.   I meant to post this up days ago.  And of course, now that I’m looking to post it, all the videos on YouTube are not embedable.  So I do apologize for the Spanish captioning.

I have to say, this is one of my three favorite songs from Les Misérables and can leave me in tears.  Or in this case, covered in goose bumps.  I think she does an amazing job.  In fact, I love that the song is about dreaming a dream and here she is living out her dream on TV.  You gotta love that!


SUSAN BOYLE I DREAMED A DREAM SUBTITULOS ESPAÑOL BRITAINS GOT TALENTClick here for more blooper videos

Holy Cow It’s Already Monday!

Wow, this weekend just blew by.  I’ll blame my husband since he decided to go into the office not once, but twice yesterday so it didn’t even feel like a Sunday.  Then again, I went with him the second time to help him clean up the mics and stuff after the earlier recording session.  It was either that or stay home wondering what was taking so long.

And of course, if today is Monday, that means that tomorrow is Tuesday and…my first day at my new job!!  I’m so excited to be thinking that I’ll be teaching (co-teaching) again!  I’m a little nervous, but that’s pretty common.  First days tend to be shakey and filled with the (seeming) fear of the unknown.  I just keep reminding myself that it’s not my lesson plan so I don’t have to worry about it.  I just have to do my job and all will be good.  Now if only I could figure out what to wear…always the dilema.

Then we leaving first thing Wedsnesday to drive up to San Jose so the hubs can see Bruuuuuce.  I’m only along for the ride.  While I am a Jersey Girl, I never was much of a Bruce fan.  So we compromise and save the money on my ticket (and then I regret it when he tells me just how awesome the show was) and just see him once here in LA – usually on the second leg.

Thing is, with Bruce shows, since he has so much material, you’re never sure if the show you see will be the show you’d hoped it would be.  Since meeting my husband, I’ve now seen Bruce about 5 or so times.  I loved every show but the last one.  The last show they played for the diehard fans.  My girlfriend and I only recognized like three songs.  In nearly three hours of a show!  That particular show was for the fans. They pulled out the deep, deep show favorites and the crowds went crazy.  Not me.  I just wasn’t feeling it.  So yeah, we don’t waste the money on tickets to multiple shows. And I’m fine with that.

So if you don’t see me around much this week, don’t think it’s the new work schedule messing things up.  It’s just because I’ll be on the road for two days.  With luck, I’ll get to take some fun pictures.  I do believe we’ll be passing right through Gilroy and this time dammit, we’re stoppng!

You’ll Think of Me

Wow. That’s all I can say. Last night’s Keith Urban show at the House of Blues was great. It was crazy packed. But thanks to the small, intimate venue, the vibe was awesome. You could really tell that he was enjoying himself and enjoying the vibe.

I have to say, I never knew he was such a good guitar player. I mean, I’ve always enjoyed his songs, but I wouldn’t have considered myself a fan. I wanted tickets for his July show because Sugarland was opening and he was performing. I figured it was bound to be a good show. But now, wow. Of course, it leaves me a little sad knowing that the July show at Staples won’t be nearly as good.

Of course, I took tons of photos. And luckily, some came out to be pretty decent. Since it was dark venue, flash was totally useless so I had to shoot in my 3200 iso setting. Which means (to me, at least) that while I have some good shoot, in larger images, you can see just how grainy they are. Which is a shame. But what can I say…I’m a point and shoot girl and am totally clueless when it comes to camera settings (the hubs tells me that I really, really should learn how to use a camera already). I’ll get them posted up sometime soon – I might save them for Wordless Wednesday.

The hubs was expecting to shoot the show, but once we got there, they told him that there wasn’t any press allowed. So he just had to stand around hanging on to his camera bag. It’s okay, he chose to review the show instead 😉 He’s crazy like that.

My House is Just Too Quiet

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A couple weeks back, my favorite radio station changed format.  They went from non-sucky, non-screaming, totally hillarious talk radio and turned into yet another crappy ass, Top 40 station.  Around that time, I moved my radio from where it was in the kitchen, around to the otherside of the apartment – I figured I wouldn’t be listeming as much, so why did I need it nearby now.  So basically, without my favorite day time radio show and without my radio nearby, things have just been too damn quiet.

Now I know what you’re thinking…why can’t I just listen to music onlilne?  I could.  I guess.  Thing is, I like to have multiple tabs open on my computer.  This means I tend to suck up my computer’s whatevers.  Add to that keeping my Tweetdeck open and active and well, I tell myself that I’ll somehow manage to bog my computer down so much that it will be super slooooooow.  Yet in reality, I know that’s so not the case.

Of course, since the hubs is away this week at SXSW listening to, recording and shooting a gazillion bands, it’s even quieter still.  The only regular sound we’ve got going here is the non-stop dog barking (oh my god, he’s going to kill me if he can’t get quiet and stop barking at the neighbor’s dogs).  And well, between the silence and the non-stop barking, I think it’s becoming just too much for this poor soul to take.

Thank goodness I’ll be heading out shortly for cupcakes.  I love MeetUps and I love cupcakes.  That will give me some time away.  I’m just ready for the hubby to get back home tomorrow.

And now in honor of this very post, I’ve opened up el iTunes and I’m jamming to some ABBA.  Much better! Not so quiet now…The winner takes it all….