David Cook at The Troubadour

I can tell you exactly where I was when I first heard David Cook sing.  I was in Newport Beach doing a photo shoot and my friend JB lived down there so we had just gone out to grab Dinner and catch up before I headed back to LA.  We walked into his place and his roommate had American Idol on and I heard this incredible voice coming from the TV and I had them rewind and play it again.  David Cook was singing 'Hello' and I was hooked!  I watched the rest of the season just for him because I knew he should win.  His original takes on all these songs was so innovative and I knew he had a long career ahead of him.  Of course, he did win, has had multiple albums released and I saw that he was playing a show at The Troubadour this past Sunday so I immediately bought tickets to see him play.

David Cook at The Troubadour in West Hollywood

Rachel had heard of David Cook but didn't really know his music so I was hoping she would enjoy it as much as I knew that I would!  We had a fabulous Happy Hour at Toscanova beforehand and then made our way to The Troubadour.  We found FREE parking across the street and as we walked up to the venue I turned to Rachel and said, 'we're going to meet David Cook tonight, I just know it.'

I had never been to The Troubadour before but Rachel had seen a show so she knew it was a smaller and more intimate venue.  I realized when we walked in how close we would actually be to him while he was singing and was like a giddy little girl opening my first Christmas present years ago.  We saw the opener, Andrew Ripp, performing a couple songs including one dedicated to his wife, who was all the way in Minnesota and then it was time for David's set.  We made our way closer to the stage, just about 10 feet from the microphone that was set up and waited for David to take the stage.

Personalized autographed copies of 'Digital Vein'

At about 9 pm, David walked to the stage to the screams of lots of women and also a few men.  Not only is he talented but as he talked in-between songs to pump the crowd up, he shared cute stories, engaged the audience, and made all of us laugh.  He just released his new album 'Digital Vein' and I had listened to a bunch of his music before the show so I could re-familiarize myself with it.  He opened with 'Heartbeat' which is the opening song on the album and one of my favorites.  By the time he got to 'Broken Windows' and 'Wait For Me' I knew I needed to get the album.  Next up was one of my favorites, 'Declaration,' and another off his new album,' Laying Me Low' which I absolutely loved.  I asked Rachel what she thought and could see she was enjoying it just as much as I was...success!  She recognized 'Come Back To Me' right away and I was so glad that he played his cover of Chris Isaak's, 'Wicked Game,' because it was beautiful.  'Kiss & Tell' was another upbeat and fun song and at some point during the beginning of the set, he threw one of his picks at us and Rachel scooped it up and gave it to me!  YAY!  He had to play his new single 'Criminals' which I really liked as well as 'Light On,' which was his first major hit after American Idol.  David started acapella and then just as the song kicked in, he played his guitar, and then the entire band joined in.  Not only is he a talented singer but also a skilled guitarist.  He played for almost 90 minutes and it went by so quickly I wanted to hear more!

Rachel and I with David after the show...dream come true!!

After the show I asked one of the security guys if we could wait for David since I had the pick and was hoping he would sign that or a CD that I had brought with me and he said if we waited out back that would be fine.  We walked behind the venue and were shortly joined by two other people and waited there for about an hour before we saw David come out of nowhere and he politely asked us if we could wait just a little bit longer but that he would be out soon.  I saw why when he was helping his entire crew break down the stage and pack all of their equipment up.  During that hour we actually talked to the opener, Andrew Ripp for a little bit, got a picture with him, and saw that he was heading out to a party with Andy Grammar (although we didn't figure out it was him until later).  Luckily, we only had to wait another half hour and David came right up to us and we got our chance.  Another security guy came out and had given Rachel the new album and I had bought one since I was hoping David would sign it, and sure enough he did, even asking how to spell my name.  We chatted for a little bit, as he was left-handed (like me) and I complimented him on his acapella version of 'Light On' as he replied that he had laryngitis but was appreciative of the comment.  There was no laryngitis to be seen or heard from him as he sounded like perfection!  We then got hugs and pictures and as we walked back through the alley towards my car I collapsed on the ground in utter disbelief that all these events just really happened!  I was elated to get to meet my favorite American Idol!

Needless to say, I've been listening to the new album non-stop and have found some more new songs that I love!  I would definitely see him again and think he's a great performer that anyone who loves rock and roll should absolutely check out :)

Journey Cover Band and AC/DC Tribute!

A couple weeks ago I saw that a Journey Cover Band, DSB, was playing at Canyon Club in Agoura Hills.  I keep an eye on the Canyon Club Calendar because Pat Benatar has played there and I'd love to see her Live!  That same night of the Journey Cover Band, (which tours nation-wine) Bonfire, which is an AC/DC Tribute Band, was playing at Paladino's in Tarzana.  Neil and Chris had asked me about going to see Bonfire initially, but when I told them about the Journey Cover Band, we decided to check out DSB since we were all Journey fans and had never seen them play before!

"Lovin' Touchin' Squeezin'" Cover

We got a bite to eat just down the street at Ladyface, (yes, that really was the name of the restaurant) and then got to Canyon Club around 10 pm just as the band was starting and there was a guy standing outside who gave us two tickets that were already paid for, so it certainly started our evening off with a bang!  We bought one more ticket, grabbed some drinks, and made our way to the dance floor.  There was a Billy Idol Tribute before DSB which we missed, thinking that was supposed to start at 10 pm.  I was bummed because I would have loved to have seen that too, but apparently, that's my concert luck.  The singer of DSB was great and sounded just like Steve Perry.  The rest of the band was fantastic as well, and I felt like I was at an actual Journey concert (probably the closest to the real thing, even though I hope to see the current Journey Band play at some point).  The band played all of Journey's hits including some singles of Steve Perry's, like 'Oh Sherrie.'  Of course, we expected to hear 'Faithfully,' 'Anyway You Want It,' and 'Don't Stop Believing,' but it was songs like 'Lights,' 'Send Her My Love,' and 'Separate Ways,' that made me so happy to sing-along and dance to them!  Neil and I saw an 80's Cover Band at Canyon Club last year and it was mostly women in their 50's dancing, so I thought the crowd would be a little younger since it was a weekend night, but we were definitely the youngest people there.  I enjoyed hearing 'Escape,' 'Who's Crying Now,' and 'Stone In Love.'  I made my way towards the stage a couple times to get some pictures and sing along to my favorite songs and even had a little moment with the singer and guitar player during 'Don't Stop Believing.'  I was so happy we got to see them perform as it was an awesome time!

That's me, hand in the air, rocking out to DSB!

Since the show ended around 11:30 pm we actually went straight to Paladino's (which was a 15 minute drive from Agoura Hills) to catch the end of Bonfire's show which actually went until almost 1:30 am!  I'm glad I called to check ;)  Neil and I had seen them before at The Viper Room this past Winter and Chris and Neil had also seen them before that, so we knew a couple of the band members.  These guys have so much energy and they played for nearly three hours which was crazy!  After a night of dancing and singing along, which I did some of also at Paladino's, I was ready to relax and sit for a little bit.  I got to hear 'Highway To Hell' and 'You Shook Me All Night Long' so I was happy.  This was more Neil's scene since he knows a ton of AC/DC songs.  Plus, my 5-inch heels decided it was break-time so while the boys rocked out with the band, I grabbed a drink at the bar and chatted with the female Bartender about cocktails and music.

It was definitely a night of fun and I love getting to hear cover bands especially one that plays one of my favorite bands of all-time's music!  I'm really happy that I didn't have work or rehearsal that night so I was able to enjoy some music and time with friends :)

A 'Lyndsey Squeeze' with Neil & Chris watching the Journey Cover Band at Canyon Club

Sara Bareilles at The Greek :)

Last week Monday was my last day of celebration for my 31st Birthday (as far as I know)!  Neil and I had talked about seeing Sara Bareilles again when she came to town since we had missed her show in Santa Barbara last year due to the wrong time being listed.  There was no way we were going to miss her "Little Black Dress" Tour when she played here in LA at The Greek Theater in Hollywood last week!

Todd, Tiffany, Neil and I before the show!

Neil and I got there just after 8 pm and caught the second opening act, Hannah Georgas, before Sara began her set promptly at 9:15 pm.  Hannah actually reminded us a lot of Sara, similar in both sound and fashion.  We located our seats and then went to grab a drink and met up with our friends, Todd and Tiffany, who were also going to the show, before we all got seated for the main event.  Our seats were in Row M so they were amazing, and we had a great view of the stage.

Sara opened with 'Little Black Dress' which is such a fun and catchy song, you can't help but dance and sing along to it.  I hadn't heard 'Love on the Rocks' much since it was off of her 2004 Album but I really liked that song; definitely had a blues vibe to it, which of course was followed by 'Love Song;' one of her biggest hits.  One of my favorite songs is 'Come Round Soon' and I got to see her play it at the El Rey Theater last year, and this performance was even better!  I just love the evil lyrics to that song ;)  Another new favorite became 'Manhattan' as that's off her newest album from 2013 "The Blessed Unrest."

Mood music for 'Come Round Soon'

Sara debuted a new song from the musical "Waitress" called 'She Used to Be Mine' and if she hadn't won the crowd over already, this was it!  She's composing for the musical and it was yet another beautiful song.  She did one cover that night singing Sia's 'Chandelier' and went to 'Gravity' right after.  It's one of those songs when you hear it live, at least for me, I can't not feel every word of the song, as it brings tears to my eyes.  Of course, she knows all of the audience is captivated so she helps all of us out by being goofy and singing the poppy and upbeat 'Gonna Get Over You.'  'I Choose You' was one of the singles off of her new album and once again had everyone singing along with her.  Sara closed out the set with her other single off "The Blessed Unrest" doing 'Brave,' which has such an inspiring story behind it.

It was a two song encore which brought another wonderful melody and an a capella version of 'Bright Lights & Cityscapes' which was amazing and finally 'Satellite Call.'  The show was just about 90 minutes and it was a perfect evening near the Griffith Observatory.  I loved singing along and dancing to her music and the crowd just loves her!

Sara Bareilles at The Greek...talented in so many ways <3

One of the best things about Sara Bareilles is that she sounds just as great live as she does on her album.  Plus, the concertgoers are able to see more of her personality; she's so cute and quirky.  You can tell she really enjoys interacting with the audience, she's the type of person you know you'd have a blast hanging out with!  This was my third concert I've seen her play, and definitely the biggest one.  And I can't wait till she's in town and I can see her again :)

3 Doors Down Acoustic Show!

Since starting my concert list a few years ago I finally found a band that I've been listening to for years that came to LA and had affordable tickets to their show that I was excited to buy!

 

On Tuesday night I had tickets to see the 3 Doors Down Songs from the Basement Tour at the House of Blues on Sunset.  I've always liked their music and 'Here Without You' is still one of my favorite songs and can always bring tears to my eyes.  The lead singer, Brad, sounded absolutely fantastic live; there was literally no difference between the album and his live voice which is always great to hear.  He played all his hits along with some songs that were a little obscure but that I really enjoyed enough to find his older albums and hear some of his first songs.  This was a Christmas present for Neil, and we were just three rows of people from the stage and had a great view of the whole band.  New songs to me that I liked were 'Let Me Be Myself,' 'When You're Young,' and 'Duck and Run.'  They played hits like 'Away From the Sun,' 'Be Like That,' 'Kryptonite,' and 'It's Not My Time.'  There was a short encore where they played my favorite, 'Here Without You' which was just beautiful and then another one of my favs 'When I'm Gone,' to close out the night.

Clearly very happy to be touring again!

Overall, the show was awesome and a great way to start my 2014 concert experience!  They played for over an hour and a half with plenty of music.  Plus, since we were right down the street from Pearl's we stopped by for a cocktail.  I had an awesome tequila drink called the Mickey Cohen, that had a strawberry-jalapeno-lime infused ice sphere, tequila, and passion fruit that was delicious.

Pearl's Cocktail, Winter Concert Wear, and 'Here Without You'

It's already an entertaining start to 2014 :)

My 2013 Resolutions Redux

Last year I made some positive resolutions for the new year.  You can read all the details here: 2013 Resolutions and Goals.  For the most part I kept true to them and much more!

I wanted to create my own web series and post episodes on social media.  Although, I haven't yet gotten that far, the ball is rolling and it's closer to production than before.  Throughout this year I have posted videos and am working towards creating a brand.  I also created a Fantasy Football section on my blog that I updated on a weekly basis.  While it may not be my own show, I am Hosting for Afterbuzz TV which airs LIVE weekly on their website and has all the episodes on YouTube.  Host Lyndsey Wegner for Afterbuzz TV.  My Co-Hosts and I bring viewers a recap, opinions, gossip and news for Supernatural and Shahs of Sunset.  That's me Hosting a show where I can be myself and that's what I wanted!

Hosting for Afterbuzz TV

I was waiting to share the news until I could tell my family and close friends and am happy to report that I now have Representation for TV/Film and Hosting by Chez Chic Talent.  We are currently putting together a portfolio of headshots and photos as well as a video section with all my projects, commercials, and reels.  I finally feel like I have someone who is as excited as I am to find and book work, that wants me to succeed in a business and career sense.  It's a great feeling and hopefully there will be some big work to come this year.

My favorite resolution of last year was to do more new things and get out of LA on a regular basis.  From a trip to Carmel and Clint Eastwood's restaurant with my Mom and Dad, to hitting up Las Vegas for an impromptu trip with my roommate, going to Santa Barbara with Neil, and having a family vacation in Punta Cana; it was nice to travel and do something different and fun.  There were tons of concerts I saw this past year, Sara Bareilles, Keith Urban, Matchbox 20, and Buckcherry to name a few as well as seeing Jekyll & Hyde at The Pantages Theater and other theater performances that were incredible.  I also got involved in the Creating Arts Company and had my first theater experience here in LA being cast as Mary Contrary in Babes In Toyland.

Goo Goo Dolls at The Gibson

As I'm looking back on this past year and the goals I set for myself, I didn't realize how much I've achieved with my hard work and dedication.  I'm getting to do what I love, I'm working at a few bars here in Los Angeles and having a blast and I even get to enjoy some fun experiences.  This 2013 was pretty good but I truly believe that 2014 will be even better!

The Catch Up Game

It's November and that means Pumpkin Pie, Cranberry Sauce, Green Bean Casserole and other fun Thanksgiving treats are making their way to the front of the grocery store.  It also means Christmas commercials, holiday music, and Santa will all be here very soon.  Even though the change of seasons in LA isn't as noticeable as in Wisconsin, I can still tell that it's Fall because the air gets a little crisper, it gets darker sooner, and people are walking outside with hats and scarves on the 40ish degree nights.  I'm playing the catch up game and reflecting on my resolutions and goals for this year and I'm really happy with where I've been at the last year and past couple months!  

Find me on Twitter.com/LyndseyWegner or Facebook.com/LyndseyWegner

In August, Neil and I played a live show at The Garage for a friend's Birthday Party and that was something completely new for me, singing a whole show with Neil, just us and his acoustic guitar.  Totally different than Karaoke but absolutely addicting.  We also saw an 80's Cover Band play at Canyon Club in Agoura Hills which I had never been to before and is known for it's performers and shows.  I heard Pat Benetar plays there, so the next time she's playing I hope I can go!  I saw 'Women Are Crazy, Because Men Are A**Holes' because I had friends who were in the show, and it certainly made me want to get more involved in theater after seeing such an awesome production!  And to top it all off, my brother's band, The Hussy, came out to LA while they were doing a West Coast Tour and performed at Redwood Bar!

Keeping an eye on my goals!

When September rolled around, I had already worked on a friend's music video (we just filmed some more footage this past week and have a couple final scenes before the video is completed) which will be coming out in December.  Neil and I took my first trip to Santa Barbara where we went Wine Tasting at a couple different Wineries and walked all around the city, eating Dinner at a quaint little Italian Restaurant in downtown.  Even though we missed the Sara Bareilles show we still had a blast!  At the end of the month, Neil and I saw Keith Urban perform at the Hollywood Bowl (my first show there) and he was incredible :D

By October I had decided to launch a new concept for my blog so I filmed a Fantasy Football Teaser and now currently feature a weekly blog about Fantasy Football Pick-ups, Projections, and Stats, along with my Weekly Match-Up.  I also did my first ever show for Afterbuzz TV, where we do a post-game wrap up of the show 'Supernatural.'  I filmed my 5th episode this week and love working for the company and getting to Host on a weekly basis!  Neil and I worked on a Halloween Music Video, where he rapped and I sang, (in the style of Eminem & Dido) and the music video came out just before Halloween.  We also saw 30 Seconds to Mars perform at the Hollywood Bowl as well (our second time seeing them together)!  I spent a lot of time with my girlfriends in the past month, grabbing Dinner, hitting up a party, and even seeing a Kings Game from the Luxury Box thanks to Marty.  In the midst of all the crazy I did a workshop at ACT Now for 2 weeks so that was a fun learning experience too and also uploaded my Commercial Reel to be viewed on YouTube!

Talk about a busy couple of months but I wouldn't want it any other way.  I'm paving my own path and when things start to get frustrating or I wonder what I'm doing, something makes me realize everything is happening for a reason and that's when the big things hit!  I can't wait to see what's next...

30 Seconds to Mars!

This past Saturday Neil and I had tickets to see 30 Seconds to Mars at The Hollywood Bowl, the last of my Birthday concerts...thank you Daly!  We didn't want to miss the show (or be late) but thankfully an insider tip from my lovely friend, Thi, said the band wasn't starting until 9 pm, after the two openers including Panic At The Disco!

'Night Of The Hunter'

With a bottle of wine packed and some candy after being at The Hollywood Bowl a couple weeks prior for the Keith Urban concert, this time we came prepared.  Our seats were incredible, the boxes to the right of the stage with a great view of both the stage and a giant TV screen.  We sat for a few minutes but as soon as the band started there was no more sitting down!  There was a short instrumental but then they opened with 'Night of the Hunter,' went into 'Search & Destroy,' and then 'This Is War.'  During the first song they had giant beach balls in different colors that were lit up and glowing so that was super cool and people kept them going for a long time so that was really neat to see.  The video for 'This Is War' was really graphic and interesting and had the words going across the screen so people could sing along.  I was actually really surprised because maybe it was where we were sitting but I felt like we were the only ones in our section that knew the lyrics to all of their songs.  Why go to a concert if you're not going to enjoy it?!  They had acrobats between songs and perhaps they had a bad night but I thought the two guys on the teeter-totter were going to fall off the stage and the guy dancing with the hoop was going to fall flat on his face.  It was more nerve-wracking than exciting.

'How awesome is this photo!'

Jared talked before 'City Of Angels' as he said that he remembered when they had a studio on Melrose & Highland and were just happy to have Air-Conditioning finally, and here they were, playing the Hollywood Bowl in their city.  He seemed super appreciative and then moved from the main-stage to the lawn area, and where he said the fans were way better, louder, and more fun.  He also told us that he was sick, and for some reason, that always happens when he comes to play in LA, but to be honest, you couldn't really tell, especially when he started his next set.  Before he started an acoustic set a guy jumped on-stage with him and got a picture (how flippin' cool) and said he had driven 30 hours just to get to the concert!  Jared sang 'Hurricane' acapella and it was absolutely beautiful, and probably my favorite song, and followed that with 'The Kill' which was also awesome and probably their most well-known hit!  Then he did 'Stay' originally sang by Rihanna and just blew her away, it was so beautiful that I actually cried.  After that he made his way back to the stage and closed out with 'Closer To The Edge' and 'Kings & Queens.'

Neil & I at The Hollywood Bowl for 30 Seconds to Mars while they sing 'This Is War'
"It's the moment of truth and the moment to lie."

He announced when he came back on for the Encore that he would be showing us something that no one else had seen, and played a short film, called 'City Of Angels' to accompany the song they had played earlier.  There were famous actors and musicians giving commentary and beautiful scenery of Los Angeles, it was such an inspiring video and made you believe in the good faith of LA, which is definitely hard at times.  They closed out with 'Up In The Air.'  On the way out, I noticed Derek Hough next to me and at this time 2 years ago I was sitting with my Aunt watching 'Dancing With The Stars' while she said she really enjoyed Derek's dancing.  It was a nice little reminder that she's still looking out for me, even if she's not here :)

30 Seconds to Mars at The Hollywood Bowl

Overall, I was really happy with the concert but do wish they would have played some more of the new songs off their album because I think they'll be hits.  The problem was they required Jared's strong voice and since he was sick, he probably wasn't up to doing them.  My only frustration was that I went to the concert to see him sing, and not have him point the mic to the crowd and have them sing throughout the show.  His voice is so amazing, I just wanted to hear all him; perhaps I'm just being selfish!  They were the first band and big concert I saw in LA almost 3 years ago so it was really neat to see them again, playing at such a huge venue!

Keith Urban at The Hollywood Bowl!

Two weekends ago Neil and I were gearing up for the Keith Urban Concert at The Hollywood Bowl.  I don't know why I was dreaming about Keith Urban last night (it was a phenomenal dream) but perhaps it was just the push I needed to write about seeing his awesome Concert in my blog today!

We found parking about a mile away and were happy to enjoy the walk and then find our seats.  We had terrace seats and Little Big Town which was the 2nd Opener before Keith Urban was still playing, and songs I actually knew!  I really miss having good country stations here in LA like I did back in Wisconsin.  We thought it might be fun to have some wine while we enjoyed the show knowing it was going to be around 2 hours long as he had lots of songs to play so through the line we went and $45 later, one bottle of wine and one bag of sour patch kids, we were ready to enjoy the show.

Neil & I at The Hollywood Bowl for Keith Urban

Keith Urban is not a 'Stupid Boy'

The show started with some singles off past albums and a more recent song 'Long Hot Summer' as it was The Light The Fuse Tour all Summer long!  He slowed it down with 'Cop Car' off his new album and then 'Stupid Boy' a song he originally wrote for a female singer but ended up recording himself giving me a little idea to do a recording or cover of it!  One thing I really loved about this concert was the lighting and production of it because each song really evoked emotions from you through the colors and shadows they created on-stage.  Using blues, reds, purples, and yellows to fit the mood of the song, I thought that was awesome!  Next up was 'Even The Stars Fall 4 You' with lyrics up behind Keith on the stage so everyone could sing along.  One of my favorite songs 'Without You' was played next and it was neat to see Keith working the whole stage, singing to the seats all the way in the back, and also changing up guitars for each song.  I never knew what a talented guitar player he was not to mention how fantastic he sounded live; just like he does on his albums!  The crowd went wild when he did 'Kiss A Girl' and in between his first few songs he actually brought a girl from the crowd up on-stage and she asked for advice on her upcoming wedding with her fiance who was also in the crowd and he said he had more advice to give to him than her.  Funny, talented and handsome...Keith Urban has it all!

Keith went into a cover of The Who as he moved towards the sound and lighting board where he played a bunch of songs on the lawn area!  How cool that he moved to the middle of the Hollywood Bowl to play a set to the people in the back.  Once again he got the whole crowd involved by singing 'Days Go By' and this was the Cover set with 'Rumor Has It' sang by his Bass player, Jerry Flowers and then 'Hollywood Nights' a Bob Seger cover.

Keith Urban singing 'Who Wouldn't Want To Be Me'

Awesome concert!

After a couple more songs he made his way back to the stage through the crowd of people and then went into one of the first Keith Urban songs I ever heard, 'You'll Think Of Me' then picking it back up with 'Who Wouldn't Want To Be Me.'  'Somebody Like You' had the whole crowd standing up and singing again as that was the song he closed out the show with.  We knew he wasn't finished and had an encore coming so when he came back to the stage and told everyone to pull out their lighters or flashlights on their phone and light it up, as 'fireflies' were now everywhere at The Bowl.  He took a seat at the piano and started singing 'Tonight I Wanna Cry' which was so beautiful it brought tears to my eyes...clearly I wanted to cry!  Of course, he couldn't end on a sad note, so there was a snippet of 'Locked Out Of Heaven' a Bruno Mars cover which was sang by his guitarist, Brian Nutter, and then his final song of the night was 'You Look Good In My Shirt' and as he sang the song, he walked down into the pit and actually took his guitar, signed it, and gave it away to someone.  WHAT?!  Yes he did!

This was definitely one of the best concerts I've ever been to, not only because I knew a lot of his music and this tour was about playing his Hits in addition to promoting his new album 'Fuse' but because he was such a performer.  His singing and guitar skills were so impressive and he made it such a fun concert!  It was his first time playing The Hollywood Bowl and I'm certain he'll definitely be back :)  

Santa Barbara :)

I've been living in LA for 8 years (wow) and had never been to Santa Barbara until just a couple weeks ago.  Neil and I were heading to SB to see Sara Bareilles play at The Bowl and decided to make a day of it and do some Wine Tasting, walk around the city, and just enjoy a fun day!

Kalyra Winery

As we made the 70 minute drive from North Hollywood, bagels in hand, we passed through Carpinteria (both curious, we found out that the Chumash Tribe had a carpentry shop, which is where the name came from...I knew it) and when we got to Santa Barbara it was a perfect 72 degrees.  We could see the ocean from our hotel room at the Santa Barbara Inn and decided to hit up the pool before exploring downtown.

I had made a list of a few Wineries to check out using the Urban Wine Trail I found on-line (some were right on the water, others had games to play while you were tasting wines, and others were listed as generous pours) and after researching some of the Wineries settled on Kalyra since they had a dessert wine that was supposed to be amazing.  Some of the wines had a tin/metal flavor but it was because they were fermented in steel (just not our favorites) but we ended up loving the Semillon which had hints of jalepeno and vanilla.  We each bought a bottle and Neil also picked up a bottle of the Orange Muscat because it was perfectly sweet and light.  I'm sure we'll be checking out some of the wineries on our next visit!  Then we walked to downtown since we were in the more industrial area known as 'The Funk Zone' and looked at some of the shops before stopping for a late lunch at Verde.

During our afternoon walk, Neil had scouted an Italian restaurant, Palazzio, where we had a wonderful Dinner.  We sat on the patio and Neil ordered a trio of items that were all delicious, especially his ravioli!  When we finished up, our friendly server packed up some Tiramisu to go since we had to get to the Sara Bareilles concert; she made our visit so special :)

Dinner at Palazzio in Santa Barbara

Unfortunately, we got to the concert at 8:15 pm (our tickets said Sara Bareilles Concert 7 pm) and she was playing with One Republic but since it was listed as her show, and we figured there would be an opener, we thought we would have plenty of time and probably catch the middle of One Republic's set.  Instead, the doors opened at 5:30 pm, she had an opener at 6 pm and she started promptly at 7 pm.  It was so disappointing because after seeing concerts for years, I've never missed a show, or been too late, because the time listed is when the doors open.  We decided not to stay for One Republic out of pure disappointment and walked the whole way back from the Bowl to downtown and tried to make the best of the rest of our evening.  It had really been a beautiful day so it was so frustrating to miss one of our favorite artists perform considering she was playing in LA the next day, but we wanted to force ourselves to get out of town and do something different, and both Neil and I were scheduled to work the next night so we couldn't have even gone to the show, even if we had tickets.

The next day we grabbed breakfast overlooking the ocean in our hotel and then walked around the Pier area and some of the shops.  It was clearly a town for walking as we probably clocked in over 6 miles in 24 hours but even with the clouds it was a gorgeous day and we had a really fun time in Santa Barbara.  

I can't wait to go back and I love that we went during the week so it wasn't as busy or touristy as it could have been.  School was in session so there were still people around but we got to do things at our own pace without feeling rushed or crowded.  Knowing we're only just a little over an hour away makes it so convenient and belonging to a wine club may not be such a bad idea after all :)

Super-Set Birthday!

A couple weeks ago one of my co-workers had her Birthday Party at The Garage and instead of just playing music on an iPod there were Acoustic Performances throughout the night.  Talk about an awesome idea and it was the perfect opportunity to do a Live Performance and work on some music stuff.

Neil and I got together a couple days before the Performance and figured out what we wanted to sing and we decided to do 3 Super-Sets of Songs.  We had to figure out which key the songs were in so they could flow together seamlessly and at least stick with a similar theme.  Once we had practiced some songs and put them in the right key, we put together each super-set and practiced it as a whole.  In two hours we finally had a show.  The next day we rehearsed the sets all the way through, learning harmonies and our parts and a couple hours later, we were exhausted but felt like we had covered a lot of ground before the performance the following night.  The day of the Birthday Party we got together one last time to go over all the songs, completely through twice.  For putting something together in 2 days and just a few hours I was proud of our hard work and dedication!

Neil & I after our Performance at The Garage!

The night of Angela's Birthday in The Motor Club at The Garage, there were tons of acoustic performances and singers; it was such a fun and different way to bring music to a Birthday Party!  Around midnight, Neil and I took the stage, and started the first song of our Three Song Super-Set which was 'Summer of '69' by Bryan Adams and that flowed into 'Baby One More Time' by Britney Spears, and everyone joined in with us.  The last song in that set was an original by Neil, called 'Dizzy' which is one of my favorite songs.  The Party seemed to enjoy the original but we were happy to jump right into another song they could sing along with us, so our next Set started with Mr. Big's 'To Be With You' which everyone knew.  We slowed it down with U2's 'With Or Without You' and the Acoustic version of 'Livin' On A Prayer' by Bon Jovi.  I think that might have confused everyone because they knew the lyrics but couldn't figure out what it was right away.  The last Super Set started with a more recent song that had everyone singing and dancing, which was 'Call Me Maybe' by Carly Rae Jepson.  Neil and I took a queue from David Cook and did Mariah Carey's 'Always Be My Baby' which he sang on "American Idol" and we closed out our entire set with 'Don't Stop Believing', the "Glee" version so everyone could sing along with us!

This was definitely a creative way to play music and get everyone at the party involved with songs they may want to hear or dance to.  We all have our guilty pleasures and Neil and I were able to perform 9 of them in just under 20 minutes!  We both had a lot of fun and we'd definitely like to do our Super-Set again for our friends at a show :)

An 80's Cover Band and 90's Karaoke

A couple Thursday's ago was a surprise trip to The Canyon Club in Agoura Hills with Neil.  I had never been there but I know that all sorts of bands play there including Pat Benatar who I will definitely see there the next time she's in town because the venue was perfect.  

We went to Canyon Club to see an 80's Cover Band, that was a mix of Steel Panther and The Spazmatics.  One guy was dressed like Nikki Sixx, while another was Slash, then the guy from Devo, and the lead singer was dressed like some singing actor in a movie.  The show started out really good, everyone was singing along and dancing to the music, and they were playing songs that everyone knew and could have fun dancing to.  The problem was, everyone was drunk, a good 20 years older than us, and dressing pretty scandalous, but this was my first time at Canyon Club and I was warned before arrival.  They switched things around half-way through their set, and started to play a Gun's & Rose's song and all of a sudden, something was off.  We couldn't tell if it was the lead guitarist, or the lead singer who picked up a guitar, but because the guitar was off, the singing went off-key.  They had also switched drummer's and while the new drummer came on was actually pretty awesome, you could tell he loved to play and was having such a good time, in his excitement, tossing his sticks was causing the rhythm to be off.  It was kind of a mess and the problem was, the band never recovered, and the next few songs were totally off.  It was a shame because you could tell the bassist was trying to figure out where it was coming from and knew things weren't right but there was nothing he could do at this point.  I love hearing 80's Music and I think Cover Bands are super fun, and I love the cheese factor of the synchronized dance moves, costumes, and vocals, I just wish they had been able to keep it together for the whole show.  I'd definitely go see them again but hopefully they'll have practiced a little more and be prepared to rock out, in tune.

Then this past week at Karaoke it was a really quiet night and people got to sing a bunch since it was so slow.  I set myself to a 90's Women Musical Theme, and since I'm still building my History with our new computer, it couldn't be anything that was already on my list.  My first song was 'Who Will Save Your Soul' by Jewel which was followed by 'Head Over Feet' by Alanis Morissette; two women who made their biggest hits in the 90's but still continue to create music today!  My new song of the night, which I'm surprised I've never sang before was Ace Of Base's, 'All That She Wants,' and a song that isn't one of my favorites after singing it; I prefer to do 'Don't Turn Around' or 'The Sign' because it's such a crowd favorite.  Next up I did 'Here Comes The Rain Again' by The Eurythmics and I did some new harmonies on it and after letting everyone else sing a few more times I closed out the night with Natalie Merchant's 'Wonder' which is just a fun and happy song.  I'm always happy when people get to sing a bunch and since it was a slow night, I got to go home a little bit early and get some sleep before my crazy work weekend ahead!

I think it's time for an 80's Theme Karaoke night soon :)

Karaoke and The Hussy in LA!

Last week started a very musical week and in just 7 days, I had 2 nights of Karaoke and saw 2 different bands perform!  You can find Karaoke all over the City of LA, and even if LA isn't a big music scene, it sure has plenty to offer!

Em & I at The Hussy's Show

For Karaoke I sang a couple new songs but opened with 'Dreams' by Fleetwood Mac and then got into one of my new songs, 'Bitch' by Meredith Brooks which was something fun and goofy to do.  Next up was challenging myself again to Whitney Houston's 'Saving All My Love For You' which went really well and I'm happy to try something more difficult and see the crowd really liked it.  Another new song for the night was 'Love The Way You Lie' with Neil doing Eminem's part and really killing it.  That's a super hard rap!  I closed out the night with 'Criminal' by Fiona Apple which has scared me since the last time I did it years ago, but it went so much better this time around, and I know I've improved on being able to harmonize and find melodies when they're difficult to hear.  Karaoke has definitely improved my musical skills :) 

Bobby and Heather, of The Hussy, were playing after midnight on Sunday Night at the Pirate-Themed, Redwood Bar, in Downtown Los Angeles.  I was excited to see a bunch of my friends at the show, Emily & Shane, McCracken, and Neil, too!  I haven't seen The Hussy perform since last year at Redwood Bar so I was excited to hear new songs off the album in addition to some old favorite songs.  I helped them sell a little merchandise, but it really sold itself, and I could tell T-shirts and Albums were in high demand so that was awesome to see!  They played mostly songs off their new album, and a couple of them I really liked including one that was currently Untitled and another one that had both Bobby and Heather singing 'oh, oh, ah, oh oh, ohh.'  It was really fun and catchy!  I was happy to see so many people at the show for a Sunday and when they closed with 'One Time' they had all of us dancing around the stage so that was really cool!  Overall, the show was awesome and it was great to see The Hussy performing in LA yet again!

The Hussy performing at Redwood Bar in Downtown LA

It was definitely a musical week, which you'll see in addition to my next blog, and it's nice to hear new music.  I'm always excited when The Hussy is in town and hopefully they'll be back again next year!

Catch up time!

I can't believe 2013 is over half-way gone and we're nearing Fall!  I'm proud because I've got some great jobs that keep me very busy and I'm able to save up money to do all the fun things when I've got some free days.  I've been keeping my Resolutions for the New Year; I'm going out of town and traveling to new places, having spontaneous vacations, seeing tons of live music and bands, and trying new restaurants and recipes.  I'm also working towards getting Representation and had fantastic headshots taken by Hillary and am just choosing my favorites so we can get them sent out to Agents and Managers soon!

At Universal Studios for the Matchbox Twenty
and Goo Goo Dolls Concert!

Just last month in July I went to Punta Cana for a week-long vacation with Family.  I had never been to the Dominican Republic and while we all had a blast, it'll be a while before I go back to the Caribbean anytime soon.  I also saw Matchbox Twenty and The Goo Goo Dolls perform; two fun bands from the 90's!

I had my 30th Birthday in June and got to spend it with friends and family throughout the month (including our week in Punta Cana).  I've been working on new recipes and posting them on here more often and had the last photo shoot of my 20's with my friend, Kristina, the day before my Birthday.  June also started my Lector Duty at Church and I've been doing that for the past 3 months and just got our schedule for the next 3, so that's a fun and exciting way to enjoy Church!

In May, I had my first ever BIG SAG Audition since I had joined the Union which was exciting.  Even though I didn't book the Audition I did film a couple Match.com Parodies and got to put my Princess Leia costume to good use, once again.  I also got to see one of my favorite artists, Sara Bareilles, perform at The El Rey Theater and to make the month even more exciting, Emily and I made a spontaneous trip to Las Vegas for 2 nights and had an absolute blast.

I made my first move towards creating my Web Series this past weekend, pulling out Neil's brand new Canon Camera and just playing around with the video and photo functions.  We took a couple headshots and also filmed me doing an opening sequence for my show in a few different ways so that was a lot of fun and super creative!  I've got some ideas for the show already written down and now it's a matter of filming a couple episodes so I can put together a Trailer and get the show up on YouTube.

Testing the new camera...

I can't wait to get started on a show that's all my own :)  Set those goals and you can reach them!

Sara Bareilles Concert!

I was so excited to see Sara Bareilles in Concert at The El Rey Theater a couple weeks ago with my friend, Courtney!  I had tried to get tickets the day they went on sale but they sold out within minutes and after trying to find extra tickets on-line, saw they were going for over $450 for 2 tickets (when they were originally $35 each plus processing fee) so I just figured I'd have to wait till the next time she was in town.  Then, lucky for me, they went on sale again, and Courtney and I were headed to the show early since it was General Admission standing room only.

Ebony & Ivory at the Concert :)

We waited in line to get into the theater for nearly an hour and then waited over an hour for her to take the stage but since we were only 10 feet from the stage it was totally worthwhile!  Not to mention the show was absolutely incredible.  I was impressed by each and every song because this was her solo tour, so she could take her time, and hold these beautiful notes and give me goosebumps!  I didn't realize how many instruments she knew how to play as she opened playing the piano, then an acoustic guitar, switched to an electric guitar, and then the harmonium and back.  I was so happy to see Courtney taking pictures and videos of her, and I knew that I took the perfect person to the show with me :)

So close to her!

Edgy 'Come Round Soon'
on the electric guitar!

She opened with a song I wasn't completely familiar with, 'Love on the Rocks' but went into 'Benny & The Jets' which was really fun.  In between songs she chatted with the audience, was so endearing and humorous, and all I could think was that I wanted to hang out with her because she would be a riot!  Next up she did 'Uncharted' and 'Love Song' to which the crowd happily sang along.  It was back to a cover doing 'Sitting on the Dock of the Bay' and just impressing the heck out of everyone with her range and tone.  'Bright Lights and Cityscapes' made me nostalgic and fall even more in love with that song and her voice.  Somehow she transitioned into 'You Belong to Me' by Taylor Swift because it had the same riff as 'Let the Rain' which is one of my favorite songs!  Then it was another song I was unfamiliar with but that was absolutely beautiful and then came my favorite edgy song she sings, 'Come Round Soon' which she sang while playing the electric guitar and adding a jazzy feel to it, which was so new and fresh.  I LOVE that song because it has such a Fiona Apple feel to it.  She played 'Brave' which is off her new album, and I wasn't necessarily in love with it after seeing her initial video for it, but after hearing her story about wanting people to write on note cards at her show why they're brave because she's creating this project, it made me get more into it, not to mention the notes she was holding and the power behind her voice was so inspiring.  I still can't believe that I only discovered how much I truly loved her music just a couple years ago...I have been missing out!  She closed out her set with 'King of Anything' but after lots of cheers and chanting she came back out for a short encore doing one of my all-time favorite songs, 'Gravity,' which brings tears to my eyes every time.  She exudes talent, happiness, fun, and appreciation which is an awesome combination.  The last song she left us with was 'Goodbye Yellow Brick Road' another Elton John cover which was just as beautiful as her opening to the show.

I thought her last show was incredible when I saw her at The Palladium and she had Laryngitis but this was out of this world, how on point she was.  I can't wait till the next time she's in town but with this show being at a more intimate venue, it's going to be hard to come close to the amazing talent she showed. Come back soon, Sara!

Karaoke, Birthday's, and Open Mic

There's been so many Birthday's lately and even with my hectic work schedule I've been able to catch up with friends and celebrate at some point! 

A couple weeks ago Jamie had her Birthday at Gabe's on a Sunday night and I ran Karaoke for her so she could have a Karaoke Birthday Party with her friends.  The Gabe's regulars weren't used to Sunday Karaoke but it ended up being a fun little party and Judy even baked a cake and cupcakes for Jamie.  The girls got together, we got to catch up, sing some songs, and drink some yummy drinks!

The Ladies celebrating Jamie's Karaoke Birthday

Surprise!

Speaking of Karaoke, last week I had a wonderful surprise awaiting me at Gabe's as soon as I arrived.  Jonathan was visiting from Washington for a Job Interview that might bring him back to LA.  YAY!  So we had a pretty busy Karaoke night that was filled with tons of Duets and lots of Musical/Showtunes.  I opened with 'Dreams' by Fleetwood Mac, and then Julian asked me to do a duet with him, so we sang 'Don't Go Breaking My Heart' which was also my new song of the night!  Next up, I did another duet with McCracken's friend, singing 'A Dangerous Game' which was a lot of fun.  There was no way Jonathan was going to leave without us singing together so we sang 'I Got You, Babe.'  Foxy was feeling the duet vibe so he asked me to sing 'A Whole New World' with him, and then I sang 'I'm The Only One' by Melissa Etheridge.  There's just something really fun about that song and I was definitely having a good time with it.  McCracken and I closed out the night with 'Light My Candle' from "Rent" and it seemed like everyone had a blast at Karaoke!

Emily and I had off last Tuesday so we actually got to check out our co-worker's, Laura's, Open Mic night at O'Brien's on Main Street in Santa Monica.  There were a few singers on the roster and most of the songs performed were covers but it really got the crowd involved and I like hearing someone put a new spin on a classic song.  Laura did amazing, and although I wasn't familiar with her songs, she was confident, played the guitar as well, and was super talented.  Hooray for roommate night and supporting our friend!

I've certainly been getting my Music Fix in lately and hope to keep it up :)

Open Mic Night in Sherman Oaks

Four jobs keeps you busy, trust me, I know, so it's nice when I have some free time to go out and do something fun like checking out my friend, Mark Alan's Open Mic Night at The Cork Lounge in Sherman Oaks.  He does Music Showcases at The Parlor on Saturday's but since I'm always working I haven't been able to go, so this Thursday Open Mic gave me a chance to check out him along with some of his friends!

Kristina and I decided this was perfect for a little Girl's Night and made our way to Sherman Oaks after we both got done with work.  The Cork Lounge was inside a Diner, which scared me at first, but ended up being perfectly charming and awesome!  There were a few singer/songwriters and then comedians before the Main Acts took the stage.  Of course, LA is so small that one of the singers in the duo looked so familiar I couldn't figure it out until yesterday when I checked out their Facebook page to listen to more music and realized he belonged to a band and was the lead singer, and we had met at Saint's & Sinner's back in the day!  Another one of the singers had been on 'The Voice' and could have recorded her album right there on the Cork Lounge stage with how amazing her vocals were.  My friend, Mark, was incredible; great lyrics, connected with the songs and everyone in the room, and impressed Kristina and I to boot!

At The Cork Lounge in Sherman Oaks for Open Mic Night!

After the show there was a little sing-along before everyone made their way to Mad Bull to cap off the night.  Personally, I've liked Mad Bull every time I've gone in; the drinks and food are great but the service is pretty hit or miss.  As I walked into Mad Bull on a Thursday night I was transported to Brothers in Winona Minnesota circa 2004.  It's been a long time since I've felt like I was in a college environment and while it was slightly nostalgic, I'll take my dimly-lit dive bar any day of the week, unless my Winona Crew are the ones filling up the bar stools and dance floor!  Overall, Kristina and I had a blast and can't wait to check out Mark's Show again and see some new talent!

Since this is a Music Post, I'll catch up with the past 2 weeks of Karaoke!  Two weeks ago I opened with 'You Were Meant For Me' by Jewel and kept it slow with 'Listen To Your Heart' by Roxette.  Then, it was time for some classic songs including Bon Jovi's 'You Give Love A Bad Name' and 'I Just Called to Say I Love You.'  My new song of the night was Nirvana's 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' since it was my brother, Bobby's, Birthday, and Nirvana is one of his favorite bands.  The song actually went alright, surprisingly!  I closed out the night with Phil Collin's version of 'Against All Odds.'  Last weeks selections since it was a really quiet night and I was feeling some emotional music included 'The Shoop Shoop Song' by Cher, 'Think Twice' by Celine Dion, and 'Insensitive' by Jann Arden.  My new song of the night was 'I Will Love You' by Fisher which I've loved for years, and want to sing again soon.  I finished up the night with 'Here Without You' by 3 Doors Down and Jewel's 'Don't' which is also one of my favorites!  Even though Karaoke has been slow the past 2 weeks in a row, it was musical success :)