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 :)

Music Time!

Once again I'm playing catch-up for Karaoke over the past couple of weeks but this time it's including some fun news as well!  Yesterday, I recorded some vocals for a Halloween Rap.  I was in the studio for a half hour doing the chorus for the song and also the closing part.  I'm not rapping in the video, just singing, but I don't want to give too many details because hopefully, I'll have more to tell in just a couple weeks!  It was a lot of fun and the project is super cute so I can't wait to share it!

So back into Karaoke, three weeks ago it was a female only night when I started with 'Jealousy' by Natalie Merchant, and then 'Ironic' by Alanis Morissette.  I keep adding songs to my History Folder and I finally finished up my own Word Document that I saved at home so I can keep track of what's new and old.  My new song of the night was by Kelly Clarkson, 'Walk Away', a sassy song, while my next was 'Love Is A Battlefield' by Pat Benatar.  It's been fairly quiet at Karaoke lately with the start of the school year so I closed out with 'Hold On' by Wilson Phillips.

Then last week there were 2 groups of people at Gabe's so we had one of our busiest Wednesday nights for Karaoke and plenty of singers.  I opened with 'Baby Baby' by Amy Grant, keeping it 90's, and a fun song everyone knew.  I had been wanting to sing my new song for a while, and it was one of my favorite songs in College, and a few people were really excited I was singing it because they had forgotten about it.  My new song was 'Stuck' by Stacie Orrico and I loved singing it!  I slowed it down and jazzed it up for my next song which was Tracy Chapman's 'Give Me One Reason' which is still one of my favorite songs to sing.  My next song was 'Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under' by Shania Twain which I haven't sang for a while and since the crowd was keeping it 70's I closed with 'Piece Of My Heart' which went over well, and felt great to rock out to!  Yet again, it was another female only night for me!

This past week we celebrated a Birthday so it was a bunch of regulars in that got to sing a ton so I was happy it was a slower night aside from the party.  I opened with Pat Benatar's 'Hit Me With Your Best Shot' and actually skipped my turn a bunch last night because I wanted everyone else to sing and I had sang a few songs at Karaoke on Saturday night even doing Mandy Moore's 'I Wanna Be With You' which was new for me, that I'll bring to a Wednesday night Karaoke soon, and also sang one song at Boardwalk 11 on Monday with our Garage Crew after work that night.  Keeping it Rock & Roll I did Toto's 'Hold The Line' which I also hadn't sang in a while and then my new song was 'I Could Fall In Love' by Selena.  I had forgotten about the Spanish verse towards the end of the song so those Spanish classes paid off after all ;)  We had a couple Adele songs so I did 'Rolling In The Deep' and then closed out with 'You Give Love A Bad Name' by Bon Jovi.  It was certainly a night of variety for me!

This busy month has flown by:  Lots of Karaoke, new music, and a couple projects, travel, concerts, and some shopping trips for the Fall Season!  While Summer in LA is nearing it's end, some of my favorite Holidays are coming up and I'll have some new stuff coming soon!

'Jekyll & Hyde'

I had the pleasure of getting to see 'Jekyll & Hyde' the Musical at The Pantages Theater in LA on Tuesday night!  Special thanks to Mr. Daly who gave me the 2 tickets as he was traveling all week and was in New York the night of the show, so I was able to take Kristina with me and have a fun Girl's Night!  Both of us grew up and were involved with theater and music, so this was right up our alley.  I already knew a bunch of the music from the show because of singing a 'Jekyll & Hyde' Medley in my High School choir and loved the songs!

Let me start by saying the women's restroom on the main floor is incredible.  I felt like I was in 'Snow White' because of the way the mirrors were set up, in a giant room with individual seats and vanity's, with diagonals and the mirrors looked like they were cracked, but weren't.  I loved it!  We had great seats, Row V in the Orchestra, so just 50 feet or so from the stage, and the show started promptly at 8 pm.  The two title roles of Jekyll/Hyde and Lucy were played by American Idol's Constantine Maroulis and Deborah Cox who had music on the Billboard Charts and has also collaborated with Whitney Houston and Andrea Bocelli.  Teal Wicks played the role of Emma and was definitely a stand-out with a beautiful voice that she made seem effortless...awesome!  I've been a fan of Deborah Cox and she made me fall in love with some of the songs she sang because she had some great notes and she brought so much to the character.  The acting was incredible but I do have to say Kristina and I were disappointed with some of the songs and we felt as though some of the voices were strained and there were missed notes.  Constantine was much stronger as Edward Hyde than Jekyll and once he sang 'Alive' I completely realized why he was cast, because the rocker in him came out; he was dark and mysterious, scary at times, but had the perfect voice for Hyde.  There were 2 distinct characters which was the point of the whole story, but his voice was more fitting for Hyde, in my opinion.  The ensemble and other main characters were great, some people coming from 'Rent,' 'Wicked,' and even 'Les Miserables.'

Overall, the show was good.  It would be interesting to see the show again with the Broadway Cast but it was such a fun experience to get to see a show of this caliber here in LA, and back to my resolutions, was something new for me, so that was exciting!  I loved the chemistry between Maroulis and Cox, and 'A Dangerous Game' became my favorite song because the tension between the two during the song just sucked you in, and I loved that!  I tended to like the duets more, 'Take Me As I Am' and 'In His Eyes' were strong points, and I loved Wicks performance of 'Once Upon a Dream' which I think might be a future Karaoke song for me.  The costumes were gorgeous; I love that era, and I was impressed by the quick changes (knowing how fast you have to be, since I did musicals all through high school).  The lighting was great and complimented the set well.  For a smaller venue, they changed things up a lot and that added to the show.  It's not just the cast that makes the show, it's the crew, and what they bring to the table, and all of that was spot on.

I would definitely see the show again if it came to town.  Plus, as soon as I got home, I downloaded a bunch of new music from the show because I couldn't wait to hear some of the songs again, so that was cool.  'Jekyll & Hyde' is only in LA for a couple more days but this certainly makes me want to go see more Musicals when they come to LA :)

Music Movies

I had some free time a couple weekends ago to catch up on some movies I had DVR'd that I've been waiting to see for years!  I've always been a fan of Christina Aguilera and I caught 'Burlesque' on ABC Family one day and then saw 'Country Strong' was playing on FX all weekend so I decided to check that one out as well.

Not only did 'Burlesque' have a lot of famous actors and singers including Cher, Christina Aguilera, Kristen Bell, Julianne Hough, Stanley Tucci, Cam Gigandet, and Eric Dane, so there was plenty of eye candy to go around but I really liked the story and didn't feel it was all that predictable.  I LOVED the make-up and costumes!  The make-up was so different for each scene and gave me some ideas that I would clearly scale-down for an every day look, but I saw one of the prettiest dresses I have ever seen on Christina Aguilera when she was singing a slower love song and she was wearing this greenish-yellow satin fitted dress that was just stunning!  The music and songs were great, singers were strong, dancing was fun, and the story was interesting.  I'm so glad I was finally able to see this movie and also get to see Cher rock it as well!  Here's a link to Christina's dress in case you're interested: Burlesque Dress

'Country Strong' really surprised me as well.  I actually found an actor that I have a crush on...Garrett Hedlund, and he's a good Midwestern boy from Minnesota!  I guess I didn't know much about the movie, I just thought it followed a few country singers on the road to stardom but I didn't realize that it was all based on overcoming addiction all the while an affair is happening.  It was very real and honest, hard to watch at times, you really felt for all the characters.  Tim McGraw never ceases to amaze and impress me, and Gwyneth Paltrow had some incredible moments.  I always like to read the info and trivia about movies on IMDB so I was happy to see that Garrett Hedlund studied music and singing to improve his voice and get the role, and was a huge part of why I liked the movie because he has a natural charisma.  Some of the songs were so beautiful and had great lyrics too.  I was pleasantly surprised after watching this movie!

I'm way behind on my Karaoke update so my songs from 2 weeks ago were opened with 'Hit Me With Your Best Shot' and then I rocked out 'You Give Love A Bad Name' and had so much fun with that performance, it was one of my favorites.  My new song of the night was 'Sober' by Pink since she's been coming out with a bunch of new songs lately and I'm on a Pink kick because she rocks!  I also did 'Foolish Games' and then sang 'Cruisin' with Marcus and closed out the night with 'Joey,' which I still want to do some work on.  That week clearly ended up being a very musical week with all the Music Movies and Karaoke night!

Off to a good start!

It's the first week of 2013 and I feel like it's already off to a good start!  I've been submitting for jobs all week long, I've read some really amazing articles on Backstage.com, made some plans for collaborations on music and hopefully can come out with a new job, and I'm going to a play tomorrow with Jamie!  The next couple of weeks are going to be really busy but I actually thrive on that so I'm hoping to get a lot accomplished while I'm working my jobs in addition to doing creative things.  Here's my collaboration with Neil Daly at Universal Bar & Grill back in March of U2's 'With or Without You.'

The article I read on Backstage.com was about creating your SWOT Report for an Acting Career, including my strengths and who I look up to or admire, my weaknesses and what I can be working on and improving, my opportunities, am I really getting myself out there as much as possible, and what's threatening my progress and how to overcome it.  I wrote down all the information and it helped me to get a better outlook on what I need to work on and continue doing to really succeed.  This was super beneficial to me and a good way to get my start for 2013!

Next week I'm sending out some e-mails to Agencies for Representation.  It's a fresh week, so hopefully no one is still hungover from New Year's and is ready to get back in action and have an Actress that is determined and hard-working on their roster!  I've got some new collaborations in the works and would love to record some new music and collaborate, and I want to do some more Hosting and gain more experience in that field in a different area because I've worked with Cars and Drivers and loved that!  This new work will hopefully aid in getting an Agent because it shows persistence and drive.

I got my first screener since I joined the Union of 'Argo' so I know they'll be coming in as the next couple of weeks go by because we'll be voting on the SAG Award Nominee's for Best Actress, Picture, Director, etc.  I can't wait to watch all the movies and be a part of the voting process :)

Cheers to a positive outlook, new ideas, and success!

Karaoke and a Side Dish

I'm only a week behind on my blog and catching up quickly!  Last Wednesday I had work at Karaoke and was sad to not have Mom there to hang out and keep me company, plus give me suggestions for songs like she did last week but I had to make due with a fun night surrounded by friends!

The night started off early and we got going pretty quickly because there was Pool League so lots of people were in there.  I opened with 'Heartbreaker' because it had been a while since I sang it.  Sean, Khad, and Jamie all came in and were ready to sing.  I've been so proud of everyone, trying to sing new songs when they come in, and last week was no different.  My new song of the night was another Madonna song, 'Beautiful Stranger' which was better than 'Ray of Light' but 'Power Of Goodbye' is still one of my favorites.  Marcus did a great rendition of 'Careless Whisper' and Jamie, Marcus, and Khad all sang 'I Would Do Anything For Love' and had a great trio going!  I closed out the night with 'Heart-Shaped Box' because it was a more rock and roll vibe that night!

I also haven't posted a Recipe lately, so after doing Girl's Night with Jamie and my Mom and making dinner, but not taking pictures, I made my Lemon Roasted Asparagus tonight for Dinner along with a Parmesan Pasta and Sweet Apple Sausage.  Here's my recipe for my favorite way to make Asparagus!

Lemon Asparagus

Asparagus

Olive Oil

Lemon

Salt

Pepper

Break bottom ends of asparagus off and throw away. Then, put asparagus on a baking sheet and drizzle olive oil over them.  Then squeeze a lemon, depending on how much asparagus you're making, you want to make sure that each piece is getting plenty of juice.  Then, salt and pepper your asparagus.  Next, move the asparagus around over the baking sheet to make sure each asparagus is coated with all the ingredients.  Then put the baking sheet in the oven at 350 degrees for 7-10 minutes.  The smaller the asparagus, the shorter the time, the fatter the asparagus, the longer you'll need to bake it.  Just keep an eye on them and right after they turn bright green you're going to want to pull them out.  

I love this recipe because it's healthy, flavorful, and I love the citrus taste but the lemon still allows the great asparagus flavor to come through!

DJ Elle Dubbs

Last night was Round 2 of the Canadian and Saint's & Sinner's Reunion at Irish Times!  I got to the bar and it was packed.  Our whole crew was taking up half the bar, and as I walked in, Truck aka Becky said I saw you on TV today!  What?!?  Apparently, my Kaplan College Commercial is now airing (my first Nationwide Commercial)!  She said she recognized my voice, and then saw me, all grown up and professional.  I'm so excited and when I called to tell my Mom she said she'll be really excited when someone tells her they saw me on TV.   There was lots to celebrate but still no shots for me until this weekend...Carrie was out and we had the whole S&S crew out!  It was great to catch up and see some people I haven't seen in months or even a year!

While I was out earlier at Bru Haus, Troy, the bartender, asked if I knew any Female DJ's, and I had one particular girl in mind that used to DJ at Saint's and was awesome!  He said if we couldn't get her, that he was going to hire some other girl to just push buttons on a laptop.  I said I could do that, and I would love to put together a Rock & Roll/Rockabilly Playlist for Hillybilly Bingo on Tuesday night!  And I was hired :)

It was kind of fun to pull out my old Saint's & Sinner's gear...I grabbed an S&S tank top, my red bandanna, leather boots, jean skirt, white studded belt, and metal cuff.  I was told to dress 80's Trash/Rocker, and while I would never wear all of this together in any other circumstance, I almost feel too old to, it was perfect for tonight!  I got to Bru Haus and it was slower than usual according to the promoter but there a bunch of tables full of people so I was hoping for a fun night.  Once I hooked my laptop up I got started going through some fun and rocking music!  As this was my first time every DJing (I KJ at Gabe's but it's different) because I'm only up here to play music and if it blows, it's my fault!  As I got started and eased into my choices, I found that people were singing along, tapping their toes, and as the night went on, dancing and having a good time!  As Simon would say, it's all about song choice.  But it was actually a lot of fun too!  I'm glad I had taken some time during the day to prep and get a playlist together so I had some ideas and I wasn't coming into the job blind.  Bingo went on for over 2 hours, everyone having more fun as the night went on; there were prizes to win, even a money round where you had to pay $2 to play, and if you got a Bingo X then you won the whole pot so someone took home $84!  Not too bad for hanging out in a bar and having a couple cocktails!

Perhaps my Karaoke Career will turn into a DJ Career as well...hmmm...I might have to think about that one...