She’s met a cast of characters in her climb to the top. Politics are inherent in that ascent to fame and fortune. Some quite nice, cooperative and agreeable. Others not so much. What was frustrating in the beginning is now quite amusing looking back on each and every experience to get access and the “story.”
Writing about music and the challenges along the way
I’ve had a good run since I began again in earnest last May. Recently, I hit a few bumps along all the way. Things that were and not in my control. Now things have slowed down again. I’m trying to remain hopeful but I feel disappointed right now. When I lose momentum with the writing assignments, I begin to worry. I’ve covered alot of good shows and done some great interviews so far. I’ve had funny and not-so-funny experiences and somethings happen that aren’t believable even to me if they didn’t really happen.
Jessie Payo
I just saw a great show at Hotel Cafe last night. It was one of the best sets of music I have seen in a long time. It was with a female singer/songwriter that works in the genre of Americana but she has a country and bluesy feel to her music as well. I found her songs instantly memorable. Payo reminded me of Lisa Marie Presley but with better, superior material. The lyrics are very mature and sound as if they were written with someone who has years of life experience under their belt. Jessie Payo is an artist on the rise.
Motley Crue/Alice Cooper – Hollywood Bowl
My honest opinion is basically I think Alice Cooper and his band put on a much better show than the headliners of this farewell tour – Motley Crue. I found the L.A.-based band’s songs were redundant and weak. Alice Cooper’s material has far more staying power and will be remembered long after Motley Crue retires… Cooper’s band played with more interesting dynamics, textures and versatility.
My new Blog, etc.
Today I’m very frustrated but excited about my new blog that I have already posted a few entries to. I have a wonderful, creative banner my good friend Rob designed for me but I can’t seem to get within the framework or guides of WordPress. I have never done my own blog before and I hope to gain a following out there! I look forward to people commenting on my posts and adding to the dialogue and conversations I hope to create.
Gavin Degraw – Concert Review – Hollywood Bowl – May 27, 2014
Gavin DeGraw opened for Billy Joel at the Hollywood Bowl Tuesday night. I’ve been mulling over just how I would write my review of his brief set. Personally, I wouldn’t see him on his own if he was headlining in L.A. I think he is in June actually. DeGraw is a very likeable frontman and told an endearing story about how he went to a Billy Joel concert as a teenager and decided then and there he would become a musician announcing this decision his parents thereafter. DeGraw expressed his utmost respect for Billy Joel and was influenced by him and honored, thrilled to open for him. The music itself was in the pop/rock vein. It was listenable but ultimately unspectacular. The highlights were “I Don’t Want to Be” from the “Cheriot” and “I’m Not Over You” on which he duetted with country singer Sara Evans from “Sweeter” CD. DeGraw is a good musician showed alot of versatility playing guitar and piano. I liked his gritty and earnest style of singing.
Billy Joel Concert Review – Hollywood Bowl – May 27, 2014
The Billy Joel show at The Hollywood Bowl was unlike anything I have seen or experienced in a long time. The proud, native New Yorker set the tone early on saying the audience could go to the bathroom during certain songs or he was going to dump lesser known songs on the crowd. I was thrilled not have to sit through an entire show that was merely a parade of hits. Though I didn’t recognize a number of songs, I was happy to learn about new material I will now look up and listen to from his albums recorded in the early 1970s. The only Billy Joel album I ever bought was “The Stranger.” I loved hearing “Moving Out” and “Scenes From An Italian Restaurant.” Both songs were beautifully performed and the musicianship was top drawer overall. This show was just that great. Billy Joel was in fine voice. It was incredibly strong and just soared. He was funny as hell and opinionated and took sarcastic jabs at Ted Nugent and even his long-time tour mate Elton John. I was amused by his little stories between songs about what a great gig he has had as a musician for many years and his early days playing The Troubadour and not thinking much past his career at that time. Like most people, I relied on the radio to hear Billy Joel’s latest songs and watch his videos on MTV. The stunning visuals at The Hollywood Bowl enhanced and shaded every mood of each song. From the landscapes of New York City and its famous monuments to the iconic celebrity images flashed on the screen to the band performing which was projected creatively on the wide screen monitors and overhead on the stage, it was a compelling, visual treat. It may have taken years me to get to this concert, and when I think about, I got to see Billy Joel perform at a stage in his life where he has nothing to prove and can let his artistry shine through and play to what intuitively moves, inspires and interests him as singer/songwriter.
Music is the gift that keeps on giving – Pt. 1
Music has become the soundtrack of my life. As a child, my constant companions beside an army of stuffed animals in my twin bed was a small transistor radio I had tuned to an R&B Top 40 station in the early 1970s. This escape provided me with a rich fantasy life and drowned out the dissident, static backdrop of warring parents. On a more joyous note when the day would break, Soul Train was on TV and I could be found learning how to dance and develop my rhythm. Jumping up and down on our couch was how I experimented with what would later become a more cohesive, fluid talent.
kaplanharriet 