Rockapella and the Company Men
Sunday, August 12, 2018
Bankhead Theatre
Livermore, CA
I arrived in San Jose after the awesome week of drum corps, yet I still had lots of energy despite the restless sleep I had on the plane. I bought a breakfast sandwich and a chai latte at one of the airport restaurants, and sat down and relaxed for a little bit after retrieving my luggage. I ordered a Lyft to take me to my hotel in Livermore, and my driver was very friendly. I'm always amazed at what people will tell total strangers when nobody else in their life is there to hear them. No, I wasn't the one talking. The hotel had a room available for early check-in, so I had a chance to change and get pretty for the show.
Weff arrived at the hotel, and I met up with them when we were all ready to go to the theatre. After parking on the second floor of the parking structure, we walked down the stairs and somebody recognized my voice: my cousin, Marie! She was about to go to her first Rockapella show, and I was excited about that, as well as excited that I was seeing her, because we rarely get to see each other. I still needed to wait for Jen to arrive, and Auntie Milda was stuck in horrid traffic, so I left her ticket at will call. Since we were allowed to bring beverages into the theater, Jen and I bought wine that came in cups with coffee cup lids so that our drinks were covered. The only problem with those lids is that they were a little awkward and little drops dribbled, so I needed to be extra careful not to spill anywhere.
Our seats were in the front row, house right, Row A, seats 2-8. We had wondered how this show would work, and I guess Calvin told Weff on Friday night that he wasn't sure. Like, would they each sing a whole set? Why is Rockapella on stage first? Shouldn't they be headlining? Was Auntie Milda going to make it to her seat before the show started? Why, YES! There she is! YAY!
ROCKAPELLA
The introductory film graphics were like a comic book, as the theme from "Avengers" played. The graphics included a superpower for each of them, none of which I understand from my scribbly notes. Whoa. I'm out of practice writing in the dark. I just hope that by the end of the concert, all of them would still be there, and not little piles of dust.
Rock Around the Clock
Hmmm. Moments of sound issues.
After the song, Scott asked the audience, "How you doing?", then asked, "What's up with the sound?!?" He did not wait for an answer. They immediately went into the next song.
Jailhouse Rock
Scott pointed at us when he sang "Do you no good." Then we saw Pella Butts. OK! I think those did me *some* good.
Scott: "I love Livermore, it's 60 degrees at night and 105 degrees in the daytime."
"I see some of our friends in the front row." Awww....that's us, Posse!
Jeff laid down the beats, which led to Dancin' in the Moonlight.
Love that choreography.
Don't Mess With Jim
"RRRUFFFF!" I'm pretty sure Scott barked at me.
Scott introduced us to "Bad, Bad Calvin Jones".
Scott: "I love liver. Pate is my favorite."
L-O-V-E / What Lovers Do
Ooh, I haven't seen this as performed by Rockapella, only Sun Brothers (L-O-V-E). I've seen the video, but not live. They added something like "wishing for some of that Califronia wine", and "How about a little avocado?" So clever!
The Middle Medley
This was the song on their most recently released video. Cute that Mitch was stuck between Scott and Cal at the end of the piece.
Scott forced Mitch to talk because he's a Cavs fan, and they were in Warriors country.
Scott: "I've always been a Steph Curry fan. I keep telling you that."
<talking about JT> "Jeff started as a toddler, he was so cute."
Scott "used to listen to Andy Williams every year, from Labor Day on."
Moon River
Bryant told us about Rockapella Jams Vol. 2 - Whoo! Wait. When is that being released?! Did I even hear that right?
Bryant first saw Rockapella live at 8 years old. Jeff: "I was 10."
Bryant wanted to be a..."what do you call it?" JT: "Moisturizer. Pro Spitter." Bryant: "I always wanted to be a pro-spitter.
So they did some vocal percussion together and it was awesome! Then JT did a drum solo, and Bryant came in with his bass.
Rock The Boat
Rapper's Delight / Uptown Funk
Scott danced like Bruno Mars. Mitch pointed at Wendy when he sang, "She likes it", and Wendy nodded.
Scott: We sang this song every day for 75 years:
Carmen SanDiego / Shape of You
For some reason, I wrote down "Calvin does not want to sweat." Neither my friends nor I can remember why I wrote that. Did someone say it? Did Calvin say it about himself? Why was Calvin talking in the third person? Why am I just making up stuff? (This is a rhetorical question, BTW.)
<Intermission>
KP left because she had a train to catch. Sorry I didn't say bye, KP! We were catching up on family stuff.
Then The Company Men took the stage.
I got ready to write notes, but realized that I didn't really want to do so. The Company Men is a 4-man group. They sing in harmony with instrumental tracks (and, we found out later, some vocal tracks, too). Well, at least they did tonight. I see videos on the 'net with live instruments. Their songs were medleys of lots of different songs, like one of the medleys (or, they called them mash-ups and tried to sound like this was an original thing when we had just heard Rockapella) was a bunch of Motown songs. This made me thankful that Rockapella is singing stuff from JAMS Volume 1 and not their Motown & More CD, or I would have gone out for more wine. They all had good voices, and did some Temptations-like dancing. It was fun, but you know me: I missed Rockapella halfway through the first song.
Then Rockapella joined The Company Men! I told my seatmates, "I've missed them SO much!" Jen told me they were on stage earlier that day. I told her it was still agonizing this entire time. I'm never dramatic.
This Time
Ooh, I like this song, which is by John Legend. The Company Men has this in their regular repertoire, and it's very pretty. It's even better with my guys.
One of The Company Men guys talked about performing with the USO, and how proud he was to sing for the troops. That other guy took Mitch's stool, so Mitch had to sit on Thacher Island. Rude.
Battle Hymn of the Republic / America the Beautiful
I love hearing a male choir sing Battle Hymn. I love singing it, too, but I always want to sing it in their range because I like the low voices for it. I tried not to cry. It did not work.
Up On The Roof / Wonderful World (off mic)
Wait a minute. That guy that took Mitch's stool? He ALSO sang Mitch's part on "Roof"!!! If anyone had sung the lead to Wonderful World other than Scott, I would have been pissed. Lucky for them, they kept their heads about them.
Also luckily for them: none of them turned into piles of dust.
Meet and Greet
Marie and Auntie Milda bought CDs from both groups, and I introduced them to the guys I knew, and told Rockapella that it was Marie's first show. They also took a picture with them.
I whispered to Scott that I preferred when they were the ones on stage. I don't know if anyone else heard me. Then I realized that I didn't have one of JeffEvs' Altoids, and Scott could probably smell my Breath of Red Wine. Sorry, Scott! ACK, I'm so embarrassed now, so of course I need to confess it to the world in this blog.
After taking pictures with folks, Calvin came over to talk to us. He and I discussed how he's not happy with LeBron going to the Lakers, and neither am I, so he should just come to a game with me and we can commiserate.
Mitch came to talk to us, and I noticed that he was wearing a new Rockapella shirt. He said he was trying to market it by wearing it to the meet and greet, and that they have a bunch of them for sale on the website. He said he hoped people would like it, and I told him I like it. Then he told me, "You don't count."
So I walked back to the table where the other guys were, and told them that Mitch said that I didn't count. They looked at me like I was insane. Or maybe that's the way they always look at me. Bryant walked over to see what was up with that remark. Mitch said, "No, Sherry, you don't count because you're one of us! You're FAMILY!" Then I calmed down. Mitch said I'm family. Mitch is forgiven.
Then we focused on Bryant and the fact that next time they saw him, he'd be a married man. I congratulated him and asked him where he and his lovely bride would be going on their honeymoon. Jen said I was nosy. Jen, don't you know? I'm FAMILY. Also, I want to make sure not to go where they go lest I be accused of stalking anyone.
Fred came over to talk to us, too, and we asked what happened to the sound during the show. I don't remember the answer, but he said it wasn't his fault. Well, of course not!
We were the last group to leave, as usual, and ate dinner close by at Sauced. Mmmm...barbecue! I decided I didn't need to drink anymore because I was going on almost no sleep and was still a little tipsy from the wine.
We thought of going to see a famous light bulb in a firehouse, but decided it was too far of a walk, so we just said our goodbyes and Weff and I returned to the hotel. I had a good sleep and was nice and refreshed for the trip home. My Lyft driver welcomed a friendly chat, and we talked about the wedding he'd be attending in a couple of weeks. I did not ask about the couple's honeymoon.
It was an awesome vacation: DCI Finals with an SCV/SCVC win, and then I saw my Rockapella posse and family! I'm a happy girl. So how else to celebrate the great week? Get cupcakes at My Delight, of course. And then order a couple of Rockapella shirts.
Bryant first saw Rockapella live at 8 years old. Jeff: "I was 10."
Bryant wanted to be a..."what do you call it?" JT: "Moisturizer. Pro Spitter." Bryant: "I always wanted to be a pro-spitter.
So they did some vocal percussion together and it was awesome! Then JT did a drum solo, and Bryant came in with his bass.
Rock The Boat
Rapper's Delight / Uptown Funk
Scott danced like Bruno Mars. Mitch pointed at Wendy when he sang, "She likes it", and Wendy nodded.
Scott: We sang this song every day for 75 years:
Carmen SanDiego / Shape of You
For some reason, I wrote down "Calvin does not want to sweat." Neither my friends nor I can remember why I wrote that. Did someone say it? Did Calvin say it about himself? Why was Calvin talking in the third person? Why am I just making up stuff? (This is a rhetorical question, BTW.)
<Intermission>
KP left because she had a train to catch. Sorry I didn't say bye, KP! We were catching up on family stuff.
Then The Company Men took the stage.
I got ready to write notes, but realized that I didn't really want to do so. The Company Men is a 4-man group. They sing in harmony with instrumental tracks (and, we found out later, some vocal tracks, too). Well, at least they did tonight. I see videos on the 'net with live instruments. Their songs were medleys of lots of different songs, like one of the medleys (or, they called them mash-ups and tried to sound like this was an original thing when we had just heard Rockapella) was a bunch of Motown songs. This made me thankful that Rockapella is singing stuff from JAMS Volume 1 and not their Motown & More CD, or I would have gone out for more wine. They all had good voices, and did some Temptations-like dancing. It was fun, but you know me: I missed Rockapella halfway through the first song.
Then Rockapella joined The Company Men! I told my seatmates, "I've missed them SO much!" Jen told me they were on stage earlier that day. I told her it was still agonizing this entire time. I'm never dramatic.
This Time
Ooh, I like this song, which is by John Legend. The Company Men has this in their regular repertoire, and it's very pretty. It's even better with my guys.
One of The Company Men guys talked about performing with the USO, and how proud he was to sing for the troops. That other guy took Mitch's stool, so Mitch had to sit on Thacher Island. Rude.
Battle Hymn of the Republic / America the Beautiful
I love hearing a male choir sing Battle Hymn. I love singing it, too, but I always want to sing it in their range because I like the low voices for it. I tried not to cry. It did not work.
Up On The Roof / Wonderful World (off mic)
Wait a minute. That guy that took Mitch's stool? He ALSO sang Mitch's part on "Roof"!!! If anyone had sung the lead to Wonderful World other than Scott, I would have been pissed. Lucky for them, they kept their heads about them.
Also luckily for them: none of them turned into piles of dust.
Meet and Greet
Marie and Auntie Milda bought CDs from both groups, and I introduced them to the guys I knew, and told Rockapella that it was Marie's first show. They also took a picture with them.
I whispered to Scott that I preferred when they were the ones on stage. I don't know if anyone else heard me. Then I realized that I didn't have one of JeffEvs' Altoids, and Scott could probably smell my Breath of Red Wine. Sorry, Scott! ACK, I'm so embarrassed now, so of course I need to confess it to the world in this blog.
After taking pictures with folks, Calvin came over to talk to us. He and I discussed how he's not happy with LeBron going to the Lakers, and neither am I, so he should just come to a game with me and we can commiserate.
Mitch came to talk to us, and I noticed that he was wearing a new Rockapella shirt. He said he was trying to market it by wearing it to the meet and greet, and that they have a bunch of them for sale on the website. He said he hoped people would like it, and I told him I like it. Then he told me, "You don't count."
So I walked back to the table where the other guys were, and told them that Mitch said that I didn't count. They looked at me like I was insane. Or maybe that's the way they always look at me. Bryant walked over to see what was up with that remark. Mitch said, "No, Sherry, you don't count because you're one of us! You're FAMILY!" Then I calmed down. Mitch said I'm family. Mitch is forgiven.
 |
| We took this picture before I thought he was insulting me. |
Then we focused on Bryant and the fact that next time they saw him, he'd be a married man. I congratulated him and asked him where he and his lovely bride would be going on their honeymoon. Jen said I was nosy. Jen, don't you know? I'm FAMILY. Also, I want to make sure not to go where they go lest I be accused of stalking anyone.
 |
| Bryant takes our selfie |
 |
| Bryant starts to lose control |
 |
| Bryant realizes he's stalking himself |
 |
| I realize that my phone no longer belongs to me. |
 |
| I can't stop giggling. |
Fred came over to talk to us, too, and we asked what happened to the sound during the show. I don't remember the answer, but he said it wasn't his fault. Well, of course not!
We were the last group to leave, as usual, and ate dinner close by at Sauced. Mmmm...barbecue! I decided I didn't need to drink anymore because I was going on almost no sleep and was still a little tipsy from the wine.
We thought of going to see a famous light bulb in a firehouse, but decided it was too far of a walk, so we just said our goodbyes and Weff and I returned to the hotel. I had a good sleep and was nice and refreshed for the trip home. My Lyft driver welcomed a friendly chat, and we talked about the wedding he'd be attending in a couple of weeks. I did not ask about the couple's honeymoon.
It was an awesome vacation: DCI Finals with an SCV/SCVC win, and then I saw my Rockapella posse and family! I'm a happy girl. So how else to celebrate the great week? Get cupcakes at My Delight, of course. And then order a couple of Rockapella shirts.
 |
| GF Peach Cobbler; Banana Split; Unicorn; Caramel Cheesecake |
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