Pella: Making a Splash

 Rockapella in Livermore
Wednesday, February 9, 2022
Bankhead Theatre
Livermore, CA

When I woke up in the morning, Auntie Milda was already in the kitchen, cooking breakfast.  Eggs are especially yummy when they are fresh from the chicken coop!  She had also gone to a Filipino bakery and got us lots of yummy goodies.  I love that Auntie Milda loves food, and she loves to feed us!  

EGGS!!!

After breakfast, I got to work.  I had already made most of the goodies for the guys (I forgot to tell y'all that Bro and I got to enjoy the aroma of freshly-baked sweets in the car), but one of the goodies needed to be freshly baked.  It was extra tasty because I used fresh eggs.   Then I put their goody bags together, and put names of whomever was in the official group, because I had no idea who would actually be performing that night.  I even looked on social media to see if they had any hints, but nope.

Treats for my Valentines

Meanwhile, Bro was teaching Auntie Milda how to use a stud finder so that she could hang frames in her new house.  I got my stud finders!  See above.  Bro and I wondered if the frames would actually be up by the time we returned this summer.  Neither one of us thought they would be.  I know because I take after my Auntie Milda quite a bit.  :)

We left for Livermore and tried to park in the lot right next to the theater, but it was full already, and it did not help that part of it was under construction.  So I parked at the structure where we normally park, located across the street.  I picked up our tickets at Will Call and asked if I could also drop off some gifts for the performers.  They asked me for someone's name, so I said CSL4's, hoping that at least he would be there that night.  The guy had me meet him at the door and said that he would bring it to CSL4.  I told Auntie Milda and Bro to make sure that we didn't see purple bags in the trash later, imagining that the guy took them all for himself, because I'm paranoid.  

We walked around downtown Livermore to find a place to eat, and ended up at First Street Alehouse.  I ordered the Seared Ahi Tacos, and they were quite good.  Auntie Milda ordered the hummus plate and got nowhere near to finishing it by the time we left, but our server helped her pack it all up so could she could eat it later.  No, not at the theatre.  I think Bro had a burger.  I don't have a picture of it.  But look at our other pictures!

To Rockapella!
I really liked my Ace Guava Cider.

Auntie Milda's plentiful hummus plate

Seared Ahi Tacos with Rice

At one point, I went to the restroom and couldn't open the stall door.  There were only 2 stalls, and the other one was occupied.  When that person came out, she said that nobody was in the one I was trying to open, and I told her that I couldn't open the door.  She said that it gets stuck sometimes, so she crawled under the door to get into the stall to unlock it.  Well, at least the floor was clean and she had faith that it was because she worked there.  I have also had this happen where I work, but I've never crawled under the door to get it open.  She won my admiration that day.

We walked back to the theatre, showed our proof of vaccination before getting our tickets scanned, and went to our seats.  Oh, yes!  Front row center, baby!

My favorite spot

So let's break down just how long it had been since we had seen Rockapella:

PellaPusher: 2 years + 1 month: New York City, January 2020

Milda: 3 years + 6 months: Livermore, August 2018

Bro: 5 years + 2 months: Malibu, December 2016

I think this was my longest time between shows and I was ready!!!  I missed the rest of my Posse, wishing they could share this moment with me.  But really, I mostly was happy, happy, happy that my guys were about to take the stage.  But which guys?  I thought I saw blond hair.  I heard the pitch pipe.  I tried not to breathe too heavily, lest I fill my mask with carbon dioxide and pass out.

Tell Me Something Good / Rock Around the Clock

"Tell me, tell me..."  AAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!  There they were!  Calvin, MITCH!, CSL4, JT, and whoever this bass guy was.  Oh, his name is Ron.  Hello, Ron!  (This was not, in fact, his name, BTW).  What is Mitch doing here?  Seriously, both Bro and I said very loudly, "MITCH!" when he took the stage.  What a nice surprise.  Oh, and CSL4 has that heart on his lapel!  The one that was given to him at the Napa Valentine's Day show when Wendy was famous.

Jailhouse Rock

CSL4 put his mic stand back unsteadily, which hit a stool, which knocked down an open water bottle, and SPLASH!  I could not stop laughing.  

CSL 4 said that it has been 2 years since they had done this show, and he will be surprised if they remember everything.

Dancing in the Streets

Calvin did the robot and the electric slide.

Bad, Bad Leroy Brown

I need to watch JT during this song again because I wrote something in my notes about something I love seeing him do and I can't read it.

Satisfaction

Cupid

Mitch got off the stage and talked to Mary.  I had told Bro about that very door being locked when Steve did this bit.  Mitch said to Mary, "I saw you mouthing the words, so I know you know it."  When he went back to the stage, he had no issues.  Apparently, the door was open.  

CSl4 wiped off his stool because it was still wet from the earlier domino effect.  

JT:  "It's a little moist up here."

CSL4: "My water broke."

Mitch is now making music in Florida.  

CSL4 was impressed: "People here have been to Branson!"

Moon River

"It's the most wonderful moon of the year" got applause.

CSL4: You guys can laugh at the Andy Williams.

Ohhhhh, the bass' name is ARMAND.  Not Ron.  Armand Hutton.  CSL4: "We just met him today."  Armand sang with Naturally 7, and now sings with Street Corner Symphony, which I remember from "The Sing-Off".  I never got a picture of him, but if you'd like to see his stuff, he is ArmandTheBass on Instagram.

JT has been Rockapella's vocal percussionist for over 25 years, and he started when he was 5 years old.  During all of this introduction stuff, JT was mopping the stage.  He's just an all-around kinda guy.

CSL4: "Who here has been a fan since the 90s?  Wouldyou like to hear one of our songs?  This is from our first American album, "Don't Tell Me You Do".  YAY!!!!!

I Am Your Man

My cheeks hurt from smiling so much during this song.  Like, I could NOT stop smiling underneath my mask.  I'm surprised I didn't stretch it out and break it.  Bro was also happy to hear a song that he heard at his and my first Rockapella show.  JT did a "POP!" sound when he got up from his stool.

Rock the Boat

Bro loves Cal's voice for this song.  CSL4: "It's called the hustle."  Isn't it usually called some crazy made-up word?

INTERMISSION

JT was looking at / resetting the projector.  I told you he is an all-around kind of guy!  

I took a picture of the uncapped water bottle that caused my laughter.

Scene of the crime

CSL4 wore a black v-neck shirt.  Did he get wet?  Maybe that's none of my business.

Middle

Mitch: "That's not 6 feet!" when CSL4 and Cal made a smashed Mitch sandwich.  A Mitch Panini!  Yes, I made that up.

Somebody yelled out "Zombie!"

CSL4: "You have mistaken this for the interactive part of the program."

Commercials

JT sang "Budweiser" in place of Armand.

Then CSL4 waxed poetic about the origin of the town's name, "Alcohol - serve your liver more." "It's from Edgar Allan Poe:  "Quoth the (not raven): 'Livermore'."  Have I told you that CSL4 has a way with words?

Armand being the new guy, of course he's not going to remember every single nuance.  So CSL4 sang a kinda deep "Milk Chocolate" for him during the 3rd Mounds jingle.  

AH: "Is that me?  <sings Milk Chocolate>

CSL4: "How come it sounds so much better when you sing it?"

The "Matt Lauer" had a question mark sound, which made CSL4 shrug at the audience and say, "I DON'T KNOW!"

Mitch and Cal were goofy like the old days.  

Mitch pointed at me as he took his spot for Preparation H: "You remember this?"

PellaPusher:  "I DO!"

JT told Armand when to turn around.

CSL4 talked to Joan from Livermore about coffee.  She works at a winery and said, "It's a really good job.  I make everyone happy."  I'm sure she does!

Stand By Me 

Joan was such a good sport!  She was so much fun doing the dancing and everything.  I want to go to her winery.  I have no idea which one it is, though.

Macklemore

Love that bass sound, Armand!

CSL4 about the next piece: "We sang this song one hundred million times."

Where in the World is Carmen SanDiego?

Encore

Rapper's Delight

So happy that Bro got to see this one live.

CSL4:  "It's good to be here and see our friends again..." AND THEN HE SAID MY NAME!  Aw, so nice to get a shout out from the stage.  Bro: "That was cool."

Up On The Roof / Wonderful World

Bro hopes they sing this again at the next show, when V is with us.

There was no meet and greet due to COVID, which made me sad but I totally understand. I'm also glad that I gave the bags to someone at the theatre since I couldn't give them to the guys myself.  When we were standing outside, we saw CSL4 walking quickly through the lobby.  I still wondered, though, did they get their goodies?

I tried to take a photo with this poster, but it didn't work, so here's just the poster.  

Aw, I miss Bryant and Jose.

We walked back to the car and as we left the structure, I saw a vehicle next to the stage door entrance and I thought I saw blond hair.  They made a u-turn after we passed on the other side, and they eventually ended up behind me.  I hoped that they saw my very distinct fangirl license plate, and slowed down just enough so that maybe one of them would notice.  I don't know if they did, but they didn't follow me to In-n-Out, so maybe they already ate that earlier.  

We went back to Auntie Milda's house, and ate leftover goodies while watching the Olympics.  Yay, Nathan Chen!!!  He's so awesome.

The next day, Bro packed some of Auntie Milda's patio furniture into my car and we took off.  Yes, she told him to take it.  I rested for a bit once we got to Bro's house before driving home.

Sigh.  It was so very good to see my boys again.  And I'd see them 2 days later, too!  Happiness!

Edit:  Added the failed selfie, just for Cindy, since she's the only one that comments and asks questions.  

Not actually a selfie