Going Country in Cerritos

Home Free
Dive Bar Saints Tour
Thursday, September 19, 2019
Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts
Cerritos, CA

I drove down to Cerritos after work to meet up with Karla to see Home Free, my first time to see them live.  I arrived with enough time to drive around to get a bite to eat, and sat in my car at the parking lot.  KP saw me and came over to sit with me to chat while I finished eating. This was my first time at the venue and it is beautiful!  I agree with KP that Rockapella needs to perform here. They would love it.

We would purchase much closer seats, though.

I didn't know that my friend Gordon was in the audience that night until later when he saw this on my Facebook page.  APPARENTLY, he can see himself in this picture.  

Our seats were in the center section of the front row of the mezzanine.  I was too afraid of heights to look down for very long, but KP was happy to see we could view the soundboard.  There wasn't really a railing next to the steps, which is my explanation for someone palming my head as folks were being seated.  They didn't push down on my head, but it was almost like someone was about to massage my scalp for me, like one of those copper tingly things you find at the county fairs, or, of course, on Amazon.  Yes, it was weird.  No, I didn't know who did it.  Yes, I think I still have all of my brains and I don't think they were sucked out of me at the time, although I may have killed some of my brain cells with the Mystery Shot at Happy Hour the other night.

I don't remember the names of all of the songs, but I did buy a CD and a drink cozy because the name of the new album is "Dive Bar Saints", and that's me!  Except not in a Dive Bar.  Most of the songs they sang were from this album.  

• My favorite band member ever since I first saw them on "The Sing-Off" is Tim, the bass.  Very bass-y.  I like that they know that he's popular and give a lot of the lead parts to him.
• They had an Instagram contest, and whomever they chose would get to have a backstage pass after the show.  Neither one of us won.  You know who did?  A lady that sketched Tim when he made fun of her for taking so long to take their picture that she might as well have drawn it.

"Listen, 'Flip Phone'..."

• The songs were Tim-heavy, and I would have liked to hear the other guys sing lead a little bit more.
• Adam is an amazing vocal percussionist.  He gets to stand on top of the set table and solo for a really long time.  Guess that's because he's also the founding member of the group, but he also deserves the recognition.  He even danced when he did some "Billie Jean".  I mean, he's not the greatest dancer, but he did dance a little bit.  

The guys joining Adam at the end of his solo

• They've got a lot of lighting cues going on, especially during Adam R's drum solo.  
• They demonstrated some live "looping", which they learned from watching Ed Sheeran.  Pretty cool, and that's why they have that table on the stage,so that Adam R. could DJ the looping.
• Tim does most of the talking, probably because he's the funniest, and probably also because people love listening to that awesome voice.
• They sang "Elvira", and it made me very happy.  I love their version of that Oak Ridge Boys song.

• Then later they sang John Denver's "Take Me Home, Country Roads", and I fought back tears. I remembered at that moment how sad I was when JD was in the fatal plane accident.  What a great songwriter he was.  Their version is beautiful.
• I wish they would have sung "Ring of Fire", and brought fellow Sing-Off performer Avi from Pentatonix on stage to sing it with them.  Well, maybe he wasn't there, but they were in his hometown, so he maybe could have made a guest appearance, right?  I wish for many things.
• I think my favorite original from this album is "Love Me Like That", and Austin wrote it, which makes sense why it resonated so true: it came from his heart.
• We got in line for the meet and greet, and KP talked to her Target Husband.  His wife is one of the "Home Fries", the moniker for HF's loyal fans, and was in line ahead of us.

Meet and Greet

• They don't really give us much time to talk to the guys, but I did get to tell Adam R that he was incredible.  I also told Tim, "You're my favorite.  Don't tell the other guys."  To which he responded by yelling to the other guys, "I'M HER FAVORITE!!!!!"  (I did not tell Tim that part of the reason he's my favorite is that he's friends with JT of Rockapella.)
• They didn't really gather round to take pictures with the fans.  I guess not everyone can be as personable and take time with their fans as Rockapella, and Home Free has got quite the whirlwind tour.

I had fun and would definitely go see them again!  Thank you, Karla!!!

Valentine VIPs

A Valentine's Evening with Rockapella

Thursday, February 14, 2019

Napa Valley College Performing Arts Center

Napa, CA

My day started with realizing the shoes I wanted to wear today were in my car.  This wouldn't normally be a problem, but it was raining outside.  So that was fun, putting on my sneakers partly in the rain because I couldn't do it fully inside the car while sitting in the driver's seat.  No, I don't know why I didn't do this in the passenger seat.  I guess I was too much in a hurry to get to the airport before the thunderstorms started.  I was lucky enough to get a parking space very close to the shuttle stop, as it was also raining in Burbank.  Baggage check-in took a while because none of the kiosks were working, and they were checking in people manually, which seemed to take extra long because I was behind a bunch of high school kids on their way to Sacramento for a Youth In Government gathering.

I met Jenn at the gate and we sloshed our way through the rain to get onto the plane.  This is pretty much the only time I don't like flying out of BUR: when it's raining and we have no covered jet way to get onto the plane.  The entrance was wet and the flight attendant was trying to soak up the water with very thin paper towels, and it wasn't working very well.  Jenn and I sat on opposite sides of the row, and the woman between us didn't know that she had to put her carry-on luggage all the way underneath the seat in front of her, and also didn't even put on her seat belt until the plane already started moving.  I mean, maybe you should listen to the announcements?  So I was annoyed by her and played my game on my phone.  Also, I took this picture.  You wouldn't think by looking at it that we had a rough takeoff due to the storm.  I wish I had taken another picture a few minutes later because we saw really fluffy clouds at that point.  We didn't get to have drinks because of the turbulence, which was an extra bummer because it was Valentine's Day and the LUV airline was offering them for free.  I did get a cute tweet in response to my wishing the airline a happy day, though!

Storm? What storm?

Once we arrived and got the rental car, Jenn drove us to Cracker Barrel.  On the way, we saw Cal Expo, and I remembered that this was where they moved the CALIFORNIA letters that used to be outside Disney's California Adventure.  I got a glimpse of them as we passed, and Jenn said we could go after lunch (we were really hungry because we hadn't eaten breakfast).  I ordered pancakes because that's what I do at CB, because they are my favorite pancakes.  I bought a box of the pancake mix because I now have a cast iron skillet at home and I want to see if I can make them.  I also bought some stuff to add to the little Valentine's treat bags for the guys.  I refrained from buying this rocking chair, but I really like it!

Then it was time to go visit our letters.  Luckily for us, there was a break in the rain so we could take our time and take pictures.  It was also nice that nobody else was there and we didn't have a bunch of strangers in our photos.

I've missed you, CALIFORNIA sign!

I love my state.

At each entrance to the Expo, they had these golden bear statues.  They were kind of weird, but you know I had to take a picture while Jenn waited for a light that never turned green.  

Jenn: "Boo light! Boo light!"

I hope that's not a real bear that Midas touched.

We were then off to our hotels in Napa.  I had obtained my hotel through Priceline, a bed and breakfast called Hotel Napa Valley, an Old World Inn.  The clerk at the desk was very nice and gave me a tour of the place.  He showed me the breakfast area, which would not be in use during my stay due to the rain causing a lot of water to go into the basement.  Instead, we would have breakfast in the lobby and sitting areas.  I've never stayed in a bed and breakfast before, so the home-like atmosphere was a new thing to me.  My room had its own fireplace, which I turned on so that I could dry the clothes that were wet from my bag being out in the rain.  My suitcase does have a liner, but the outside is fabric, so the bag was probably sitting out in the rain on the tarmac for a while.  I also had a little porch, which I would have enjoyed more had it not been raining.  I finished unpacking and realized I only had a short time left before Jenn would be back to pick me up, so I got ready and prepared my Valentine's treat bags for the guys.

Thank you for the heat, Fireplace!

Private Porch

My cozy little room

Jenn got a little lost whilst trying to pick me up because the streets in Napa can be a little bit confusing, but we still made it in time to meet Weff at adhoc in Yountville, one of Thomas Keller's many restaurants in town.  The menu for the evening was a special Valentine's Dinner, and all meals there are served family-style, although they will accommodate groups wherein some members may not be able to eat every course due to dietary preferences/restrictions.  For instance, JeffEvs and I do not eat bleu cheese, so they placed that in a bowl on the side for Wendy and Jenn to share.  I can't eat a lot of cheese, so they brought half a cheese plate and half a fruit plate for that course.  I chose the wine pairing because, hello, we're in Napa Valley, and I like wine.  Oh, but you probably want pictures instead of all of these words.  Here you go.

TFL Garden Lettuce Salad:
celery, blood oranges, breakfast radishes
tfl garden cauliflower, blue cheese (on the side)
red wine vinaigrette
wine pairing: Kelly Fleming Sauvignon Blanc

Snake River Farms Wagyu Beef
New York Strip Loin
yukon gold mashed potatoes
english peas & carrots
peppercorn sauce
extra side:  Lobster Mac 'n' Cheese
wine pairing:  Crossbarn Cabernet Sauvignon

Cheese Board (goat cheese)
"looney-bin" crackers; cherry compote
Fruit Board
wine pairing: Domaine Hart Winery Chenin Blanc

They trust us to have our own milk at the table!

Meyer Lemon Tart
toasted meringue
wine pairing: Vietti Moscato d'asti

The entire meal, including the wine, was divine.  It's one of the best meals I've ever had in my life.  I'm glad I was sharing it with my foodie friends!  Look at the happy faces.

Between courses

Then it was time to go see the boys!  This was our first time to go to the Performing Arts Center at Napa Valley College, and it is a really pretty facility.  They had paper hearts available to decorate, but we did not partake.  Wendy had been interviewed for an article about Rockapella (!), so the very lovely Evy reserved us seats in the front row as a thank you.  WOW!  Wendy is famous and we are now VIPs.  I had been dreading the whole GA seating thing, and now we didn't have to deal with it.  I'm glad I'm well-connected.  :)

Evy thanked the audience for "swimming to Napa", and wished us a "Happy Galentines/Valentines Night".  Evy invited us all to sing along with Rockapella because we'd recognize the songs.  No, Evy.  NO.  I'm so disappointed in you.  She also mentioned that "Wendy and her party have gone to 100 shows", which sounded like we went to 100 shows combined instead of 100 shows each for a couple of us, but the audience was still impressed.  Vocal Music Workshop director Dave introduced his a capella group.  I remember seeing them at the Opera House at another Rockapella show.  

• Some Nights by Fun.
• Make This Place Your Home by Phillip Phillips
• Na Na Hey Hey (Kiss Him Goodbye)  by Steam

Great job, guys and gals!  They were spot on, and I could see how much they loved performing.  

Rockapella

The guys were wearing all black (Scott was wearing a turtleneck) with black sneakers and white accents on their preferred brands of shoes.  Scott does love his Pumas.  Each of them was wearing a paper heart!  Aw, we should have done that, too. They probably didn't have to design their own, though.

Rock Around the Clock

I got a wink from John.  Yes, John!  HI!!!  I also got a nice smile from Cal.  It was weird to hear John sing MItch's parts, since I'm used to hearing him sing Cal's parts.

Jailhouse Rock

Sing it, John!  As he sang "sing my blues away", Scott looked at me. Hi, Scott!   

Scott:  Napa love, Napa love, Napa love, I love a nap.

Scott talked about Vocal Workshop: When we started out, maybe there were a few Ivy League schools that had one (an a capella group), now you can see one in a middle school in Thailand.

He asked if anyone had seen Rockapella before, and upon hearing the Posse's cheers, he said to us, "Funny, I don't recognize you at all."  The audience laughed because the entire room now knew that we had been to 100 shows.

Jeff sampled his beat for us, and I guess he wasn't facing the way he usually does.  Scott:  "Ooh, Napa Love.  Can you turn it that way a little bit?  That's the love in Napa right there.  That's very tasty."

Dancing in the Moonlight

Whoa, is the key really low, like they brought it down a little for John's vocal register?  Scott does not wear socks with these shoes.

Bad, Bad Leroy Brown

Satisfaction

I think Cal and John started spelling a little early.  Maybe.  Oh, hi, Bryant!   John went into the audience during Another Saturday Night and talked to a couple instead of just one person, especially for Valentine's Day.  He told them, "Act like you don't know each other", setting up for Cupid so that the arrow would go through his heart.  It worked!  They're totally in love now.  Like they were before the show.

Moon River

I was not there for this song.  I had other priorities for which I cursed my mortal body.  

Scott feels like he is with his California brethren, because people back East think he's from California on account of his lovely golden locks.

Paper Doll

Oh, no, wait.  Scott is wearing really short black socks.  As they sang "I'm through", Jeff kicked out his leg like he was kicking out the paper doll.  

What Lovers Do

Commercials

I love Scott's hip action on that last "coconut" at the end of the first Almond Joy jingle.  John got to do the Preparation H solo.  Hello, John's butt!

Scott felt a connection with someone in the audience and said, "I've gotta find out what's going on."  He looked at the edge of the stage and said aloud, "NO steps."  It reminded me of Steve's "That door is LOCKED!"  Scott's connection was with Marilyn.  As he was leading her to the stage, he said, "You've got your heart on," then clarifying with better enunciation, "You've got your hearT on."  I love Scott.  Marilyn talked a lot.  

Scott:  Marilyn, you've got a bit of a potty mouth!

Marilyn is from Napa, originally from Astoria, NY.  She kept talking.

Scott:  "Marilyn, you're saucy, I love you!" (Oh, THAT'S why he likes talking to me!)

He asked what she does here in Napa.  "As little as possible."

He asked what she did in New York.  "As little as possible, but in between, I was really busy."  Then she kept talking.

Scott:  That's a lot of history right there.

When Scott said that he knew she wanted to come up on stage because she can sing beautifully, she muttered something about making a fool of herself, then gave running commentary during the entirety of Stand By Me.  It was hilarious.

Ain't Too Proud To Beg

Scott shook his hair a lot.  When Bryant did his thang to Marilyn, she said, "No one ever does that to me." Yes, she was still giving running commentary.  I'm guessing it's a nervous reaction to all of the attention.  Scott tried to dance with her, and she started to leave the stage.  She was still talking at Scott when he tried to dance with her one last time.  (Yes, I meant to type "at".)

Bryant:  That was a fun one for me.  That's what I love about that song.  You never know what you're gonna get. 

Macklemore

I like the lining of John's shirt cuffs.

Bryant hawked the Rockapella items for sale.

Bryant: Jams Volume...

Jeff: What?

Bryant: One.

Bryant was 8 years old when he first saw Scott and Jeff perform with Rockapella.

Jeff: Fine, rub it in.

Jeff enters as his occupation on his tax returns "Shame".  "Pro-spitter".  "Prospitter".

Vocal Percussion Duo

Rock the Boat

We sang this song every day for 59 years...

Where in the World is Carmen SanDiego

During the break in the song, Scott asked Bryant for the beat.  He then asked Cal for the scratch.  He then said, "I'll just dance."

Encore

Rapper's Delight / Uptown Funk

Yes, THAT Rapper's Delight, by the Sugarhill Gang!  OMG, they are amazing at this song.  They don't rap it, they are singing those words.  It's crazy!  I freaking love it.  This needs to be on a recording so I can buy it and listen to it many, many times in a row.  It's not the entire rap (they pretty much cut out the introductions), but it's a lot of it.  I know I've heard them do this at another show, but I think that the more I listen to it, the more I love it.

Scott:  We're in Sacramento tomorrow night.  Let's go, Road Trip!  

Jeff pointed to the Posse.  

Up On The Roof / Wonderful World  (off mic)

Dangit, Evy.  

Meet and Greet

The line went pretty quickly, and I was still trying to get my treat bags in order when the guys got up from the table to take pictures with people.  I was, like, great, now I'm all a mess.  When they finished their picture, I was kind of standing in the area, and they started to walk toward me to say hi and give me hugs.  Oh, well, I'm good with that!  I gave them each a hug and fumbled for their respective treat bags.  I was having issues trying to find Scott's,so he just held out his hands, cup-like, until I could give him his.  It was adorable.  JT was busy with the money, so I left him alone as I talked to the guys.  I told Scott that I needed to tell him something when he was done talking to other people, because I was really excited about it.  That intrigued him, and John, too.
Scott:  I like your lipstick.
Sher: Oh, thank you! (now very conscious about my lips and wondering if there is anything showing between my teeth)
Scott:  It's sparkly!
Seriously, how can I not love talking to him?

Me with my sparkly lipstick and Scott with his treats

I asked John to sign my program, and asked him to draw a picture of himself because Mitch was pictured, and not him.  He laughed and obliged.

Hearts and Happy Face from Pella

I asked him how Cristina was doing, and a few days later on FB, he told me that she says hi to me.  Aw, HI, CRISTINA!!!  I told him that Cindy really wanted to be here this week because she loves his voice, and he smiled.    I said to him, "I miss your voice, but as soon as you danced, I thought, 'Oh, I miss watching John dance!'"  

With JKB After Too Long a Time

Scott turned back to me to find out what I wanted to tell him, and I told him and John that I attended the Grammy tribute to Motown's 60th anniversary the other day, and Stevie Wonder sang a bunch of songs.  They were awed, and Scott asked me what songs Stevie sang.  (Scott is heavily influenced musically by Mr. Wonder.)  Luckily for me, I had jotted this down for myself and memorized the list so I could rattle it off to him, except for the one that I didn't know the title:  

• Sir Duke
• My Cherie Amour
• Higher Ground
• Isn't She Lovely
• Superstition
• Never Dreamed You'd Leave in Summer
• Signed, Sealed, Delivered

I also told them that I went to Puerto Rico to see Hamilton.  It's been a busy couple of months since I last saw them!  I said I was a mess of tears as soon as Lin-Manuel took the stage.

Scott:  I know people that saw it and just lost it.

Yeah, that's me.

Jenn told Scott and John about something at work, and Scott made a face of disapproval when he realized where she actually worked.  I tried to defend her by telling him she had similar political views to his.  He was clearly still not happy about it.  It was hilarious.

John said that he had a couple of months to learn the new parts.  He did an outstanding job of learning them!

Bryant said that Hannah would be landing in an hour so she would be joining him soon in Napa.  Jenn talked to him about their gorgeous wedding pictures.

Weff had told Cal where he could get fish tacos, and he told them that he couldn't get fish tacos because his flight was canceled and he had to go into San Jose, but he did get to go on the Golden Gate Bridge on his way to Napa.  Then he left, and I was disappointed that he wouldn't be there for the group picture. 

I had seen on Instagram that JT had gone to New Mexico.  He said that he lived there when he was in grade school, and it was nice to go back and see the art and eat good Mexican food.  He didn't like spicy food when he was little, so his parents would get a babysitter to watch over the kids while they went out for Mexican food.  Now he loves it, though.  I asked if he was there for anything in particular, to which he replied, "I take vacations, too!"  I never said you couldn't take a vacay, JT.  I was just curious.

Somebody brought up the fact that they couldn't believe Bryant first saw Pella when he was 8 years old.  

Wendy:   We could be your parents.

Bryant:  Yeah, you could!

JT:  He just keeps on rubbing it in, how old we are.

Bryant: It's my favorite game!

Then Cal returned, and we tried to get everyone together for our group picture.

While I was waiting to take pictures with the guys, Bryant and I took one of just us, and he used my head as an armrest. 

Sher: He's so tall!!

Oh, wait, Cal's there, too.
  I guess I'm still looking for the rest of the guys?

Finally, the guys got their acts together to take the group picture because Jenn pretty much played Cat Herder.  I laughed and said, "I'm usually the bossy one," and JT laughed, too.  

Pella and the Posse

I couldn't find my hat, so I asked if I could go look for it by our seats.  It was already locked, and a kind employee helped me get inside, but it wasn't there.  Meanwhile, the guys were still kind of hanging around, so we all left the building together, and said bye to the guys as we all walked toward our cars.  Cute!  I couldn't find my hat in the car, so I tried to call the restaurant, but they were already closed. 

When Jenn dropped me off at my hotel, I decided to partake in the amenities, and, after forgetting at first where I was supposed to get the hot water (Do I microwave it?  Isn't there hot water already?), I made myself some decaf French Press coffee.  The coffee was delicious, especially with the hazelnut-flavored creamer.

Coffee and Tea Pantry
The coffee was already in the pots.

I also got snacks that were left out for the guests!  

Chocolate-dipped Cherries

Brownie Bites

I left a voice mail message for the restaurant about my hat, and also sent them an email.  They wouldn't be open for reservation calls until 10:00 am, and they don't serve lunch, but I hoped that I'd be able to find someone there the next morning anyway.  I ate my snacks as I watched "Love, Simon" on TV, clothes still drying by the fireplace, then blogged a little bit before falling asleep.

It was a much better Valentine's Day today than the last one I spent in Napa because this time, I wasn't sick and putting myself in quarantine in my hotel room.

Thank you, Pella and the Posse, for a wonderful day, rain and all!

My Funny Valentines

Next up:  Pella in Sacramento  

A Cappella In A Cupcake

m-pact

Beckman Auditorium at CalTech

Saturday, April 21, 2018

My friends and I saw m-pact at DCA last year, and said they'd be willing to see them in a full show someday.  I had seen them previously, but not this current iteration.  As soon as I saw them post on twitter that they'd be in Pasadena, I rounded up the posse.  Well, a couple of them couldn't make it, so the Posse Personnel changed a bit, but all was good as everyone in attendance is already an a cappella fan.  I'm glad the tickets weren't going to be wasted.

With the 2 Substitutes

Linda, Bro, and I arrived early and got good parking (thanks, Varez family!), and wandered around a little bit before going inside to see the show.  

Pool between Beckman Auditorium
and Beckman Institute

Wisteria is so much prettier than ivy!

The Polyhedron of 432 Symmetry Fountain

A hawk landed on a tree nearby and
perched for a short time before
flying away in dramatic fashion

We went inside, and Bro's ticket indicated that he should go through another door because he was on the other half of our row, but he was feeling rebellious and went through our door anyway.  Our seats were in row D, Seats 201-209, house left of center.  The house never did fill up completely, but I would say it was about half full.  That's a shame, because this is a quite talented group, and people are missing out!  

I did not take notes during the performance, so here's what I could remember.

• Nice opening with the Beatles' "Come Together"!  They won a Contemporary A Cappella Recording Artist (CARA) award for it this year for Best R&B Song.  Well deserved, guys!
• Jeff welcomed us to being inside a giant cupcake.

The Ceiling

• "Whoo!!!" is acceptable as meaning, "I'm having a great time tonight and I'm ready for more." (or something like that).
• I'm not a big Miles Davis fan (I think he's way talented, just not my thang), but their rendition of "All Blues" was awesome, especially Aaron's trumpet. I mean, WHAT?!  Amazing.
• Hmmm...they took The Flintstones out of their TV medley.  This one included theme songs from Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood, I Love Lucy, The Muppet Show, The Jetsons, and The Jeffersons.
• "My Funny Valentine" was gorgeous, as always.
• Love the "stinnnnng" during "My Favorite Things."  Also, those chords! 
• Wow, Drew sings high.  So different from his stuff at Disneyland as a Dapper Dan, and his "Human Nature" was my favorite of many songs he beautifully sang during the evening.
• Absolutely loved "Just The Two of Us", sung by Jamond and Tracy.  It started off with Tracy singing a bit, and Jamond approving, and Bro and I wondering what the heck they were going to sing...then us recognizing the chords but still not knowing what the song was going to be...then total realization, and aahhhhhh!  Our side of the house rocked the audience participation of singing the bass line.    Halfway through the song, I thought, "and it's being sung by only TWO of them!  Perfect!"
• I love Tracy's mellow bass sound.
• The gal sitting next to Bro was way excited, and I wondered if that's what I look like during Rockapella shows.  But I'm usually surrounded by my friends so I don't stick out TOO much, but maybe I'm obnoxious.  Sorry, people, I can't help loving my boys!  Oh, right, this is about m-pact.
• I've never heard that "Guillotine" song before, but I like it!
• I was happy every time they sang a Stevie Wonder song.  Oh, "I Just Called to Say I Love You"!  Memories of my teenage years camping with my family abound.
• I almost couldn't look at Andy sometimes because he reminds me of my ex-boyfriend, and I would imagine that guy singing instead, and then I remembered that he doesn't sing as well as Andy.  Then I'd snap back into reality and there was Andy, singing beautifully!
• That drum solo was long, awesome, and deserving of the standing ovation my friends gave him.  I wanted to get up but was afraid my skirt would fly up with me and I'd flash the folks seated behind me.
• I liked the ways they played with the microphones to make different effects with their sound.
• The group's sound is wonderfully tight, and I love the way they glissando to the higher notes with no issues.
• Their last song was done off-mic, but Aaron and Jamond were seated in the back and not singing.  Why?  I want to hear them, too!  Bro and I agreed that we liked Drew off mic better.  His voice is just so pure. 

I'm looking forward to their new CD, which should be released later this year.  

We did not stay to say hi to the guys.  Maybe next time.  Thanks for a great show, m-pact!

DLR LotD 03/11/17

Disneyland Resort
Line of the Day

Saturday, March 11, 2017

"You have the clap." -- Jeff Smith, to a section of the audience, at Paradise Garden Bandstand

m-pact

Bring on the Bass Man, Vocalosity!

Vocalosity

Saturday, November 12, 2016

Haugh Performing Arts Center - Citrus College

Glendora, CA

Back in August, I had asked Bryant what he'd be doing after he was done with his Rockapella subbing gig in Laguna.  He said that he'd be finishing out his contract with Vocalosity, as well as touring with another vocal group. Wendy saw that Vocalosity would be performing in town in November, so we decided to see Bryant in his other gig.  I'm glad we did!

• Our seats were front row center.  We weren't close in proximity to the performers, though, because the stage is huge, and they set their monitors about halfway back on the stage, so they didn't use the front portion.
• Opening a/c group Premiere only did 2 songs in their set, which were both well done. I would have liked to hear a third song, maybe a ballad.
• I like that they show off their different personalities already in the opening number, Michael Jackson's "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'".
• They asked us to shout out our favorite band.  Maybe if I had been feeling better, I might have yelled out, "ROCKAPELLA!!!".  Would that have been rude?  I did like the way they showed the evolution of a cappella with Beatles songs.
• Kelli was my favorite female singer of the group.  I especially liked her rendition of "Fever", and I liked the characters she portrayed.  I also like the tone of her voice: not too high, never shrieky, just right.
• Tracy's VP solo was fun, as he had the audience play call and response with him.
• This should be of no surprise: I really liked the VP battle between Tracy, RJ, Bryant, and Sound Man Tony.  
• The posse and I think that Fred needs to do a surprise VP stint somewhere during Rockapella's show.
• Whoo!  That "Whole Lotta Love" by Amy and the guys as rock instruments was awesome!
• The step song that started out the show again after intermission was really cool.
• "Sound of Music" was hilarious, although there were a couple of intonation problems, which didn't happen very much during the rest of the show, which is why it stood out for me.
• Bryant mentioned to us afterward that Tony was in The Sing Off, and his group lost to Pentatonix.  I remember rooting for the other group, which was Urban Method.  Now that I see the bios, I know why I recognize Hannah: she was on the show, too! So was Amy, whom was also on The Voice.  (When I was watching her during the rock song, I thought, "She sounds like she's on 'The Voice'."  Must have seen her back when I was watching the show.
• I loved hearing the different paths to singing that some of the cast shared.  It was quite emotional.  Thank you for sharing that part of yourselves, Nattalyee, Cheeyang, Tracy and Nicole! Nattalyee's "His Eyes Are On The Sparrow" was especially moving.  I love that song.
• Their encore song, "Fix You", was posted on Facebook last week, so I was really looking forward to it. They did it off mic, and did not disappoint!

Afterward, we talked to Bryant for a little bit, and told him we'd see him with Rockapella in Malibu.  Yay!  

Great show. Thank you, Posse, for going with me and dealing with me and my cold.  :)

PusherPix 11/12/16

PusherPix
Saturday, November 12, 2016

There are too many chairs on this stage.  Also, they should be stools.

Squad Goal: CUPS

Squad Goals:

Bro, V and I said we'd learn this and I still haven't started trying it yet.  I'm thinking that maybe this summer during down time from drum corps, we should start the learning.  So I'm posting these for easy searching.

Here's her audition as seen on Pitch Perfect:


Here's the music video:





Here's a really cool video as an a capella quartet, for which we need another person. Anyone want to be our 4th?

So Much 2 Sing

Take 6

Friday, February 19, 2016

Lewis Family Playhouse

Rancho Cucamonga, CA

I left work earlier than usual (but still late) to get myself out to Rrrrrancho Cucamonga to see one of my favorite vocal bands.  I was doing OK until I got to Upland and traffic slowed.  ACK!  I figured that I'd miss at least the first song because I only had 8 minutes to get in my seat by the time I exited the freeway.  Prepared to be detained in the lobby, I looked at the monitors and saw that the stage was still being set up.  Yay!  I found Wendy and her friend Esther waving at me from the middle of the orchestra level, and excitedly went to my seat.

Take 6 entered the stage wearing jeans and blazers over their shirts.  Casual and cool.  this is as much of the set list as I could remember.

Happy

What a fun way to start the show, with everyone clapping their hands and getting all into the music!

Spread Love

I love when they go way back to the era when I first knew about them.  This was their first single.

They sang a jazz song with Alvin on the piano, and the other guys were visibly pointing to their ear buds and looking up at the booth.  I told Wendy, "They're talking to their Fred."  Alvin couldn't take it anymore and stopped the song, saying, "I'm sorry, but Tommy, I can't hear a thing, and I rehearsed this way too much to not be able to hear it."  Tommy got it going, though.  See? This is why they should just sing a capella and not use any tracks, which is what they used for the other instruments.  

Overjoyed

So pretty.  I love this song.  This one was done with Khristian on the piano, I think.

Take 6's new CD will be released on March 25.  It is called "Believe".  They made sure we would remember it by quizzing us.  I failed, saying that the release date would be "Believe".

David talked about all the bad things we see on TV these days, and introduced one of the songs on "Believe"...

When Angels Cry

Lovely.  Does this mean that the new album will be all a capella?

Windmills of Your Mind

David said that they saw "The Thomas Crown Affair" and they liked this song so much that Mark arranged it for them.  

Stand By Me

Joey kept trying to get someone to go over and actually Stand By him.  Had he been pointing in our direction, I would have gotten up, or pushed Wendy to go up there...and taken a picture...and sent it to Rockapella to show them what to do.  

Claude and Mark have been singing together for 36 years!  Incredible.

They did some jamming.  This is what I love about jazz, all that improv, mostly because I can't improvise worth a damn, so I'm in awe of anyone that can do that.  Alvin told us to take out our cell phones and they told us to "Like" them on facebook, but he didn't tell us that we could record that, and then chastised those of us who weren't smart enough to do it.  Oh, it's ON next time, Alvin!  :)  "Stop!  Wait a minute."  

They called a lot of audibles during the evening.  One was a tribute to Maurice White of Earth, Wind, and Fire.  They sang portions of a few songs, including "Can't Hide Love", with Claude reaching those way high notes.  

Another audible was called.  "Since Stevie Wonder is my best friend...", Mark said, looking at Joey, who informed the audience, "But I'm his brother!"

I Wish

OK, I would like to hear them sing this WITH Stevie.  Awesome.

I L-O-V-E You

This is from my favorite Take 6 CD "So Much 2 Say".   They didn't sing my fave song from that CD (also my fave Take 6 song), though.

Mary

Going way back again!  Mark and Joey showed off their vocal gymnastic skills by trying to outdo each other.  So awesome.  "Tell Martha not to moan."

Fly Away

I've decided that Khristian, the baritone of the group, has a personality like Rockapella's Elliott, the baritone of that group.  He's all smiley and stuff.  When he was about to start talking, a guy from the front row came back from the restroom, and Khristian teased him, saying, "Here's your seat, sir.  Nice of you to come.  The show's almost over."  The audience laughed and laughed.  "I'm sorry, but that was hilarious."  

Anyway, I have this song on CD and forgot all about it.  I love this song.

Alvin:  "Are we ready to race now?"

The group nodded and took deep breaths.

So Much 2 Say

Wow.  I can't believe how fast they sing this live!  I even understand what they're saying even better than when I listen to the recording.  The piece goes into lots and lots of tangents, as they sing stuff like the Bee Gees' Night Fever and several Michael Jackson songs, which Khristian rocked!  No, Elliott would not have been able to do those moves.  Sorry, El.

Encore

They returned to the stage, took off their ear buds, and put their mics on the floor.   Then they proceeded to sing my favorite song in the whole world.  I whispered this to Wendy and she gave me moral support by holding on to me, because I thought I was going to lose it.

Alleluia by Randall Thompson

Yes, they sang it "Hallelujah" instead of without the "h", but I'm good.  I mean, one of my favorite vocal groups singing this song in their style....happiness!  OMG, I'm crying again.  Why don't I have this CD "One"?  I need to remedy this.  

I'm pretty sure I was the first one to stand after this was done.  

I bought their "The Standard" CD and got in line for the meet and greet after we took pictures by their poster.  

We just saw them!

Not all of them were available, but I spoke briefly with one of my favorite basses in the world (Alvin), MJ extraordinaire Khristian, and the man himself, Mark.  Their version of Phil said that we could take one picture per group, so I told Aura to be a group with her friend, and I'll be a group with Wendy, and we'd have more pictures. :)

Mark, Wendy, Khristian, Sher, and Alvin

When I got home, I checked my trip report from the last Take 6 concert I attended, and I realized that I had met them back then.  Why didn't I remember that earlier?  So weird.  I guess it's because I didn't take pictures with them.

I had a great time, and I look forward to hearing the new CD!  Thank you for a great show, Take 6!!!!!!