Kristen’s Playlist

The British Are Invading

I returned to the Hollywood Bowl recently to enjoy the LA Philharmonic play cool Britanica music. I didn’t know the genre existied but sure enough, it’s pretty cool to listen to a live orchestra play various scores from James Bond movies. They also performed some tunes from Austin Powers but the other tunes were a bit more sleepy than cool.

The big draw for the night was Jamie Cullem. I love him and he played with the orchestra. He sounded brilliant! He wasn’t as crazy as he usually is when it’s just his band but he did a good job showing off his talents to the somewhat older crowd.

What a cool night.

Picnics & Music

People have been enjoying picnics at parks for centuries. It is a sure sign of summer when you’re packing up some chicken, salads, cakes, and cold bubbly drinks.  I’ve been to some great parks that attract people to pull up a blanket and unwind with food. Parks like Austin’s Zilker Park (home of ACL Festival), Washington DC’s National Mall or Manhattan’s Central Park (of course).

Well, LA has a few great parks too, one of them being the Arboretum in Santa Anita (and even though I’m a native of LA, this was my first visit). An estate of open land originally owned by Elias “Lucky” Baldwin and converted to a park in 1947. The park has developed into a beautiful collection of trees and botantical plants.  For several summers now, the California Philharmonic has offered a summer series of thematic musical adventures. It’s a great show and pretty inexpensive to get general seating in the park area ($20 for the lawn, seen above). Bring your own eats and enjoy the view.

What’s your favorite park to picnic at? I’m hoping to check out as many as I can before the summer ends.

Happy Anniversary

How do two people meet, fall in love, start a family, travel the world, buy a home, balance the bills, raise three girls, maintain sanity, keep friendships, enjoy good times, keep the faith, and still dress up just to go out and put an arm around her honey? I don’t know, but it must be something good. Congrats mom and dad on 35 years together.

May you share another 35 years just as great as the first.

Cheers!

5 Things You Don’t Know About Kristen

I’ve never been one to shy away from a challenge (well, that’s not true but another story all together), so upon reading my friend’s blog challenge I had to write this post. 

You may think you are getting to know me by now or at least you are getting to know my musical tastes by now but what do you really know about me? About Kristen? You could read my about page or…you could read these bullets.

5 Things You Don’t Know About Kristen

• I used to be painfully shy. I hid behind curtains when guests or family came over. Somehow I got over that and now I love to be the center of attention.
• As a kid, I drank pickle juice from the jar. I still love pickles but I don’t need the juice anymore, not sure what I was thinking when I was 8?
• I love dirty martinis! Pickle juice, meet olive juice. You’ve been replaced.
• I can recite the movie “When Harry Met Sally” because I’ve seen it about a zillion times. “I love that you get cold when its 70 degrees out!” (BTW- that is kind of cold)
• I used to be a lifeguard at a community pool. I’d dreamt that maybe one day, I’d try out for Baywatch but swimming in the ocean freaks me out a bit. Yuck!

So, now that you know some of my least known facts, do you still like me? Will you still call me tomorrow? Tell me something I don’t know about you? Kim, Stacy, Mike- I’m calling ya’ll out!

Happy New Year!

Holiday Presents: Giving Music

I’m off to enjoy my family as we tear through presents anticipating new gifts to treasure.  I gave one gift to my dad last night, my ipod mini. Ever since they got a new apple computer, dabbled with itunes and my mom purchased a shuffle, he has expressed interest in trying out this thing called the MP3 player. He claims to want to hear NPR podcasts, but I’m sure he’ll be rocking to his old songs in no time.

We sat around the dining room table as I showed him how to use the silver colored mini. My nephew took immediate interest in also wanting to learn how to play it, fortunately my mom took out her shuffle to entertain my nephew while my dad tried to touch all the buttons and wheel on the mini. Then I took out my new black ipod to show my dad how the device now plays video and displays photos. I had to take a step back to see all the technology working between the three of us-

Nephew listening to songs on my mom’s shuffle while sitting on my dad’s lap.

Dad listening to the silver mini while looking at Justin Timberlake dance on the screen of my new ipod.

I wish I had a picture of it all.

Anyway, never forget that music is always a great gift to give.  It’s the common thread between generations. We all love music.  Oh and because that mini was a regifting thing, I actually did buy my dad another present but I can’t tell what it is just yet. He hasn’t opened it!

Merry Christmas

PS- I bought my boyfriend the new Ray LaMontagne CD. Outstanding! I’ll post a review soon enough.

Holiday Traveling Blues

How did so much time pass? I just posted here yesterday but apparently it was back in November.  The mothership (ie work) called me to travel, so I’m sorry for the lack of music reviews.

I am happy to say that while visiting Chicago last week, I heard a great blues band at a club called B.L.U.E.S on Halsted St - go figure! They were packed onto a small stage, which could have been made of crates.  I think they took a break every other song, but they were jamming. It was a perfect Chicago blues experience. They had a full bar and the drinks were pretty cheap. Aside from the 10 degree weather, it was a perfect night. They even sang a birthday song to one of my friends, well, it wasn’t really a birthday song more like a song about her candy? I’ll stop there.

What is your favorite place to hear the blues? In Chicago or any other town. Never know where I may end up next.

Tenacious D Live

I love Jack Black. He is truly a funny, funny man to watch. I’ve seen so many of his movies and my favorite has to be Nacho Libre. If you haven’t seen it, you must check it out and if you live in LA, check out El Carmen afterwards.  You’ll feel like you’re still in the movie. That said, I was a little more than bored watching him perform live with Tenacious D.  I recently checked out their show at the Gibson Theater.  It was pretty cool at first. I didn’t really know any of their songs but figured he had to be funny, so I eagerly cheered Jack on as he prepared to rock us.

I guess I made it through about four songs before feeling like he just kept saying the same thing over and over. I was pretty tired of hearing about his love juice and farts. Then suddenly, the stage shifted from a junky old apartment to hell, you know, where the devil lives. I thought the theatrics may improve the situation, but then the accoustic music switched to death metal. Augh.

Somehow I made it through the entire concert but left heavy hearted and disappointed. Oh well, not all actors have to be great musicians, right? So I’ll skip Jack on the stage and just check out Jack on the silver screen. I can’t wait for The Holiday to open!

Have you ever been disappointed by an actor switching over the stage? Tell me about it.

Keep On Keeping On

I count myself so lucky to have been part of a private performance from Chris Pierce in Las Vegas last week (photos by Marc, check out the rest of his party photos on his blog). 

He recently opened for Seal on tour and had a song featured on the soundtrack for Crash.  To describe his music, I’d have to say its soulful, hip swaying, make you want to dance harmony. His voice can be smooth and rough at the same time. And when he hits the high notes - you know the ones I’m talking about- those gut wrenching, chill giving screams - you can literally feel the passion in his voice.  He plays the guitar like a man on a mission. He’s got a message to share and its got a beat to follow.

Check out his album, Static Trampoline.

Favorite Song: Keep On Keeping On

Word.

Whistle While You Work

Snow White’s Dwarfs may have been the first to enjoy music while working but I think we put a new meaning to that last week.   We celebrated the launch of a new platform with food, drinks and a Van Halen cover band belting out our favorite songs.  They were very impressive, even in spandex.  One of my coworkers snapped some photos after Michael Anthony, original bassist with Van Halen, joined the band to relive the magic.

Check out the Atomic Punks as Van Halen here at flickr:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/80216545@N00/sets/72157594345999355/

Jamie Cullum: Live at Wiltern

I think the best part of going to a concert is wondering what the playlist will be. Will he sing “All at Sea” or “Frontin” - maybe he’ll have a new song to share. The wondering is half the anticipation.

Tommy and I got to the Wiltern with plenty of time to think about this and check out the opening act, Josh Ritter. Awesome vocals…funny dance skillz but great sense of humor.  I may buy his album. Anyway, when Jamie came on, I just couldn’t take my eyes off this twentysomething petite English man. He seems so fragile but he glides up to his silky black piano and starts rockin to “Get Your Way.”

His show was mesmerizing. He had a turn table on the right side of the piano, inside the belly of the piano. He actually scratched while playing a few songs! Amazing. Then he’d play percussion on the sides of his piano. I knew the beat but couldn’t think of the song, then he whispered into the mic, “I’m bringing sexy back” the crowd went wild. I love it when musicians break off and cover other songs. It’s like getting the prize in a Cracker Jack box.

Jamie doesn’t come to LA too often and he plays in small venues, so look out for his name and get tickets to the next show. Trust me, you’ll be entertained.

What was your favorite surprise song covered by a band at a concert? Tell me about it in comments…