Kristen’s Playlist

Best Local Music Scenes

I was recently talking with a friend about checking out Coachella this year. It’s a local music festival outside of LA, closer to Palm Springs. As we were debating if we should go (which I think I will), we began comparing the show to other festivals, such as:

Austin City Limits

South By Southwest

Chicago’s Blues Fest

New Orleans Jazz Fest

My friend then wondered if there was a site that featured all the cool, if not smaller, local music festivals.  I haven’t really tried searching online but thought I’d start the blog post here and ask if any of you have recommendations.

Do you have a favorite local music festival? Perhaps it’s only one day or it could be a weekend. Any kind of music is welcomed- blues, country, alternative, live, gospel.

Let me know!

A Ray of Light

Step into the quiet and soulful sounds provided by Mr.Ray LaMontagne and be prepared to take a journey.  The title of his latest album is called “Till the Sun Turns Black,” which I can only assume means sunset, will leave you wanting to listen until dawn.

Though his voice whispers some lyrics, others are more pronounced with scratchy soul. These sounds are reminiscent of Otis Redding and Marvin Gaye. You’d think you were listening to an undiscovered artist from the 50s and yet he is a twenty-something, New Englander.

My favorite songs on this album include Three More Days, Barfly, You Can Bring Me Flowers, and Within You.

Three More Days draws you instantly in and willing to check out the other songs, so I’d start there. You Can Bring Me Flowers features a bit more jazz with the horns and drums.  The last song on the album, Within You, sounds like a farewell tune that the Beatles may have done in the 60s.

If you check him out, let me know what you think.

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!

Loving the Disney Concert Hall

Forgive the unclear image, I took this with my Treo.  If you haven’t been to the Disney Concernt Hall, add it to your new year’s resolution list. This hall is BEAUTIFUL. From the lobby to the seats, you feel enveloped in a true music experience.

I recently attended a Lyle Lovett concert there and the sound was awesome. There wasn’t really a bad seat in the house since they are all pretty close to the stage. The walls that surround the inside of the hall are made of wood carvings, which make it feel outdoors-y and home-y. It reminded me of Butter (a NY restaurant, check it out if you head out there).  I only wish there was a campfire around.

Check out more info here.

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/