I saw Lyle Lovett in concert last night. I knew I would enjoy it, I just didn't have any idea how incredible his show would be. The show opened at 8 pm and it didn't end until nearly eleven. Three hours and without an intermission! A rare thing in itself.
Here is a taste for you tried and true Lyle followers.
He certainly didn't disappoint.
I have been a Lyle Lovett fan since I first heard his name mentioned in an episode of Thirty Something. Who was this artist they were talking about? I didn't have the luxury of Google but after a bit of digging I bought one of his CD's and I was hooked. When I heard that we would be going to this event I knew I was in for a fun evening of entertainment but what I didn't realize until this performance was how incredible Lyle Lovett's band is too. Each band member is a true solo-artist in their own right and each has recorded their own independent albums.
A friend of ours mentioned that she had seen Lyle and his band members at a local watering hole the night before the concert and commented on what a genuinely nice guy he appeared to be. I think she was right. This is not a man with a big ego. In fact, what I enjoyed about this concert was how Mr. Lovett was so eager to share the stage with his fellow artists and seemed to relish showcasing each of their remarkable individual skills.
Mike and I were blown away by every one of these performers and we could tell the rest of the audience was too. After all, it was a week night in the Midwest. I doubt anybody was expecting such an enthusiastically delivered and flawlessly executed concert.
I apologise for the poor video quality. I only had my iPhone and we were in the first balcony. These were great seats for viewing but not the best for recording.
These short clips are a sample of the off-the-chains talent we were privileged to hear. Just close your eyes and enjoy.
This young man really reminded us of a young Ricky Skaggs.
On guitar...
Shift over to the fiddle...
and finally, on the cello...
John Hagen. I had to know more about this man. I've read that he is referred to as "the psychedelic cellist".
kentmeireisphotography.com
Who knew that a cello could sound like this? Then, when I learned that this gentleman was born in Iowa City and raised in Iowa AND that he is a Norwegian Lutheran, well that just made his jaw dropping performance even more special.
This recording is a bit longer. I thought I had clipped this video right after the end of this song but I guess I just couldn't find a good ending - until I ran out of battery.
:D
Such a magical evening. If this band is ever in your area I hope you can carve out the time to see them.
I had missed it the last couple of years but not last night.
No, I sat curled up blowing up my iTunes account with music that I will call
#noexcuses2013
:D
I had already downloaded some of the nominated artists and songs but not all of them.
There is a compilation of the 2013 nominees available on iTunes for less than ten dollars which is a pretty sweet deal and because I hadn't already purchased very many of those songs I figured it was worth it but then I added a few of the more obscure, less radio recognized, songs to round out my own collection.
So what is my new playlist?
Well my choices are pretty diverse. I like a lot of different types of music.
Case in point -
PK's 2013 Kick Start.
:D
1. Mumford and Sons - I Will Wait
2. Mumford and Sons - Below My Feet
3. Mumford and Sons - Lover of the Light
4. Muse - Madness
5.Kelly Clarkson - Dark Side
6. Kelly Clarkson - Stronger. (I can't believe I didn't already have this. It needs to be on every woman's workout playlist)
7. Gotye feat Kimbia - Somebody That I Used to Know
8. Pink - Try
9. Black Keys - Lonely Boy
10. Black Keys - Gold On the Ceiling
11. Fun - Some Nights
12. Fun- Carry On
13. Fun - All Alone
I'm also proud to say that Nate Reuss, the singer in this group is from Iowa City, Iowa Congrats Nate for your Grammy and for representing Eastern Iowa.
:D
14. Ed Sheeran - The A-Team
15. The Lumineers - Ho Hey
16. The Lumineers - Classy Girls ( love the lyrics)
17. - The Lumineers - Flowers In Your Hair
18. The Lumineers - Stubborn Love
19. Hunter Hayes - Wanted ( Because I have to have my dose of country)
Then speaking of country, these were not Grammy nominated songs but have you been watching Nashville? I'm liking it more with each passing episode and there have been several songs that I found myself scribbling down what I thought would be the title. So, as long as I was downloading I thought I would add these new country flavor numbers to my 2013 playlist.
I'm good with that. I thought both of the finalists were incredible.
I didn't start watching the show until March. The ridiculous auditions bore me and I know the good ones will make the cut. So until they were down to the final twelve I was M.I.A.
It was only the first week of elimination. The songs on this night were from the Whitney Houston and Stevie Wonder song books.
Jessica Sanchez came tottering out on to the stage looking like a little girl dressed up in her mother's heels and dripping with costume jewelry from Claire's.
Somebody get this girl a stylist.
But when she opened her mouth to sing my jaw hit the floor.
This sixteen year old had some pipes.
Slap me down with my snarky comments. As the weeks rolled by she only got better.
Her song choices didn't always showcase her voice well and she was actually voted off and saved by the judges. I would guess she was trying to appear more diverse and this is all part of the learning process.
Each week another Idol candidate left the stage and I kept watching and rooting for my faves.
I should also let you know that because of Tivo I watch shows like this in an abreviated time. A two hour American Idol program can be seen in about forty minutes. I don't know if I could watch this show without it. Zipping through the commercials and the dragging mindless drivel between Ryan and the judges make it so much more palatable. Life is too short. Don't they know I still have Revenge to watch.
:D
I can also be relentlessly cruel if I don't like a particular song or contestant. Without regret I just hit the forward button.
I never was a fan of DeAndre so I don't know if I ever heard any of his songs beginning to end.
He was too much hair flipping and not enough ability for me.
So, with one swift and unforgiving movement of my index finger he would be forever in the recorded past and an irrelevant memory for me.
Any one of the top three remaining contestants were worthy of being crowned an American Idol but the performances of this past week left me standing on my feet applauding and "wowing" more than once.
If you missed these last two shows be sure and take just a few seconds and listen to the first few bars of each of these videos.
Turn your volume up.
I guarantee you will be impressed. Maybe impressed enough to listen to them all the way through.
These were my favorite songs from the final night of competition and they can be downloaded through iTunes.
First up was Jessica Sanchez.
She opened with I Have Nothing.
This song was chosen for her. Singing a Whitney song is the ultimate challenge. It is kind of like comparing a favorite recipe of our mom's to somebody else's version. We like what we know and so the bar is very high. That said, I think this itty bitty wisp of thing did Whitney proud.
It is really hard to believe she is only sixteen isn't it?
I had the "goosies".
She did it to me again with this version of The Prayer. Those last notes aren't even human. I die.
Imagine what she will be capable of in five years. She will only be twenty-one!
As incredible as that was it was this overall performance from Phil Phillips that had me thinking that this was perhaps the more complete artist. From his unique vocal style to the arrangement with the drums. This was the real deal. I loved it.
I have to admit I still haven't seen the entire award night show.
I had dinner plans with a girlfriend that night. Friends before television always - but easier because of Tivo. :D
I finally started watching the final show yesterday morning during my workout.
It is during this final episode that the contestants perform with one of their mentor artists. Some very memorable duets have come from these pair ups. Last night though, may be one for the record books.
I first watched Phil perform with John Fogerty and it was very well done but not something that registered as epic.
Then more Ryan Seacrest filler. Zip Zip.
As I was fast forwarding through the crapola to get to another "good" part I noticed Ace Young down on one knee. Never one to miss out on a good proposal, I stopped to watch Ace ask the big question to Ms. Diane Degarmo. Remember her? I remembered her but had to google her to find out that she was a season three runner up and is now on Broadway. Good for her.
The on air proposal could easily be construed as self- promotional. He was always a bit bubble gum for me but I always liked her so I prefer not to be so cynical. Cheers to love.
I hope you are still with me here through because it was THIS PERFORMANCE that had me squealing on the elliptical. I am surprised I didn't blow the speakers out of the television I had it turned up so loud.
Jessica Sanchez chose to perform her duet with Jennifer Holiday, the original
Dream Girl.
Be forewarned there are A LOT of facial gyrations going on here. It can be distracting and I assume it will be appearing in a Saturday Night Skit in the near future but that aside, this behemoth belt is one to be experienced.
There is nothing forgetable about this video because
music rarely moves more than this.
Double Diva Delight.
Unbelievable.
So glad I have a Tivo and that there is YouTube so we can all watch it again and again.
Ms. Sanchez. A little bit Beyonce, a touch Mariah, and now a dose of Jennifer.
Way to shine.
Jessica, I am sure we haven't heard the last from you.
Hope you all have a terrific Memorial Day weekend.
In our house it isn't just about flying the flag, the barbeque, or the fireworks.
The Rosies are also all about the patriotic tunes. In fact, we all seemed to have had our own 4th of July playlists and I picked up a couple new titles this year and thought it would be fun to share them and a few of the videos here with you.
Drum roll please.....................
The 2011 Patriot's Playlist
The Star Spangled Banner - Michael McDermott
Courtesy of the Red White and Blue - Toby Keith
American Woman - Lenny Kravitz
Star Spangled Banner - Kiss
God Bless America - Lee Greenwood
Born in the USA - Bruce Springsteen
American Pie - Don McLean
Where Were You - Alan Jackson
American Soldier - Toby Keith
It doesn't get much better than this one...
A few more...
Firecracker - Ryan Adams
Rockin' in the Free World - Pearl Jam
In America - Charlie Daniels Band
American Baby - Dave Matthews Band
It was, of course, a great year for The Taliban Song - thanks to our special ops forces.
This last song, though, speaks to me this year.
There are so many worthy causes out there and so little money but please take a moment to remember our veterans today as you celebrate with friends and family and maybe consider a gift to
I was riveted from the first frame by this fascinating,
controversial, and brilliant artist.
Too often we judge too quickly.
Her look is definitely jarring and her demeanor irreverent but that is only a fraction of the
equation that is
Lady Gaga.
Shocking? yes.
Vulgar? yes.
Artistic genius? Also yes.
This was an impressively insightful and moving interview with an extremely provocative singer/songwriter. An interview with compelling revelations of the compassionate, human and surprisingly traditional sides of this multi-layered artist.
As she spoke, poetry flowed.
I was so impressed that I grabbed a pen and began furiously writing down some of her most memorable thoughts.
These were among my favorites for their insight into the inside of this woman that is so often demonized by eyes that only look as far as her flamboyant outside.
On her musical roots -
"Don't spoon feed me The Beatles, Stevie Wonder and Bruce Springsteen, Pink Floyd, Led Zeplin and Elton John and expect me not to turn out this way".
"I would spend hours listening to music in front of the mirror in my mother's pearls. In her fake pearls. I didn't care what they were. I wasn't a little girl in that mirror. I was Whitney Houston in The Body Guard. I was Gloria Estefan on stage. I was whomever I wanted to be."
Explaining where her inspiration comes from -
"I always wanted to be a pop singer. I would work endlessly toward this experience with music, with song writing, with performance art. (working toward) how I could bridge fashion, technology and pop culture into one performance and make it commercial... I never backed down."
On her fans -
"The fans changed my life. The fans are the thing you can't learn. They were the instrument in the music nobody taught me about.
On herself-
"I define my own fame.
I define my own existence.
I define my own identity.
I define my own beauty for myself.
No one can define who you are."
"I am a perpetual underdog".
On bullying -
"I think it didn't sink in with me, how bullying affected me until later. I knew that it affected me deeply but it wasn't until later that I realized how much it affected me and that it was still very present. It took me to know my fans and see similar struggles in them to access that wound in myself. The fans have been a key to my heart, unlocking things about myself I didn't want to hassle or deal with or address - that make me a "gooder" song writer".
On being Italian -
"I believe in ghosts and bad luck. I am Italian".
On her jacket -
"My leather jacket is like my Dorothy slippers".
On NYC, the city she refers to as her husband -
"All the neon signs popping out of the sky.
All the darkness lifting into florescent colors.
All the dirt turning into gold dust and rainbows.
The way I see New York City?
It's so other worldly.
It's this neon Roy Liechtenstein look at life".
Inspired.
A short segment from
MTV's
Outside the Inside.
Fan or not, it is a fascinating peek into the vulnerable artist that is Lady Gaga.
The Fourth of July has always been one of my mom's favorite holidays. She and Dad would line their driveway with American flags the whole first week of July. It was such a welcome sight after five hours in the car with kids, extra pillows, toys, diapers, Cheerios and Gameboys.
So,I took my cue from her and followed suit this year by lining our driveway just like Mom. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery isn't it?
This is a good day to take stock in how fortunate we really are. Things aren't perfect in our country but I will always be proud to call this country home. Our 4th celebrations are usually simple ones but good food, flags and music are always a part of our patriotic traditions.
During this week the Fourth of July playlist on my itunes gets a lot of play time.
Every year I add a few new songs and so I thought I would share my most current song list.
Enjoy. Hopefully there is something for everybody.
Whew, long title I know but I needed it all to be said.
Do you watch Glee, the television show about a Glee Club or as we call it Show Choir? It's definitely on my Tivo. In our part of the country show choir is kind of a big deal. It starts in the middle schools and all three of my kids were involved in it at one time to greatly varying degrees. Liz loved it the boys on the other hand reluctantly auditioned and participated only briefly.
I was a groupie show choir mom. I loved it then and I miss it now so Glee is my vicarious substitute for the real thing.
This past weekend the high school that our kids went to hosted the annual Mo Show competition for show choirs across the state and around the midwest. I had heard that there were so many terrific performances but one of several that stole the show was a soloist from the middle school that our kids attended. So thanks to Sara, one of my facebook buddies and a teacher at the host school, and Nepotv.com I was able to see this video.
I hope you will take just a minute and sit back, listen and be amazed by the incredible talent of Shawndell Young and Classic Edition. Shawndell is a sixth grader at McKinley Middle School. What are you in sixth grade like eleven? Maybe twelve? Wow. Future American Idol? Could be. I'd vote for him.
It is performances like this that really drive home the argument that we NEED to keep music in our schools. What a tremendous opportunity and learning experience this was for these young performers. Well done.
I was so hoping that there would be an Inspired By Party at The Inspired Room this week and there is. I was so excited by this young man I want to share him with the world. A friend of mine told me tonight that he has been singing at church and sounding like this since he was four. That would explain his stage presence. Now I'm off to see what my friends at The Inspired Rooms found inspiring this week. I hope you will join me there.
If you don't subscribe to iTunes weekly updates then you may have missed this.
What a great way to help make a difference and 100% of the proceeds go to benefit the relief effort. Each and every song in this lineup will move you plus you can buy the entire album for only $7.99. Thank you iTunes.
On a much lighter note there is a great give away at one of my favorite blogs. Stop over at Between Naps On the Porch for some real eye candy and to register for a gorgeous tassel give away.
Warmer weather signals the beginning of outside workouts and that means updating the workout playlist. So here are a few of my faves guaranteed to keep you moving. Be forewarned that I like all kinds of music. From the obscure to the recognizable to the "I haven't heard this in a long time". These tunes make me want to push myself just that much harder and further. Even so, these too, will become "road weary" for me in time so I'd love to hear some of the titles you use to get you motivated.
I thought about giving this post a clever title but just her name is enough; unassuming yet strong. If you haven't seen this video yet you must take a few minutes to see it all of the way through. It really will make your day.Or if you saw it on the news and just want to see it again and maybe one more time after that, then click on watch.
I just loved it when she finished singing and then starts to walk off the stage. Just performing was enough for her, but her dream is only beginning.This delightful woman is a great reminder that what we see on the outside is really just so superficial and may not be indicative at all of who that person really is or what they are capable of. The song was a perfect choice for her. Cheerio to Susan's dream.
Life moves fast and every year I am always surprised that the Lenten season has almost passed and it is Holy Week. This year was no exception. Still, there are some traditions that keep us grounded and for me one of them is making time to listen to the recording of Jesus Christ Superstar.
I was entering high school when I asked my parents for this album. Yes, then it was an album.... I am THAT old. My parents were resistant at first. My mom admitted she thought at first that it might be blasphemous, but she quickly became a convert to this new form and sound and embraced it whole heartedly. Somewhere along the way I misplaced, sold or threw away that album and a few lenten seasons later I realized that I missed it and purchased it on CD. I don't know how I missed the cassette tape version. Now it is in my iTunes library. Technology may change but not what is at the heart of a tradition. A tradition that I try and make some alone time for. Having the story told through music makes it more powerful and somehow easier to take in. I am reminded of why this is such an important time of the year and it helps me to refocus on what really matters. This year I put on my running shoes and headphones and headed outside for a spiritual walk. Talk about uplifting. My heart, mind and soul all benefited.
I was one of many people that rely on my Tivo to catch the programs I don't always have time to watch and Tuesday night was one of those nights. Unfortunately, the show I was recording, American Idol ran nine minutes long. So when I sat down to watch my show the last nine minutes and the singer I most wanted to hear, Adam Lambert, were missing. I watched last night hoping that they would address the issue, but no, nothing was said. Fortunately Adam is one of the favorites of the show or something like this could have had a significantly adverse effect on the voting. It was noted, though, that Simon gave his first standing ovation and I had missed it! Thank Heavens for YouTube. I was able to see the performance that got such rave revues. If you missed it you can catch it here. The man can definitely sing.
One of my favorite things about the Christmas season is the music and every year it seems like I wish I had taken more time to just sit back and enjoy it. I have the nagging feeling that as I am packing away the decorations in a couple of weeks that I will have the same regret. This morning, though, I have my ITunes on my Christmas Faves Playlist as I try and figure out my holiday favorites. I copied this idea from Laurawho did this same type of post a couple weeks ago. So the credit goes to her.
It is evident by looking at my iTouch that I have a penchant for Christmas songs. I have four playlsts dedicated to this genre: Christmas by the Tree, Christmas With Friends, Christmas Party, and Newer Christmas Faves. Each one serves a purpose. With so many songs to choose from it was a little trickier to come up with my faves. Some of these are new songs that I like for their fresh sound and others are old standards that take me back to memories of Christmases past or remind of the true meaning of the holiday season.
I'm sure you are familiar with a number of these but there might be a couple new ones or new renditions that you might take "note" of. Enjoy and Happy Holidays!
15. I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day - The Casting Crows
14. Merry Christmas Baby - Elvis Presley and Gretchen Wilson
13. Christmas - Blues Travelers
12. It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas - Dionne Warwick
11. Christmas Song - Dave Matthews Band
10. Carol of the Bells - Straight No Chaser
9. Mary Did You Know - Clay Aiken
8. Jingle Bell Rock - Brian Setzer Orchestra
7. Christmas - Dustin Kensrue
6. Carol of the Bells - The Calling
5. Winter Song - Sara Bareilles
4. Santa Baby - Macy Gray
3. What Do Bad Girls Get - Joan Osborne
2. I'll Be Home For Christmas - Michael Buble
1. The Signing - Miracle on 34th Street
More Color!
More Color at Be Colorful Coastal
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Welcome to our BeColorful Home. Ours is an older home, built in 1916 and it has been added on to several times. We have lived here for almost fifteen years now and the house has evolved from a traditional flavor to something a bit more eclectic.I have always loved big splashes of color but I'm finding that I am also drawn to more neutral shades as well. Welcome and enjoy looking around.
