2 Chainz!!!

   Pretty sure the Surgeon General would recommend against the amount of twerking I saw tonight!  #2chainz

I'm different 私は違う

3 Chainz?!?!

   And if only I had known about all this earlier, I would have gotten into sports a long time ago!  http://deadspin.com/the-sports-careers-of-rappers-ranked-1496662701?utm_campaign=socialflow_deadspin_facebook&utm_source=deadspin_facebook&utm_medium=socialflow

Poetic Run

   I had a great run tonight, and though I had techno beats turned up to drown out the sound of the wind and the traffic, my mind had great clarity. The last few days have been up... Then down. And something about the combination of that, my motivation to get out and run on the eve of our first real snow, mulling over a personal story of struggle & triumph shared by an artist I barely know (Chris B), and the Kanye West concert last night (hugely awe-inspiring... Another take on the same theme), seemed to work for me tonight.

   I wrote this in my head over the hourlong run and scribbled it down as soon as I got home, words flowing from my mind almost faster than I could write--and certainly faster than I can run! But I caught them all. I don't consider myself much of a poet, but it's a good challenge when the mood strikes.

   True story.

                         * * * * * *

Step outside
Pitch black, headlamp on stun
Nostrils freeze, eyes tear from bitter cold, but ready to run
First step is hardest, but it's behind me now
Surging into the wind—force into resistance
Fists clenched, teeth clenched, forehead drenched
Up and over highway bridges
Cars speeding below on predictable paths
They'll get there faster
     But I can go anywhere
                         * * * * * *
Making the game harder
Jumping electrical boxes, fire hydrants, rocks, anything in my way
Leaping onto concrete walls four inches wide--

High ground on left, long drop on right
Faster faster faster
Lean toward safety, then risk
Striking balance somewhere in between
Feeling unstoppable
Face arms hands numb head numb heart numb
From frigid air—NO—from life
And NO—not numb—tingling—feeling EVERYTHING
     Alive and exhilarated
                         * * * * * *
Headlamp fails, darkness wins?
I tumble end-over-end-over-bike-in-yard
Concealed in leaves, lying in wait
The cowardly rely on surprise, keeping secrets
     Jumping out of the black and biting hard
Forward momentum crashing to a halt
While the beat—life—goes on
My power spills before me
Knee slams frozen ground, arm pulls hard against socket
Searing pain
"It'll heal even stronger than before," Doc said of my broken arm
     And so it did. I did. I will.
                         * * * * * *
Did I run too far, too fast? Did I trust my feet too much?
Did my heart run faster than my legs could carry me?
Regret is a wasteland, and besides
Bones and hearts were made to heal
The past can be rewritten if you choose to believe
     Fate favors the bold who power through
                         * * * * * *
Halfway home, one way to get there
     I lift myself up
Wincing until cold masks the pain
Not cold—conviction
A ride would be easy, quick, comfortable
But challenge rewards the heartstrong
    Who choose to rise above
                         * * * * * *
Bumps in the road give strength and stamina
Tonight I could have run all night, fast and far and free, forever
     I wished I could
     And in my mind, I did
     Never looking back

No Patrol Like Snow Patrol

   I've subscribed to a lot of concert notices for the KC vicinity, but somehow, Snow Patrol had been under my radar. Fortunately, Allyson was on it, and looking for a co-conspirator. I've loved the band's music ever since she loaned me their CDs, when we worked together in humor. I'd heard a few of their singles on the radio, but it wasn't until I heard the entire albums that I truly grew to appreciate their rich, moody sound.

Photo credit

   The show was at the Beaumont Club in Westport. A surprisingly small venue for what turned out to be a REALLY impressive set. The guys were quieter and unassuming, modest about their considerable talent. The lead singer, Gary Lightbody, was quite charming and interacted with the crowd well. But when he sang… WOW. He totally blew me away. (Even with his case of laryngitis, he was a much stronger performer than most I've seen!) He humbly thanked the crowd and apologized for the wavering of his voice. There was enough to love about the show that honestly, I felt bad for his sake, but it didn't detract for me.

Photo credit

   Hearing them live made me realize how little production is used on their recordings… they sounded just as I'd hoped. The singer reminded me of others with strikingly strong voices, like Tom Chaplin (Keane's lead singer), and Stevie Wonder.

   They had a good light and video show, with their motifs of snowflakes and flying eagles. I really wanted one of their "blue snowflakes" logo t-shirts, but it only came in men's sizes, and the small was huge. Damn this tiny body!  :(
   The only negative about the show, which didn't affect my enjoyment because the show was THAT good, was this crazy stupid drunk b*tch next to me, who kept leaning into me & the two women around me, shoving us and elbowing us and spilling beers (2) on MY feet; and facing with her back to the stage and talking to her friends, emailing, texting, or Facebooking—completely obvious to and unappreciative of the incredible show going on. After one particularly bad elbow to my center back three-quarters of the way through the show, she made eye contact with me and I politely said, "I need you to give me a little more space."
   "WHAT?" she yelled.
   "I need you to back up a little." I repeated.
   "WHAT??!" she repeated, holding her hand to by ear.
   "GET OFF ME!!!!!" I screamed in her ear.
   She was taken aback for a split second. "It's a CONCERT," she said, as if that justified unwarranted bodily harm to innocent bystanders. Then she leaned in and informed me that if I was rude to her again, she'd hit me.
   I wasn't scared… there was a huge bouncer five feet in front of us, facing us, having witnessed the whole scene. And she had humiliated him earlier by insisting that her friend take photos of him, with her spindly body wrapped around him like a spider trapping its meal. I was pretty sure he'd be sympathetic to my cause, if it came to that.
   I am not very sympathetic to people who act like complete idiots because they've had too much to drink, so I have to tell you, it took EVERY SINGLE OUNCE of my strength not to knock her flat on her @**. I have rarely been so angry. Really, you're going to beat me up all night under the guise of being drunk and clueless, and then have the gall to threaten me when I ask you to stop ruining the show for me? REALLY??

   When Allyson and the other woman saw her leaning in to me, Allyson said to her, "You've been bumping into ALL of us."

   She must have finally saw that she had pissed off the whole group of us, and that she was outnumbered, and she backed off slightly. She continued to knock into me, but more lightly. Until the last song started and she decided it was time to leave. I saw her turn toward me, and without warning she smacked her elbow into me as hard as she could. I was proud of myself for having absolutely NO reaction. I didn't look her way, I wasn't knocked off balance, I remained completely focused on the music. I sure hope that chapped her hide, as she was clearly trying to pick a fight.

   In hindsight, tripping her & seeing her fall flat on her face would have been much more satisfying, but I'm glad that I'm not like her. What a sad, pathetic woman she is. I sure hope the two girls on the photo on her phone are not her children. If so, I really feel sorry for them, because their Mom is bat-sh** crazy.
   It wouldn't be a concert without some drunk idiot trying to ruin it for everyone, right?  ;)

   Here's the setlist, which I confirmed on this site: Berlin (Remix), Hands Open, Take Back the City, Crack the Shutters, This Isn't Everything You Are, Run, In the End, New York (with Ed Sheeran), Set the Fire to the Third Bar, Make This Go On Forever, Shut Your Eyes, Chasing Cars, Chocolate, Called Out in the Dark, Fallen Empires, You're All I Have    Encore:  Lifening, Just Say Yes

Love the Drake

Ryland, my yoga buddy & fellow music aficionado, went with me

   This review will be short & sweet, just like Drake's show. He played a scant 1 hour 20 minutes, and 20 minutes of that was a tedious stunt in the middle where he set out to individually recognize every person in the audience. ("You in the red shirt, I see you! You three with the I love Drake sign, I see you! All you in section 225, I see you!") that space could have been occupied by 4-5 more songs, which would have been perfect, given that he inexplicably neglected to play a few of his biggest hits (Fancy, Up all night, Best I ever had, Find Your Love.) What the what?!?! He only has TWO albums!

   He is a solid talent and one of my favorite artists, which is why I expected more for my $54 ticket plus $25 service charge (Ticketmaster can go to hell, btw.) The last show I saw, Kanye & Jay-Z, felt like a bargain at $125 due to the incredible performances, showmanship, lights & video. This ticket was cheaper, but felt overpriced... Drake didn't even play one song in its entirety, but took a page out of Diddy's book & hit the highlights, with a healthy portion of ore-recorded content. With that, & underwhelming visuals, this left me wanting more.
   Drake was more wrapped up in presenting himself than his talent, and at the end if the day, he is handsome & charming, but I care about the music much more than the man. The best shows pump you up and connect with you on an emotional level, and this one didn't for me; I'd give it a B-. And a D for the sound quality inside Sprint Center.

   His set list included my favorite song to snowboard to, The Motto, as well as Headlines, Miss Me, Take Care, Lord Knows, & I'm on One, Over, She Will, Shot for Me, We'll be Fine/Round of Applause, Forever, Marvin's Room, Cameras, Uptown, All Night Long, Look What You've Done, Make me Proud, Practice, HYFR, & Underground Kings. Chase Cashe, ASAP rocky, and Kendrick lamar opened.

Updated post for "Monsters of Rap"

   Added photos and video clips from the concert back in August, featuring Lil' Wayne, Rick Ross, Lloyd, Keri Hilson, & Far East Movement.

Watch the Throne

   Well, my compact camera died recently, and my non-compact camera is too big to drag in to a concert, so I put the Blackberry cam through its paces. And while the quality is poor, at least these images give you a sense of the production value of this show, and it will help me recall how amazing it was!

   More details to come... it was an odd and awesome night, that started with a chance meeting of a woman who is basically ME at age 60+, the equally mind-blowingly good show, and the "after-party", which for me, meant being involved in a car accident. Quite a night! 

   In short, this was one of the best shows I've seen, and though their joint album hasn't been my favorite, this show helped me see how great it really is, and their solo work was extremely enjoyable, accompanied by vibrant and haunting video of vicious dogs, sharks on the hunt, big cats on the prowl, raptors soaring through the heavens, and more! Two smaller cubical stages opposite each other rose unexpectedly from the floor, and video was projected on all sides of them, as well as on the main screen. They were used to full effect for complimentary and mirrored images, often synched with the sound. Enjoy some Jay-Z and Kanye love:

Playlist (as much as I can remember!):

H.a.m.

I can't stop (sharks)

Jesus Walks

Welcome to the Jungle (tigers, lions, panthers)

Power

Flashing Lights

Run This Town

Monster

Made in America

Empire State of Mind

Flashing Lights

On to the Next One

Heartless

Runaway

All falls down

Dirt off your Shoulder

I just wanna love you

Monster

Diamonds from Sierra Leone

New day

Hard knock life

Izzo (H.O.V.A.)

Church in the wild

Gotta have it

Who gon stop me

Good Life

Touch the sky

All of the lights (restarted 3x due to technical problems; Kanye said, "Wait, wait. Hol'up! I said ALL of the lights! I just want everyone to get what they paid for!"

Big Pimpin'

Gold Digger

99 Problems

Louie armstrong's What a Wonderful World (juxtaposed with disturbing video footage, which made it very creepy! Young child in KKK uniform surrounded by proud adults, burning crosses, people donning gas masks, dogs fighting, and a mushroom cloud, among others)


And the encore: N***** in Paris, which they played about 7 times! (I know that sounds tedious, but it wasn't: they raised the energy in the arena successively and it got better & better!)

Is This Show a Comedy or a Tragedy?

ACT I: Birds of a feather

   Just a few minutes after I arrived at my seat prior to Jay-Z and Kanye West's Watch the Throne show at Sprint Center, a woman and her son sat down next to me. They were friendly and asked if I came with friends, and I answered no, that while I did have friends who were here (somewhere), I bought  a single ticket. So we proceeded to make good friends. Claudine was around the age of my Mom, and Kip was her adult son. Both were huge fans of the performers (!) and had driven down from Omaha, Nebraska just to see this show, so of course I respected them immediately. Claudine had recently retired from being a high school art teacher for over 30 years. She herself had studied with a famous Japanese potter (whose name I have regrettably forgotten). They were both intelligent and animated, and the more we talked, the more we had in common. They were huge foodies, and we traded notes on the best restaurants in our respective cities (I recommended Justus Drugstore; she recommended Grey Plume). Judging from our rave reviews, I think each restaurants should be paying us handsomely for the advertising! Speaking of which, here are a pair of recent raves:  KC Star  /  Time Magazine

   As we carried on, it struck me that I was having a conversation with a 60-something me, and I was enjoying myself. In fact, I'd be quite happy to grow into Claudine: still attractive and fashionable, young for her age, animated and easy to know, funny, and with interesting tastes and passions that run deep. Hoping this really was a crystal ball into my future.

   ACT II: Kanye vs. Jay-Z

   Read my synopsis of this spectacular show here! Admittedly, I was feeling guilty for spending $100 on a ticket and then not being thrilled with the new album, but was thrilled to be proven wrong—Money well-spent!

ACT III: Rav-4 vs. Semi

   This is where the tragedy starts. After a euphoric 2.5+ hour performance, I exited the arena and headed back to my car in the Wall Street Tower parking garage. It took over 20 minutes to get out... and about 16 minutes of that was waiting to back out of the spot. People were not feeling generous. I finally exited and rounded the block, headed back toward I-35 to go home. A semi truck was ahead of me for a few blocks. We stopped at a red light, where I needed to make my turn. He also had his right turn signal on. Alright, going my way. I waited patiently. This is where the trouble began.

   Without warning, the semi which was stopped directly in front of me back up. And after 1:00 am, I guess my lightning-quick reflexes aren't sufficient, because I laid on the horn and threw it into reverse as fast as I could: and the semi crunched the front of my car anyway. The driver got out, clearly hopped up on adrenaline, and first got upset and asked what I was doing behind him, and claimed that he never saw me. Once I explained that we were both turning the same direction and I was just waiting for him to go through the light so I could get to the freeway, he softened, and admitted that he *didn't* intent to turn right. He was parking. And he had overshot his parking spot on the curb... and backed into me.

   A security guard called the police for us, and we waited over 40 minutes, but all the police were tied up with traffic control. So we took photos of the damage, exchanged information, and went our separate ways. With me hoping that he didn't change his story later—since we had no witnesses to prove that he backed into me, and that I didn't rear-end him. This made me nervous!

ACT IV: Update, December 9

   I enjoyed my week in Lake Tahoe, dropped the car off at Toyota on Monday for repair, picked up my rental car, and my car was done, as promised, by Friday. It looked good as new, though it was after 5, and getting dark, when I picked it up.

ACT V: Can I please be done already??? December 28

   I took the car in yet again because on Christmas morning, 3 light inexplicably illuminated on the dash: Check engine, VSC, and 4WD. I assumed it was an anomaly from the accident. Toyota said it wasn't: I had a rare occurrence for a low-mileage car in which a gas valve went bad. They said they could probably cover the $1600+ repair cost for me. And while I was talking with them, I asked them about the oddly-curved panel in the lower front of the car which I thought should have been straight after the collision repair. And the scratches on the hood, which was supposed to be brand new. Apparently they missed those minor details. Guess who has to take the car back for repairs during the New Year?

Monsters of Rap Tour

  Actually, the tour is called "I am still music" but my idea would have worked too. I was at the Sprint Center last night for an incredible lineup of performers: Lloyd, Far East Movement, Keri Hilson, RIck Ross, and Lil' Wayne, featuring Birdman.

  In front of the Sprint Center, good ol' 95.7 The Vibe had a tent and a game to win a free CD. I walked up and won the new Britney CD on a single roll of the dice! (We all have our guilty pleasures. It was either that, or Gaga, so it was an easy choice.) They also gave out a ridiculously star-studded, 37-track DJ mix CD with all my favorite artists. The night was already looking good...

  Lloyd kicked off the night with an all-too-short set. (Leave 'em wanting more, I guess, huh?) He performed all of his biggest singles, like "Cupid" and "Lay it Down."

  Then Far East Movement came on strong "So What?"—essentially the Beastie Boys' "What'cha Want"... and maybe better than the Beasties! These guys could really rap! Of course, "Like a G6" got everybody moving. FEM was the best surprise of the night for me. They were the one act I wasn't as excited about, but they turned out to be my favorite!

  Lloyd helped out with the high notes in "Rocketeer" and the guys remixed their own songs, putting a new spin on them. Another short set, but a surprising & great one.

  When Keri Hilson came out I started noticing how low the production values were for the whole show: each performer had a banner with their name behind them, and that was about it. (FEM's said "Free Wired World," Keri's said "No Boys Allowed," Rick's said "God forgives - I don't.") The upside to this was that the spareness allowed them to change performers very quickly with little downtime.

  The problem was that they also cut corners that affected the show: too much was recorded: no background vocals, they didn't do many crossover songs—and seriously, why would you get this group together and not have them perform together onstage? And even the headliners sang for only a fraction of the time they were onstage. I guess that's the downside to a genre that relies on vocoders and samples; even if the performers have great talent (and I believe these all do), the production overshadows the artistry.

  Rick Ross sounded great when he was singing--which unfortunately was very little of his show. Someone needs to tell his DJ to lay off the MacBook and reduce the horn/glass breaking/"Maybach Music" sounds. He played them so frequently that the whole set became a joke. The so-called Bo$$ has an incredible voice, and I would have vastly preferred to hear more of it.

  Lil' Wayne was Lil' Wayne: racous, irreverent, profane, arrogant, and with the talent to back it up. In the KC Star, Bill Brownlee called him "the most consistently compelling pop star of the past decade," and cited "his lyrical and musical inventiveness and ferocious work ethic." During the show, Lil' Wayne proclaimed himself to be "the best rapper alive." Honestly after seeing him perform, I agree that he's right up there.

   But my opinion wavered as he talked between songs. I began to get more disturbed as he continued to swear for no good reason and make misogynistic comments, like joking about f***ing a girl on her period. Really? Is that what we paid to hear? I looked around me and most in the audience were much younger than me. Girls as young as 15, I'd say. Shame on their parents for allowing them to attend (the ones around me were apparently without chaperone; and some were drunk, some were smoking pot...)  And shame on Lil' Wayne. He is only 29, and a self-made millionaire, as he himself proclaimed. He recently was released from prison. Clearly he has not had a normal life, so I'll give him a pass on some of his immaturity. But he's playing a very influential role in our society, and he NEEDS to take it more seriously.

   One of the things I love about rap and hip hop are the personas the performers create, the characters they play; the fantasy of a rich, profanely excessive, normally-unattainable lifestyle full of confidence & swagger; having all the women, money, power, anything they want. The problem is, hearing Wayne's comments, I began to realize that it wasn't a fantasy... this is how he thinks of himself; how he behaves and how he lives his life. It's his reality. I felt a little sick.

   So while I'll continue to enjoy the music I enjoy, mostly the upbeat stuff with irresistible hooks that keep me churning while I'm running or working out, I will be grateful to shut out any thoughts about the lifestyle that may or may not be behind the artists. Good music and good living aren't one and the same.

Lil' Wayne's set list included (among others): Bill Gates, Go DJ, 6 Foot 7 Foot, Prom Queen, Motivation, Lollipop, Nightmares of the Bottom, and Mr. Carter. Rick Ross's set included: B.M.F. (Blowin' Money Fast), MC Hammer, (Larry Hoover Hallelujah One nation under god), Aston Martin Music

Ode to the Cello

   Seeing Jeremy's performance set me off on many thought tangents. One of them being: The cello has always been one of my favorite instruments, and would be my choice if I were ever to learn to play. There are so many things that intrigue me about it. I watched the performer intently. In the beginning, she commanded the bow by moving her arms quickly and with almost mechanical precision, and at the same time, with fluidly and grace. As the show hit its crescendo, her movements became fervent, natural and primal. Mesmerizing.

Photo from Wikipedia

   The cello is a sensuous instrument. Large and handsome, it nestles comfortably between a woman's legs. She strokes it deftly and makes its deep voice sing sweetly. Its body is smooth and strong, with artful flourishes and lovely curves. Before even one note is played, the instrument is a work of art to be cherished. But it comes alive when the bow strokes it. The bow: strong, straight, simple. They are dependent on each other; the yin and yang.
   Studying it as she played, I wondered how the f-holes evolved into such beautiful calligraphy. When she turned the instrument and I could see its depth, it immediately reminded me of the lettering art of the late Margaret Kilgallen. I'd bet that this was where she found her inspiration for her letterforms.

I Am Still Music

    When I returned from Alaska, I found my ticket for the upcoming Lil' Wayne concert, with guests Rick Ross, Keri Hilson, Far East Movement and Lloyd. SO. SUPER. EXCITED. The only one I've seen live before is Lloyd, and he puts on an amazing show. What a coup to get all these names together!

Jenelle Monae

   Just read Tim Finn's review of Saturday night's show in the KC Star, and I'm, for the most part, in agreement with his assessment. I liked Bruno better than he did, but I do agree that Miss Monae showed 'em all up! Not bad for two twenty-five year-olds. (D@mn!!!)

Hooligans on Film

   Here are a few segments of Bruno and Janelle's stunning performances. (Or click to watch them on my Youtube Channel.) Whatever you do, do not miss a chance to see them live!

Hooligans in Wondaland

   Tonight's show was even more eagerly-anticipated than I expected. The doors opened at 7:00, with the show starting at 8:00. So I made my way over to the Independence Events Center (about a 45 minute drive), and arrived just after 7:00. The parking lot was already a madhouse, and the line of people started at the doors and trailed down the sidewalk. According to one of the parking attendants, people started arriving at 2:30 in the afternoon, and by 5:00 there was quite a crowd—lined up in the drizzly rain. Seemed like overkill to me, but it was great to see such a strong turnout!
   The doors didn't open on time, and the line was slow because they had to check inside purses and frisk everyone at the door. I was huddled under my umbrella, and held it up and out to also cover a woman and her Granddaughter who were in line behind me. The two were excited, friendly, and chatty, and I really enjoyed getting to know them in line. Grandmother Lupi had brought 9-year-old Elia to her very first concert. (Mine was John Cougar Mellencamp, all those years ago. Lupi said hers was Cameo.) They were Latina, and Elia had the most gorgeous complexion and  beautiful, dark curls that fell over her forehead. Both were bright and funny, and almost as excited to be there as I was. Almost. We talked until we entered the show and couldn't find 3 seats together in the stands, so we split up.
   I found a single and took it, glad to not have to be in the crowd on my feet for the whole show, hopping around and trying to see around taller people. General admission shows are not ideal for shorties, to say the least. My seat was next to Kenny, who had brought two 11-year olds named Megan, one being his daughter. They drove in from St. Louis for the holiday weekend and to catch the show. Kenny was friendly and bought me a beer. (And later, tried to pick me up. But enough about that.)

Thanks to MOG for the better photo (all others are mine)

   The show opened with Mayer Hawthorne & The County, who promptly blew the doors off the place. Their sound is pleasantly funky and bluesy and they did a great job prepping the crowd for the headliners. A group I'd definitely see again, given the chance.

   And then it was Janelle Monáe's turn to turn up the heat for the hometown crowd! A nearby screen helped me get a better view of the show. She had fun video clips and animation that enhanced her show, and her 11-piece orchestra, 2 dancers, and 4 "walking dead" were as solid as Janelle herself.

   Janelle's setlist included: "Smile," composed by Charlie Chaplin; "I Want You Back" by the Jackson 5; "The Walking Dead," "Tightrope," "Faster," "Cold War," and "Come Alive," for which she staged-dived and rode the wave of the crowd.
   She was seriously so enjoyable that she should be headlining any show she's in. Period. But tonight the main course was Mr. Bruno Mars, who took the stage with Janelle's same quiet confidence, charisma and swagger that made me love them both immediately. Bruno has great range and sufficient skill worthy of covering Michael Jackson.

Bruno planned the visual for "Billionaire" well for a Memorial Day weekend show

   Bruno's setlist included: "The Other Side," "Runaway Baby," "Marry You" (perhaps my favorite Bruno song), "Nothin' But You" (short a B.O.B. appearance, but still fantastic), and "Just the Way You Are." He did a rousing cover of "Money (That's What I Want)" composed by Barrett Strong, blended into "Billionaire" by Travie McCoy. And he closed with the poignant "Talking To the Moon."

   To catch a glimpse of the show, check out the videos in my next post. These performers are genuinely talented in every way: singing, dancing, and entertaining. I honestly can't imagine a more enjoyable show. The one thing that I found odd and disappointing was that Bruno and Janelle didn't take the opportunity to perform a song together, as they did for this year's Grammy awards. Cross-over performances are exactly what I love about popular rap and hip hop... combine forces to make a whole greater than the sum of its parts.

   After the show, I went out to purchase one of the posters and bumped into Elia and Lupi again, and we got a chance to talk about the show. We agreed that it exceeded all of our expectations.