I'm Not Going to Say Goodbye: Peter Frampton live at the Forum

When given the opportunity to witness greatness, one should always take advantage.  It’s a statement to live by, and it always comes to mind for me in regards to live music.  Ever since I moved to Los Angeles, I have attended a large number of concerts, often seeking out artists at the top of their craft and/or nearing the end of their career.  I’m particularly drawn to virtuoso musicians with great skill that is best viewed in person - especially guitarists.

I’ve yet to see Eric Clapton, I missed B.B. King before he passed, so I knew I had to see Peter Frampton during his recent tour.  Unfortunately, it would be his farewell tour, as Frampton announced that he had a medical condition that would prevent him from performing in the future - this, of course, added more incentive for me to see him live.  He’d played in Los Angeles consistently over the years but I always seemed to be busy on those evenings, but thankfully not on this night.  He was also playing at the Forum in Inglewood, one of my favorite live music venues.

I convinced my friend Chad to join me, and we arrived in Inglewood with plenty of time to grab a bite and settle into our seats for the opening act, which was the Julian Frampton Band, fronted by Peter’s son (the headliner of the night made sure to come out and introduce them).  I was impressed, as the band ripped through a solid half-hour of good old-fashioned rock music.  They would give way to “Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Evening”, which was a musical treat for sure.

The son of legendary drummer John Bonham has been thrilling audiences with the music from his father’s band for several years, and his skill was evident immediately.  The musicians surrounding him were incredibly talented and yet never really attempted to be Led Zeppelin clones - I was blown away by the vocal range of the singer, who channeled Robert Plant but put his own spin on the songs.  They took the audience through the biggest hits of the classic band, and perfectly set the stage for the final act of the evening.

The lights went down and a video montage spanning his career played on the giant screens, before Peter Frampton greeted the roaring crowd.  He jumped right into “Something’s Happening” with gusto - I’ll admit that I’m not overly familiar with his entire catalog, but like many music fans before me I do truly enjoy the “Frampton Comes Alive” album - and having him start his concert with the same song that kicks off that classic live album was fantastic!  He would continue on with several original compositions, highlighted by “Show Me The Way”, a rock radio staple that I’ve long admired.  I quickly turned to Chad after the song was over to say, “that was worth the price of admission alone”, and noticed that the fan sitting directly behind me said the exact same thing!

From there, Peter took a brief musical detour to pay homage to some of his favorite blues musicians, which included a stirring instrumental rendition of “Georgia (On My Mind)”.  His guitar mastery was on great display, as he effortlessly played each note and walked the audience through musical history.  He also offered tribute to the late Chris Cornell with a cover of Soundgarden’s “Black Hole Sun” - Peter received a Grammy nomination in 2007 for Best Rock Instrumental Performance for his recording of this cover (his 2006 album Fingerprints would earn Peter his only Grammy award, for Best Pop Instrumental Album).  As if we weren’t already thoroughly entertained, the last three songs of his main set were absolute showstoppers.

Lasting more than 10 minutes, the band's rendition of "(I'll Give You) Money" was dazzling, to say the least - Peter was holding his own with his younger bandmates, captivating the audience with a lengthy guitar duel with fellow axeman Adam Lester.  The sentimentality of "Baby, I Love Your Way" followed, giving us one last chance to hear Peter's sweet crooning amidst a sea of cell phones and swaying fans.  The final song of the main set was another lengthy track, the crowd-pleasing "Do You Feel Like We Do", allowing our host to use his signature "talkbox" to thrill the crowd before a brief departure from the stage.

The encore would consist of three more covers, notably concluding with a heartfelt rendition of The Beatles' "While My Guitar Gently Weeps".  But once it ended, it was time for us to weep as Peter addressed the crowd for the final time.  He spoke lovingly about the support he has received over the years, and how the cheers from the crowd would serve to heal him.  His voice trembled as he thanked everyone, then took a moment to gather himself before uttering one last memorable line:

"I'm not going to say goodbye."

And just like that, he vanished off the stage to a deafening roar.  We had witnessed two hours of musical mastery from a true legend, who left us speechless with his skill, charm and poignancy.  It was a concert that I will NEVER forget, and I can only hope to see his smiling face once again in the future, fronting this tremendous group of musicians and enthralling fans along the way.

ADDENDUM

Chad pointed out something interesting to me during the show - each band played a song during their set that I had previously seen performed by another artist at this same venue:

- The Julian Frampton Band performed the Fleetwood Mac song "Landslide", which I heard during concerts by both The Dixie Chicks (October 2016) and The Smashing Pumpkins (August 2018).
- Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Evening performed "Whole Lotta Love", which I heard by Prince (featuring Nikka Costa on lead vocals) in April 2011.
- Peter Frampton performed "Black Hole Sun", which I heard by Soundgarden in July 2011.

Book Review: On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft
by Stephen King

5 stars

Plot Summary:

"Long live the King" hailed Entertainment Weekly upon the publication of Stephen King's On Writing. Part memoir, part master class by one of the bestselling authors of all time, this superb volume is a revealing and practical view of the writer's craft, comprising the basic tools of the trade every writer must have. King's advice is grounded in his vivid memories from childhood through his emergence as a writer, from his struggling early career to his widely reported near-fatal accident in 1999 -- and how the inextricable link between writing and living spurred his recovery. Brilliantly structured, friendly and inspiring, On Writing will empower and entertain everyone who reads it -- fans, writers, and anyone who loves a great story well told.

Review:

This memoir was published back in 2000, and it has taken me this long to finally read it.  Given how much praise I've heard about "On Writing", I don't know why I haven't gotten to it sooner, but I'm happy to say it's absolutely worth the read.  I'm not very familiar with Stephen King's work (I've only read a couple of his novels) so before picking up this book, my opinion of him was just as a very accomplished and successful writer.  Also, he writes some scary stories.  After reading this book, I'm impressed by his talent and his awareness of the craft - because he has so winningly and clearly distilled what goes into storytelling.

In the first part of the memoir, Stephen King talks about his childhood and about some of the influences in his life that led to him becoming an author.  It was an interesting section because understanding his influences helped me to understand what draws me to reading and writing.  I identified with King's experiences and even his upbringing in a way.  Although he seemed more mischievous than I ever was.

There have been many reviews on why this book is an important look at a writer's experience and the unique ways in which a story is created from an idea.   I feel like I can't add much more to the praise, but I do want to talk about some specific things that spoke to me while I was reading it.

When drafting a story, King emphasized "Writing with an open door", or writing for yourself first, and then going over it again with the audience in mind.  Getting started on any piece of art can be difficult and there is freedom in just starting without worrying about what other people will think. Editing afterward will be your friend.  This brings me to another important tidbit -  the second draft should be 10% less than the first draft.  King mentioned he got this advice from another person but has taken it to heart ever since.  To me, if you accept that some of your first draft is going to be awful, then there is comfort in knowing that you will take it out later.  It gives you the freedom to be creative and not worry about being perfect the first time.

Although this book is about writing, King stresses the importance of reading, which I completely agreed with.  I love that he talked about bringing a book with you everywhere you go - because you never know when you might have a spare moment to read.  He also advocated reading in bits and pieces as well as finding time for extended reading sessions.  That is something I find myself doing often.

The book wraps up with King's account of his horrible car accident in 1999.  I was surprised he would talk so candidly about the event, but it is clear that writing about it was also a catharsis for him, and seeing that hits home another meaningful aspect of the importance of writing.

Goodreads

Book signing - Shea Serrano, all-around good dude

Shea Serrano is truly a renaissance man for our generation: he writes about sports for The Ringer, he's topped the New York Times Best Seller list twice with books about rap music and basketball, and his newest book discusses his love of movies.  But it's not simply a discussion of film that makes his latest work - Movies (And Other Things) - so great, but rather the way in which he presents his passion.  He's more interested in engaging in thought-provoking conversation than simply stating his views.  It's what has drawn me to his work, both in print and on social media.

I first became aware of Shea Serrano's wit through his increasingly popular Twitter account, which he uses not only to talk about sports but also to shed light on issues that have a profound effect on him.  In a time in which it's common to see naysayers tell prominent figures to "stick to (insert day job)" - sports, in Shea's case - he has used his platform to spread positivity AND encourage his followers to do so as well.  Those followers, collectively known as the "FOH Army", have embraced the philanthropic efforts Shea has put forth and done so with great pride, raising money for a group of worthwhile causes.  How refreshing to see an artist use his talents for good, and I only regret not discovering him sooner.

Earlier this month, Shea was doing a book signing at Skylight Books in Los Feliz: I had to be there!

As mentioned, Movies (And Other Things) puts a unique spin on film writing by avoiding the standard long-form analysis of the medium, opting instead for a series of movie-related questions posed by the author to precipitate insightful and often humorous discourse.  These questions - such as "Who's in the perfect heist movie crew?" and "Who gets it the worst in Kill Bill?" - are specifically designed to incite debate, based on hypothetical means while also being grounded in hard fact.  His appearance at Skylight Books was framed as an extension of the book: in a unique turn of events, Shea himself served as the moderator of his own Q&A, posing a series to questions to two of his Los Angeles-based colleagues from The Ringer (Jason Concepcion and Mallory Rubin, co-hosts of the Binge Mode podcast), which included "What movie lawyer would you want to defend you if you were on trial for your life?" and "Which movie death hurt you the most as an adult?"*

For nearly an hour, the three writers defended their answers with great dedication and charm, thoroughly entertaining the large crowd that had packed themselves into the cozy bookstore.  As an added bonus, the incredibly talented Arturo Torres - who has illustrated each of Serrano's books - was also in attendance, and took part in the book signing.  Charlene and I were lucky enough to have been situated not too far back in the line, as I nervously anticipated meeting these two artists.  Should I just get my book signed and move on?  Should I ask for a picture?  Should I try to start a brief conversation, and if so, on what topic?  After careful consideration, I had my answer.

The time had come and I approached the table: I assumed Shea would be spending enough time talking about movies throughout his book tour, so I opted to talk sports.  I knew that he was an avid WNBA fan and followed the Las Vegas Aces, which prompted me to ask about Dearica Hamby's insane buzzer-beater from the 2019 playoffs.  What followed was a brief but pleasant anecdote about where he was when that shot went down, and how he was glad there wasn't a camera watching him at the time.  The two men signed my book (Arturo even added a drawing), posed for a quick picture and I immediately made room for the next fan.

It was thrilling to get to hear Shea Serrano speak, and even more so to meet him and share a moment.  I can't recommend his work - and his Twitter feed - enough, and I can only hope more people discover his fantastic talents.  However, I get the feeling that may already be the case, as I learned that Movies (And Other Things) just became Shea's THIRD book to top the New York Times Best Seller list - do yourself a favor and check him out!

*While pondering what to ask Shea before having my book signed, I considered answering these two questions to see if he thought they were good choices.  His original answers during the Q&A were Elle Woods (from Legally Blonde) as the movie lawyer to defend him, and King Kong (from the 2005 Peter Jackson remake) as the death that hurt him the most as an adult.   For me, I would choose Vinny Gambini (from My Cousin Vinny) to defend me, with the death that hurt me the most being Ellie Fredricksen (Carl's late wife from the Pixar film Up).

Book signing - Lang Leav, poet/author extraordinaire

A few years ago I came across some quoted pieces by Lang Leav and fell in love with her beautifully elegant and spare style of writing.  Her style can bring emotion to life so effortlessly.  I own a couple of her poetry books and go back to them occasionally to delve into their sentimental joys.  Recently I discovered Lang Leav was going to do a book signing at my local Barnes & Noble to promote her latest YA novel release, Poemsia, and I had to go!

The event was held on a lovely Sunday afternoon - perfect to spend some time at the bookstore and then go for a nice dinner and a movie after - I wish more book signings were on Sundays, it's nice to not have to deal with traffic getting to the bookstore after a day at work.  Anyways.  The group of fans at the signing were all very devoted and enthusiastic.  I enjoyed how much anticipation and glee there was for when she finally walked out.  And I felt pretty gleeful as well.  She seems unassuming and quiet in real life - with a soft New Zealand or Australian accent (not sure which) and that was a surprise to me - I didn't realize she lived in New Zealand now!  

After Lang greeted us, the discussion moderator asked some questions about the inspiration for Poemsia - Lang was working on another novel (one that was more of a dark thriller) when she got up for some water in the middle of the night and her partner Michael spoke the word "poemsia" in his sleep.  She woke him up and told him what he said and he gave her permission to use it, as it had inspired a story for her.  Lang said that she often gets asked by fans for advice on becoming a poet and author and in a way this novel is her answer - in an interesting fictional format.  But apparently there are a lot of life lessons to be learned, and knowledge about the nature of the business in this book.  I am very intrigued!  I haven't gotten around to reading it yet, but I'm sure I'll post a review of the book here when I do.

Of course, the talk also covered her poetry, and when it came to audience questions, people wanted to hear her inspiration for her various works.  My personal favorite "Sea of Strangers" came up, and she even read the poem for the group.  It made me so happy!  She was also asked what poems of hers were Michael's favorite, and she said the ones about him - in particular, "Sundays with Michael."  Although her favorite about Michael is called "Stowaway."

After the discussion and reading from her novel, the book signing commenced - she was able to spend time with everyone, and there were quite a few people who had her other books to sign as well.  When it was finally my turn to go up, I wasn't sure what to say being a little starstruck, but she asked about our plans for the rest of the day and I love that she had a question ready for any tongue-tied fans!  After that, I asked about her plans and my much more outgoing husband told her that when we first met, I had asked him to record audio of himself reading one of her poems ("Sea of Strangers") just for me to listen to sometimes.  It really is such a beautiful poem.

Here's our photo!

I so enjoyed the book signing and if you haven't heard of or read any of Lang Leav's works I highly encourage you to check it out!  

The Drowsy Chaperone

The simple stage setting before the whole apartment set is revealed!

"The Drowsy Chaperone" is a gem among musicals.  It was on Broadway in 2006 and was nominated for thirteen Tonys, snagging the awards for Best Book of a Musical and Best Original Score among others.  The story of the show has a play within a play structure - with our host and narrator "Man in Chair" talking directly to the audience throughout about his favorite musical, the fictional 1928 production "The Drowsy Chaperone."   The audience "listens" to his copy of the record while the show comes to life in his apartment.  This show is utterly charming and the HoneyNerds saw a fantastic production of it in Santa Monica last Friday!

 CHARLENE 

This is one of my favorite musicals.  I love it for the catchy and infectious tunes, the puns, the meta way in which it tells the story, and the fun and silly romance.  And there is a lot of heart underneath it as the Man in Chair shares his love of this musical with the audience.  I identify with his character because I also find solace and joy in listening and watching musicals and can obsess over tiny moments in my favorite shows.  

The actual story of the musical within the musical is simple - a group of people come together to celebrate the wedding of Robert and Janet, a famous actress who is giving up her career for marriage.  Through a series of misadventures - Janet's chaperone does not keep a watchful eye on her, and Robert accidentally kisses another woman (who was actually Janet in disguise) and the wedding is called off at the end of the first act.  But of course, everything is resolved by the second act and we end up with three couples deciding to marry.  

I've seen this show once a few years ago, but the production we saw recently was at the Morgan-Wixson Theatre in Santa Monica. The quality of the acting, singing and set design were fantastic.  This is a smaller theater, but the production values were excellent and they did complete justice to the show.  I found myself grinning throughout!

 MIKE 

When Charlene and I first met, I mentioned my love of the television show Bunheads, starring the incredibly talented Sutton Foster.  I knew that she had a Broadway background, and Charlene was excited to tell me about her role as Janet in The Drowsy Chaperone - from there, she gave me the soundtrack and insisted that I listen.  I was immediately delighted by the whimsical nature of the show, as well as the catchiness of the individual songs.  I'd been curious to see it performed on stage, and this production certainly lived up to my expectations.

The casting was top-notch: Holly Weber as Janet and Christopher Tiernan as Robert showcased both their great singing abilities and comedic timing; the dashing lothario Adolpho was brilliantly portrayed by Aric Martin with deft wit and flair; and Michael Heimos (who also produced) was absolutely mesmerizing as the "Man in Chair", guiding the viewers through his ups and downs with skillful grace and charm - he pulled the audience in and never let go!  I've only called out a few, but the entire cast was terrific and deserves high praise. 

We both loved this production and will absolutely patronize the Morgan-Wixson Theater again in the very near future.  Maybe we'll see you there!

PS. For a taste of the show - please check out Sutton Foster performing the song "Show Off" at the Tony Awards.  The song highlights the main character Janet's resolve to quit show business and marry Robert.  Although she can't help but "show off" her talent as a performer!

NostalgiaCon - Back to the Eighties

When you think about the '80s what comes to mind?  If you're Charlene, it's probably Back to the Future and not much else since she was born in the 80s.  But if you're Mike, you're instantly wrapped up in warm memories encompassing all facets of pop culture and life in general.  NostalgiaCon was this past weekend in Anaheim, and the HoneyNerds made it down to celebrate all the things about the 80s they love.

 MIKE 

First off, it was great to be surrounded by so many iconic actors of my generation - like Sean Astin and Corey Feldman from The Goonies, Val Kilmer, Steven Guttenberg, and Cary Elwes - as well as those from the late 1970's that I may have been too young to appreciate, like Heather Thomas and Loni Anderson.  The celebrities all seemed to be in great spirits and really enjoyed catching up with each other, and meeting with their fans.  Booths were set up for merchants to sell a wide assortment of merchandise, a fleet of DeLoreans were parked in the center of the enormous room and there was a very cool exhibit devoted to the history of boombox radios.  Autographs and photo opportunities were available for a nominal fee, and several of the guests would be included in panel discussions on a nearby stage.

The first panel we attended featured Astin and Feldman recounting their careers, with a special emphasis on the making of the beloved 1985 adventure film in which they co-starred.  As it approaches its 35th anniversary, The Goonies is still as popular as ever, with fans constantly demanding either a sequel or reboot - for the record, both actors confirmed that the premise/idea of a potential sequel has been floated around, though nothing is set in stone and they would gladly be involved if asked.

The two actors also waxed nostalgic about the heightened importance of the 1980's, and how each generation seems to have fond memories for previous decades that they missed and only know about in passing.  I was fortunate enough to have attended the 25th anniversary celebration of The Goonies in Astoria, Oregon in 2010, so I asked the duo if they had any fond memories of the town and how often they'd returned - Astin answered that he'd been there seven or eight times and both men proceeded to inform the audience of the current state of affairs surrounding the famous house in which they filmed.  All in all, it was a fantastic discussion with two really fun entertainers!

 CHARLENE 

When I saw Christopher Lloyd was going to be a guest at the convention, I knew I had to attend.  Back to the Future the Trilogy (yes, the whole trilogy, because all three films are awesome and at some point have been my absolute favorite) is one of the films I feel the most nostalgia for - the exciting time travel adventuring of Doc and Marty captured my imagination as a child.  And it's funny how hearing the soundtrack now can give me a rush of endorphins - it's a perfectly gorgeous and uplifting score.  These films have affected me deeply, as it has for many people. 

And Doc Brown has always been my favorite character.  An eccentric scientist, who persists in making his dream invention come true?  Brought to life with Christopher Lloyd's unique ability to create idiosyncratic quirks and flaws for any character?  He's the best!  And being able to finally see Lloyd at a convention was amazing.  His panel was an outlet for fans to ask him questions about his career and there were some fun questions. When asked if there was a "role that got away" - the one role he auditioned for, he wished he had gotten, he said, "Yes, all of them."  And his support for making another Back to the Future film was heartening.  Also, someone asked him who was the voice of Doc in the Back to the Future animated series, and he was like "me!"  His love for the BTTF series is uplifting to see as a fan.  I know it can be depressing for an actor to only be known for one thing (or for a handful of things when it comes to Christopher Lloyd), but the way Lloyd seems to embrace that makes me so happy.  

We also took advantage of the photo op with Lloyd and captured the three of us in that classic pose!

Here's a little more of Back to the Future represented on the convention floor:

  

And another 80's classic - who you gonna call?

  

 MIKE 

To wrap up the night, several artists from the 1980's performed a concert at the hall next door: The Motels, Annabella Lwin of Bow Wow Wow, and Tony Lewis from The Outfield were featured, but the headliner for this first night would be ABC.  More or less a solo outfit for lead singer Martin Fry, ABC delighted the crowd with a solid hour of up-tempo pop rock, highlighted by a string of top 40 hits.  From the lustful longing of "Poison Arrow" to the throwback joy of "When Smokey Sings", the group journeyed through the popular decade with their finely-tuned songbook led by Fry's commanding vocals.  By the time the show wrapped up with their iconic "The Look of Love", the fans were left demanding more - maybe save that for next year?

 CHARLENE 
This was the first year of NostalgicCon and it had all the inherent growing pains of a first time convention.  There were some small issues with organization, but with the experience from this year and seeing the enthusiasm of the fans who came, I hope that NostalgiaCon will be back next year, with more guests, more vendors and the same passion and energy for the 80s.

Jane Eyre-scondido!

So anyone who knows Charlene knows how much she loves Jane Eyre.  It's her favorite book, and she has channeled that passion over the years into the creation of numerous fan websites, including her latest venture, The Eyre Guide.  She's also made it a point to introduce me to the classic novel, as she bought me a personal copy of the book during a trip to the Bronte Parsonage just after we met.  Like a good boyfriend, I quickly read through all 400+ pages so that we could discuss it at length, and we followed that up by watching each of the movie adaptations.  I would even go on to incorporate Jane Eyre into my wedding proposal, as I used the exact same words that Mr. Rochester stated when he professed his love for his would-be bride.  It goes without saying, the HoneyNerds are connected to this book.

As luck would have it, Charlene became aware of a live stage production of Jane Eyre being performed in Escondido, a sleepy little town just north of San Diego.  We'd had some experience visiting Escondido - Charlene's father owns a time-share just outside the town - so we knew the two-hour drive would be bearable for a mid-week visit to see this unique production.  But how was it unique?  Well, we'd be seeing the classic work staged in a very intimate tea room, complete with table-side service of food and drinks.

I have yet to enjoy the experience of "dinner theater", though I'm not sure this particular show fit that mold, but either way it would be a fun night out.  My sincere thanks go to the Grand Tea Room and the 413 Project for staging this production in a very clever way, using the cozy confines to connect with the audience.  Wifi-enabled lighting helped to change the setting from indoors to outdoors as the story demanded, while also providing great ambience.  The cast was solid, most notably Hunter Thiers as the titular heroine and Kelly Saunders as her rival Blanche Ingram - the chemistry between Thiers and Robin Thompson's Mr. Rochester was also simmering with just the right amount of romantic trepidation and smoldering intensity.  The whole production should be proud of their work!

Oh, but did I mention the food?  Yes, we were greeted with a full plate of salad and sandwiches after taking our seats, along with a delicious pot of Creme Brulee tea for our pleasure.  When the intermission arrived, our drinks were refilled and we were given a selection of desserts that included a macaron and a cookie shaped like Charlotte Bronte herself.  Far be it for me to pass up the perfect photo opportunity of taking a bite out of the beloved literary legend - though Charlene seemed none too pleased by my delight...

It's always nice to share in Charlene's greatest passion, and this night was perfect - it was a wonderful evening that I'll always remember!  BRONTE 4 LIFE!

Postscript: Charlene is talking about her experience at the show on her blog - The Eyre Guide.  Check out her thoughts here!

Rachel Bloom's Largo Residency

One half of the Honeynerds is a huge Crazy Ex-Girlfriend fan, and I was so excited when I found out that Rachel Bloom would be doing a monthly show at the Largo in Los Angeles for the foreseeable future.  I've gone to the first two shows now and it's been a blast!

The Largo is an interesting theater in L.A.  It's intimate, with its own bar within the courtyard area, and a legacy of showcasing a variety of quirky shows - both comic and musical. And I was excited to see what Rachel would do with her show, as it seems a catch-all type thing for her to talk about absolutely anything.  After all, her show has the questionably informative "Hi I'm Rachel and This is My Show" as the title.  With the loose description, I thought I would see something pretty un-structured, but I'm happy to say there seems to have been a lot of thought and effort put into each show so far.

The First Show

The inaugural show was devoted to a glimpse into the creative side of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.  After a solo welcome and mini monologue, Rachel introduced the people who helped her create the show and craft the songs - Aline Brosh McKenna, Adam Schlesinger, and Jack Dolgen.  They talked about the theme songs they had written for Crazy-Ex and in a truly delightful turn of events, Rachel decided to rehash the agonies they went through while trying to find the Season 4 theme song.  There seems to have been real tensions and issues that came from that session, and Rachel had printed out copies of emails to give to her guests to remind them of what had occurred (not necessarily to read to the audience).  They also played some of the failed attempts at the theme, and there were a few that I really loved and would have enjoyed as the theme song.  The whole night seemed about the trials and tribulations of the creative process and it made for an interesting hour and a half.

Afterwards, my friend and I were lucky enough to get a quick picture with Rachel, who stopped to say hi to the group of people waiting to see her, and we told Rachel we already bought tickets to her next show in August - which was called "Theater Kid Redemption Night."  And Rachel seemed excited about what she had planned for it, and it lived up to her enthusiasm.

Unfortunately the lighting was pretty harsh!

The Second Show

This night, Rachel gathered a group of her friends to talk about their horror stories growing up as a theater kid, and finding ways to redeem those terrible experiences.  The show began with a video of teenage Rachel Bloom in a production of "Oliver!" as Nancy - with a revealing décolletage, a red wig, and an iffy English accent.  And halfway through the number, actual Rachel Bloom came out - showing off some cleavage, wearing a red wig and singing in an overemphasized English accent.  It was hilarious!  And it was not the first time that night, that someone would perform to a video of their younger selves doing a song.  Which is such a strange, existential thing.  It was fascinating to watch though.  

There were so many guests on this show, that I'm afraid I can't name them all, but these are the ones I remember - Danny Jolles, Scott Michael Foster, Vincent Rodriguez III, David Hull, Kat Burns, Erick Lopez, Rebekka Johnson, Kimmy Gatewood, John Milhiser,  Ilana Peña, Dan Gregor, and several people Rachel went to school with, which was such an interesting and fantastic idea.  Especially since they went (comedically) into some issues they had at school.  In one song Rachel sang about how she was president of the Drama Club even though she wasn't very qualified, and she performed the song with the guy who also ran for that position and would have been much better at it.  Towards the end of the night, she came out with her fellow Doo-Wop girls and they glared/sang over the actual girl who got the role of Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors which they had all auditioned for.

The show was all about theater and high school drama, with plenty of singing and dancing.  And it was wonderful.  I even got to participate (somewhat) when Erick Lopez asked if I would be the "judge" for his performance and I was able to give him a better score than what he received in high school.  

This night, the show felt much more of a variety show with all the stories, and different kinds of performances and I absolutely loved it.  I was hoping Rachel would announce the theme of her next show but she wasn't able to, so I'm not sure what is in store, but I highly recommend checking it out if you are in the area and are a fan of musicals, comedy, and Rachel Bloom!

West Adams Block Party featuring...Big Daddy Kane!

We had no major plans over Labor Day weekend, so we stopped by this block party in our neighborhood, as it seemed like the perfect opportunity to hang out for a couple of hours with some good food and good music.  In fact, there was a particular reason that Mike wanted to attend, so Charlene went along for the ride...

 CHARLENE 

I will go to street fairs from time to time, mostly if there is a special performing act I want to see or if I just want to spend time with family, but I'm not necessarily a huge fan.  It's usually the same sights, the same entertainment, and the same food.  I usually prefer walking around a mall to looking at booths and waiting for food truck grub, but this was a unique event that caught our attention and we arrived in the early evening.

The West Adams Block Party was presented by Delicious Vinyl, a landmark record label whose founders went on to open a "hip hop pizza shop" known as Delicious Pizza.  The restaurant was the host of the party, so I figured the one major thing that I had to do was try some of this pizza!  But of course, there was a long line at the shop, which was enough of a deterrent for me.  We ended up getting some garlic noodles at the Bleu Truck and I was not at all disappointed - their food was delicious.  The outside of the truck advertised that they had participated in an episode of "Guy's Grocery Games", which was another reason I was drawn to eat here.  But I'll save the HoneyNerd's mutual love for Guy Fieri's cooking game show for another post.

The block party itself was minimal - a handful of booths, a few stages with different artists, and a sprinkling of food trucks.  Unfortunately, the stores along the street had closed (I didn't realize they wouldn't be open after 6) but the vibe of the block party was fun - people were dancing and seemed to enjoy the musical performances, and it wasn't too crowded to make walking around a hassle.  Despite my indifference to block parties, I had a good time, with some good food and great company.

 MIKE 

The year was 1989.  After fully immersing myself in the "hair metal" scene for a few years prior, I found myself drawn toward the world of rap music.  After all, this was the "Golden Age of Hip Hop", and there were plenty of artists to follow - from the hardcore street knowledge of N.W.A to the fun antics of Kid 'n Play, I pretty much liked them all - but there was one that stood out the most.  Though he was a mere 21 years old, Big Daddy Kane had already made a name for himself and was quickly rising up the ranks in the music world.  My timing was impeccable, as I learned of his existence just as he was hitting his apex.

Kane was an enigma: he was both a ladies' man that could seduce with his "smooth" persona AND he was a furious battle rapper that could put other MC's in their place with his dynamic wordplay.  He hardly ever cursed and he didn't typically objectify women - he was just straight cool and he knew it.  The year that I discovered him saw the release of his second album It's a Big Daddy Thing, which was propelled up the charts on the strength of two contrasting singles: the captivating slow jam "Smooth Operator" (which reached #1 on the Rap charts) and the up-tempo dance hit "I Get the Job Done".  The music videos for each single were in constant rotation on Yo! MTV Raps, and I loved them both!


As the years went on, I distanced myself from rap music and started listening to alternative rock amidst the "grunge" scene, but Big Daddy Kane continued on with varied levels of success and I never stopped listening to him.  I was fortunate enough to see him twice - once at the House of Blues with The Roots, and once at another street festival where he performed with a funk band.  The man can still rock a party, so I knew I had to go see him and convince Charlene to join me.

Kane took the stage just as the sun was setting and delivered a solid 25 minutes of glorious hip hop, enlisting the crowd to sing along at multiple opportunities.  Though most of his songs were truncated in order to fit as many as possible into his short set, he still managed to hype up the audience while touching on virtually all of his early string of hits - the aforementioned "Smooth Operator" was a highlight, while "Warm It Up, Kane" and "Raw" showcased his signature lyrical domination.  He would close with the crowd-pleasing "Ain't No Half Steppin'" before departing into the night, leaving the fans in awe.  It may not have been a long performance, but it packed a real punch and was a perfect way to wrap up the night!

These Hallowed Grounds: The Fixx live at the Troubadour

Situated at the border between Beverly Hills and West Hollywood, the famous Troubadour nightclub has hosted a multitude of artists representing various genres for over sixty years, establishing itself as an iconic location in the heart of the music industry.  During a career that spans nearly four decades, The Fixx have entertained audiences with a dynamic blend of new wave and art rock, carving out a small but effective niche in the crowded music scene.  It only seemed fitting that the band would grace the historic stage, and I was lucky to be there!

I had seen The Fixx live on two previous occasions: in 2008, as the supporting act on the “Rockin’ the Colonies” tour with The Alarm and The English Beat; and again in 2013, as one of several artists included on a Jack-FM package show.  In both instances, the band was limited to less than ten songs or so, playing to a crowd that may or may not have feigned interest.  It was a real shame for me, as I had grown up listening to them and became an even bigger fan after picking up their terrific Ultimate Collection greatest hits album just before that first concert.

The Fixx has toured consistently over the years, so I was always hopeful of seeing them headline at a smaller venue - thankfully, I caught wind of their Troubadour show just in time to buy a ticket!   They were in the midst of a brief “End of Summer Tour”, and after reading the setlists from the first shows, I knew I had to be there to see them play some of their deeper cuts.   Their set also included six songs from an album I’d never heard - 1988’s Calm Animals - so I made sure to familiarize myself with those tracks by the day of the show.

"These Hallowed Grounds"

As the lights dropped at the legendary club, the band ambled to the stage amidst the roar of the appreciative sold-out crowd, and immediately launched into the title track from Calm Animals.  They followed with one of my favorite songs - “Lost Planes”, their very first single from 1981 - a track whose appearance on the setlist was one of my main reasons for attending the show altogether.  Lead singer Cy Curnin humbly addressed the audience by saying, “It’s great to be here...on these hallowed grounds”, as the band continued on with their impressive performance.

Now into their 60’s, the band still looked absolutely energetic.  In addition to Curnin’s powerful voice, the thick bass lines from Dan K. Brown laid a foundation for guitarist Jamie West-Oram to deliver blazing guitar riffs instantly recognizable by the adoring fans.  The Fixx is a TIGHT unit of talented musicians, clearly displaying the chemistry of having played together for so long. They deserved their spot on this stage, and owned it with full authority.

"Who are we, if we are not ourselves?"

Questions such as this - posed by Cy Curnin to the audience, in reference to their 1984 hit song “Are We Ourselves?” - have always been at the core of The Fixx’s music.  From their modest beginnings in London, the band has been recognized for crafting intelligent hook-laden songs with acute lyrical observations.  The staccato delivery of both the words and music helped them to stand out in the new wave scene, and gain a level of respect that has followed them over the course of their career.  They push boundaries, provoke thought, and make the listener question what is around them.

I was particularly drawn to this lyric from 1988’s “Driven Out”: “I’m cooking with microwaves / To warm up food that’s not seen the soil”.  It’s simple on the surface, yet it makes one wonder about their place in the grand scheme of this planet.  In fact, I found myself internally reflecting as they performed the song itself, which I don’t often do at concerts - as their set continued, I couldn’t help but ponder my organic surroundings during “I’m Life”, or question the futility of war while singing along to “Stand or Fall”.   This band was making me think in the middle of a show, and it was tremendous!

"Is the choir ready?"

As mentioned, I found myself singing along quite often during the show, which was seemingly encouraged by the band as Cy was constantly turning his microphone to the audience to amplify the crowd noise.  By the time they broke into their biggest hit, “One Thing Leads to Another”, the fans had formed a duet with the singer throughout the chorus, much to his delight.  The trend would follow during “Deeper and Deeper”, as Cy continually asked “Where do we go?”, so we could all answer, “DEEPER!”

For the final song of the main set, the gracious lead singer addressed the energetic fans: “Is the choir ready?”, which was met with thunderous applause.  This led straight into “Red Skies”, one of the band’s earliest hits, which formed a perfect call-and-response moment for everyone in the room.  The studio recording of the song features echoing during the chorus, which gave the fans the chance to be the echo themselves, returning Cy’s phrases back to him in immediate fashion.   It was easily the highlight of the night, and one of my favorite moments ever from a concert.

"Can you feel the love in the room?"

As the band returned to the stage for the encore, it was obvious that they were both satisfied and overwhelmed by the devotion of their followers.  Cy would go on to play keyboards while singing the ballad, “I Will”, before taking one last moment to speak passionately to the audience as they prepared their last song of the night.  He quietly looked around every inch of the venue, then humbly asked “Can you feel the love in the room?” - an emotion which was clearly present and willfully displayed throughout the evening.  They closed with the thoughtful “Secret Separation”, then exited into the night as quickly as they had arrived.

While not nearly as popular as some of the bigger bands of the 1980’s, The Fixx found their place and made their mark with a handful of Top 40 hits and significant record sales.  More than 35 years later, they’re still delighting audiences around the globe, whether headlining intimate venues or slotting into “package” tours with several of their peers from the past.   I cannot stress how much fun I had at this show, so it goes without saying that I would recommend anyone to take advantage of seeing them live if given the chance - you’ll be glad you did!

A Welcome and An Introduction

Welcome to our little corner of the web!  We decided to start this blog because we wanted a place to share our experiences - the places and events we go to, as well as the things in pop culture that we love to enthuse about.  There will be posts from us individually, and we will also write posts together, in which each of our viewpoints will be distinguished by our names highlighted in our favorite colors. :)

 CHARLENE 

I imagine this blog to be an overall place to talk about the things that are important to us.  A couple of years ago, I had my own blog where I talked about various topics.  At first, it was a place for book reviews, but I gradually introduced one-off posts about things that interested me or about a cool event that I attended.  Eventually, I branched off from focusing on book reviews and instead transformed the blog into an expression of my tastes, as I started ongoing discussion posts about subjects such as musicals, Star Trek and the history of reading.  I enjoyed sharing what I loved about my favorite things, and now with this blog venture, I look forward to talking about these things with my favorite person.

 MIKE 

In the dozen years before I met Charlene, I not only traveled throughout the US and Canada on sports-related adventures, but I also visited most of the live music venues and repertory movie theaters across Los Angeles.  I witnessed some amazing concerts and screenings, often with special guests in attendance.  During that time, many of my friends and co-workers suggested that I start a blog to recap all of the fun stuff I've done in this city, and that's why I was keen to launch HoneyNerds - in addition to present-day outings with my wonderful wife, I will also use this site to take a nostalgic look back at some of the most entertaining nights I've experienced in my adopted hometown.

 CHARLENE 
Keeping a blog can be a lot of work, but we hope to maintain our little space for some time.  Probably mostly for our amusement, but we're hoping that if anyone stumbles across HoneyNerds, they'll find something interesting to read - whether it's a trip we've taken to Portland, Oregon (our upcoming quick getaway vacation) or our reviews of the TV series Doctor Who, which we are now beginning to watch.  HoneyNerds is simply a space for a couple of nerds (yes, that's us) who enjoy spending time together and also enjoy talking about it.