DMB remembers LeRoi Moore

Dave opens up the show

Dave Matthews stunned the crowd at the Staples Center last night, when, after opening the show with "Bartender," he stepped up to the microphone to make an announcement.

LeRoi Moore, founding member of DMB and world-class saxophonist, had died earlier that day from complications from injuries sustained in an ATV accident in June. He was 46. "We got some bad news today," Matthews said, and the entire place went silent almost immediately. He informed the crowd of Roi's passing, then added, "he gave up his ghost today, and we will miss him forever."

I heard many people gasp, saw hand fly to mouths in shock. Some cried, nearly everyone stood stoically, quietly, and tried to process. I am not a DMB fanatic; in fact, last night was my very first time seeing them live. Still, the intensity and gravity of the situation were not lost on me, and as they launched into "Proudest Monkey," I was floored by their ability to carry on.

And carry on they did. As it was my first live DMB concert, I have no basis for comparison, but they absolutely blew me away. And my roommate, who has seen them 14 times, told me that they blew pretty much every song right out of the water.

Boyd Tinsley rocks that fiddle

It was an amazing experience. So much so that I really don't have the proper words to describe it. So I will link to someone who did (and then some): Ben Wener of the OC Register. I do have to say that it was one of the most moving, heartfelt and powerful live performances I have ever seen.

I thank the band for sharing their nearly three-hour elegy to a lost friend. It was quite the experience. RIP, LeRoi Moore.

The Setlist:

Main set: Bartender / Proudest Monkey / Satellite / So Damn Lucky / Eh Hee / Water into Wine / Burning Down the House* / Dancing Nancies / Loving Wings / The Maker / Sledgehammer** / Grey Street / The Dreaming Tree / Crash into Me / Everyday / Anyone Seen the Bridge > Too Much intro > Ants Marching

Encore: Sister / Corn Bread / Two Step

Recap: Idols LIVE!

I had the good fortune to see the American Idols Tour 2008 last night at the Staples Center. I went with my roommate, and we spent the entire night acting like ridiculous 12-year-old girls. It was fabulous.

I am going to attempt to recount my thoughts (with help from my twitter) from the concert. Hopefully pictures and video will follow.

I have to say, all of the Idols sounded just as good, if not better, live. I was pleasantly surprised, because there’s less “helpful voice magic” live than on television. In particular, Ramiele and Papa Johns, two of the top 10 I was never that sold on, wowed me live.

There was a dancing PopTart in the pre-show with Corey the warm-up guy. I wish I were joking. That’s all I really want to say on that.

This is the cardboard cutout I posed inappropriately with. Word.

I love Chikezie. After David Cook, he was my favorite Top 12 contestant. I was a little let down by his set, to be honest. He sang beautifully; his falsetto in particular was absolutely gorgeous live. I just wish he’d actually done at least one of the numbers he performed on Idol (“She’s a Woman,” anyone?). He did a great job, but as the opening performer he failed to draw me into the show as much as I would have liked.

I never cared for Ramiele when she was on Idol, but live her voice is incredibly powerful. Her fashion sense, however, hasn’t improved a single bit. To wit, my Twitter: “I think Ramiele is blind. That is the only way I can explain her outfit. Where are the fug girls when you need them?” Still, I really enjoyed her set, especially her final song, Maroon 5’s “If I Never See Your Face Again.”

Michael Johns is sexy. I don’t find him the least bit attractive, but wow is that man a bit of walking sex. He’s just charismatic, and when he declared that he arranged “this next, bluesy number just for the ladies” the whole place became all a-twitter. I waffled back and forth about him over the course of the season, but live he is FANTASTIC. His whole set was Idol on repeat, only much, much better. In particular, he rocked the hell out of “Dream On,” the song that actually got him booed from the show.

I’m not gonna lie. I left to get a pizza and a water (and take a picture of myself inappropriately touching a cardboard cutout of David Cook) during Kristy Lee Cook’s set. But she actually sang “God Bless America” as one of her three songs…can you really blame me? I thought not.

Carly Smithson is my hero. She is absolutely beautiful from head-to-toe and if you thought her voice was powerful on TV…she almost brought the place down with her power notes. I think of all the Idols, she chose her set list best. “Bring Me To Life,” “Crazy On You” and “I Drove All Night” complimented her voice perfectly. I was mesmerized and she gave me chills more than once.

Hands down, my favorite song of the night was performed by Brooke White. She rose up from a trap door in the floor playing the piano and singing “Let It Be,” which only gets better for me every time I hear her sing it. Nobody talked all that much, but she was adorably sweet and dorky and danced (fairly well, actually) while she sang Fiest’s “1 2 3 4.” However, it was her version of Coldplay’s “Yellow” that just stopped me cold. It’s really rare that a song actually makes me stop everything I’m doing – even thinking – and just listen. I was mesmerized and nearly moved to tears…and that NEVER happens to me.

Jason Castro is the most adorable person alive. I resisted his pull until last night, where I just fell in love with him completely. His stripped-down version of “Crazy” by Gnarls Barkley was my second favorite of the night, and just seemed so very him. Listening to him perform “Daydream” live was also a highlight…because it just suits him perfectly.

I wish I could explain why, despite the fact that Syesha Mercado is one hell of a singer…no one seems to care about her. Her set was unbelievably strong; high energy, powerhouse vocals and a dress that I wish I could steal. Her final number, “Listen,” brought the house down. Definitely one of the Top 5 performances of the night. I think I might slowly be starting to love her.

David Archuleta rose, somewhat sheepishly, from the floor playing the piano as well. Only he got a smoke machine to help him out. Oh, and thousands upon thousands of screeching little girls (and plenty of women old enough to know better…like my roommate) helped herald his arrival as well. As my Twitter explained “Archie arrives via smoke machine and a fancy trap door. I’ve gone deaf.” I am happy to state that he is brilliant live. His version of “Angels” by Robbie Williams was one of my favorite numbers this season and it was gorgeous live. His mash-up of “Stand by Me” and “Beautiful Girls” was great as well. He seems to be having more fun on the tour than he ever appeared to on the show and I LOVE that. It makes him so much more fun to watch.

This is his tour outfit, apparently. What a hottie.

There is a video (that will never see the light of day if my roommate wants to live) of me absolutely flipping out when they announced David Cook. I believe I actually screamed more than once and jumped up and down (and replied “MY FUTURE HUSBAND! AHHHH!” when she asked me who it was I was screaming for). Bless my roommate, she stood up and freaked out with me…because that’s what good friends do. They don’t let you look ridiculous by yourself.

Seeing him live, finally…beyond words. Seriously. He was just…perfection. *happy sigh* His five-song set was really a mini rock show. Rocker Boy knows how to work a crowd like a front man and he pulled out all the stops. Working the stage, rocking out with the guitar, great banter with the crowd…I can’t wait for his solo tour where he’s not as crowded and is able to really take the audience on a journey with him…because it’s going to be amazing.

He sweetly dedicated “My Hero” by the Foo Fighters, the only song we hadn’t seen him perform before, to his brother. “Hello” and “Billie Jean” were showstoppers, and I had lots of fun every time the camera zoomed in on his backside. So pretty…

All in all, it was a really great show. Better than I was expecting, to be quite honest. I’m sad that I didn’t know there was a fan line after the show, because apparently David Cook spent quite a bit of time signing autographs and taking pictures and talking with fans. What a sweet boy.

Idols Tour 2008

I am such a squealing fangirl right now, because in just a few short days, I get to see this up close and in person:




I will be the girl attempting to sneak on stage to hug David Cook...though I promised several of my friends that I wouldn't get arrested. Dilemmas.

Anyway, for the curious (and those who don't mind being spoiled) here is the set list for the tour.

Chikezie Eze:
"I Believe to My Soul" (Donnie Hathaway)
"Caught Up" (Usher)
"So High" (John Legend)

Ramiele Malubay:
"I Want You Back" (Jackson 5)
"Love Will Lead You Back" (Taylor Dayne)
"If I Never See Your Face" (Rhianna)

Michael Johns:
"We Will Rock You"/"We Are the Champions" (Queen)
"It's All Wrong, but It's Alright" (Dolly Parton)
"Dream On" (Aerosmith)

Kristy Lee Cook:
"Squeezing the Love Outta You" (Carolyn Dawn Johnson)
"God Bless the USA" (Lee Greenwood)
"Cowgirls"

Carly Smithson:
"Bring Me to Life" (Evanescence)
"Crazy on You" (Heart)
"I Drove All Night" (Cyndi Lauper)

Brooke White
"Let it Be" (Beatles)
"1234" (Fiest)
"Yellow" (Coldplay)

Jason Castro:
"Over the Rainbow" "
"Crazy" (Gnarls Barkley)
"Daydream" (Lovin' Spoonful)

Syesha Mercado:
"Umbrella" (Rhianna)
"If I Aint Got It" (Alicia Keys)
"Listen"

David Archuleta:
"Angels" (Robbie Williams)
"Apologize" (One Republic)
"Stand by Me" (Ben E. King)
"When You Say You Love Me" (Josh Groban)

David Cook:
"Hello" (Lionel Richie)
"Time of My Life"
"My Hero"
"Billie Jean" (Michael Jackson)
"I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing" (Aerosmith)

Staples Center. Friday night. Garth Brooks.

So…where were you Friday night?

I was somewhere I never, ever expected to be.

At a Garth Brooks concert.

He's adorable. No, I'm not crazy. Leave me alone.

My mother called me up the previous Tuesday and, in her sugary sweetest “favor” voice (everyone’s got one and I can pick hers out within the first two syllables that she speaks) asked me to accompany her to the Staples Center on Friday night to see one of the five benefit concerts – for the firefighters and families affected by the California wildfires last year - that Brooks was “coming out of retirement” to play.

With very few exceptions, I cannot STAND country music. In fact, if I hear a song with any of the following things in it, I run as fast as possible in the other direction:

- faded blue jeans
- a cheatin’ heart
- Texas
- a fiddle
- drinking troubles away
- a tractor
- a horse
- the first wife

However, she IS my mother and it WAS the week of her birthday, so I agreed. I promised to go in with an open mind; but the thousands of people in cowboy hats, boots and more leather than I’ve ever seen worn outside a rodeo made it difficult. So did all the crazy drunk, fake blonde, middle-aged women showing WAY too much cleavage. But, you know, I persevered. Because despite having unfortunate taste in music, my mom is pretty awesome.

I sat through the first few songs wondering why the hell all of these people were on their feet screaming and whooping like Garth Brooks was musical Jesus. Yes, the opening number was pretty rockin’ and had a serious beat – but you kind of HAVE to open with a number like that (and everyone seems to have one - except, perhaps, Sarah McLachlan). I entertained myself by looking around and internally giggling at the craziest fans and thought about counting the minutes until my suffering was over.

But then a funny thing happened.

I actually started to enjoy myself. By the time he brought out Huey Lewis (HUEY FREAKIN’ LEWIS!) bearing a harmonica to duet on ‘Workin’ for a Livin’” I’m not gonna lie, I was standing up and dancing.

A man who can play the harmonica is one you want to keep around...

Here’s the thing. I still, in general, don’t like country music. But damn can that man put on a show. People LOVE him. Hell, I kind of fell in love with him a little bit on Friday.

I’ve seen my share of concerts. I’ve seen a few GREAT concerts. But I’ve never seen a performer who genuinely enjoyed himself as much as Garth Brooks. A lot of artists, no matter how good they sound live, seem to treat concerts as just another part of the job. I’m not one to use this expression lightly, but there was sort of a magical thing going on Friday night. Brooks was so happy to be performing for his fans and seemed sincerely awed and touched at the raucous, enthusiastic response he got from the crowd.

His joy was infectious and really shone through in his performance. There was a great energy throughout and it was damn near impossible for even the staunchest of country haters (me) to not have a good time.

It takes a lot for me to admit this, but…Garth Brooks is kinda cool. *sigh*

Billy freakin' Joel

So, I have a confession to make.

I'm not a HUGE music person. I mean, I love it. I love singing at the top of my lungs in my car, dancing about my apartment to "Footloose" (among other things) and I go see Broadway musicals like it's my JOB...but I don't consider myself a music connoisseur by any stretch of the imagination. The "Big 3" in entertainment pretty much rank as follows: Television, Television, Movies/Music.

That said, I love concerts. I've seen my favorite band multiple times. I try and see bands I like when they come through town if I have the money and someone to go with me. But, up until this weekend, I'd never really traveled to see a band or artist. You know, gotten in the car (or on a plane) and actually driven incredibly far for the sole purpose of seeing a concert.

And then I went to Vegas to see Billy Joel. I don't think I'll ever be the same.

I don't know if there's anything quite like getting dressed to the nines to walk into the concert hall of the MGM Grand and spending two-and-a-half hours listening to the Piano Man do his thing. I was in the "nosebleed" seats, but I didn't care. He opened with an amazing piano instrumental that segued into "Angry Young Man" and then just didn't stop rocking. By the time he got to "We Didn't Start The Fire" (which was only a few songs in) we were up and dancing in the aisles in dresses and heels. A Frank Sinatra impersonation, several Elvis songs and one joke about Elton John later, he closed with "You May Be Right" and encored with the following:

"Scenes From An Italian Restaurant"

"Only The Good Die Young"

"Piano Man"

It was one of the most fantastic nights of my life. There's nothing like a show in Vegas (and traveling for five hours in a car with seven of your friends to get there)...especially when you're rocking to Billy Joel. I highly recommend that if the right band comes along, you hop in your car, take the 10 to the 15, stop in Barstow for some food and then concert it up in Vegas.

Because, you know, when the show is over, you're still in VEGAS, baby.