Lights Mix It Up At The Sagebrush, Leave Them Happy In Long Beach!

I can only imagine how hard it is for a tribute band to keep it fresh, not get bored with the established songs that the fans of the original band want to hear show after show! Luckily for Lights, the band they pay tribute to, Journey, is still making new music! That presents a different question: do you take on the new music while Journey themselves are out on tour?

Lights took on the challenge Saturday night. In front of a jam packed crowd at the Sagebrush Cantina in Calabassas Saturday Night, the band surprized the crowd by launching into "Never Walk Away", a song off the new Journey CD, Revolution. The song highlights Journey's signature melodic, guitar driven melodies and their harmonies. It is a total throw back to the Journey of the "Escape" era. With Juan Del Castillo's soaring vocals, driving guitar riffs and melodic keyboards from Jonny Papa and Jeff Vincent as well as the amazing rhythm section of Casey McNerney and Michael Thompson keeping the beat, Lights nailed it! Sure....ask any band member and they will be self-critical as musicians are by telling you it sucked but if the looks on the faces in the crowd are any indication, the song should become a set staple soon!

The following night found the band in it's own "city by the bay", Long Beach! Lights are one of Long Beach's favorite bands and Saturday night they treated the crowd to Journey classics such as "Don't Stop Belivin", "Lights" and "Wheel In The Sky". The Blue Cafe was full of Journey fans that danced and screamed for their favorites all night. Juan, Jonny and Jeff did a great job with melodies as those on "I'll Be Alright Without You" and "Anyway You Want It", while Casey and Michael's driving rhythm made "Lovin, Touchin, Squeezin" sound sexier than ever! The band was so appreciative of the crowd and their energy that they even pulled out the seldom played "Mother, Father"!

New Journey, classic Journey...you never know what the guys in Lights will pull out of their hats! Come see for yourself this Friday, August 1 at Harpers Bar and Grill in Northridge. You won't be disappointed. Check out http://www.lightsband.com/ for details!

Lights Turn Up The Heat At Citywalk!

I am not one that usually goes crazy about my birthday. If I want to do something, i'll plan it myself! I've had some great birthdays that way. Destination birthdays like San Diego, Vegas and Catalina have been fun as are the birthdays where I was at a concert. In fact, my first Bon Jovi show was at Irvine Meadows on my 22nd birthday! THAT was a fun one!

This birthday was like that one. The night started out with a circus atmosphere as some crazy Cirque Du Soliel kind of act came out and perfomed some performance art kind of thing. Then my friends in Lights hit the stage. How cool! Well....not literally! It was 110 degrees and humid! The guys were at their energetic best! It would be understandable if the guys used the weather as a reason to coast, maybe play at 50%. Think about it, if we were DYING watching them, under the lights the guys must have been miserably hot! Much to the credit of their professionalism and dedication to their audience, the band didn't back off one bit! Coming onstage after a great introduction by no less than LA music icon Richard Blade, the guys opened up with "Escape"! Despite the heat, the song got the crowd up and dancing and they stayed that way for most of the two hour show! Playing outside on a stage in front of the Hard Rock couldn't have been easy in the heat but despite the temps, the band made sure the night was a party! The crowd loved them and stuck around in the heat to hear favorites like "Be Good To Yourself" and "Lights". Front man Juan Del Castillo and guitarist Jonny Papa kept the crowd entertained while Casey McNerney and Michael Thompson kept them rockin! Keyboardist Jeff Vincent got in on the action as well, sharing vocals with Juan on "That's The Same Way"! As usual, a great job was done by all!

From dinner with friends at the Hard Rock to a great show by a great band! This was a birthday to remember! What a way to kick off summer!

:)

The Road To Bigger and Better Things

There comes a time in life where we all hit that fork in the road. You know, the one that if you go to the right, you can play it safe and not have to worry about expectations or results. But what about that road to the left, the one where the stakes are much higher and you are now expected to deliver? The delima is that you know one road is familar, safe but also know that the other road may lead to bigger and better things. One road leads you to the local hangouts, the same places you started out it. You play dive bars where you pack the place with friends and family, the bartenders know your name and the sound sucks but no one cares because you are a local sensation. The other road leads to places you have dreamed of playing, places like Vegas or a killer club packed with beautiful people and sound to die for! Do you play for those that love you or believe in yourself enough to know that you can win over a crowd that has never seen you? Do you kick the bar up a couple of notches or stay in the garage? If you were Lights, which road would you travel down?

The band answered these questions with a bang! Over the past couple of Saturdays they played two amazing shows! Their journey down the road to bigger and better things started with a trip across the desert. Past truckstops, rest stops and huge thermometers, the guys hit the road and headed to Henderson, Nevada. About 10 minutes outside of Vegas sits the gourgous Green Valley Resort and the Ovation Room. Not your local dive bar, the resort was beautiful and the club was one of the most incredible places I have seen the guys play in! Renovated with all digital sound and top notch video screens, it is a modern rock club supreme! The bar in the back opens into the casino so that the excitment of Vegas mixes with the energy of rock and roll to create an experience that is off the charts in energy!

Amidst the ching-ching-ching of slot machines, Lights rolled the dice and took full advantage of both sound and video by putting on a terrific show! This was Vegas, baby and the guys brought their "A" game. But it wasn't easy at first as Vegas crowds are notoriously laid back and hard to win over. The crowd started out small as the band treated them to great songs like "Any Way You Want It" and "Escape".

As often is the case with Lights, once people heard the music, they come in and become part of the excitement. On this evening, the music filtered out past the bar into the casino and was awesome enough to tear people away from those penny slots and nickle poker machines. No small feat but the guys in Lights are more than up to it! By the second set, the club was filled with Journey fans dancing to "Don't Stop Belivin" and "Lovin Touchin, Squeezin". Front man Juan Del Castillo pulls the crowd in with his magnetism and vocal ability. However its the one two punch of Jeff Vincent on keyboards and Jonny Papa on guitar, combined with the driving rhythm section made up of Casey McNerney and Michael Thompson that keep the crowd on their feet and dancing to the hits. These five guys perfom the complicated Journey melodies, harmonies and rhythms without a hitch. In fact, the talent of these guys was on full display in their solos! Michael gave the crowd a little "Hot For Teacher" mixed in with the Journey and Jonny wowed the crowd with his rapidly developing guitar skills. Even the man usually behind the keyboards got into the action as Jeff came out front and showed the crowd his rarely used guitar skills. Who knew the guy could rock out like that?

Lights took a gamble playing for a crowd that never heard them and it paid off big time! The crowd was buzzing after the show and can't wait for them to come back. But could the guys keep it up at this level? Could they continue to grow out of the bar band scene and into bigger, more sophisticated venues?

There is a crowd of people in Long Beach that can tell you Lights are more than ready to move on to the next big venue! Vault 350 is a beautiful club amidst the buzzing nightlife of Pine Street. The venue felt like a converted theater with the marquee out front and the huge stage! The place is spacious with lots of seating, big dance floor and even a balcony! Aside from atmosphere, the sound was amazing! Even up front you could hear guitar riffs and vocals where in most venues the fine nuances of the band get lost up front. And you weren't blown away by volume, which was nice.

None of that makes a damn bit of difference if the band doesn't bring it and boy, did Lights BRING IT to Long Beach Saturday. If Vegas got their "A" game, then Long Beach was given the "A++" game! The band was into this show no other show i've seen! It was clearly night where the energy of the crowd rocked the band as hard as they rocked back! The steady pounding rhythm section of Casey and Michael, along with guitarist Jonny and keyboardist Jeff is a musical combination that can't be be beat! Add to that foursome charismatic front man Juan and you have the makings of a show to remember!

The energy was cranked to 11 from the get go as the band opened with high-octane songs like "Escape" and "Anyway You Want It". Bassist Casey has said that he is most comfortable playing for energetic crowds that are into the show and it truly showed Saturday night. Casey, along with Michael, form a steady rhythm section that can pound the rhythm in songs like "Separate Ways" and then turn around and play groovin beats in songs like "I'll Be Alright Without You". The same flexablity also shows in the playing of guitarist Jonny Papa! His talent shines equally between rockers like "Be Good To Yourself" and ballads like "Faithfully". Jeff showed that he isn't just a keyboardist when he shares lead vocal duties with Juan on "Just The Same Way". And what band would be great without a magnetic front man? Juan isn't just a voice, he is an entertainer and draws the crowd in with his charm and talent like no other front man on the club circuit today.

Saturday night at Vault 350, like the Saturday in Nevada before it, was a resounding answer to the question of which road Lights wants to travel down. Shows like these two prove that this is a band that isn't going to be happy playing for beer money at the local dive. They want the premium shows in the best places and have the talent and drive to get there. Today Vegas and Long Beach, tomorrow.....who knows! The sky is the limit for this band but what I do know is it will be fun to take the journey along with them.....pun intended! :)

Another Venue, Another Weekend, Another Show!

In Rock and Roll, the live show is like a party! People gathered in one place, with a common goal in mind: to cut loose and have fun. Like any good party, at a good rock show you have many elements combining to make a great experience for all involved. Food, a well stocked bar, a fun crowd, those elements are important. But there are two elements that are above others in figuring out the success of the party!

There definitely has to be music and I will tell you about that later. But first there has to be a place for the party to happen. In rock, this is called the venue. The venue is the host of the party. One of the things that makes following Lights so much fun is that their venues are so varied in type and place. Case in point: the last couple of weeks saw Lights play two festivals in two completely different areas of Southern California, a Casino in the desert and their hometown stomping grounds (a bar).

We started off on a blazing hot day at the Strawberry Festival in Oxnard. This party was to celebrate all that is strawberry! From the unusual (Beer and nachos) to the ordinary (margaritas and pies) everything is strawberry. Once everyone got their fill of strawberry nachos and margaritas, festival goers settled in under the hot sun to see a hot band. Lights wowed the crowd with their amazing sound. Both adults and kids alike danced to songs like "Don't Stop Believin" and "Wheel in the Sky". I heard more than one person say they stopped to listen because they were Journey fans and Lights were the best they heard since they "saw Journey back in the day".

The following gig found the band at a venue as different from the Strawberry Festival as the weather. Instead of a hot day in a strawberry field in Oxnard, the band found themselves in rainy, chilly Indio at a casino in the desert. Fantasy Springs resort is a beautiful casino in the California desert. The band was set to play outside as part of the resorts "tribute fest", to kick off Memorial Day weekend. However, showers and tornado threats moved the party into the lounge inside. While the sound system left a lot to be desired, the band did their best to entertain the crowd and entertain they did. The lounge was packed and despite challenges with the sound, everyone danced and grooved to their Journey faves.

The following Monday brought the band back outside to a festival and easily their largest crowd ever! Fiesta Hermosa is Southern California's largest arts and crafts festival and is a party to celebrate the unofficial kickoff of summer, Memorial Day. With the stage located at the end of the pier, right off the beach, it is a wonderful place for a show! The weather cooperated as well. Not windy, not overly hot it was a beautiful day to be outside. About 2,000 other people thought so as well. When the band started to play, there was room to sit, room to walk around. By about 3 songs in, there wasn't an empty seat to be found, people were standing all along the walkways, sitting outside the restaurants and bars really enjoying the music! And it stayed that way for 3 hours! Even when the band took a break, no one left! By the end of the 3rd set, Lights gained many new fans.

So we had parties to celebrate Strawberrys and Memorial Day. This past weekend, we had the reunion party. Lights got their start in one of most popular rock clubs in the Valley, Paladinos. Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora wrote "Who Says You Can't Go Home" and Lights definitely take that to heart when they play Paladinos in front of the friends and family who have supported them all along the way. It's fun to see the band there as it gives them and their fans alike to catch up with one another, see people who can't make it to places like Indio or Oxnard. And Lights seem to crank it up a notch when they play at home. The energy level was off the charts and the sound awesome.

Ah yes, the music! No party is good without music. While all of these venues and shows were unique in their own way, the music was the one constant element making them all terrific. Be it in a strawberry field in the heat or a lounge inside because of the rain, the guys in Lights are so talented that the music transcends weather, travel, even sound issues. They turn any venue into a party with their energy and music. I especially love the new "I'll Be Alright Without You" but crowd favorites "Don't Stop Believin" and "Open Arms" get the crowds up and dancing no matter the place or the venue.

The party is where all the elements combine into a fun evening. When you have interesting venues and a band as wonderful as Lights, good times are had by all and the night is certainly guaranteed to be a party.

ARROWFEST!!

The drive up to Lake Arrowhead is beautiful and serene. During the 7000 foot climb you look around and notice how green it is, how tall the trees are, how you are leaving the craziness of civilization behind and are entering the calm peacefulness of mountain life. You roll down the window, take a deep breath, think "this is a great place to unwind, relax". I would bet one of the last things you are thinking of when you pull into quaint Lake Arrowhead Village is "what a great place for a rock show". The quiet beauty of Lake Arrowhead does not lend itself to rowdy rock and roll. Yet, every year Lake Arrowhead hosts a summer music festival with bands from all genres of music. Saturday night it was Lights turn and they made the most of it! Shortly after they hit the stage, the serene quiet getaway spot of Lake Arrowhead Village was transformed into a rock and roll party! This wasn't your usual rock and roll party. No dingy club, no groupies, no wee morning encores. It was a lakeside rock and roll party out among the trees with beautiful (not freezing) weather and fresh (not smoggy) air.

Like any party, there was music at this one and it was rocking! When the band hit the stage and opened with the high-energy "Escape", it didn't take long for people to come out of the shops and restaurants to hear what was going on. Once they heard the music, they stayed all evening. That can be attributed in no small part to the ability of lead singer Juan Del Castillo to captivate an audience. The ability to entertain and hold the interest of an audience is the mark of a great front man and Juan has been blessed with that gift in a big way! His amazing voice and its remarkable similarity to Steve Perry's are what draw people in but that voice along with his charisma and easy-going charm make him stand head and shoulders above the rest.

Even the best can't go at it alone and Juan is assisted in keeping the melody by Jeff Vincent. When you are playing the music of a band as loved as Journey, comparisons are inevitable. To that end, Jeff has some big shoes to fill in those of Jonathon Cain. During his solo Saturday night, Jeff proved he is more than capable in filling those shoes. Believe it or not, Jeff's ability to play those lush keyboard melodies Journey is known for isn't his only talent. He also shares vocals with Juan on "Just The Same Way" and definitely holds his own. That song has become a crowd favorite!

Jeff and Juan aren't the only vocalists in the band. In fact, one of the things that make Lights so unique is that all members of the band sing. "I'll Be Alright Without You" is one of Journey's more jazzy songs and a song that, I imagine, is not easy to pull off. Lead by the always steady and grooving rhythm section of Casey McNerney and Michael Thompson, this song highlights the bands incredible ability to harmonize! This is a new song for Lights and one of the many bright spots in the show!

Most parties have dancing and this one was no exception. With seating at a minimum, the space in front of the stage was transformed into a dance floor. Couples young and older were dancing to the ballads such as "Open Arms" and "Faithfully". Even the kids got into the action, jumping up and down and playing inflatable guitars to the rockers "Anyway You Want It" and the eternally popular "Don't Stop Believin". By the end of the third, yes third, set, very few were in the seats and the "dance floor" was packed! The band was more than obliging to their new friends on the mountain, playing favorites "Wheel in the Sky" and "Don't Stop Believin" again. The crowd loved it the second time more than the first!

Music and good times weren't the only way Lights made their mark on Lake Arrowhead.
After the show was over, the band hung out and took pictures or signed things for anyone that asked. This made quite the impression on Gilbert Acosta, an employee of the Village. He mentioned to the Street Team that many bands play at the annual music festival but none of them have the humility and kindness that the guys in Lights have. He mentioned that he never saw a band hang out and be so nice to the public like that. I overheard similar comments a couple of other times, and not just from the giggly girls who got their pictures taken with Juan! J Talent is one thing but when it can be backed up with a respect and love for the crowd, new fans are made and the long time fans come back show after show.

My friends, Saturday wasn't just another night in tranquil Lake Arrowhead. It was a rock and roll party that included dancing and a whole lot of fun! The night was made complete with the music of a group of talented musicians who truly love to play and respect who they play for. That is a combination that is hard to find but we fans are lucky we have it in a band called Lights.

Round 3

I am viewing my weight loss in rounds. Round one was the pre-emptive weight I took off with Weight Watchers. 27 pounds in 3 months. I needed to get that off to

Were You There The Night Lights Lit Up The Canyon Club?

I got up this morning and my roommate gave me the Calendar section of the LA Times, just like she does every morning. On the front page is an article about Prince wowing the crowd at The Coachella Music Festival. I put it into my purse to read later. I got into the car to drive to work and Mark and Brian were talking about Prince at Coachella and how quick the clips ended up on YouTube. My co-workers were all a buzz when I came in this morning about the same topic. All this talk about Prince wowing the crowd at one of the largest, most trend-setting music festivals got me to think about where he came from. When did he go from club musician in Minneapolis to mega star in the California desert?

Someday Lights fans will ask the same question. They will wonder when, where and how did the band go from the garage to being the best band out there. These questions can be answered for Lights fans today. When did it happen: Friday April 25, 2008. The location: The Canyon Club, Agoura Hills California. How did they do it: By putting on the most amazing show The Canyon Club has seen in a long time.

This was a night where everything just seemed right on target, starting with the venue! Nestled at the foot of Agoura Hills, The Canyon Club is known in the Valley as one of the premier places to play. Not just any band plays there. It holds more people than your average bar and with its warm atmosphere and friendly bar staff; people love to go there to see shows.

The next element was the crowd that came out Friday! They were primed and ready for a great show! All week long they were seeing MySpace bulletins and getting emails and phone calls from friends telling them how awesome this show was going to be! Wanting to see if the band would deliver on that promise, people turned out! The place was packed! All the tables were full and there was hardly room to breathe on the dance floor let alone move!

So we have a great venue and a pumped up crowd. Sounds like just another Lights show, right? Oh no, my friends! The band made sure that wasn't the case. From the first note of "Escape", the band came out playing like their lives depended on it. All through out the show, the guys played like a cohesive unit, every harmony dead on, every queue hit, not a note out of place!

This was the first show that put the members of the band in a spotlight all their own. Each of the three solos was special in its own way as every member of the band is talented. New member Michael showed what a powerful drummer he is. Keyboardist Jeff got the chance to come forward and show what a great keyboardist he is, something that doesn't always come through while playing in the background.

However, the solo that stuck out to me was from lead guitarist Jonny. I have always known he was talented but was never quite sure if he was serious. Did he want to just hang out and have a good time playing or did he want to make a bid at being the next Eddie Van Halen? By the sounds of his playing Friday, he is more than serious. Melodic and purposeful with incredible fretwork, Jonny's playing Friday brought to my mind a young Neal Schon back when he played with Santana. Jonny is just a little older than Neal was at the time so the possibilities are there for him to become so much more! That starts with the awesome solo he played Friday!

From start to finish, the band kept the energy high! The crowd was whipped into a frenzy early as the rockin music had them dancing and screaming and they stayed that way all night! Every crowd member has a favorite and with a 110 minute show, I would bet they were all played. From the powerful opener "Escape" to the fun closer "Oh Sherri", the fans sang along to every song. Some crowd members were there when Steve Perry sang them and then passed along there love of Journey to their kids. Both generations of fans came out to hear Lights recreate perfectly the songs they love so well, In fact during "Don't Stop Believin" the crowd was so loud I could clearly hear them and I was standing in front of the speaker!

Each band member did their best to make sure the crowd was having a great time and it didn't seem to difficult because the band themselves were having a blast!! Jonny and Juan played to the front rows and left all the ladies smiling while Michael entertained not only by keeping the beat but by twirling and throwing up his drumsticks like a pro. Casey and Jeff had smiles on their faces all night and their having a good time translated into the crowd having a good time.

So what was the difference between this Lights show and any other? The great venue, great crowd, amazing music are all staples of a Lights show and what fans expect. What was different was the guys obvious commitment to kicking things up a notch. They performed Friday night like a band that wants to take this to the next level, whatever and wherever that might be. From the looks and sounds of the show Friday night, they aren't going to stop at being just a good club band or a great tribute band. They want to be the best band out there, any time, any place. And when Lights fans think back to the show that started this to happening, they will all think of that Friday night at the Canyon Club. The lucky fans will be the ones able to say "I was there".

Not Just The Lakers Go "Back To Back"

Back to back shows. It is the true test for any band! Can they keep the energy up for two nights in a row, especially when one of them is a weeknight? Will the crowds turn out? Lights and their fans found that out this past weekend as the guys played shows Thursday and Friday nights.
The weekend started a night early this week, on Thursday night. For one weekend every April, Long Beach is turned into race fan central. It is this weekend that the city hosts its Grand Prix, which is kicked off by a downtown block party. In the middle of this party sits a parking lot. It is bordered by bars, apartment buildings and a well attended Hooters. It is dingy and on most days, it is full with the vehicles people paid good money to park there. For the Long Beach Grand Prix Kick Off, with a stage, some amps and great music, Lights transfixed Long Beach Grand Prix fans and turned the parking lot into a rock and roll party!

The party started before the guys officially hit the stage! During sound check, I noticed people congregating against the back wall. I wandered over to a couple who were walking their dog and stopped to listen. It turned out they lived in the apartment building close by and thought they heard Journey playing. So they came over to check it out! Same for the officers cruising by to make sure all was well. They liked what they were hearing so they stopped the car and got out for a listen. Turns out a couple of them are Journey fans and really liked what they were hearing. On the opposite end of the lot, three guys coming out of Hooters wandered over and asked what was going on. When told this was a band that plays Journey, one said, "Are they going to play Don't Stop Believing"?

When Lights hit the stage, they delivered what everyone wanted; giving the Long Beach race fans a great show! Juan, Jeff, Jonny and Casey were great as usual but it was new drummer Michael Thompson that really impressed me! With only one show with Lights under his belt, Michael did an amazing job of keeping the beat and helped the band get everyone moving and grooving! There were a lot of hands in the air, heads bopping up and down, people dancing! Walking around the crowd, I saw nothing but smiles! From "Anyway You Want It" to "Escape", by the looks on the faces in the ever-growing crowd, the band played the favorites of every one there! Yes, the band played "Don't Stop Believing" and had not only the man that was waiting for it but everyone else dancing and jumping up and down!

Playing a show outside is both a challenge and a benefit and the Lights guys rose to the occasion! The benefit of being outside is that people walking by can't help but hear the music and see the crowd having fun. Most of the people stuck around for a least a few songs if not the whole show! The music got people to stop to check out what was going on and energy of the crowd kept them around. I think the band turned Long Beach race fans into Lights fans!

No less than twenty-four hours later, the band was back in the familiar confines of the club, playing a show at the Quiet Cannon in Montebello! While the place was different, the show was no less energetic! Just like the race fans in Long Beach, the crowd in Montebello was smiling, dancing and having a great time! This was the bands second time at the club and the crowd was treated to all of their Journey favorites as well as the many talents of front man Juan Del Castillo. Juan had the crowd in hysterics with his Joe Pesci impression! Who knew he was quite the impressionist? Another highlight of the night was the song "Just The Same Way", which spotlights another multi-talented band member, Jeff! Swapping lead vocals with Juan, the song shows that Jeff isn't just a great keyboardist, he can sing as well!

So, there you have it! Back to back shows are no problem for this band! Fans from Long Beach to Montebello found out that a great time is what you can expect at a Lights show, no matter the situation. It doesn't matter whether the show is in a parking lot or in a club, on a weeknight or weekend, Lights deliver great music, high energy and a lot of fun!

What Makes A Good Band Great?

Whether they are seeing a band in a small club, a dive bar or a 15,000-seat arena, music fans hope for the same thing: magic! They are looking for the one night something different happens. They know they will hear the top 10 hits, the song that broke the band, the song that makes all the fans scream and throw their lighters, now cell phones, in the air. What they want to hear is the song that will make the night unforgettable. That one song that will have all the people that were there talking about it for a long time and those that were not there wondering why they picked that show to miss. Lights fans were treated to that experience at The OC Tavern. It started as a fun night and the fans were treated to all their Journey favorites! 'Wheel In The Sky', 'Just The Same Way' and the eternally popular 'Don't Stop Believin'.

Little did everyone know, the band saved the best for last. When they left the stage after another great performance, the crowd was left screaming for more! What would they come out and play? Escape? Patiently? Imagine the surprise when from behind the stage the crowd heard Juan singing the opening line of 'Oh Sherrie'! I feel it is safe to say the last thing expected was a Steve Perry solo tune but that is what we got. From the pounding bass line to the vocal harmonies, the band nailed it! Juan perfectly conveyed the heartache in the song and the band backed him up perfectly! The crowd was stunned but by the end of the first verse, I was seeing smiles and people singing along! Before this, the night was clicking along as usual! High energy, great music, good crowd! Another good Lights show, another fun crowd at the OC Tavern. After the encore, the night was no longer 'just another Lights show'. It became the first night the band played 'Oh Sherrie' and they played it well!

Something that makes the night special. These are the moments music fans wait for and I have seen many of them! Springsteen with his 'Devil In A Blue Dress' medley, U2 covering 'A Change Is Gonna Come', Bon Jovi opening at Giant's Stadium with Neil Young's 'Rockin In The Free World' to name a few. These are the experiences that make live music the magic that it can be. Lights proved Saturday at the OC Tavern that they can take a club show and turn it into something special. In my opinion, that is one of the things that make a good band great!

Not The Same Easter

It’s 10AM on Easter morning and I am sitting like I do every morning, blogging and drinking coffee. Instead of hymns in a church, I am sitting on the floor of my room listening to Matchbox 20 on my IPod. I am not thinking of the signifigance of the day, not even thinking of chocolate bunnies or marshmallow peeps. No, I am thinking of how I need to get to work by noon and how crazy things are going to be at PetSmart today. While I should be thinking of Christ rising after dying for my sins, I am thinking about keeping my back from hurting while crawling around playing with dogs all day! Sheesh, I am not even an "Easter/Christmas" Christian anymore! That’s sad!

Two years ago, this day would be the culmination of almost a month of preparation for the production I was in at Rocky Peak. "Jerusalem AD" was the recreation of the week leading up to the crucifixion and reserection of Jesus. It was musical, dramatic and the most incredible thing I have ever been a part of. We would do 2 performances a night for about a week and a half. Then after the last performance of 12 or so, as a member of the choir, I would spend Easter Weekend singing in 4-5 services. It was magical, wondrous, and while exhausting, uplifting and fullfilling.
As with much in life, things change. These changes led to our wonderful Worship Arts Pastor leaving for bigger and better things. That change led to the department being revamped and the choir being disbanded. It was that final change that led me to fall away. Yes, I know the church isn’t about one department, one ministry, or even the people. It’s about God. But that church no longer felt like home or felt comfortable. So I told myself I was looking for a church. I did...for awhile. But I didn’t put that much effort into it. Now it’s two years later and I am sitting at home on Easter blogging.

My question is can you life a decent life and still be a Christian? Sure the bible says to fellowship with other believers which points to the value of going to Church. But isn’t God everywhere? Wouldn’t He rather you live life being kind to others, not living in sin, trying to do the best you can than sit in the Church one Sunday a year and then live like you don’t care?

For my sake, I sure hope so because my heart is just not into Easter this year. Quite frankly, it snuck up on me. I think it’s because I don’t want to be a hippocrate. I am not going to send Easter greetings since I am not feeling it and I certainly am not going to buy into the commercialism of the whole thing either. So I am just going to go to work and play with the dogs of people that are going to church and hopefully, are getting the message. For me, maybe next year.

Matchbox Rocks Staples

The year was 1996 and I was sharing a house with Ronda and her family! I was temping at Disney with no permanent job prospects in sight. I was in the kitchen deep in my usual routine of coffee and Mark and Brian. I remember Brian going on about this song that he couldn’t get out of his head. A song called "Push". They played it and it stuck in my head all day as well. I had to hear more from this band so I went to Target and got the CD. I was excited to find that every single, solitary song was amazing! It was just what I needed to escape from the craziness and uncertainty of my life. Very few people had heard of the band and I couldn’t understand why! I remember telling everyone I could to check them out! This CD was the most incredible music I had heard in a long time! It was the only CD in my player for months! Just as I thought music was doomed to grunge hell, here comes the most melodic, well written rock in years! The CD was "Yourself Or Someone Like You". The band? Matchbox 20!

I was thinking back to that morning last Sunday while sitting in my seat at Staples waiting for MB20 to come on stage! In that crowd of thousands, I felt a little pride in knowing I was there from the beginning. Oddly enough in the 11 years I have been a fan, I had never seen the band live. I sat thre wondering if their immense talent translated into an energetic, entertaining live show. It would have to as, truthfully, my heart wasn’t into being there. I had just come off a 7 hour drive from up North and I was dead tired.

The lights go down, a countdown clock above the stage starts counting down and at 0, the band comes on to the drumbeat of "How Far We’ve Come", an amazing opening to what was 2 solid hours of music! Rob said that the doors of the arena would be locked and for all of to forget what was going on outside and focus on the music. Easy to do because I can not thing of a song I wanted them to play that they didn’t. Songs like "Hang" and "The Difference", two of my favorites, were pleasant surprises! A highlight of the show was when, in the middle of "Bright Lights", the band seamlessly went right into "She Came In Through The Bathroom Window", with guitarist Kyle and Paul taking turns on vocals! Amazing! I would be lying if I said that I didn’t jump up and down like a fool when Rob dedicated "Long Day" to "all of you that have been there since the beginning". That’s me! WAHOO! :) Rob is a funny and very endearing frontman! Incredibly talented and not hard on the eyes! One of the best songwriters of the last decade! But I must admit, as great of a time I had been having, I was a little worried during the encore. My favorite song hadn’t been played even though it was their breakout hit. Would they leave it out? Of course not! "Push" was the last song of the night and I left with a huge smile on my face!

Talented, energetic, awesome! I loved this show and can’t wait until their new album!

On The Road With Lights

There is comfort in becoming familiar with your favorite band. You see them play in familiar places among familiar faces. You become familiar with the set list and know what songs they are going to play before they do. If you are lucky enough to follow a great band, this familiarity leads to an expectation that every time you walk into a club to see them you are going to hear great music and have a good night.

While comfort in anything is not necessarily bad, it is interesting to see what happens when the familiar becomes unfamiliar. What would happen if you shook things up and added an unknown element to what is known. What would happen if you took the band you know and love, have them travel 450 miles up the state and ask them to play for a crowd that has never seen them play? Would they still be as great as they are at home among the faithful crowds they always play for? Would they be able to deliver the same high-energy show? On Friday, Lights were put to that very test. The band traveled up to Chico, California, a small college town about an hour north of Sacramento to play at LaSalle’s. I decided to go up there to see if what was wonderful in L.A. would be equally as wonderful elsewhere.

The excitement in the air was noticeable the minute I was close enough to hear a local radio station. KFM had been promoting the show all week and hearing the band talked about on the radio is something that is unfamiliar to me but very cool! The excitement continued to build when the crowd started to filter into LaSalle’s. People seem to have an attitude of "ok, we hear you are good, prove it". Journey, a San Francisco based band, have a very devoted following in Northern California. Claudia, a Journey fan, had spent the weekend before in San Francisco seeing a local Journey tribute band that was "good " and came to LaSalle’s to see if Lights could compare. Raymond, a Journey fan from the days when Greg Rollie was the singer, was skeptical as well. While I listened to the chatter going on around me, I smiled knowing what a great show this crowd was in for. Being familiar with the band gave me an advantage over the locals: I knew the band was definitely up to the challenge of quieting the skeptics!

I was not wrong. By the time the band hit the stage the excitement was off the charts! It was the first night of spring break and Chico was ready to party, leaving it to Lights to provide the soundtrack. What a soundtrack! Venturing away from the great opener "Escape", the band got the party started with "Wheel in the Sky" This was followed by the one-two punch of "Anyway You Want It" and "Stone In Love" and before long the floor in front of the band was packed wall to wall with people, dancing and singing at the top of their lungs! In fact, the crowd sung louder than the band at many points, even during the ballads "Mother, Father" and "Open Arms".
It became evident that the band loved the crowd right back! They looked relaxed and were clearly having as much fun as the crowd! Charismatic front man Juan cranked up the mojo to 11 and the women in the front row loved it! One got even closer than the front row! During "Lovin, Touchin, Squeezin", lucky contest winner Jessica sang Journey on the radio for the chance to come up on stage and have Juan sing that to her personally! The rest of the band kicked it up a few notches as well. Jonny’s guitar solos were blistering and of course every girl in the first couple of rows thought he was playing just to them. Berto steadly kept the beat and played with a fire I have not seen before. Casey? The energy of the crowd fired him up to the point that he broke a string! A first in Lights history! Even Jon, filling in on boards for Jeff, got in some licks that just added something special. All five guys really looked like they were having a blast and threw the energy given to them by the crowd right back out to them.

By the time the band came back for their second set, the energy level was at a fever pitch! During "Don’t Stop Believing" people were up on each others shoulders and a couple of them were crowd surfing! No one wanted the night to end and when it looked like it might, the crowd started chanting for "Wheel in the Sky". Maybe everyone was so excited, they did not realize it was the song the band opened with 2 hours earlier. Always a band for the fans, the guys obliged and played the song again, this time with the volume of the crowd turned up to 15! It was an amazing end to what was hands down the best Lights show I have ever seen!

After the show, I stood and took in the atmosphere. The crowd was smiling and buzzing! I wondered if they knew, like I did, that they had just witnessed something special. Sure, the Chico fans have no other shows to compare this one to but did they know just how good that show was? I did want to know what they thought. So I went back to ask those two people I had talked to before the show. Remember Claudia, the skeptical fan who was comparing Journey tribute bands? She ran up to me after the show, shouting "Oh My God!" She was amazed! She was not old enough to have seen Journey with Steve Perry. However, she closed her eyes during the Lights show and feels she knows what it was like to see Journey back in the day. Raymond, the long time Journey fan, was so impressed he left during the second set to go home to get his two young sons so that they could stand outside the door to hear what their dad was raving about. He said that he wanted his sons to get "as close to the classic Journey" as they could and that "Lights were it"! He even asked the band to pose for pictures with him and his family! Jessica, the contest winner was still giggling with her girlfriends over Juan singing to her when I saw her hour and a half after the fact! The Barista at the Starbucks across the street was talking about the show the next morning, stating he went out on his break to listen and wished he had taken off to go over to hear from the inside! Lights certainly made an impression on those that were there and left the crowd talking in excited anticipation about when the band would be back.

What happens when you take the familiar and add the unfamiliar? Would it be as good as you expect it to be or even better? Would the newbies know just what they are witnessing? In the case of Lights and the town of Chico, you have one amazing band and one great night that was well worth the 7-hour drive. The people at LaSalle’s have found their new favorite band and hopefully will become as familiar with them as I am. That is definitely a good thing!

The Makings Of A Great Night!

In L.A., there are many bands out there. On any given weekend, in any given bar or club, there will be a band playing, people dancing, drinks pouring. But what makes that same experience unique? Is it the alcohol? Is it the bar itself or the staff?

I think the band is the variable that can make all the difference in whether it's another Saturday at your local dive or a night that it is special Well, let's see: there are bands that practice, have the music thing down pat and are happy just to play. Then there are bands that use the live show to really connect with their audience. When both those elements combine, the shows are exciting, the air is electric and every member of the crowd feels like the band is playing just to them. The band and the audience connect and both feel like they are part of the experience. When you have a band that cares about its audience and is on its game, the night is interactive, exciting and you want to experience it again and again.

It is the previous sentence that perfectly describes the band Lights! Lights are five excellent musicians with a passion not only for the legacy of Journey and for music in general but also for their audience. While their talent speaks for itself, it's the rapport these musicians have with their audience that keeps the die-hards coming back for more and bringing their friends! The fun they have onstage with each other spills out into the audience and we can't help but have fun too! The cool thing is they are great off stage as well! None of the guys seem to take any of this for granted and can be seen hanging out after the show, talking to people, thanking them for coming out! They are nice guys as well as talented musicians and this translates into a good night all around. It's easy to support a band that appreciates their audience and Lights is a band that truly is thankful for where they are and who got them there!

So what do you have to lose? Check the calendar on the front of this page, pick a night and join in the fun! Whether it's your first show or your 20th, you will have fun, hear amazing music and get to hang out with a bunch of great people! That sounds like the makings of a great night!

Crime Doesn't Pay

There are mornings that go smoothly. You hit little traffic, no one in the drive thru at Starbucks, your 9AM that you aren't ready for is cancelled, GREAT mornings!

That was yesterday! This is today. A morning that was f'd up from the start. It started with the timer on the coffee pot not going off at 6! When I finally stumbled downstairs to hit it manually, the filter plugged up and I ended up with coffee overflowing all over the kitchen. That's when I should have just gone back to bed. But no, I continue on to the Chatsworth Courthouse where I have to show proof of registration on my car! Yes, I got a fix it ticket about 5 months ago and today is the last day I have to take care of it. So the website says Courthouse opens at 8:30. I leave my house at 8:30 since I live across the street. I figure i'll get there when it opens so I won't have to wait in some ridiculously long line. HAHAHA! I get there and there is a sign on the door that says Courthouse opens at 8! Damn! Of course, at 8:35 the line is insane! I didn't have time to wait as I have a meeting at 10! But I wait....and wait....Blackberry with NO signal....45 freakin minutes. I finally get up to the window at 9:20 and i'm told I have a court appearance scheduled for 1:30!! WTF??? All I did was go online to extend the date of my ticket! Well, in doing that I scheduled a court appearance by mistake! Shit! Can't they just delete it, look at my registration and send me on my merry way? Of course not! If I don't keep the 1:30p appointment, there will be a bench warrant for my arrest! OMG!! I am now so upset I am ready to cry. The clerk calls a supervisor to tell me basically what she told me and while I wait another FIFTEEN minutes, I call my roommate to talk me off the ledge! If I would have had a gun ....well, lets just say I understand the term "going postal"! Tempers, frustration and weapons don't mix, that's why I won't come near anything that can do bodily harm to another! I also know the Superior Court isn't the place to go ballistic especially when no one I know can afford to bail me out of jail!

Finally the supervisor comes over and calmly explains what the clerk told me, I ask him if kicking and screaming would get me anywhere, and he said "only somewhere that requires handcuffs". I resisted the urge to make the comment that was at the forefront of my mind, the product of years of hanging out with musicians and chuckled. I knew when I was beat and thanked him! While outside calling my boss to tell her not only would I miss the meeting but had little hope of making it into the office at all, the supervisor came out and asked me to come with him! I was hoping he wasn't going to show me where handcuffs were required .....it is Chatsworth after all! Nope, nothing lewd! He was taking me down to the courtroom and in 10 minutes, had my ticket dismissed! I went upstairs, waited another 30 minutes to pay $10 and I was done!
Lessons learned during one of the most frustrating mornings in my recent memory: 1) Temper gets you NO where and 2) PAY REGISTRATION ON TIME!!!

It's noon! So far, I've been at work and there is no drama. I am going straight home from here, hug my dogs, watch Lost and wake up tomorrow, Friday, looking forward to a weekend at home! Yippee!

Damn You, Jon Bon Jovi!

The news spread like wildfire among my friends. Jon Bon Jovi states he isn't taking the band on the road this summer due to the economy! Crap! That means no trip to NY for me and the girls. No hours spent lost on the turnpike, no swearing at non english speaking front desk clerks who can't give us directions. No expensive air fare bought, no running up the credit card bill so high it takes me the two years between tours to pay it off!

It isn't the shows i'll miss. Those will be primarily the same shows I see here in my backyard (FOUR times this tour). Nope, it isn't drooling over Richie and laughing at Jon i'll miss nor is it seeing my favorite band in their hometown!

What I am going to miss is the chance we take every 3 years to get together: friends that met over Bon Jovi and stayed friends for years, some of us friends for decades! We are from Northern Cali, Southern Cali, Chicago, Georgia, NJ, NY! We travel together or just meet up when we are there! We all met online while discussing our fave band on Captain Crash and stayed friends despite the sites demise! Jovi brought us together but we have stayed friends despite distance and the craziness of life! We may not see each other or talk much between tours but once that band announces those NJ shows, it's business as usual! We all know that despite protests to the contrary ("I hate this trip...this is my last time, I swear"), we all will meet up every 2-3 years in NJ!

Now I hear there isn't going to be Giant's Stadium shows this summer! I'm not upset about not going into debt or taking vacation time I haven't accrued yet. I am upset about missing the chance to catch up with my friends! Wonder if Jon thinks of the true impact to the fans while going down the elevator from his multi-million dollar Manhattan penthouse apartment that's bigger than my house! I doubt it!

250 Million Reasons To Spend 5 Bucks!

It has become a part of corporate culture and is a part of what binds employees together! It carries with it the promise of retirement, travel, kids education, whatever the recipients desire. It is the department lotto pool and I have definite ideas of how I would spend my cut.

This is the exciting time, when there is actually a possibility of being a multi-millionare! It is the time where you actually start thinking of what you would do, who's life you would help change. The fun part of playing the lottery is the dreaming, the scheaming.

I would do the usual: pay off debt, buy a new car, maybe finally get an IPod. I would then travel to experience what I have always wanted to experience: learn to surf on Kanapali Beach in Hawaii, learn to ski in Aspen, climb the harbor bridge in Sydney, go to the Hockey Hall Of Fame in Toronto and the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame in Cleveland, stay in Manhattan and see a play on Broadway.

What excites me though is not material stuff. What's exciting to me is helping people out. I would help my musician friends follow their dreams. I would pay the bills for a year so they could take a year off devote time to music, to songwriting and not to working the nine to five. I would donate not only money but time to my two favorite organizations: Special Olympics and Pet Orphans! I would give friends and family what they need: bills paid, homes and cars bought, whatever! That to me is as exciting as the propect of following Bon Jovi to every city they play....ok, almost as exciting!

Yep, tonight I have part of 50 chances to win part of 270 million dollars. All it takes is one. One chance to make my dreams and some of the dreams of my friends and family come true. That is exciting!

I Can't Believe I Am Watching Idol!!

I am convinced this show is sent straight from Hell.....and yet tonight I find myself watching. Of course I am talking about the show that is helping dumb down America...American Idol! I am watching this and feel like a trader to all my talented musician friends who can't catch a break while this damn show is manufacturing pop stars! I have hours of far more superiour Television on the DVR...shows that talented people actually wrote....shit, I still have the last episode of "Heroes" and two hours of "Chuck" to watch! And here I am watching the show that I swear will eventually kill music as we know it! Why? Because my roommate and I almost fell over when on "Access Hollywood" they showed some gourgous dude who's a contestant! Crap! I can be bought, it's sad! Money, a pretty face...I have all kinds of prices!

1 hour in and it isn't that bad. They did show some guy auditioning with a Jovi song and these guys are actually quite good. And there is a rocker or two. After all, this crap show did produce "Daughtry" although America prefered that Taylor Hicks. Who? Exactly! I should probably tune in to see the cutie while I can because chances are he won't stick around, regardless of if he wins this thing or not!

Thoughts On Love And Valentine's Day

I woke up today to start the day with an outpouring of love like many of my friends did. I was greeted by a "knock" at my door (actually a scratch) which was followed by an outpouring of "kisses" (actually licks). There is no doubt in my mind that this love is unconditional and given freely without any expectation in return. Its not given because Hallmark says it should be. In fact, it is given every time I walk through the door and every time I ask for it. It is often given when I don't ask for but need it more than anything. I give him all the love I have in the world and would give more if humanly possible. Should this love be viewed as any different because it comes from my amazing Rottweiler, Thor and not from a spouse or boyfriend?

It is so easy for a single person to view Valentine's Day with bitterness, scorn, unhappiness. It is common for us singles to look down on the day as a overly commercial "Hallmark" holiday. I have been there many ...most....years and started down that road to cynicisim this year. However, in keeping with my new found positive outlook, I decided this year to not dwell on what I don't have, but what I do. Yes, I don't have a boyfriend but that doesn't mean I am not surrounded by love!

I have two dogs that love me more that anything except empty water bottles and trash digging! I have amazing friends that love me in spite of all they know about me! So I don't have a boyfriend....right now! I am choosing today to celebrate the possiblity of love and the fact that it is all around even us single people. We just need to get out of the rut of being jaded and bitter and open our eyes to it in all it's forms. That way, when the right guy comes along, we will know it. I am sure in my case he will be walking a dog while listening to Bon Jovi on his Ipod and drinking a latte. A girl can dream, can't she?

An Invite To THE Mansion!

My friends and their band have an opportunity that doesn't come around that often. In fact, for most of us it doesn't come around at all. It's an opportunity that has sparked some interesting discussions between friends of both sexes. My friends have been asked to play the Playboy Mansion. Yep, Hef's place! Half naked women, The Grotto, pajamas. My first reaction when I heard was "How cool? Not a lot of people can say they have been to "the mansion", yet alone perform there". I didn't think, initially, about all the mansion is perceived to represent: the sex, the objectifying of women, the debauchery. It wasn't until some of us started talking that I realized that my reaction was not really in the norm among my female friends. Oh....did I tell you the date of my friends big gig? Valentine's Day.

Women in our circle of friends say "Hell no, not on Valentine's Day, not at all". The guys say "What can I do to go? Carry equiptment? Whatever it takes". This started me to think: Why is the Playboy Mansion threatning to us as women? Is it what happens there or the woman that work there?

I was asked if given the opportunity, which thankfully I wasn't, would I go? As a person who loves new experiences, especially those that are unique, I would! But then after thinking about it I wondered how I would feel once I got there. Me....the born again Christian who is slipping off the virtuous wagon! The overweight woman who wouldn't fit into a bunny costume if she didn't eat for a year, that's me! What would someone like me be doing at the mansion?
That's when it dawned on me: the bunnies at the mansion are like standing in front of one of those mirrors at the fair. You know the ones, the mirrors that distort how we look, make us look humongous when we aren't. That to me is what I think of when I compare myself to a Playboy Bunny! They are young, fit, gourgous....all the things I am not! But should that be a reflection of me? I could be things that they aren't: smart and funny. That's not to say that the bunnies are dumb, that would be falling into the stereotype! But women, bunnies or not, need to be so much more than boobs and a tight outfit. Sure, you might have a great view but what happens when the view gets old, literally and figuratively?

In my opinion, women need to get over being about what they look like, myself included! We need to feel comfortable with who we are, what we are and to stop comparing ourselves to an unobtainable ideal, be it supermodel, actress, playboy bunny! If I had a boyfriend that wanted to go to the mansion, I would say GO! Have that experience that not many have, look and drool all you want as long as that is all you are doing! As long as he comes home and appreciates me and all I am, I am ok with that! Just as long as this experience isn't taking place on Valentines Day!

Lights Make The Party Happen At Paladinos!

Shan and I go to Paladinos quite often. We have both always have friends in bands and it's a right of passage of sorts for a rock/tribute band to play there. In the Valley it's legendary. If you are in a band or know someone who is, there is a 99% chance you have been to Paladinos. It is a place with character but it is not the lounge at the Four Seasons or even the Canyon Club. It's a dive. Bar, pool tables, stage. Not much else. You walk into the door and you know marriages have been made and broken at that place, most likely in the bathrooms or parking lot! Shan and I get ready for a night there, find ourselves in nothing more than what we would wear to a hockey game and say "it's just Paladinos", Rockers and those that love them, though, can't stay away from the place.

Saturday night when walking out of Paladinos I felt different than any other night I had been there. I felt that I had just heard, just witnessed something special. Sure a few bands played, sure I have friends in one of them but this night the closing band blew the doors off the place and the dive rocker bar felt more like an electrified arena. The band? Lights: The Premier Tribute To Journey.

Lights consists of Berto Zepeda (drums), Casey McNerney (bass), Jeff Vincent (keyboards, vocals), Jonny Papa (lead guitar, vocals),and Juan Del Castillo (Lead Vocals). Five very talented musicians who love the music of Journey. No costumes or wigs. No tux jacket for Juan a la Steve Perry and Jonny doesn't wear an afro to look like Neal Schon. By definition, Lights are a tribute band, But this is one band who's talent exceeds that definition.

On Saturday night at Paladino's that talent combined with energy off the charts created a show that had the band and crowd rockin! With Jonny's blazing guitar and Juan's soaring vocals, the band opened with "Escape" and that got the crowd going in a hurry! One of my favorite drum riffs is at the end of the bridge of that song and Berto nailed it! He and Casey are the backbeat of the band and they do it well!

The energy level stayed high as the band played songs from all Journey eras. The classic Journey is represented with hits like "Lights", "Lovin Touchin Squeezin" and the crowd pleasing "Any Way You Want It" "Just The Same Way" is a personal favorite, highlighting the vocal talent of Jeff and Juan! Journey's mega-popular "Escape" is not forgotten with songs like "Stone In Love" and "Who's Cryin Now", and of course, "Don't Stop Believin", which as the closer had the crowd to a man singing at the top of their lungs! The "Raised On Radio" era gave us "Be Good To Yourself" and "Ask The Lonely" and its these songs that highlight what to me is the strength of "Lights". They all sing and do it well! One of the drawing points of Journey is their harmonies and the guys in "Lights" nail that time and time again! You can have a band of good musicans, and a band of good singers. To have five guys that can play and sing, that's amazing! That is Journey and it is Lights!

I know that those of you that know me (and know me well) are waiting for the verdict on the guitarist. You know there is one! :) Here is the thing: what's scary about Jonny is that he is 24 years old and can only get better! He is a very good guitarist now and sounds better with every show! I am not throwing that praise around lightly since this guitar girl's love of the instrument and player started with Neil Schon back in '79!(Sure I was only 1, but still....LOL) Honestly, from the rockin "Separate Ways" to the melodic "Only The Young", Jonny gets it! He rocks!

You can have great music and a bummer show if the crowd isn't into it. Not the case Saturday. What made this particular show was the crowd. The band views Paladino's as their "home turf" and the fans never disappoint them there! When Lights play, the crowd gets bigger by the end of the night, not smaller. Newbies, longtimers, friends, family! The crowd was mixed with fans that saw Journey on the Escape tour, fans that have parents that are Journey fans and those that became familar after watching "The Sopranos". Everyone was on their feet and singing along with every song from the opening note of "Escape" to the final note of "Party's Over"!

It is a rare night when the band and audience connect as one. For this band and their fans, this was the night! I walked out of the club Sunday morning feeling like I witnessed something special, something more than "just Paladinos". This could be the start of something big for these guys and the skys the limit! I envision looking back at this show and saying " remember THAT night at Paladinos...." :) If you want to get in on the ground floor of something special go to http://www.lightsband.com/ to see where/when they are playing next or keep an eye on my page. You won't be disappointed!
:)

First Day Of Rest Of Life....AGAIN!!!

I have been feeling funky lately and couldn't figure out why! Not necessarily feeling down or wallowing in self-pity but just thinking that I am not good at my job, not going to ever "get a man", going to live the rest of my life as "the dog lady". Last night, I discovered that if I don't change those thoughts, that is exactly what will happen!

I am cleaning out my DVR and come across an Oprah episode I hadn't watched. On this show, the discussion was on "The Secret" and how to actually put it into practice. "The Secret", "The Law of Attraction", "Power Of Positive Thinking", this is the theory that your thoughts genererate energy and that they create the actions you take. It isn't a new theory, it's been around for centuries. Yet when a easy read book was written a year or so ago and Oprah gave it her stamp of approval, it became part of the current cultural landscape. The theory that thoughts are energy and like energy attracts the same now has a name, a book and a celebrity endorsement!

It is much easier to get caught up in the negative thinking! Some of us are just wired to automatically think positive but a lot of us aren't! At the very least, thinking positive improves your mood and the moods of those around you because you can't be bitchy if you are thinking positive! Logically then, your actions follow your thoughts. If you are thinking that you are worthy of a good man, then you aren't likely to be truckin around in your baggy college sweatshirt and raggy sweats! If you are thinking you are good at your job, your confidence and abilities will reflect that, it's just logical!

Before you roll your eyes, let me tell you what happened to me last August. I decided that I was absolutely miserable at the customer service job I had at 21st Century and decided I wanted to be in a new job by Labor Day. So I posted my resume on Monster and kept thinking about that Labor Day deadline. Within a week and a half i got a call from a sound company wanting to schedule an interview the next day. I went to the interview and walked out of there thinking "this job is mine". That was at 11AM. At 4:15 that afternoon I had my job offer. Not only was I out of the miserable job I had, but I was back in the Entertainment Industry where I always wanted to be. The start date of the new job? September 4th, day after Labor Day!

Today is the first day of the rest of my life and my new outlook on life. A positive outlook. I am making my lists, affirmations, and vision board. There is no harm in trying this and I have already experienced it's power once. We all deserve nothing better than the best and I am going to set out today to get it!

Almost Better Than A U2 Show Itself!!

Britney and her meltdown, evil paprazzi, pregnant 15 year old stars of kids TV shows, celebs either driving drunk or slamming races/sexual orientations not their own, writers striking for what the public perceives to be only four cents, there is little wonder the Entertainment Industry tends to be looked down on lately. I used to look for opportunities to tell people I work in Entertainment but stopped when their reactions moved from amazement to pity. Last night I experienced something so amazing, so visually and aurally stunning that I wanted to shout it from the aisles that I work in the industry that would produce such a piece of cinematic art.

U2-3D is more than just a concert film, it's a film experience! For 1 1/2 hours you are transported from the theatre to the front row of a packed stadium! From the opening shots of people running to get into the stadium, to the closing shot of the bands heartfelt thank you to the audience, this film is a close to a U2 concert experience as you will get without mortgaging your house for tickets. In fact, it's better! Filmed in Argentina among what has to be at least 100, 000 people, the film captures the visual artistry of a U2 show! The camera shots from both the audience angle and stage put the viewer right in the front row. The 3-D and Imax elements don't put the band in the viewers lap, but they put the viewer in the audience or onstage. You forget you are watching a film.The incredible 5.1 surround sound (shout out to my pals at DTS....you guys outdid yourselves) is clear and highlights the musically amazing talents of the band.

What is so special about U2 is their heart and passion, not only for their music but for the world in general. What is so incredible about a U2 live show is that the heart and passion of the band spill over into the audience and creates this energy that transcends the stadium and just uplifts the souls and hearts of everyone there! This film captures that feeling for all involved: band, audience, viewer! I almost lept out of my seat a few times to dance, scream, cheer! I know on "Sometimes You Can't Make It", I started to tear up! This film does not leave out the most important part of U2: the heart of the music!

Because I work in the industry, I am jaded. It takes a lot to get me this excited and passionate about a film or music project. To have both mediums combined into this incredible experience is awesome! If you are a longtime U2 fan, a casual listener or fan of film or music, get yourself to this movie! You won't regret it!

Frustration1

When I took this job last September, I thought I was the luckiest person on earth. I posted my resume on Monster, got a call from this company in a week, had the interview the next day and the job a few hours later! I thought it was going to be the job I always wanted, simular to the one I had at Health Net but in the always exciting world of Entertainment Technology. I couldn't believe it!

I finally feel like I am getting the hang of this job but this week has been a tough one. The boss is in Ireland and I am the one "in charge" sort of. Well, on top of little mistakes and things not getting done quick enough to peoples satisfaction, I found out that I have been sending out the wrong type of contract for months! Crap!

I know I am have a tendency to be too hard on myself but is that what this is? I have to keep in mind I have only been at this 4 months. I had two days, just two, to learn a job that is extremely detailed and while not complicated, a little difficult. I do not have a legal background and I am drafting contracts. I don't have a technological background but have to explain our Surround Sound Technology to potential licensees. But my boss, who was just promoted to director on her 30th birthday, must have seen something on my resume right? If that's the case than why am I magnifying every little mistake and gripe from my Market Managers to the point where I am losing sleep?

I think more than anything, I hate feeling stupid in any aspect of my life and worse, I don't like thinking other people think i'm an idiot. I know I am intellegent but this job isn't making me feel like it! Reviews are coming up, i'll see what happens then. But I don't like thinking that I am going to come in and get fired, which I am sure I won't, but I hate feeling like it!

I need a drink! Tequila shots anyone!

Here's To You, Mrs. Robinson!

You hear it all the time, especially after you hit 40. "Age is just a number" or "You are only as old as you feel". Is it really?

I was confronted with this question at the most unlikely but yet likely place, a bar! There I was in the bar, out to support my friends band, when suddenly I was surround by the breed known as "The Cougar". The Cougar, the cultural phenomenon of a older woman out for a much younger guy! Teased hair, shirts cut down to there with silicone to spare and that look in their eye. A little inebriated, out to have fun, they spotted their prey and went all out! Their target? The lucky guitarist was the man! Cute, talented, all of 24 years old! They were all over him like he was the last man on the planet. It didn't seem to be the first time for this experience on either side of the conquest! A cute, 24-year old guitarist, are you kidding me? A Cougars dream to be sure and all parties involved were workin it with all they had!

I found myself rolling my eyes! This is the stuff I tease my girlfriend about! She's been waiving her Cougar flag loud and proud for a couple of years! I didn't want any part of it! What would I have in common with a young guy? I am not a gamer or thin, hot blonde, two of the only things I thought the under 35 male was interested in. It dawned on me that those assumptions about the young guy are just as bad as someone assuming that I am dull and boring because I am over 40!

So, while the entertainment value in observing the guitar player and the Cougars was off the charts (bordering on voyerism, actually) it begs the question: Why the hell not? Who said we have to act our age in place of having fun? Who says having fun is immature, irresponsible? Because I believe that age is just a number, am I a cougar? Do I have to have a label? Why does having a personal connection with someone have to fit within an age bracket?

Look, I have never really hung out with guys my own age and most my friends are younger! It seems the 40+ guys are either married with kids or divorced with them. They have mortgages, bills, companies they own, responsibilities. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with a responsible guy of any age, one that has goals, is self-motivated, knows who he is! However, give me someone who has some of those qualities but with a carefree attitude! Someone who isn't weighted down with the weight of bad experiences! Someone who can be impulsive and still responsible! I don't want the dude sitting around, playing video games and watching pay-per-view in lieu of working. I want someone fun to hang with, who can still laugh at life, who is young enough not to be jaded or bitter.To this Cougar, that is the appeal of the younger guy! Well, that and it's been said they have stamina and energy to burn! All that Red Bull! :)

Before you flame me, I know that there are exceptions to every rule. Yes, I do know that there arguments to be made on both sides of this equation. I am just saying that it's worth exploring! Besides, it has been acceptable since the beginning of time for men to go for younger women.

With that in mind, I say sisters, go for it!! The double standard has to stop! If you are lucky to find a connection with anyone on any level, why let a little thing like age be a deal breaker just because society frowns on it? Lucky for us, Dr. Phil and Demi Moore have stamped the Cougar phenomenon with their approval so its more acceptable than ever! Cher has been in the Cougar Hall of Fame for decades! If younger guys, are your thing, follow their lead: Go for it!