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Friday, August 27, 2010

What A Night For "Promises, Promises"!

On a whim, I "splurged" and procured for myself a seat to see, well mainly, Krisitin Chenoweth in "Promise, Promises" at the Broadway Theatre this past week.
I am both a fan of Kristin's (since discovering her from "Wicked") and the tunes of Burt Bacharach/Hal David.  To hear them both at the same time was indeed a treat for me!

Of course, a trip to the stage door after the show was in order!  Something that is so easy to do on Broadway since the venues' stage doors spill right out onto the street.  Now, here's a tip (and reminder for me next time) if you want to do the same for an autograph:

Get by the back-stage door earlier right after the show and get right up against the barricade.  I was approximately 2 & 1/2 people behind (not far at all actually).  I was close enough to see Kristin's gracious, smiling face and her perfectly crafted eyebrows, but not close enough for her to reach my Playbill for a quick black-sharpie squiggle of acknowledgement and thanks.

Now I could have been rude and lowered it into the faces of fans in front of me, but that didn't seem right.  And Kristin is quite tiny and I supposed reaching up would have been a little difficult and, quite possibly, a little unsafe for her.  So a gaze upon her presence amidst the hoopla that goes with it will have to suffice.

She signed just enough momentos before being whisked away in a black Audi sedan which sequence of events went like this:

1. All the actors, ensemble, main characters (Sean Hayes being one of them - but hey, I'm a guy, and Kristien's better lookin') exit the theatre.

SIDE NOTE: It's interesting, maybe a little sad, that the amazingly talented ensemble players just kind of saunter out one-by-one in their sweats or whatever street clothes and everyone pretty much just watches them walk out into the late-night NYC city streets.

2. Tall serious-looking guy enters black Audi parked in front of the stage door and starts car, lights on, and goes back into the theatre back-stage door.

3. Out comes KC to fan cheers, with said body guard and another guy carrying her small dog who stands by the car in waiting while she proceeds to sign various sized paper and cardstock items.


There she is next to bodyguard with assistant in background holding her Maltese, "Maddie"




4. Then off she goes "whisked away in a black Audi sedan."


So there you have it.  An inspiring night at the theatre for me!  On broadway, no less!

Next thing on my list,  buy the soundtrack.


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Sunday, August 15, 2010

My Adventures in New York City - 2009



A fast-paced slide show of my visit to NYC in the Summer of 2009. I've already been again (2010) so guess I'm a little behind! This may be boring to you. unless you're a family member, but I'll post it anyway for posterity! If you like Wicked, Sinatra, Disney, you'll like the music!

As is my habit all photos were taken with my simple phone camera. I shot numerous angles of some of the same shots and ended up putting them all in, to make it even more boring for you!  Some are blurry, dark, and even backwards, but there ya have it.



I really, really "heart" NYC!
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Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Go Emmy & Johnny! - Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis! Thursday


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Feeling Like Bernie Taupin

As I've done some traveling over the years, spending a lot of time rolling along on the bus with these five other talented gentlemen, I've developed a strange knack for writing lyrics only, no music.  I would never write in this manner before.  But since signing on for co-habitation in a 45 foot home away from home, I've had to rethink my approach to keep the writing muscle active and growing.

I'm not one those writers who can just pull out a guitar with other people around and just start squeaking out the perfect match of lyric and melody for all to hear.  (Of course, in a collaboration setting, it's different.  You don't mind if that person[s] you're working with hears your off-key attempts.  In fact, you welcome their "yes' or "no" to keep you moving in the "write" [ha ha] direction.)

And funny thing, when I'm writing in this manner, I'm usually listening periodically with my noise-canceling headphones on to whatever music or artist on my iTunes that happens to match the mood and style I'm trying to get in my lyric.

So, the reason for my title.  Steve = Bernie Taupin, lyric writer only.  Then Elton John comes along and writes the melody.  So, when the time comes, I'll put on the "Elton" hat, for my valiant attempt to find the perfect marriage of melody with the lyric. (And while I'm at it, maybe the glasses, too!  Hmm.... or maybe Bernie's)
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Sunday, August 8, 2010

Oh, the Places You'll Go! - Photo Moments


Riverfest stage before the "crowdfest" - Watertown, WI


Back behind the stage at Riverfest.


Going into Watertown, WI and the Riverfest. Great folks and hospitality, great crew! All adds up to a great show!


Noticing dinosaurs in floor tile now, am I?

So drive on through  folks!
Service with a bang!

Great-drugs  cars  & fireworks!
So convenient!  Drugs, car parts, and fireworks!


"'Cause this is Thrillahhh!..."


They set a record for the US in front of our stage during the day.


Foellinger Theatre - Fort Wayne, IN after it's all over and quiet. Should have heard things earlier!


At the catalog-favorite Sweetwater store.
I really like this little Taylor 312ce!


OC Fair - Costa Mesa, CA


Country Round Up stage - Winfield KS




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Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Putting songwriting tips to the test!

Okay, so I didn't feel like writing today..  Nope, sorry!  Go away muse, don't bother me!  But knowing this is not how the pros behave, I took a three-word title I had saved for some future genius-moment and wrote down whatever word or phrases came to mind in three separate columns for each of the three words in the said "future" title.  I even went so far as to actually use a yellow legal pad and pencil (mechanical and slighty pink, at that) instead of my macfor the first flash of inspirational supernova.

I happened to read some where in a songwriting book or Twitter post of this little excercise to get the creative juices (in this case molasses) flowing.  Viola! (pronounced, "Walah!")  Broke through my curmudgeon little attitude and the words started to flow.  Pretty soon I had a couple of rough verses and a chorus to pat myself on the song-smithian back with!

Another thing I did was put a time limit on it, say, 2 hours, and if nothing comes of it I gave myself permission to stop.  As happens quite often, I passed the 2 hour mark due to my oh-so-disciplined efforts.  I was having so much fun I couldn't stop! 

What is the tune called, you ask?  Let's keep it a surprise, shall we?  I would like to reveal the song title with some form of word and melody when I get it a little more presentable.

Until then, back to writing...

What do you do to....."trick yourself" into "getting to work, already!"?

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Monday, August 2, 2010

Proud Dad moment - Jonathan featured in Video from San Antonio

Another proud dad moment. Jonathan was featured in a short "on the road" video from DCI Fan Network while he's (Emily, too!) touring, rehearsing and performing with Pacific Crest.  He'll be marching in the center of your screen.


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