A Is For...Absolutely Amazing

A is for... serves as an ally and advocate for organizations working to protect reproductive rights; we are a unifying forum utilizing social media to spotlight issues and encourage activism. A is for All of us.

When: Sunday, January 19, 2014

Where: Largo at the Coronet, Los Angeles

A is for...

Accompanied by: Kathryn
Genre: Comedy & Music

Line Up: Retta and Laura Kightnlinger (hosts), Zach Galifianakis, Sarah Silverman, Steve Agee, Jen Kirkman, Tiffany Haddish, Josh Homme & Matt Sweeney

So, one day a few weeks back, I received an email from Largo at the Coronet announcing an upcoming event. Quickly scanning the email, all I saw was "...blah, blah, blah, Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age...blah, blah, blah..." I hopped over to their ticket site and quickly purchased a ticket. No questions asked. Never once bothered to look at any of the details. Inevitably, it's a good thing that I'm not conservative and am 100% pro-choice.  This is not to say that you can't be both, but generally the two do not go hand in hand.

It turned out that this was going to be an evening of comedy. A fundraiser for the organization A is for... The specific cause was to help raise money for women's rights in Texas, or as it was publicized "Benefiting Texas Abortion Fund."  I can understand some people taking issue with it, but to be honest, it never once entered my mind that this was going to be anything other than an incredibly amazing night.  And that's exactly what it was.

But it wasn't without having to get past the protesters and being told how sick I am...and yet it was oddly humorous when you see the backdrop for these signs of damnation.

For the life of me I can't remember any one particular funny moment that stood out from the rest. It was all funny. Each comedian brought their own element of funny.  A few favorable moments:

• Sarah Silverman asking if Kathryn and I were a couple.
• Zach Galifianakis zeroing in on my coughing fit and claiming that I was infecting the room
• When a few girls from the audience yelled out to Josh that they loved him, his response was "what". As they said it again, he responded, "oh, I couldn't hear you, I was talking."

While the comedic portion of the night was on fire, we all know the reason I was there and Josh did not disappoint.  As the final act, JHo took the stage with Matt Sweeney, both with acoustic guitars and ready to rock.  

A four song play list that was absolute heaven and perfect for the crooner side of our Ginger Ninja.

1. Memories are Made of This by Dean Martin
2. Down in the Mine (or as the guys humored it up with "down in the vagina")
3. In Dreams by Roy Orbinson
4. Minnie the Moocher by Cab Calloway

Largo at the Coronet are strict with the no photos, no video rule. So unless someone out there is hoarding their contraband, the above will reside only in my memories. But oh, what sweet memories they will forever be!!

Afterwards, in the tiny Largo courtyard, we were able to enjoy rubbing elbows with a handful of familiar faces...Michael Sheen, Ellen Page, Keith Carradine, Andy Richter, Martha Plimpton, Kate Beckinsale and others that for the life of me I cannot recall.

And of course, the highlight of my evening was getting a few moments of Josh's time for a photo, and his signature on a Jermaine Rogers print, titled "Red", and the back of a t-shirt that was made just for the occasion (designed by arminsfrozenpeas).

Once the night was over, upon reflection of all the people - celebs and non-celebs- that were in attendance, it is good to know that I will be in good company should one day we all find ourselves in hell.  And I'm okay with that.

2013 In Retrospect...

Well, so much for "now that I have a mortgage, I won't be able to go to shows anymore..." 2013 was a damn good year  (winning tickets is one of the keys to making this type of year possible)! To be honest, I'm not sure if 2014 will be able to live up to the hype, but it will certainly be fun trying to see what we can make happen!! 

Favorite moments of 2013: TWO troubadour shows - Depeche Mode and Nine Inch Nails. That's pretty epic. Rail for NIN resulting in a foot across the face and a set list. Seeing Dave Grohl & Taylor Hawkins induct Rush into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Front row for a Q&A with Getty Lee & Alex Lifeson. 3rd row seats for Depeche Mode. Paul McCartney for free on Hollywood Blvd.

JANUARY (3)

*1/23 Muse @ Staples w/ Gabs

*1/26 Muse @ Staples w/ Steph

1/28 Sound City Players @ Paladium w/ Gabs

FEBRUARY (1)

2/17 The Hives @ HOB Anaheim w/ Gabs

MARCH (4)

3/1 Morrissey @ Staples w/ Kathryn & David

3/5 Sound City Players @ Kimmel/Hollywood Blvd w/ Gabs

3/10 Milk & Bookies @ Skirball Center w/ Kathryn & Nic

3/27 KLOS Rock Against MS Benefit @ Whiskey A Go Go

APRIL (6)

*4/6 KROQ April Foolishness @ Gibson w/ Steph

4/16 Q&A with Getty Lee & Alex Lifeson @ Archlight Theaters w/ Jill & Gary

4/18 Rock N Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony @ Nokia Theater w/ Susan, Jill, Lisa & PJL

4/20 RSD Jimmy Eat World @ Fingerprints, Long Beach w/ Tiff, Lisa, Jazz & Mark

*4/26 Depeche Mode @ The Troubadour w/ Nic

4/27 Chevy Metal @ Maui Sugar Mill Saloon w/ Kathryn & Jane

MAY (7)

5/3 Rolling Stones @ Staples w/ Rosey

5/4 Stewart Copeland @ LACMA w/ KJ

5/5 Tenacious D @ Bootleg Bar w/ Gabs

5/11 Face to Face @ HOB Anaheim w/ Steph & Susan

5/15 Rolling Stones @ Honda Center w/ Rosey

*5/18 KROQ Weenie Roast @ Verizon Wireless, Irvine w/ Steph

5/23 QOTSA @ The Wiltern w/ Nic

JUNE (3)

6/2 Chris Shiflett & The Dead Peasants @ Echoplex w/ Kathryn & MJ

6/15 Playboy Jazz Festival @ Hollywood Bowl w/ KJ

6/29 Chevy Metal w/ DG @ Costa Mesa 60th w/ Steph, Tiff, Jill & Paula

JULY (3)

7/2 Chevy Metal (Maui Ola Foundation Benefit) @ Laguna Beach w/ Gabs

7/29 QOTSA @ Kimmel Live w/ Kelly, Tiff, Lisa & Anthony

7/30 Chris Shiflett & The Dead Peasants CD Release @ Fingerprints, Long Beach w/ Kathryn

AUGUST (5)

8/8 Hall & Oates @ OC Fair/Pacific Amphitheater w/ KJ

8/11 Chris Shiflett & The Dead Peasants @ Alex's Bar, Long Beach

8/17 QOTSA Birthday Show @ Gibson w/ Kathryn

8/25 Steely Dan @ Nokia Theater w/ KJ

8/30 Trombone Shorty @ Hyatt Regency, NPB w/ KJ

SEPTEMBER (3)

*9/3 NIN @ The Troubadour w/ Anthony (he won, but I consider this a win cuz I was his +1)

*9/23 Paul McCartney @ Hollywood Blvd/Kimmel w/ Mark Ward

*9/28 Depeche Mode (THIRD ROW) @ Staples w/ Gabs

OCTOBER (2)

10/26 Bridge Benefit Night #1 w/ Tiff, Lisa, Sarah, Cosmo, & Debbie

10/27 Bridge Benefit Night #2 w/ Tiff, Lisa, Cosmo, & Debbie

NOVEMBER (3)

*11/7 NIN @ Kimmel Live w/ Cass

*11/8 NIN @ Staples w/ Anthony, Will, Daylin & Judith

11/23 Pearl Jam @ LA Sports Arena w/ Lisa, Dion & Tiff

DECEMBER (4)

*12/7 KROQ Almost Acoustic Christmas Night #1 @ The Shrine w/ Tiff

12/8 91x Wrex The Halls @ San Diego w/ Sarah, Maria, Steve & Katz

12/20 Camp Freddy Night #2 @ The Roxy w/ Gabs, John, Nic, Debbie & Kathryn

12/31 Sheila E./Sergio Mendes @ Disney Hall w/ KJ

*Won Tix (Thanks KROQ)

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Life is good. Thanks to all of my amazing friends for helping share in the addiction. Looking forward to many more adventures and shenanigans (or in the case of Feb 2014, ShenaniLaragans). Bring it on, baby, bring it on!!!

NYE with Shelia E & Sergio Mendes

When: Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Where: Walt Disney Concert Hall
Accompanied by: KJ
Genre: Brazilian Bosa Nova, Jazz & Funk

Set List: unknown

New Years Eve plans are generally spent low key and at home. But this year, KJ decided that this show was something he wanted to do. And while this isn't necessarily my particular musical choice, I knew that I would enjoy it all the same. 

To be honest, the fact that Sheila E. was opening the show was what had me sold on looking forward to this show. I can only hope that when I'm 56 years old, I look that good. We've seen her perform a handful of times over the years, and she never ceases to amaze me. And she makes it look so easy.

As for Sergio Mendes. I can't tell you much. I recognized one song that was from the 80s and was super cheesy then. And is still super cheesy now. Overall, it was a fun show, and I'm glad that we were able to end the year doing something that we both could enjoy.

Camp Freddy Night #2

When: Friday, December 20, 2013

Where: The Roxy, Hollywood
Accompanied by: Gabrielle, John, Nicole, and Kathryn
Genre: Rock N Roll

Line Up: Billy Morrison, Matt Sorum, Donovan Leitch, Chris Chaney

Guests: Franky Perez, Gilby Clarke, Mark McGrath, Austin Winkler, Billy Ray Cyrus, Courtney Love, Billy Idol

Set List:

I'm reviewing this set list and hate to say that I don't remember a lot of it. I blame the awesomely hawt bartender lady who was pouring my vodka & red bull cocktails that night. Along with a little shared audience "puff, puff, give" and I have to admit I was not all right in the head. But hell, it's Camp Freddy after all, and the goal of these shows is to have a damn good time.  And that is exactly what we did!!

I'd love to be able to share memories of this evening, but it's all a blur. I do recall when seeing Billy Ray Cyrus on the stage, I questioned the sanity of Navarro and company, but hey, it's their party, they can do whatever the hell they want.  While I'm not a big Courtney Love fan, I have to say that seeing her perform Celebrity Skin was pretty fantastic. I know for a fact that I swooned a bit when Franky Perez took the stage. I just love his voice.  Can't say a damn thing about Austin Winkler because I didn't know who he was but I'm sure he was great. And of course Billy Idol taking the stage is still a huge thrill.

Considering I wasn't planning on Camping at all this year, I'm really glad that it worked out where I was able to catch at least one night.  Dinner, cocktails and rock N roll with the Baklayan duo was a treat. And getting to see Knox, Nic, Debbie & Company made the evening complete.  Long live Camp Freddy's annual residency at The Roxy. Let's see what sort of surprises they will have in store at the end of 2014...and from my lips to Navarro's ears, "please don't bring back Billy Ray."

Camp Freddy Night #2 - 12/20/13 (c) TaiDyed

91X Wrex The Halls 2013

When: Sunday, December 8, 2013
Where: Valley View Casino Center, San Diego, 91X Wrex The Halls
Accompanied by: Sarah, Maria, Steve & Katz
Genre: Mix of Alternative

Line Up: J. Roddy Walston & The Business, The Silent Comedy, Alt-J, Arctic Monkeys, Cage the Elephant, Vampire Weekend, Queens Of The Stone Age

Absolutely worth making the long ass drive out to San Diego for a 2nd night of Queens of the Stone Age.  Sure it meant having to sit through Vampire Weekend again, but whatever. These are sometimes the things that need to be done to fulfill the desires of the heart and soul. 

Arctic Monkeys were just as good as they were the night before at KROQ's AAX, as were Cage the Elephant.  The Silent Comedy are a band that my friend Steve absolutely loves and I have to admit, they have a really good sound. I'd totally go see them again and since they are local boys, chances are good that will happen.  Tolerating Vampire Weekend before Queens took the stage was a whole lot easier than having to endure them following QOTSA as was the case the night before. Seeing Queens headline this show was the highlight of my night. And coming home with a new hoodie was icing on the cake. Hot damn, I love this band. 

Not much else to say other than it was a good night. The drive home was brutal, but I managed to pull it off and still make it to work the next day. Such is the life of a rock star. 

102.2 x 2 = Totally Worth It

Set Lists:

J. Roddy Walston & The Business: not a clue. We were shopping for merch during this time.

The Silent Comedy: unable to locate a set list

Alt-J: Ripe & Ruin, Fitzpleasure, Matilda, Something Good, Tessellate, Taro, Breezeblocks

Arctic Monkeys: Do I Wanna Know?, Brianstorm, Dancing Shoes, Snap Out of It, Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High?, I Bet You Look Good Dancing on the Dancefloor, Crying Lightening, One for the Road, Arabella, R U Mine?

Cage the Elephant: Spiderhead, In One Ear, It's Just Forever, Aberdeen, Take It or Leave It, Back Against the Wall, Teeth, Ain't No Rest for the Wicked, Come a Little Closer, Shake Me Down, Sabertooth Tiger

Vampire Weekend: Diane Young, White Sky, Unbelievers, Holiday, Step, Cousins, A-Punk, Ya Hey, Campus, Oxford Comma, Giving Up the Gun, Walcott

Queens Of The Stone Age: Feel Good Hit of the Summer, No One Knows, My God is the Sun, Smooth Sailing, If I Had a Tail, Sick Sick Sick, Little Sister, Make It Wit Chu, I Sat By the Ocean, Go With the Flow, A Song for the Dead

KROQ Almost Acoustic Christmas Night #1

When: Saturday, December 7, 2013
Where: The Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles
Accompanied by: Tiffany
Genre: KROQ's hodge podge of alternative


Line Up: Foals, New Politics, GroupLove, Cage the Elephant, Arctic Monkeys, AFI, Queens of the Stone Age, Vampire Weekend, Kings of Leon


Big thanks to The World Famous KROQ for yet another free gig!!  Tiffany and I promised each other that we would both do whatever we could to win tickets for this event, because truth be told, there was no way in hell we could afford this show.  For weeks upon weeks, we messaged back and forth as to when it was time to call in to win tickets.  We were down to the final week, and KROQ was generously giving away tickets for BOTH nights to caller 20 every hour on the hour. 

The rock gods were smiling on us when I miraculously got through with the cell phone (which very rarely occurs) and heard those very important words "...have you won anything in the past 30 days...?"  Nope. Sure hadn't. At least not in the last 30 days. And that is all that mattered!!

Let's be honest...the ONE reason Tiffany and I wanted to go to this show on this night was for one reason. Queens of the mother effin' Stone Age. Don't get me wrong, the other bands were good. But I'd gladly have given them all up (except maybe Arctic Monkeys & AFI) for more time spent with our beautiful 6'5" ginger.  Regardless, the night was an absolute blast, the music was awesome (minus Vampire Weekend, yawn), the company was fabulous, the seats were magnificent, and to have this all for free made it pretty much perfect.

Set Lists:

Foals: My Number, Providence, Spanish Sahara, Red Socks, Pugie, Inhaler

New Politics: Give Me Hope, Fall Into These Arms, Just Like Me, Tonight You're Perfect, Harlem, Yeah Yeah Yeah

GroupLove: I'm With You, Itchin' On a Photograph, Shark Attack, Tongue Tied, Ways to Go, Colours

Cage The Elephant: Spiderhead, In One Ear, Back Against the Wall, Take It or Leave It, Ain't No Rest for the Weekend, Come A Little Closer, Teeth, Shake Me Down

Arctic Monkeys: Do I Wanna Know?, Brianstorm, Dancing Shoes, Snap Out of It, Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High?, I Bet You Look Good On the Dancefloor, One for the Road, Arabella, R U Mine?

AFI: The Leaving Song Part II, 17 Crimes, Love Like Winter, Silver and Cold, The Days of the Phoenix, I Hope You Suffer, Girl's Not Grey, Miss Murder

Queens of the Stone Age: Feel Good Hit of the Summer, No One Knows, My God Is The Sun, Little Sister, I Sat By the Ocean, Go With the Flow, A Song for the Dead

Vampire Weekend: Diane Young, White Sky, Unvbelievers, Holiday, Step, Cousins, A-Punk, Ya Hey, Campus, Oxford Coma, Giving up the Gun, Walcott

Kings of Leon: Black Thumnail, Radioactive, The Bucket, Notion, Supersoaker, Closer, Temple, For Kicks, Wait for Me, Use Somebody, Sex on Fire

KROQ AAX #1 12/7/13

Pearl Jam Night #1

When: Saturday, November 23, 2013
Where: Los Angeles Sports Arena, Los Angeles
Accompanied by: Lisa, Dion, & Tiffany
Genre: Rock/Alternative

Set List: Pendulum, Release, Long Road, Corduroy, Lightening Bolt, Mind Your Manners, Why Go, Dissident, Getaway, Got Some, Garden, Do The Evolution, I Got Id, Sirens, State of Love and Trust, Jeremy, Leatherman, Eruption, Spin the Black Circle, Rearviewmirror, Yellow Moon, Footsteps, All or None, Come Back, I Believe in Miracles, Given to Fly, Once, Porch, Unthought Known, Black, Alive, Baba O'Riley, Indifference

The LA Sports Arena opened in 1959 and I don't think they've done much to upgrade it over the years, so why PJ chose this venue over Staples is beyond me. I'm guessing it had to do with timing of the tour and the Lakers and/or Clippers schedule, but regardless, they were here in LA and I wasn't going to miss an opportunity to catch at least one of their two nights.  Granted, I ended up with a stage left seat, ALL the way at the top, smack dab against the wall, but even with being so far away, I had no doubt that it was going to be an amazing night.

The evening started off with a somewhat ruffled Eddie.  It appeared that a fan down in the GA floor area was trying to get to the front by any means necessary and Eddie knows all too well that the fans at the rail had been lined up from before the crack of dawn. The culprit was called out and told to watch the show from somewhere else. Thanks, Ed. You're aces!!

Photo by Brian Michaels

Beyond that, the show went on with a 30+ song set list. Just when some people thought it was over, BAM, another song. No complaints here. Since I was only able to catch one of the two nights in LA, I have been happy with a dozen encores, but thrilled to get what I got. And what I got was a lot. A lot of love, happiness, and warm fuzzies. And while I may have been a million miles away from the stage, the music embraced me as if I was right there at the rail. That's what good music does. For that, I am thankful.

And yes, Eddie swung from the stage. 

Photo by Brian Michaels