Thnks fr th Mmrs

I went to the Paramore and Fall Out Boy concert on Saturday and it was phenomenal.

The opening act was New Politics, a band from Denmark.  Their English was very good.  I actually did not know they weren't American until one minute ago when I looked up where they were from for the sake of this post.  But aside from that, musically they were fantastic.

Hayley Williams, let me just say, sounded beyond perfect.  Every high note was hot without flaw. She was energetic, entertaining, and very interactive with the audience.  They performed about 15 songs including "Still Into You," "Misery Business," and their most recent single, "Ain't It Fun."

Finally, we had Fall Out Boy.  I never thought I'd get to say I saw Pete Wentz in person.  Great experience, to be honest.  There was fire, sparks, moving TV screens - the group really knows how to put on a show, that's for sure.  Patrick Stump's voice sounded great, too.  They performed 19 songs including "Dance, Dance," "Sugar, We're Goin Down," "Thnks fr th Mmrs," and "This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race."

Paramore

Fall Out Boy

**These are all my photos, so if you use them, PLEASE CREDIT ME**

I'm In the Mood for Dancing

In the One Direction film, This Is Us, during one scene Niall pushes Harry in a garbage can.  While in said garbage can, Harry is singing, saying, "Romancin', ooh givin' it all tonight."  So I became curious.  I thought, What is that boy singing?  I cracked out Google.

I searched for those lyrics, and up came a song by Anglo-Irish group, The Nolans.  The group originally consisted of parents Tommy and Maureen, sons Tommy and Brian, and daughters Anne, Denise, Maureen, Linda, and Bernadette.  But starting in 1974, the daughters started performing as the Nolan Sisters.  The group included the youngest sister Coleen.

Their most famous song, "I'm In the Mood for Dancing" (the song Harry Styles was singing in the garbage can), was recorded by The Nolan Sisters and was released in November of 1979.  In Australia, the song peaked at 43, in Ireland at 2, Japan at 1, the Netherlands at 3, New Zealand at 5, and in the UK at 3.

When you listen to the song, you automatically think '70s.  In some cases you may think '80s, but I don't, mainly because it still has a disco-y sound.

[Source:  YouTube]

[Source for info:  Wikipedia]

December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night)

For my graduation present, my parents took me to see the Broadway show, Jersey Boys.  It was incredible!!

The whole story was amazing.  There were so many things I never knew about the quartet that were revealed in the show.  The cast was amazing, too.  Frankie Valli, who's normally played by Joseph Leo Bwarie, was played today (Wednesday and Saturday matinees) by Nick Cosgrove, who was fantastic.

It's hard to find someone who has a voice like Frankie.

I've always liked Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons, but I really developed an interest in seeing the musical when the four actors performed at the New York Rangers (Let's Go Rangers!!!) vs. New Jersey Devils Stadium Series game.  I thought the four of them really sounded like the real group and have ever since wanted to see the show.

My favorite songs are "December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night)" and "Let's Hang On."  But I can't stop singing "Sherry."

Well, I can't stop singing the bit where he goes, "Sherrrrrrry bay-ay-by."  You know what part I'm talking about.

My favorite part of the show was when their backs faced the audience, but against the back of the stage there were a bunch of lights, like you were watching them perform a concert... the below picture.

[Source:  Google]

I got a lot of goosebumps during that part.

But besides all of that, the show was very funny.  Tommy DeVito and Bob Gaudio were hysterical characters.

Joe Pesci (not the REAL Joe Pesci, but a person PLAYING Joe Pesci because Joe Pesci played a part in the making of the Four Seasons) even made a few appearances and never failed to get a laugh out of the audience.

But I really don't want to give too much away because I want you to go see the show, especially if you love music!

Jamie

My friend introduced the band Basic Vacation to me the other day and I fell in love with their music.

The members are Chris Greatti, Jon Paul, and Mike Montalbano and are from New York City and Philadelphia.  They are signed with Atom Factory Music/Capitol Records.

The first song I listened to (and my favorite) was "I Believe" off of their self-titled EP.  The EP is available on iTunes and contains tracks "I Believe," "Jamie," "It's All Happening," "You're In My Head," and "Worlds Collide."

They actually just performed today at Firefly Music Festival in Dover, Delaware.

I think if you're a fan of the group Passion Pit you will like this band.

[Source:  YouTube]

Lights

I saw Journey in concert last night!  It was a dual concert with the Steve Miller Band.

First off, both acts sounded incredible.  Steve Miller's voice still sounds amazing, and Arnel Pineda sounds EXACTLY like Steve Perry to the point where it's actually very scary.

You know, now that I think about it... I think Arnel is better than Steve Perry.

Steve Miller Band

My favorite song the Steve Miller Band did was, of course, "Abracadabra."  I think it's such a classic tune and it is one of their biggest hits.

 Steve Miller Band

Steve Miller Band

We've always liked Journey in my house, but my dad got really into their music when, if you remember, he talked with the pianist and songwriter for the band, Jonathan Cain (click the photo below to read the post).

So the band sounded remarkable.  Neal Schon performed a breathtaking solo of "The Star-Spangled Banner" that was pretty epic.  If you asked me which song I liked the most last night, I may go with "Faithfully" because that is my favorite song of theirs.

Or maybe I'd say "Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)."

But I also like "Any Way You Want It."

I am indecisive.

 Journey

Journey

**These are MY photos.  If you use them, PLEASE CREDIT ME.  Thanks!

Simplicity

Some new albums this week in stores and online:

• Lazaretto by Jack White (pop/rock)
• Stockholm by Chrissie Hynde (pop/rock)
• Simplicity by Tesla (hard rock & metal)
• Whispers by Passenger (pop/rock)
• Bullets Over Broadway (Original Broadway Cast Recording) by Zach Braff, Vincent Pastore, Nick Cordero, Marin Mazzie and Karen Ziemba (musicals)
• XSCAPE (Vinyl) by Michael Jackson 

The Wizard and I

I love the whole soundtrack for Wicked.  My favorite songs were always "Defying Gravity" and "I'm Not That Girl," but those two songs have been replaced on my list by "The Wizard and I."  Phenomenal.  That's all I can say.

Idina Menzel has such an incredible voice.  My favorite line of hers in this song is "He'll say to me 'I see who you truly are.'"  The way her voice sounds gives me chills.

[Source:  YouTube]

My cousin told me that Idina got a standing ovation after performing this song when she saw the show on Broadway years ago.  I understand why.

I really wish I could sing like Idina Menzel.

The Same

I heard this song back in 2010 when it was first released and I forgot all about it until about five minutes ago when I stumbled upon it on YouTube.  The song is called "The Same" by sibling duo, Michael & Marisa.

The song was recorded for anti-bullying purposes and is a good song, especially considering they are young in the video.

[Source:  YouTube]

And while I was browsing their videos on YouTube, I came across a cover of "Royals" mixed with David Essex's "Rock On" and it is pretty amazing.

[Source:  YouTube]

I love their voices together.  The last brother-sister-duo we have seen was like the Carpenters, or, Donny and Marie Osmond.

Just kidding, The White Stripes was more recent.

Anyway, the siblings are from Boston and have opened for notable acts such as David Archuleta, Mitchel Musso, and Drake Bell.  They released their debut album, Kickin' It Together, in June 2008, but have released several EPs and a single since then.

You can buy their songs on iTunes!

Chicken Fried

I fell in love with a song last weekend and it's called "Chicken Fried" by the Zac Brown Band.  It's country in case you were unaware.

The first version was recorded in 2003 for the 2005 album, Home Grown.  After the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Zac Brown added the third verse:  "I thank god for my life / And for the stars and stripes / May freedom forever fly, let it ring / Salute the ones who died / The ones that give their lives / So we don't have to sacrifice / All the things we love."

I love when songs are patriotic.  I was driving down a street the other day that had an American flag on every telephone pole for about two miles.  It was amazing.

Back to the song, I think it sounds so "classic country."  The chorus says, "And a little bit of chicken fried / Cold beer on a Friday night / A pair of jeans that fit just right / And the radio on / I love to see the sun rise / See the love in my woman's eyes / Feel the touch of a precious child / And know a mother's love."  I listen to this song and just want to blast it in my car on my way to... the beach?  The beach works.

[Source:  YouTube]

A Little Fall of Rain

For some odd reason I was thinking the other day about Nick Jonas singing "A Little Fall of Rain" with Samantha Barks for the 25th Anniversary of Les Misérables.  I used to love the Jonas Brothers (bet you're so surprised by that), but Nick's voice sounds completely different when he sings pop than when he sings Broadway.

[Source:  YouTube]

Once you have listened to "Burnin' Up," listen to "A Little Fall of Rain."

Both videos obtained from YouTube

Nick got his start on Broadway at the age of seven in A Christmas Carol, Annie Get Your Gun, Beauty and the Beast, Les Misérables, and would return in 2010 for the 25th Anniversary of Les Misérables concert in London at the O2 Arena.  In 2012, Nick would once again impress with his role as J. Pierrepont Finch in the Broadway musical, How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.