Carina's Soundtrack

Florence + the Machine @ The Creators Project (Brooklyn)

2011-10-17T08:39:00.005-04:00

I love Twitter. On Friday, I was casually having a conversation with Isabella Summers on Twitter. If you have no clue who that is, you should be ashamed of yourself! She is the hottie keyboard player in Florence + the Machine. I have been fortunate enough to meet Isa and Florence several times during my concert expeditions. Most recently was at Central Park Summerstage. Last time I brought them 'Eastbound and Down' to watch while touring. On Friday, I offered to bring Isa copies of the TV show, 'Breaking Bad'. Isa quickly replied to bring it!

Saturday finally came - Diana, Nikki and I arrive extremely early to get our wristbands. The line was around the block by the time they started to hand out the wristbands. While waiting, we heard Florence + the Machine sound checking. We walked around the corner and the security guard gladly let us in. We walked up to the stage where The Machine was on stage preparing for the show later that night. Florence was not there, but we waved at everyone and patiently watched. Eventually our time was up, and one of the workers told us we could not be up there yet, so we walked outside the arch and waited.

Diana poked me and said, Isa is running towards us. She came over and I handed her the DVDs (I also got her the first season of 'Weeds'). Isa's birthday is coming up at the end of October, so I told her these were an early birthday gift. We hugged and chatted a bit about the show that evening. Isa asked us if we were staying for the show - of course we are! Eventually she was needed on stage and had to go. She is so sweet! Why didn't I ask for a picture with her?

The show? Amazing - we had to endure a few random acts beforehand. Chairlift was a nice surprise. I was not expecting them to perform. A$AP Rocky had some scary moments - but definitely woke up the crowd with their blunts and attempts to stage dive. Diana and I needed a drink. During Four Tet, we mixed up our Gatorade and vodkas to pregame for FATM, who were up next.

Finally - Florence + the Machine came on stage. Flo looked amazing as always. They opened with 3 new songs - 'Only If For A Night', 'What The Water Gave Me' (which was performed at the Summerstage and Philly shows I went to this summer) and 'Heartlines' (video I took below). We had to endure the photo pit peeps for awhile - it was annoying how long it took for some of them to leave. One dude stood up in front of us during 'What the Water Gave Me' and blocked the view for majority of the song to get - one picture.

'Cosmic Love' was beautiful. The performance was fresh and fun. Florence wanted to take off her heels and made several attempts. Sadly - this probably deterred her from jumping around on stage as much. The slower, 'Never Let Me Go' was the next new song premiered that evening. Oh did I mention Florence waved to me on stage? Yeah - that made my night.

One of my top favorite songs, 'Between Two Lungs' was next. This was my 14th time seeing Florence + the Machine live - and probably my 14th time seeing her perform this. Hands down, this was the BEST performance of it I have seen of it. 'Shake it Out' had the crowd dancing their asses off (or at least we were up front). That was our first time rocking out to the song. I apologize to anyone around me. I probably jumped into you a few times.

Fan favorites, 'Dog Days Are Over' and 'Rabbit Heart (Raise it Up)' got the crowd really going! 'Spectrum' was the second to last song on the setlist and by far my favorite new track that I have heard off Ceremonials. If you are not going to read further, because this is long as hell, at least watch this video.

'No Light' ended the set. Beautiful.

We decided to try to meet them around the block. We talked to Rusty, the new co-keyboarder. Very nice dude! He is a great addition. Flo, Isa and a few others got into an SUV from afar. They drove away, but we still saw Isa in the front passenger seat. She rolled down her window and thank me for the DVDs and card. I told her to let me know what she thinks of 'Breaking Bad' and she agreed that she would. It was a fucking great performance Saturday night. We all walked away smiling and fortunate that we were able to see them premiere new songs. See you next time!

Ellie Goulding @ Nike Store and Tammany Hall

2011-09-16T16:18:00.000-04:00

Interscope emailed NYC area Ellie Goulding fans asking them to reply back to a special acoustic performance at the Nike store for Fashion Night Out. Since I am attached to my phone, I immediately replied and won entry into the event! Diana and I headed over and placed ourselves in the front row. We seem to always have good luck winning contests to see Ellie perform.

As always, her and her band put on a great performance. There was a short interview beforehand asking her questions about running and touring. After the performance, she actually took a run around Central Park with a few other runners, who were also at the event. While she ran, Diana and I headed over to the next Ellie Goulding event for the night. The event was hosted by The Knocks, who I was extra excited to see. If you want a energy filled night, go see The Knocks perform.

Ellie Goulding DJ'd with Starsmith, who produced her album Lights. The duo was called Goldsmith. Everyone seemed to just crowd around the DJ booth and wave their hands in the air while dancing around. Diana and I bought Ellie and Starsmith Patron shots, which they cheers'd with us and took down. Afterwards we asked Ellie for a picture, which she nicely took with us.

Twin Shadow @ Maxwell's NJ

2011-09-16T16:02:00.002-04:00

The wonderful Twin Shadow was headlining a show at Maxwell's in NJ on September 6th. It was a rainy evening and for 1 second, I considered skipping out. I then remembered what a great performance he put on opening for Florence + the Machine in Philadelphia and at Central Park. I had to go.

Diamond Rings opened up. Very interested performer. I was not too familiar with his music, yet I have heard of him and have a few of his songs in my music library.

Twin Shadow came on stage and played majority of their album plus a few new songs. I recommend checking them out when you have a chance. The venue was perfect, yet the crowd was a bit weak. I was surrounded by a drunk girl who proclaimed she was 'cut off from the bar'. Throughout the night she kept pushing one of the amps off it's stool (which was a crate) with her drunk body. I was ready for it to fall during the show.

Other than that, I hope to see them perform at other venues throughout the city in the future.

Civil Twilight @ Brooklyn Bowl

2011-08-27T15:08:00.000-04:00

Oh Civil Twilight... the love I have for you. I cannot even explain how enjoyable their shows are. This is actually my third time seeing them and the venue was perfect.

Santah went on stage a little late, but the tardiness was easily forgotten. I think I have an automatic love for any band that has a female in it. I actually wish I picked up one of their album at the merchandise table so I could hear more from them. Next time right?

Civil Twilight quickly came on stage. Of course Michel, Michelle, Diana, Tino and I already solidified our front row spot near the center and keyboard. Steven tends to perform on that side of the stage. They opened up with 'Soldier' and 'Trouble'. This concert was going to be extra special, since they were playing songs from their new album, and we were possibly hearing songs that were never performed before. 'Teardrop' is definitely one of my favorite songs they performed due to the fact Steven performs out in the crowd for majority of the song. As always, Civil Twilight never disappoints. They are currently recording their new album in Hoboken.

Barsuk Records Listening Party feat. Mates of States, Cymbals Eat Guitars, and Yellow Ostrich

2011-08-27T14:45:00.000-04:00

A friend of mine, Will, emailed me asking to take pictures at the Barsuk Records listening party he was attending. Honestly, I have only heard a few songs by Mates of State, and I was very excited to see them perform live.

We wound up showing up in the middle of Yellow Ostrich's performance. I have to take a better listen to them, since I did not give their full set a 100% attention.

Up next was Cymbals Eat Guitars. This was my first time hearing them and they were not too bad. I read up on them before I went to the show and they have a very impressive touring record. I am currently taking a listen to their debut album, Why There Are Mountains. They are releasing their 2nd album on August 30th titled, Lenses Alien. I recommend taking a listen and decide for yourself what you think.

Mates of State, which seemed to be the most anticipated act of the night finally took the stage. They played mostly songs from their new album coming out in September, Mountaintops. I was impressed. I almost feel bad not being fluent in their older material. I already have plans to take a listen to their extensive discography from the beginning. Mates of State are making an appearance at Philadelphia's Popped! Music Festival at the end of September. Another reason for me to buy a ticket...

Florence + The Machine - What The Water Gave Me

2011-08-23T12:37:00.000-04:00

Pearl and the Beard @ The Cooper Square Hotel Penthouse

2011-08-16T12:11:00.003-04:00

It was last month that I first heard the name Pearl and the Beard from a random concert goer next to me. I quickly came home and looked them up and found out about a special show courtesy of Joe's Pub. The show would take place in a penthouse! I immediately bought tickets and danced around to their album for a few hours.

The day finally came and Tino and I headed over to a The Cooper Square Hotel. After drooling over the view, the sun finally set and everyone walked in from the balcony to the small stage inside. They put on a very intimate performance where stage lights were replaced by classy lamps. Pearl and the Beard jumped off the stage a few times to perform a couple songs including one of my favorites, 'Douglas, Douglass'. The whole crowd got involved in this performance.

If you were like me a month ago and have yet listen to Pearl and the Beard, check them out!

LMFAO and Swizz Beatz @ Pier 36

2011-08-16T11:25:00.002-04:00

There were a couple of great shows on Thursday the 11th. MNDR was playing in Brooklyn, Deer Tick was performing at another Pier in Manhattan, and The Knocks were DJing at Tammany Hall. I never thought in my life I would pick the Billboard's Summer Blowout Concert featuring LMFAO and Swizz Beatz to attend. After 3 and a half CÎROC Red Berries and Sprite, I quickly forgot about the other shows.

After roaming around for awhile, Swizz Beatz finally came on stage. Estelle later joined him. They did a nice remedy songs which I was pretty surprised I knew. We were teased with the idea that DMX was coming out, and I really did think this was going to happen.

Once Swizz left the stage, we had the opportunity to move up past the barrier against the stage. LMFAO came onto the stage and all I can say is 'wow'. Let's just say there were a few moments that I felt like I was in a male strip club. I am not saying that is a bad thing..

There was a lot of crowd interaction with confetti guns and a huge zebra bouncing around the crowd. I am not sure if it was the CÎROC clouding my judgement, but I would have to say the show was very impressive!

Ellie Goulding @ Best Buy in Union Square

2011-07-31T18:29:00.001-04:00

On Saturday, Best Buy was hosting an acoustic performance and signing with Ellie. This was the best way to end the Ellie Goulding weekend. Diana and I had the opportunity to see an acoustic performance at the All Saints store back in March. This time around we were all less drunk and arrive much earlier to solidify a good viewing spot. She sang 6 songs in no particular order, and we had a fantastic front row center view. Let me note that the workers at Live at Best Buy, especially Glen, are very nice. I did purchase another album to get into the signing. Diana, Michel and I wanted to get a tour poster signed instead. We all already had signed Cd's. I was very happy that they were lenient on what item could get signed. In the past, a certain plaid shirt guy was very strict and forced us to only get the CD signed.

We decided that all three of us wanted to get a picture with Ellie together. We wanted to do something different, so we walked up in our sunglasses and immediately asked her to write something vulgar on our posters to show our future kids and Diana's grandmother. Ellie was a bit shocked that we would be showing young children and a grandmother this, but we were joking. Nothing can beat her writing 'Fuck You, Love Ellie' on our posters from the All Saints show... or so I thought. Ellie was trying to think of what to write. In an interview she said her favorite bad word was, well, C U Next Tuesday. We told her she could write that on our posters. Why just sign it? Ellie was a little reluctant at first and accidentally said the word a bit loud. She nicely censored it on our posters, yet she did not censor 'Fuck You'. Towards the end of the meet, she asked if I tweeted. I guess she saw all my Terminal 5 tweets from the night before.

As always Ellie is super sweet and a pleasure to meet. We all got a very cool picture. Thank you Ellie for posing for this!

Ellie Goulding @ Terminal 5

2011-07-31T18:05:00.000-04:00

I have said this before, pregaming before a concert is fun. I met Diana, Dana, and a few others at Terminal 5 around 2:30pm. Sadly, we were not first in line. Happily, we had Four Loko, vodka and tequila to keep us busy until doors opened. A few smashed gold fish crackers later, we made it into the venue front and center against the barrier.

Bag Raiders opened up and got the crowd pumped up. Ellie always has great openers. Ellie Goulding came on stage in a cute outfit as always. She played 16 songs, which was a nice surprised since she played 13 songs the last time I saw her at Webster Hall and in Philadelphia. The performance was great. We all danced, sang, and attempted to hand Ellie shots of tequila. The barrier was a bit far from the stage, so we just ended up taking it ourselves to end the night.

Bush @ Bowery Ballroom

2011-07-29T09:50:00.001-04:00

I could not believe Bush was touring and stopping at Bowery Ballroom of all venues. No barrier, 550 person capacity... While waiting in line (first thanks to Michel), we met a huge group of fans who have Bush perform 20+ times. One girl saw Gavin perform 89 times! That is dedication. For Michel, Tino and me, it was our first time.

Bowery Ballroom teased us with DJ Invisible Glowstix, who ended up being invisible. Bush came on stage around 9:30pm and opened with Machinehead. Gavin was very crowd oriented. He sang to audience members, hugged them, maintained eye contact with the fans he recognized, dripped sweat into people's eyes and mouths (I was a victim of that)... it was everything a concert should be.

Bush played a 90 minute set with 17 songs. They played all the 'hits' and fan favorites with a mix of new songs. During the encore he added in a cover of Come Together by The Beatles. Overall, it was a great rock show. Since this show sold out in less than 1 minute, it will probably be the smallest venue Bush will ever play. I left with Gavin's set list, which took some abuse during the show, but Michel helped me salvage the last pieces.

Austra and tUnE-yArDs @ Pier 54

2011-07-15T11:07:00.001-04:00

This would be my second time seeing Austra. The crowd was larger compared to the show at Mercury Lounge. Pier 54 is a pretty cool venue. It is right on the water and has the capacity of 4800. The weather was perfect, and I had a great view of the sunset. I was alone at the beginning of the show, so I walked my way to the 2nd row behind the barrier. Although majority of the fans in the audience were there for the main act, tUnE-yArDs, Austra left seemed to leave a great impression on the crowd. People were dancing and swaying to the beat.

tUnE-yArDs came on after the sunset. This was my first time really listening to tUnE-yArDs. The fans are pretty amazing. Some had their faces painted like Merrill. I could not help but dance to the beat. I plan on taking a better listen to tUnE-yArDs, and hopefully I will get to see them in a smaller setting. One of the best parts of the show, were the fireworks that were set off during the encore. I am not sure if it was specifically for this show, or just by chance. Either way, it was the perfect way to end this beautiful evening.

Incubus @ Apple SoHo Store

2011-07-15T10:47:00.003-04:00

Incubus is that band I listen to and visions of high school come to mind. Apple SoHo is probably one of the best places to see bands perform. Wristbands sold out in less than 2 days. Since it was on a Sunday, I was not prepared to stand outside the Apple Store all day to guarantee a seat inside. Luckily we were 2 rows behind the seat section. The view was amazing.

We were under the impression Incubus was going to sing only new songs. I was very happy once they opened with 'Megalomaniac'. They play all the old school crowd favorites and a couple new songs. I am fortunately seeing Incubus play Labor Day Weekend. I cannot wait!

Court Yard Hounds @ Prospect Park, Brooklyn

2011-07-09T23:20:00.002-04:00

I have been a huge fan of the Dixie Chicks since I was an early teenager. I have been to multiple concerts, and my best friend and I have chicken feet tattoos on our feet in honor of our friendship and love for the band. Like any DC fan, it is sad to see that they are on a hiatus. Court Yard Hounds (2/3 of the Dixie Chicks) came about in 2009-2010. This was my first time seeing them live.

The venue in Prospect Park is really cool. People can bring in their own food, I saw someone sneak in a bottle of wine, DSLR's are allowed (which I did not know!), and it is rather small. It would be nicer to be in the VIP section! The front 10+ rows are for paying members only. It was a slight disappointment, since I am used to being up front, but I couldn't complain. It was a free concert.

Emily and Martie spoke a lot on stage and promised another album by CYH in the near future. Martie explained that it was their first show on this tour, so we were 'experiencing all the technical difficulties'. They joked back and forth and even promised a lucky member back stage access if they brought a beer on stage for Martie. At least 10 beers were put on stage.

Their chemistry is not to be missed. Some bands forget to banter back and forth on stage. Being sisters, it is interesting to see them interact and make fun of each other. I cannot wait to hear the 2nd album from CYH and see them play live again.

Meeting Florence + the Machine @ SummerStage on 6/24!!

2011-06-27T10:06:00.010-04:00

Yes, Tequila. I suggest going back and reading 2 posts from last year for background information about this. I want to talk to Atlanta about the evening and then I will post a more detailed version. Until then.... enjoy!
1. Florence and the Machine: Getting Kicked Out of Concert (Sharing a shot of Tequila with Florence)
2. SPIN's Year In Music Party with Florence + the Machine (Sharing another shot of Tequila with Florence)

First off, I want to thank Kristian for setting up this meet and greet! I cannot wait for the day to attend a FATM concert with you. Atlanta, her mom, and I had no clue what this meet and greet would entail. Before going in Tom, the harpest, tapped me on the shoulder to say 'hi' on his way out of the venue. I met him a few days before at 'The Colbert Report'. It took place backstage on the side of the SummerStage where the rest of the band, family members, and other important people were hanging out. To my surprise, we were the only ones getting to experience this opportunity that evening.

Florence came over and said, 'Hi I am Florence' in a soft voice. I told her that I have met her before... tequila! She quickly remembered. Isabella came over and they were discussing the night I was kicked out of Le Poisson Rouge, which they kept calling the 'fish place'. Florence mentioned how she was trying to tell the bouncers to back off.

We gave Florence gifts from Kristian, which included a FATM army t-shirt, which Flo instantly put on. Atlanta also gave Florence some lovely gifts.

I had a few gifts for Florence as well. Since I am half Mexican, I gave her a larger bottle of tequila and a few small bottles. I was afraid security would take them, so I have to strategically hide them in my purse and gift bag. I am also half Thai, so I gave her a green elephant stuffed animal made of Thai Silk that I got in Thailand. She said it matched her outfit for tonight. I explained to her the importance of elephants in their culture and if she ever goes to Thailand, she has to ride an elephant. I also gave her Season 1 of the 'Jersey Shore', since I am from New Jersey. I then gave her 'Eastbound and Down' and she said how she loves that show so much. Isa never saw it, so she quickly took both DVDs and begged Florence to let her watch them on the long bus ride they would have later. I also gave Florence and all the other girls on tour some nail polishes. Isa instantly opened up one of the colors and painted her nail. She was the fastest nail painter I have ever seen. Lastly, I gave Florence a gold bird feather necklace, which she put on. I told her I didn't know what it meant, but she could give it her own story. Isa explained to me how a bird feather means freedom.

I actually had a great time talking to Isa. We were discussing how dreamy Jon Hamm is and her plans to marry him. She had the opportunity to meet him recently and instantly fell in love. We discussed with Florence how she met Roger Sterling ('Mad Men' reference) and Paul Rudd after the Don Hill's show in NYC. Florence's mom came over and we introduced ourselves.

Dana came back with a handful of posters, shirts, necklaces... We asked if she could sign a few things. Isa signed my Bonnaroo poster and I knew she wanted to write more on it, so I told her that she could draw whatever she wanted. She circled all the artists she knew and liked. I asked her, who a certain band was on the poster (pointing at Florence + the Machine). Isa wrote 'Questionable...' next to it. Florence signed it 'To the Lovely Tequila Carina'

We had the opportunity to talk to Tom more. He told us about the tour bus lifestyle, opening for U2, how he met his wife, his favorite songs to perform... He showed me some great pictures of the stage at the U2 show.

We spent a lot of time with Isa and Tom throughout the night. Florence did have to get ready for the show, but before she left she handed me a beer and told us that we could stay here for the rest of the show. We had a nice view of the stage from the side. Afterwards, Florence was catching up with family members who were there at the show. We didn't want to disturb her. Hannah, her manager, told us that Florence had not seen her mom in a month, so it was going to be a long wait. We chatted with Isa and Tom for a little. Ben Kingsley was backstage taking pictures with people. We said our goodbyes and thanked Hannah and Dana for this opportunity. The night was perfect.

Florence + the Machine @ 'Good Morning America' on 6/24

2011-06-26T12:33:00.002-04:00

You know what would have sucked? Waking up at 1am to get in line to see Florence + the Machine at 'Good Morning America'. Michel and I had big plans to meet at 3am to guarantee a close spot for the show. At about 5:30pm the night before, I got an email saying I won VIP tickets to the show! Michel also won! We would get to meet at 6am and be up front for the show.

While I was waiting in line to get in, I met a girl named Dina who had an extra VIP ticket. Thank you Dina! It worked out perfect because a friend of mine, Atlanta, who was visiting from the UK to see Florence + the Machine that evening for SummerStage, and her mom needed a ticket. I finally got to meet them and we quickly went inside to get our front row barrier spot.

The best part of 'Good Morning America' is not waking up at the crack ass of dawn to get there, but seeing an artist perform twice. Florence came out on stage and practiced 'Cosmic Love', 'Dog Days Are Over' and 'You've Got the Love' in a more casual outfit.

After an outfit change, Florence + the Machine finally came out to perform formally for the audience. Although it was only a few songs, it was well worth waking up early. In fact, being in front also means your mug shot is on TV a lot. Feel free to find mine when you watch the performances. You can also find more pictures I took from the before show here.

Florence + the Machine @ 'The Colbert Report' on 6/21

2011-06-26T12:02:00.003-04:00

My concert buddy Michel refreshed and refreshed the page to get tickets for 'The Colbert Report' for about 45 minutes before he got us tickets to see Florence + the Machine on the show this past Tuesday, 6/21. Sadly, we could not take pictures in the studio. I wish they put online the full interview. A few things that were missed:
-Florence lip singing to Cee Lo Green
-Colbert making fun of how white Florence is and asked her if she has a sunscreen issue.
-Florence explaining she had family in the audience and being half American
-Colbert asking Florence to sing the US National Anthem as her 2nd song

You can find the performance and interview here - http://www.colbertnation.com/video/tag/Florence+and+the+Machine

Afterwards, we met Tom and Chris who signed my set list from the Philly show the night before. Florence did come out but a paparazzi chased her, and Florence quickly left in a van. Boo!

Florence + the Machine @ Festival Pier in Philadelphia on 6/20

2011-06-25T10:46:00.005-04:00

My best friend Holly was the first one to mention Florence + the Machine to me. Surprisingly I have seen them a trillion times, and she has yet to see them. This was her first show and she was in for a treat. I arrived early to solidify a front row barrier spot. She could not experience Florence any further back. The line was short and I met a few nice girls behind me from NYC area there. The entrance was rather unorganized. I was not first in line, but more like 10th. For some reason, we made it in and were standing against the barrier with the girls who were first in. Lucky us!

Twin Shadow took the stage. Amazing. I look forward to seeing them headline a show soon.

The theatrics for this show was like nothing I have seen from any past Florence + the Machine show. There was a curtain that covered the stage so you could not see them sound check. It really got the crowd amped for the performance. Cheers started way before anyone was on stage. Florence came out in a yellow dress that just flowed in the wind. Beautiful. She sang two brand new songs, which I did record. The quality on both videos gets better.. trust me.

At the end, we did stay to get a set list. I did get is signed by Tom and Chris at 'The Colbert Report' the next day. Also, more pictures I took can be found here.

Bonnaroo Day 3 and 4

2011-06-22T10:04:00.002-04:00

The final two days of Bonnaroo went by fast. It was more of an exploration day to see what Centerloo had to offer besides music. We heard a bit of Chiddy Bang and Portugal the Man. In attempt to be near the front for The Black Keys, we set up camp at the main stage, the What Stage. Wiz Khalifa sang about marijuana as always. We found a way to sneak into the pit for The Black Keys. It was a great performance. They were one of my favorite performances from the weekend. Getting into Eminem's pit was a little harder. After all the pushing and yelling, we finally solidified a good spot. I really wanted to see Dr. Dre or Lil Wayne show up for this set, but there were no surprises. It was an enjoyable performance, but it was not one of my favorites.

The last day we recharged our phones and found nice field spots to take a listen to Nicole Atkins, Junip, and Robyn. Robyn came on stage a bit late, so we left her set early to go try out the Silent Disco. I have been dying to see Explosions in the Sky for a few years. While everyone was checking out The Strokes, I decided to watch the sunset and see (well, actually listen to) Explosions in the Sky. It was a perfect way to end Bonnaroo.

Bonnaroo Day 2 - Florence Friday

2011-06-15T14:23:00.001-04:00

Florence + the Machine were on at 6:45pm in This Tent. I had a few options. I could go to the comedy tent at noon with my other friends and see the cast of 'Workaholics', or stand front row against the barrier at This Tent for 10 hours. Obviously, I picked the later. It all worked out, since there were 2 other artists I wanted to see on the same stage beforehand.

Jessica Lea Mayfield was up first. I took a listen to her albums before hand so I was familiar with a few of her songs. She spilt wine down her shirt and told the crowd to not look at it. Very sweet and funny. Phosphorescent was up next. They were joined on stage by Deer Tick for a few of their songs. This was the first time listening to them. They are not typically the band I would run out to see, but they gave off a nice vibe and I plan on taking a better listen to them in the future.

Brooklyn's Matt and Kim were one of the highlight performances of my trip. They were very crowd oriented. They talked to the crowd, played a few quick covers, Kim did a booty shake as the crowd held her up, and after their performance Kim jumped off stage to slap hands and excite all the front row viewers. Yes, Kim and I held hands... love style. I left in love with Matt and Kim.

Atmosphere came on stage next. My friends liked his performance. I thought it was decent. He was trying to hard to get the crowd going. Great attempt, but I want to see you perform... not holler at people in the crowd who are not smiling. Yes, I am salty... but I was probably just very anxious to see Florence who was up next.

The moment was finally here. Florence + the Machine finally took the stage. I really wanted to hear a new song, but I think I will have to wait until I see her in Philadelphia and NYC next week. She did play longer in her heals than normal. She attempted to throw her shoes off the side of the stage, but I saw a girl come and grab them and exclaim how important they are. I did hear Gucci designed most of her outfits on tour. She always puts on a fantastic performance. The 10 hour wait was well worth it! At the end, there was a sudden rush to get the set list. A fellow front rower was trying to collect as many set list as he could. The other workers were trying to get him one. A camera man grabbed a set list and his work buddies told him to give it to this kid. He quickly said no and handed it to me because I was singing every song. THANK YOU Mr. Camera man!

I was still on a high from my This Tent all day experience. I saw a lot of people passing out from the heat, crowd surfing to the max during Matt and Kim, a kid getting on stage twice, discovered some new music, finally got to meet Andrew from http://www.bingelistening.com/... so far a great morning and afternoon.

I met up with my friends afterwards and we headed over to My Morning Jacket on the What Stage, which already started. I seriously need to listen to more of them. I have all their albums and never really took a listen. Arcade Fire was up next. We found a nice spot close against one of the barriers behind the main pit. I have no clue how this happened, but one of the Bonnaroo workers just opened the gate by us and let my friends and I in. Yes, we were in the front pit for Arcade Fire! I do not think anyone can fully appreciate Arcade Fire until they see them play live. We all walked away speechless.

After a long day, we decided to check out Bassnectar and Lil Wayne for a little. Bassnectar had a fantastic visual show. I really want to take time to see them live. We were beat from the day, so ended the night rather early in Bonnaroo terms.

Bonnaroo Day 1 - Thursday Night

2011-06-15T13:37:00.000-04:00

After a long 15+ hour bus ride from Brooklyn to Manchester, I stumbled into Centerloo. I explored for a little bit with my group, but soon we went our separate ways. I went to see Freelance Whales at That Tent. I made it pretty far up, but did not have a great view of the stage. Honestly, it was fun just observing all the people around me. This weekend was going to be LEGENDARY (as Barney Stinson would say).

I met up with 2 lovely girls who I was camping with this weekend for Best Coast. I thought I had prime time skills of getting to the front of a concert crowd, but Amanda takes that award. We made it from the back of the crowd to about 7 rows from the front. Great view. I always hear mixed reviews on Best Coast's concert performances, but I thought it was pretty good.

Band of Skulls was up next back at That Tent. The sun was set, and this would be the first night show of the trip. Out of the Thursday line-up, they were the most anticipated for me. LOVED THEM. Great performance.

Last show of the night was Sleigh Bells. We worked our way as close as we could, which was not that close. The crowd was pretty wild. People were in trees trying to get a good view. I recently saw them at Bowery Ballroom and being up front to see Sleigh Bells is a completely different experience than in the back. I recommend seeing them at a venue rather or up close rather than in the back at a festival.

Cloud Cult @ Maxwell's in Hoboken

2011-05-25T10:34:00.003-04:00

Will and Melissa from The Wilderness of Manitoba

Cloud Cult always finds a way to have an opener that I fall instantly in love with. First it was Fort Wilson Riot (who the members of Cloud Cult still speak highly of.. Shout out to Amy and Jacob, I cannot wait to see you all come back to NYC). Last night it was The Wilderness of Manitoba. I am dedicating today, and probably the rest of the week, to listening to their vinyl that we purchased at the show. Tino, Will and I had some great conversations with Melissa, Sean (check out Philadelphia's Magic Gardens!) and Will. I recommend taking a listen and if you can check out their live show.

Cloud Cult is definitely in my top 5 bands. I luckily saw them last year in Philadelphia and jumped onto the opportunity to see them live again. They are the only band that I remember their performance every time I listen to their songs. Scott was painting at last night's show. Connie was not at the show, who usually paints too. Tino and I actually own one of Scott's painting he did for WXPN in Philadelphia. We had the opportunity to meet and talk to most of the members of Cloud Cult after the show and have them sign their set list.

I am already tempted to get tickets to their show in Brooklyn on Friday. Not only for Cloud Cult, but for The Wilderness of Manitoba.

Austra @ Mercury Lounge

2011-05-24T10:20:00.001-04:00

I do not even remember how I stumbled onto Austra. The Toronto native ventured down to NYC after the release of her debut album, 'Feel It Break'. I am patiently waiting for my pre-ordered vinyl to arrive in the mail. Of course it is being released in the U.S. later than the UK, where it is already out. Austra put on a great show. I do wish lead singer, Katie, interacted more with the audience. They are back in July to play at the Hudson River Park's RiverRocks. By then I will be very familiar with the new album and hopefully be rocking out in front.

Lykke Li @ Webster Hall

2011-05-19T12:49:00.000-04:00

I have had the opportunity to see Lykke Li perform some songs from 'Wounded Rhymes' twice before last night's show. This time around was a little different. The first time was a Le Poisson Rouge right before 'Wounded Rhymes' was released. The 2nd time was for the VH1/MTV Unplugged special.

During a break in a rain storm, I headed over to Webster Hall 2 hours before doors opened. I expected a line, but found that only 1 other person was there for Lykke Li. A few more girls as well as Andrea (my concert buddy for the night) arrived soon after. After a few drinks at the bar, Andrea and I made friends with Braids, the bouncer (he was at Webster Hall the last show I was at for Ellie Goulding). Nice dude. He let us in first and we picked the center spot against the barriers.

Grimes, from Vancouver, opened up the show. I like her! I recommend taking a listen.

Lykke Li mysteriously came on stage through the smoke and flashing lights. She never disappoints. Honestly, she can dance, sing and is hot. Andrea walked out of the show with a female Lykke crush. I have seen Lykke Li four times including tonight live in concert. Not once have I seen her perform 'Until We Bleed'. I am glad she added it to this tour and is performing it. It was the first song I heard from her and it is still one of my favorites.

Overall it was a great show. We met some nice girls too. Shout out to them for making the night even more enjoyable! Congratulations to Andrea for getting her first set list. It was even the main set list Lykke Li read off from!

Sleigh Bells/CSS @ Bowery Ballroom

2011-05-19T12:11:00.004-04:00

Sleigh Bells/CSS concluded their NYC run at Bowery Ballroom. I read a review of a past show. I was up for a wild night. Princeton was the opener and I was curious to see them live, since a friend of mine introduced me to their music last year.

Brooklyn based Sleigh Bells did not disappoint. Have I expressed that I love when bands jump into the audience and perform in the crowd? Alexis Krauss interacted with the crowd and definitely made the fans up front feel welcomed. Sleigh Bells will be performing the first night at Bonnaroo. I cannot wait to see them again, and I will be up front for the performance.

I went in familiar with CSS's (aka Cansei de Ser Sexy) music. We squeezed our way up front for their act and just danced the night away. I was very excited to see their performance and did not know what to expect. I instantly fell in love. Lovefoxxx also jumped into the crowd right by us to perform. At the end of the night, I battled a chick for the set list. I am sure she called me names after I won. In return, I snagged a 2nd set list and handed it to her as a truce.

I love when bands tweet at their fans. After posting this on Twitter, CSS tweeted:

@csssuxxx: @CarinaContreras rock on!!!

@csssuxxx: @CarinaContreras you got today's set list!!!!
@CarinaContreras: @csssuxxx I walked into Bowery last night liking you and walked out in love. Great show last night!

@csssuxxx: @CarinaContreras yes!! being in love sounds great to us!! Thank you grrrrl

Cold War Kids @ Highline Ballroom

2011-05-06T13:28:00.003-04:00

I used to think that I never win anything. This past year, I proved myself wrong. Tino received a call a couple weeks ago saying he won 2 tickets to see the Cold War Kids on May 5th. A week later, I received the same call! My concert buddy Michel also won tickets. Lucky us... or maybe we were the only people who entered to win. Either way, it was going to be a great night.

We were let into the venue first and after some confusion, we finally found our section. Whoever ran the VIP part of this party did a great job. He made sure we got free food and alcohol the whole night. The DJ spinning in our section was awesome! I need to get his name.

Patron shots in honor of Cinco De Mayo

The opening band, Beast Make Bomb was in our section and I vaguely remember telling them they sounded great. I am going to take a better listen to them today. The whole experience was fun. Cold War Kids put on a great show. Last time I saw them, they only played new songs. All I wanted to hear was 'Hospital Beds'. I secretly was hoping Florence came on stage to join in since she was in town for the Met Ball, but that did not happen. Maybe at Bonnaroo! Thank you Garnier Fructis and Chris from Realtime Media for this experience!

The Naked and Famous @ Pianos

2011-05-05T09:15:00.001-04:00

I stumbled onto the Pianos website yesterday. To my surprise, I saw that The Naked and Famous were playing there at midnight. May 4th happened to be my birthday, and I was celebrating in the Lower East Side just blocks away from Pianos. The Naked and Famous are playing Central Park SummerStage for free this year, but to pass up an opportunity to see them in one of the smallest venues in NYC was not an option.

SummerStage Capacity: 5000
Pianos Capacity: maybe 140

I made my way to the front of the line with two other guys. One of the bouncers took down our names and told us to stand off to the side of the normal line. I was a bit scared since the show was sold out, and I was not aware tickets were on sale ahead of time. The bouncers kept telling everyone to leave if you did not have a ticket. Doors finally opened, and I was told to go in first with the other two guys next to me. I stood right up against the stage. It always pays to be nice to the bouncers!

The Naked and Famous opened for the Foals at Terminal 5 earlier in the night. They had the crowd jumping and dancing. It was a fantastic show and I cannot wait to see them play at SummerStage in August. Sadly, I forgot my camera and had to resort to my camera phone (amateur mistake).

Eliza Doolittle @ Mercury Lounge

2011-04-26T18:46:00.001-04:00

I love Mercury Lounge. I love that you do not have to camp out all day to get a prime spot at a show. I arrive around doors and landed a good spot right up front.

Emily Greene opened up for Eliza Doolittle. Lately, I have been really intrigued by some of the openers to shows I have attended. Emily Green is an artist to pay attention to. I took a listen to her album right before the show and instantly fell in love. Check it out on MySpace or download it here. She was very interactive with the crowd and explained the stories behind a few of her songs. Emily Greene (with an 'e' at the end) had the crowd laughing and encouraged people to go talk to her after the show. Very cool.

Eliza Doolittle came on stage and opened with 'Money Box'. I've only listened to her album for a couple months and was told her live shows are fun and upbeat. She had this quirky outfit on and literally sang to the crowd by locking eyes with fans and wanted to, as she said, 'touch the crowd'. For the encore she performed Kanye West's 'Runaway'. Great cover! Eliza seems to be stepping up in venues, so I am sure the next time I see her will be at Bowery Ballroom or larger. Either way, I will wind up at her next show.

I luckily grabbed her setlist after the show. I did not get it signed, which would have been pretty easy at Mercury Lounge. Instead, I took Emily Greene's invitation to go talk to her at the merch table. I did download her album earlier in the day, but said if she signed it, it would be worth the purchase. I cannot wait to check out her next show, which she said is with a full band.

K.Flay @ Mercury Lounge

2011-04-23T19:06:00.001-04:00

My friend Kaz told me about K.Flay last month. I immediately downloaded songs from K.Flay's Official Website and looked up her next show in the NYC. Lucky us, it was at Mercury Lounge.

First of all, this girl can rap. I am spending the rest of today just listening and reading her lyrics. One song, which we asked later had no name to it, is amazing. During it, she spit out lyrics faster than I could take in. I wish I recorded it, because I have never seen anything like that before.

We did have the opportunity to meet her after the show. She was very chill and nice. Kaz grilled her on attending Stanford, and she told us about her Brooklyn Bowl show tonight, which is only $5. Hmm, sounds like a fun night. Anyone want to go?

I recommend downloading her songs and catching her next show. It looks like she just toured the US, so you probably missed out. She is heading to the UK next. I know I have some UK readers, so check out her tour dates. K.Flay Tour Dates

MNDR @ Brooklyn Museum

2011-04-17T20:00:00.001-04:00

Free Brooklyn Vodka + MNDR = Me singing into the microphone during 'Cut Me Out' and my friend getting pulled on stage.

Normal Friday night, right? I arrived early to the Brooklyn Museum just in time for MNDR's soundcheck. I met up with Wally, who is the #1 MNDR fan alive. My friends arrived just in time for the hour of free drinks...10 cups later of this premixed concoction, we were pretty much on our way to a crazy night. I wanted to get my 7" vinyl signed; however I always feel awkward walking up to an artist asking them to sign something when nobody else is. Ten drinks in I was ready. She signed my vinyl and took a picture with Tino and me.

New Villager was finishing up, and we got to enjoy the last part of their set. We had front row view of the show. I have only seen her DJ at the Ace Hotel, so it was nice to be at a performance. During 'Cut Me Out' she put the microphone in front of me during to sing along with her the 'Oh oh oh oh, oh oh oh oh'. She also did the same to Tino. She jumped into the crowd and performed. A highlight of the show was when she pulled my friend Kaz on stage with her. Yeah, let's just say he is a fan now.

Wye Oak @ Bowery Ballroom

2011-04-15T09:12:00.001-04:00

Wye Oak played a sold out show last night at Bowery Ballroom. As usual, we arrived early and was first in line. In fact the venue was empty until the first acts went on stage. Callers opened up followed by Caveman. Michel and Kat both saw Caveman open up for White Lies and had one of their old set lists. While we were in line outside, the guys came out and conversed with us and signed Michel's setlist. Michel got another set list from this Bowery show. One nice thing about Bowery Ballroom, is the bar downstairs. Caveman's members were all at the bar and signed the second set list. GREAT GUYS! They are from Brooklyn, so go check them out.

While waiting in line, we could hear Wye Oak's soundcheck. Jenn covered Rihanna's 'Umbrella'. There was no sign of this song during the live show. It still sounded wonderful!

Wye Oak came on stage after 11pm. A person from my high school commented on my Facebook status saying she saw them live and 'it was magical'. She was not lying. Jenn knows how to rock. If you were standing still during this show, then something is wrong. Jenn broke a guitar string during the first song, which she said was a new record for her.

Unfortunately, we did not get to meet them afterwards. I have a feeling this will not be the last time I see Wye Oak perform.

Mumford and Sons @ P.C. Richard and Son Theater

2011-04-14T09:26:00.008-04:00

This past 2 weeks was full of contests. 1 for Foo Fighters and a bunch for 2 Mumford and Sons shows. All hope was lost Monday morning when I received no emails that I won any of them. Luckily, Monday afternoon I received an email from iheartradio that I won 2 tickets to see Mumford and Sons for Wednesday at P.C. Richards. I only knew one person who felt the same depression I did for losing the same contests above, Michel.

Michel and I did our usual tradition of waiting early at the venue to be first in line. This venue was special. With a 200-300 person capacity, you could only win your way in. Since Mumford and Sons easily sells out the 3000+ capacity of Terminal 5, this would be a rare event.

Besides their upbeat performance, my favorite part of the show was the banter back and forth between the band and the audience. Marcus' humor and stage personality, made me want to be his best friend. With reference to Shania Twain, a short cover of 'Man I Feel Like A Woman', being scared of getting shot due to the east coast/west coast rivalry between Bonnaroo and Coachella, Ben making fun of Marcus for only liking to write songs in the D chord... the crowd seemed very amused with their comedic performance on stage.

The set list was even better. We got to hear a new song tentatively titled, 'Lover's Eyes'. If this is a preview of their new album, I am very excited to hear more. Sadly, Ben informed us that they were not sure when we would hear it again.

Ending with 'The Cave' then 'Little Lion Man', despite what the set list says, pumped up the crowd even more. I am going to Bonnaroo in June, and I definitely plan on dragging my friends to check out Mumford and Sons' set. Great guys and an awesome performance.

Thank you P.C. & Son Theater for giving everyone a free dated Mumford and Sons' poster after the show!

To stick with tradition, Michel and I waited outside the venue looking for the band to sign our posters, set lists (we both were successful) or vinyls. Honestly, we were the ONLY two people there. We slowly started seeing band members leave, but they were too far away and chasing after them would be... weird. Luckily, Marcus was walking past us with his friend that was a girl... Michel asked for him to sign his poster and my vinyl. Marcus did and personalized it! Funny part: Marcus was walking on the street of NYC with an open bottle of wine.

Foster the People @ Brooklyn Photo Studio

2011-04-07T11:33:00.004-04:00

Another reason why I love Twitter: You find out about exclusive free concerts.

Foster the People posted a Tweet about playing in a loft in Brooklyn and to email them to get on the list. Why not? I only heard two of their songs, but both of their shows in NYC are sold out. Plus, it was in a loft.

The next day I finally get the email.

You and the guest indicated in your rsvp email have been added to the list for the Foster the People show in Williamsburg.

DATE:
Wednesday, April 6th

SET TIME:
Midnight

LOCATION:
Brooklyn Photo Studio
39 Ainslie St.
Brooklyn, NY 11211

-Space is limited and will be first come first serve. Please arrive by 11pm.
-This show is 16+
-We will be filming the show. If you are camera shy, this is your warning.

My friend and I headed over to Brooklyn for a few drinks. The line for the studio was pretty short when we got there. We finally got in and secured a front row spot. The room was small and hot. This was going to be amazing...

Their new album, Torches, comes out in May, so they performed a good amount of songs from that plus the 2 other songs everyone in the room knew. This band certainly knows how to get a crowd going. Even without knowing the words to their songs, everyone was jumping and dancing. It was a sweaty good time.

Afterwards we spoke to one of the members about MNDR remixing 'Pumped Up Kicks' as well as The Knocks plan to release a remix. We congratulated them on their sold out shows and wished them much luck with the new album. Before we left, he asked my friend and I what nationality we were. ~~Honestly, we were the only nonwhite people there~~. Edit, ok maybe that is a lie.

Civil Twilight @ Highline Ballroom

2011-03-31T09:59:00.001-04:00

"It smells good in here" were lead singer, Steven McKellar's first words. Someone sparked up the traditional first song joint at the Highland Ballroom. The aroma filtered the small venue quickly. My group of friends arrived rather early for the show. Two of them actually set up camp at noon. It was well worth the wait.

Highland Ballroom was sold out last night, but we did not feel the normal squeeze being up front. The two openers, The Rassle and A Silent Film got the crowd nice and ready.

I have a lot of respect for Civil Twilight. I first saw them open for Florence and the Machine at Irving Plaza. Even as an opener, Steven was very interactive with the crowd. At that show he stood on the barrier and serenade the crowd, while holding the hands of several front row members. Their headlining show was no different. Minus a barrier, Steven still found a way to jump into the crowd during their cover of 'Teardrops' with his bass and mic. Everyone crowded around him as he performed in the middle of the venue. Amazing...

After all four of us snagged set lists, we waited outside to get our goods signed. Civil Twilight has to be one of the nicest bands I have met. They stood and took pictures with fans, signed numerous items, and even called up a fan in California to say 'Hi!'. Put these guys on your list of concerts to see in the future...

Ellie Goulding @ AllSaints in SoHo

2011-03-28T22:33:00.007-04:00

I was already in the city when I got the Direct Message from Kanon Vodka saying I won VIP access to the Ellie Goulding show at AllSaints. First off, I was excited to FINALLY try their organic vodka, plus I will be seeing Ellie Goulding put on an acoustic show! WIN!

I invited my friend (from all the Florence shows) Diana. Luckily, we were able to stand right next to the stage. Nobody could ask for a better spot. Ellie played only a few songs. While, downing some wine, she spoke candidly to the crowd, which formed hours before her arrival.

After the performance tonight ended, I snagged the setlist. I have been dying to get my setlist signed from Webster Hall. My goal was to get both of them signed. We stood patiently in line and tried to figure out a fun way to approach Ellie. Fist pump? Dance? Twirl in a circle? Nah... let's do them all!

It was our turn. We danced over to Ellie. Diana asked if we could take a shot of us fist pumping. Ellie assumed it was a shot of alcohol and said 'shot?! Let's do shots!' (which I would not object to, but I did not have any hard alcohol). She signed Diana's album cover. We took a picture of us fist pumping. Jersey style.

Well, to keep up with tradition. I needed a picture of us 'cheersing' our alcohol drinks. We were here because of Kanon and our love of vodka, so it only made sense. I asked Ellie if we could take a picture of us 'cheersing' glasses. She of course said yes....

Don't worry. The night is not over.

Well, Diana and I decided to go back up and get another glass of Kanon Vodka. It was delicious. The store emptied out, but we still had VIP status. After awhile, we went downstairs where Ellie was doing normal interviews. We entered a circle that Ellie was participating in, that was talking about Las Vegas and her upcoming performance at the Cosmopolitan Hotel. I advised Ellie to put $200 on black and start her trip that way. If she wins, then she walks away with $400. If she loses, then she loses and can say she gambled in Vegas. Everyone chatted for awhile about it. I told her, she is lucky to be performing on a stage with a lot of big artist at the Cosmopolitan Hotel... the Black Keys, Jay Z! That is an honor. Jay Z! I do not know if she realizes how cool that is.

Another group of girls came over to get their posters signed. Ellie kneeled down on the ground to sign them. She looked kinda stuck afterwards. I put my hand out to help her up and she grabbed it to be pulled up (yes, this made my night complete). We all stood around for awhile and chatted with the group. I really wanted my poster signed. We saw that Ellie was trying to figure out her plans for the night, so we approached her and asked her to sign our posters. I informed her that we were 'real fans' and snuck down here to meet her. She kinda looked scared, so I felt weird saying that. I then told her, that she can write "whatever you want on these posters. You can write 'Fuck You' for all I care". She said she would not write that, then I insisted that she did. Well, she did. Diana and I both have the ONLY posters in this world that say "Fuck You, Love Ellie Goulding". Night is finally complete.

Key Moments in the night:
-Someone yelling for her to sing 'Heartbeats' (cover of The Knife), which I would have LOVED to see, but Ellie said she forgot the words.
-Ellie telling the talkers in the VIP section to quiet down.
-Ellie standing up during the chorus of 'Starry Eyed' and facing the talking section of the VIP and singing at them with some attitude (love it! - video below)
-Ellie drinking wine... with ice in it
-Afterwards when we we hanging with Ellie, she ripped off her fake eye lashes. We assured her she looked fine without them
-Talking to her PR dude (who was super nice) about the 'Asian Glow', and even if he is Filipino he still gets it.

Ellie Goulding @ World Cafe Live

2011-03-28T10:42:00.000-04:00

While at the Cold War Kids' concert, I saw a poster showing that Ellie Goulding was playing that evening. I was reading my Twitter and saw that WXPN released 8 more tickets for tonight's sold out show. She put on a great performance at Webster Hall, and The Knocks were one of the best opening acts I have seen in awhile. This would be a great show to attend again. I had to get tickets.

I arrived at the show a little late. I needed to pick up my fiance from the Hamilton train station. We walked in around 8:15pm during The Knocks' set. They had the crowd going yet again.

My favorite thing about the World Cafe Live is that they do not pack the venue to capacity. It is easy to get to the bar and buy a drink. On the main floor, it is not fully packed. Standing in the back will still give you a perfect view of the stage.

The setlist was the same for Ellie Goulding. She was actually more interactive with the crowd in Philadelphia. She put the mic up to a fan in the front row who sang a few lyrics and spoke more in between songs. Overall another great performance.

After the show, we met The Knocks and purchased their album. I cannot wait to see them headline a show or even DJ an event. I will definitely be there.

I really wanted my Webster Hall setlist signed by Ellie Goulding. I was first in line at Webster Hall and paid for the album/meet and greet there. I then came to the show the next day in Philadelphia, would it be that bad if I got my setlist signed? Apparently it is. I spoke to Regulator Plaid Shirt (previously mentioned at the Webster Hall show). Surprise, Surprise! He was wearing another plaid shirt in Philly. I asked him nicely if I could get my setlist signed. I was at both shows and I already paid for a CD. It would be lame to have to pay for ANOTHER album to meet Ellie. He told me he would do me a favor... if I bought another CD he would 'let me' get the setlist signed. Negative. What would I do with 2 albums? Please do not act like you are doing me a favor. I noticed it was the same wristbands from Webster Hall. I could have just worn my old wristband and snuck in line. He told me, yes that would have been a smart idea in a nice sassy attitude.

Regulator Plaid Shirt, I thought you were cool and doing your job. When you tried to 'make a deal', you lost all respect as a professional employee at Interscope Records.

Cold War Kids @ World Cafe Life (WXPN's Free at Noon)

2011-03-28T10:23:00.000-04:00

Last week I got an invite to the Cold War Kids' Free at Noon show at WXPN in Philadelphia. I was planning on seeing Cold War Kids at Bonnaroo this summer, so this was the perfect pregame. Their new album, Mine is Yours just came out earlier this year. Honestly, I haven't had much time to really listen to it. Nathan Willet and his band only played songs from the new album.

Song of the Day: Bulldozer. I was not a huge fan when listening to it on the my iPod, but after seeing it live I was amazed. It was 'that' song that I needed to play as soon as I got back to my car.

Afterwards, they had a meet and greet. The whole band was nice, but shy. I told Nathan I was going to see them at Bonnaroo. I asked him if he planned on performing Hospital Beds with Florence Welch like they did at Coachella last year. He looked rather surprised and said 'I don't know, maybe!'. I really hope so.

Ellie Goulding at Webster Hall

2011-03-25T01:33:00.000-04:00

England's own Ellie Goulding debuted her album 'Lights/Bright Lights' (depending what version you have) to the sold out NYC crowd this evening. Perfection is an understatement.

As always, I showed up extremely early for the show at Webster Hall. 3:15pm to be exact. Don't worry, I was the first one there. My iggle A's were soon joined by the double D's... Dana and Diana, who I have met at several Florence + the Machine shows. Last time, we stood in freezing temperatures. Today was a brisk 45 degrees. Warmer, but still not warm enough.

This night was extra special, if we bought a $10 CD, we could meet Ellie after the show. Done. We devised a plan to have Diana buy the CD's while Dana and I run and hold our normal spots, center and against the barrier. We were allowed into the bar area of the venue early and made friends with one of the security guards. Let's call him... Braids. Braids assured us we would be in front and to not worry about the numerous line cutters popping in and out.

Plan worked. We waited patiently for the opening act, The Knocks to perform. AMAZING. They were not what I expected. I do not want to spoil it, so check out their MySpace.

Ellie finally came on stage and opened with 'Under the Sheets'. We found a way to incorporate a fist pump dance into a good portion of her songs. Ellie actually pumped her fist at us during one of them. That made my night complete. She played all the songs I wanted to hear, 'Lights', 'Your Biggest Mistake', 'Animal'....

My set-list skills were not as good this time, but Dana and her long arms grabbed it and offered it up. Thanks girl!

After the show we made our way to the meet and greet. The line was long, and we were unsure of the process. The regulators were pretty strict. CD booklet only and a picture. When it was my turn, I went up to Ellie. I asked her to sign my set-list too but Regulator Plaid Shirt said no. I went on to tell Ellie how she found a beautiful way to express the soundtrack to her life thru her lyrics. She said 'Thank you'. We took our picture and she said to me, 'That was lovely'. Short but sweet. Great show. She is doing an acoustic show on Monday at All Saints in SoHo. I guess I will be attending that!

Esben and the With @ Mercury Lounge

2011-03-07T13:09:00.000-05:00

I heard about Esben and the Witch late last year. Often compared to Florence and the Machine, I decided it was time to see them in concert. I received the album, 'Violet Cries' a few weeks ago and fell in love immediately. If you scourer online, you will not find their lyrics, but luckily they came with the digital copy I bought. At first listen I was hooked. I sat at my computer one day and listened to the album on repeat while reading the lyrics. Unlike your typical indie band, the lyrics have no chorus. Each song tells its own story. Each song has its own mystery.

After a long day at the Hoboken St. Patrick's Day Parade, we headed over to Mercury Lounge around 7:15. Doors opened at 7:30 on the dot. Wise Blood was first up. Not that bad. I plan on trying to find more of his music. We caught up with him after the show. He is actually a pretty funny guy.

Esben and the Witch started off with 'Argyria'. Each song sucked the audience in more. The turning point was at 'Lucia, at the Precipice'. Rachel, Daniel, and Thomas all start banging on the one drum (see video below)

We had the opportunity to meet the band after the show at the bar. I spoke to Daniel after the show and told him how I stole his drum stick after the show. He quietly replied, "It's ok". Rachel soon came out and I spoke to her about the album, its lyrics, touring and the video for 'Marching Song'. Overall it was a great show and I recommend checking out their album. If you have the opportunity, check them out live.

Rachel and Me - not the best picture. It was a long day!

Daniel and Me

Lykke Li - VH1 Unplugged

2011-03-04T20:11:00.001-05:00

Production Set List I asked for

It was February 28th when I got the email saying I was picked to attend 'VH1 Unplugged'. I was ecstatic when I read there would only be 40 people in the audience. This was definitely a must attend. Luckily, my friend Kristin was going on vacation this weekend and could take today off.

We arrive in Harlem (yes, 106th and Park) around 3:15-3:30. We were taken in to the basement of the building, which happened to be a school as well. Only about 25-30 people arrived to be in the audience. Kristin and I were picked to stand in the front of the line into the studio. Does this mean we will be front row! Even with 30 people in the audience, I get greedy and need to be up front.

We were placed in the front row (yes!), towards the right facing the stage. Sadly, we could not take any pictures, so I will link the professional shots at a later time. The staff explained to us to be excited, no standing, look happy, sing along... all of which I did. Even if it is a new album, I always find a way to memorize the songs quickly. If only my memory was this good when I used to study for exams at Rutgers.

Lykke Li's band came on stage first. A few minutes later she joined her band. It was not a normal concert. In fact there was a break between every song. She opened up with 'I Follow Rivers' from the new album 'Wounded Rhymes'. It sounded perfect. Lykke and her band thought otherwise. They asked if they could perform it again. OK! I of course sang along and bobbed my head like a nerd. Let's hope you all see me lip singing to one of the songs when it airs on VH1.

In between acts she tried to have small talk with the crowd who was not as responsive. She laughed and said they were from Sweden (we know!). Everyone just clapped and cheered. I guess we were just as nervous as she was.

Next was a cover, 'Velvet' by The Big Pink. She started singing, beautiful as it sounded... Lykke stopped suddenly saying, 'I don't remember the words!' She talked to her band mates in Swedish and one of the workers asked if they would like to move onto the next song and come back to it later. They agreed. You could tell she was very shy. At one point she asked if we were having fun and to not look at her.

'Dance Dance Dance' was next. A familiar song for all. More people started to lip sing and dance in their chairs. Wonderful performance!

Next was 'Possibility'. She moved to the piano and screamed out that this was the first time she is performing this live! I definitely saw her play it live when she was at Le Poisson Rouge late last year, but I assumed she meant play it live on the piano.

I yelled out, 'I love that song!' Someone in the audience had to say something! She was rockin' it! Understandable, she did play more slow songs.

'Sadness is a Blessing' was up next. This song really grew on me after listening to the album a few times. After seeing it performed live, I LOVE it.

'I Know Places' was last on the list. Again, I tried to lip sing as much as I remember from each song. It is a great album, and she needed to know people actually listened to it since it has been out.

We thought it was over, but they decided to redo 'Sadness is a Blessing'. People seemed to be more into it the second time around. I am sure everyone there is now home listening to this song. It is amazing.

They all walked off the stage and I yelled out, as well as a few others...'One more song!' They came back on stage and decided to play one more song. I yelled out, 'how about 5 more songs.' I really wanted them to perform 'Love Out of Lust', which I yelled out to be played. I did a lot of yelling at this show... One can only ask right? Lykke kept telling the crew to record it in case it is really good and they want to put that on the show instead. If not, they can put it on YouTube.

The lucky song performed, 'Jerome'. A more upbeat song, which I have to give a better listen to. At the last show I saw her at, she said it was about an old boyfriend.

Sadly, the show came to an end. They walked off stage finally. Everyone wanted more. It was such an intimate show. Lykke was super shy the whole time. She seemed to think nobody knew who they were. The songs were on the slower side, which probably made it seem like we were bored, but honestly she rocked it.

Beach House at Webster Hall

2011-03-02T22:56:00.002-05:00

As you may know, I prefer being up front for concerts. There are certain instances that it is impossible. Usually I am with someone who is not that interested in arriving 4-5 hours before a concert. The Beach House concert was one of those times.

I was actually glad I was not up front. As always, Beach House put on a spectacular show. Victoria's voice is so haunting yet beautiful. Three fluorescent light up tipis flashed on stage as well as star like lights. You could not get the full experience of the light show up close against the barrier free stage. Sadly, the light show rarely showed the band's faces. I came out of the show set list free, but 100% satisfied with the concert and performances.

Live on Letterman with Florence + the Machine

2010-12-17T03:27:00.001-05:00

Florence + the Machine fans are the best. I was under the impression that after Don Hill's, I would be heading home to watch the much anticipated live webcast of Florence + the Machine performing on 'Live on Letterman'. To my surprise a fellow Flo Fan, sent me a Facebook message asking me if I was interested in going to the show! UM YES! Thank you Michel!

We lined up as usual with a few other regulars (it was nice to see the fans who wait hours in the cold to get into Florence + the Machine concerts win this contest). We were in the front of the line, under the impression that we would be front and center. To our surprise, front and center = 2nd row, on right side of stage (near Isa). We were bummed. People who came in after us got front and centered. Backwards.

Performance was spectacular. Our seats wound up being AWESOME. The people we were sitting with were very into it. We wanted to stand the whole time, but I guess that was not what the rest of the crowd was thinking. There were times we did stand (After a few of the songs, during the entire 'Dog Days Are Over' performance, anytime she came to our side of the stage). I REFUSED to sit during 'Dog Days Are Over'. Rest of crowd followed our lead. She actually came to our side of the stage a lot. Probably because we were initiating the clapping during the proper times, yelling out 'Raise it Up' at the proper times, dancing in our seats, raising our hands up, lip singing etc.

Afterwards, like tradition, we all waited outside for Florence. The rest of the band ran out without stopping to sign anything, Mairead did the same. What would Florence do? Of course she stopped!

She came over and signed autographs for everyone (no pictures unfortunately). It was super cold, so understandable. I asked her if she enjoy the shots from last night. She said she was still feeling it now. I told her I was also hurting today from those shots. Sorry for the hangover!

I would have taken more pictures, but I really wanted to just enjoy the whole show. Sorry for the small amount. Other people took some, so I will get them.
More Pictures: http://www.flickr.com/photos/carinacontreras/sets/72157625489931935/

SPIN's Year In Music Party with Florence + the Machine

2010-12-17T03:02:00.008-05:00

Lesson 1: Join Twitter (follow me at www.twitter.com/carinacontreras)

@SPINmagazine Congrats! @billyharrell @Violetworld @CarinaContreras you each have 2 tix to SPIN's YIM party on Wed! DM us your email address, thx!

Yes, I could not breathe or move for about 10 minutes.

Party was crowded (took forever to get to the bar)
Drinks were free
Florence + the Machine were playing
Oh yeah - and I was buying Florence shots of Patron to take on stage (Goal of night)

It was an acoustic set up, yet she performed and rocked out like it was not. Only 5 songs - but still perfect. This setlist is awesome because Isabella wrote it!
After a few free vodka drinks from 42 Below, I gained courage to purchase 3 patron shots to give to Florence (well, one for myself). I have to keep the tradition going! Did I reach my goal? Answer in link below.
http://www.spin.com/gallery/inside-spins-year-music-party?page=3#main

YES! Two actually. She took the first one right away, and left with the second one.
Great time as always. Unfortunately, she left Don Hill's right away. I wouldn't have partied there either. It was way too crowded.
More Pictures: http://www.flickr.com/photos/carinacontreras/sets/72157625615607794/

Florence + The Machine at Irving Plaza

2010-12-17T01:46:00.006-05:00

Day 1 - 101.9 RXP Yule Rock hosted a concert with Florence + the Machine.

Obviously I was there. After standing in the below freezing temperatures for 6 hours, we plotted our spot against the barrier. I say 'we' because once you attend over 5 Florence + the Machine concerts, you start recognizing, singing christmas carols with, Facebook friending fellow fans. I must say, this was the BEST performance I have seen. The venue was perfect (sorry Terminal 5, there are so many reasons why I dislike you). Smaller crowd. At one point, during 'Ghosts', Florence could not even finish the next line because everyone was cheering so loud. You know the part.. right after she breaks it down at the end.

Post Show - Back into the Freezing Cold

So our group decided to wait outside for Florence. Isabella (keyboards) came out first with Tom. She seemed pretty drunk. She signed her name on my vinyl and then said 'It's Christmas!'. She then wrote 'Merry Christmas' on everyone's items. She rambled about not knowing how to write words and letters (this is why we thought she was toasty). Either way, she is super sweet!
Rob also came out and signed everyone's stuff.

Florence was last to come out. She mostly looked down and signed everything. I was first by the door, so she signed my vinyl. I decided that I really wanted my setlist signed. I got out of line and went towards the end where she was inching towards signing everyone else's stuff. This was my chance to make an impression..

She took my setlist, as she started writing. I told her it was 'Carina Tequila'. She immediately stopped signing (hence why only 'Flo' which looks like 'Fle' was written), looked up with a huge smile, and yelled 'Heeeey!' and initiated a hug! So we hugged (obviously). I then asked her if it would be ok if I bought her Tequila shots at the SPIN party the next night. She said 'Oh Yeah, but I will be buying you shots!'

If my experienced ended right then and there, I would be super satisfied. Florence offering to buy me shots? Happens or not, the hug/offer was good enough for me!

More pictures: http://www.flickr.com/photos/carinacontreras/sets/72157625615285150/

Meeting Florence & Isabella at Terminal 5

2010-11-03T13:17:00.005-04:00

Me, Florence, Isa

Day 2, Part 2: November 2 - Terminal 5 (WARNING - LONG POST)

Slogan: I'm Nervous, Kristin.

Note to reader. I was super excited, nervous... so many emotions. I kinda forget every detail! I was sober. This is the jist of what happened. Quotes are not exact, but close enough!

My friend Kristin, a fellow ginger, came with me to meet Florence and Isa. She is a new fan and was excited to meet them! Maybe she remembers more details. At 7:45 - lives would be changing.. eh well 8pm is when we officially were in line to meet them.

To fully understand this post, I suggest you read about the first time I met Florence Welch in NYC in April (see here). In short, I gave Florence a few shots of Tequila while she performed at Le Poisson Rouge in NYC. I then got kicked out of the venue.

I liked how they ran this meet and greet. Only 3-5 people were in there at a time and each got their own turn. Kristin and I were the 2nd to last couple to go in. Honestly, I had 4 things I wanted signed. 2 Vinyls and 2 Setlist (Terminal 5 show from the night before and Apple SoHo). The email strictly said 1 picture and 1 item to be signed. If you read the Le Poisson Rouge post, you will find out that I have a problem following directions/rules.

It was finally our turn! Everything I wanted to say, practiced in my head... gone! After shaking both Florence's and Isa's hands, I immediately turned to Isa and said 'Happy Belated Birthday!". She smiled and thanked me. I was sorta afraid to make eye contact, but took had my 2 vinyls ready to be signed. I then said, that I had 2 more things I really wanted to be signed and I know it is selfish to ask. Isa looked at the host of the Meet and Greet and saw she was not looking. Isa then said, 'Hurry! Get it out and we will sign it fast! She is being very strict so maybe she won't see'. I took out my 2 setlists.

I then said, 'Florence, I have a story...last time you were in NY, I gave you sho...."

Immediately she yells out 'TEQUILA!" Arms wide open, smile on her face. I laughed and reminded her I got kicked out of the show for that. Isa quickly asked, 'You got kicked out?' Florence then answered, 'Yes for giving me shots of Tequila!' She then apologized for it, but I told her it was worth it. Florence asked me how I spelt my name. I spelt it for her as she wrote on the first vinyl. She then said, 'I am writing to Carina Tequila!'. Being half Mexican, this name could work for me. On all 4 items, she wrote that.

Florence also thanked me for the birthday wish (one of The Flows, put together a birthday card for Florence from her fans. I participated by sending my own message to her. Thanks Atlanta!). She said it was very nice of me (she was speaking a bit soft at this point and the opening band was also playing in the background, so I did not hear all what she said).

Isa looked at one of the setlists and questioned it (the Apple SoHo acoustic one). I told both of them I was also at the Apple acoustic performance earlier that day and it was so great, and I was glad to see an acoustic performance. Florence then said, 'Oh yeah!' and pointed at me, which looked like she recognized me being there.

I noticed it was another set of girl's turn. I already took up a lot of time getting my stuff signed, so it was time for a picture and to get moving.

I then babbled for awhile on how awesome they are. How each time I see them, they just keep getting better and better (that night would be my 5th time this year). The first time I saw them was perfect, so I never knew it could get better. I wished them much luck in the future and hope they enjoy their stay in NYC. Don't worry as soon as I left the area, I remember everything. I remember how I wanted to say how excited I am for the new album! 'Strangeness and Charm' is such a great song! I love the direction they are moving.. etc. If you leave with anything from this post, it will be this: Always write a letter before you meet an artist, celebrity, idol... hand it to them to read later, after your flustered ass leaves.

Souvenir: Picture with Florence and Isa - and a new nickname!

Florence + the Machine - Apple Store in SoHo

2010-11-03T12:14:00.008-04:00

Day 2, Part 1: November 2 - Apple Store in SoHo, NYC

Slogan: Acoustic Florence = Once in A Lifetime

Early start to the day. 8am I was in line at the Apple store to receive my wristband for the FREE acoustic performance at 4pm that day. I did see a familiar face who was first in line at Terminal 5 the day before. Glad to see she was there first in line at the Apple store. She deserves an award! I was unsure of how the processed worked that day, so after getting my wristband I made a plan in my head to be back there around 2pm. It was a requirement to be seated up front. After roaming around the Financial District to charge my cell phone and buy a new memory card, I headed back to the Apple store. The early birds today were also there scoping out the place. Lesson learned, the early birds do get the front and center seats at the acoustic Florence performance.

I never thought I would ever see Florence perform an acoustic set. If 2012 decided to come early, that acoustic set would have been satisfying as my last concert in life. The performance was also a perfect pre-game to my Meet and Greet the same night.

Souvenir: Setlist and a unforgettable performance

The Apple Store in SoHo will have it posted on their iTunes site in a few days. I will put up the setlist with all the others in the next post. I also have a boatload of photos from this to be put up shortly.

Florence + the Machine: Terminal 5

2010-11-03T11:53:00.005-04:00

Day 1: November 1, 2010 - Terminal 5

Slogan: Barrier or bust!

I arrived at the venue at 2pm to find about 7 people in line. I love hanging out with the early birds, since they are the hardcore fans. I met some great girls.. chatted about Florence as well as some other bands (Note to self: Download Bats for Lashes).

4.5 hours of waiting, we finally were let loose into Terminal 5. I do not run often, but my fast dash to the front and center against the barrier convinced me that if in the situation, I could outrun an intruder. I successfully parked my body in front of the microphone, a place that I would call home for the next 4 hours.

Hanni El Khatib opened. I am really digging his music (Note to self: Download his album). The Smith Western also opened. I was erasing pictures off my digital camera, and did not get too much into them. Little did I know I only had room for 14 photos! Amateur move for any concert goer. After sifting through a friend's wedding photos, drunk Halloweenis pictures, I finally made room for over 50 pictures. Show was finally starting!

Florence Welch during 'Howl'

Florence and the Machine opened up with up with 'Howl', my favorite song!

I was super excited to see 'Strangeness and Charm' and 'Heavy In Your Arms'.

'Strangeness and Charm' is the song that will easily pick out the diehard/underground U.S. fans who supported Florence from the start. My fiance said he looked around the crowd to see me and 4 others singing along to it. Great song. Best performance of that song I have seen (comparing to the many I have seen on YouTube). I am super excited for the new album!

Souvenirs: Setlist, drumstick (both thanks to my fiance and his long arms), as well as a Florence and the Machine t-shirt.

Overall the show was perfect. Crowd was amazing. Florence was beautiful. I will post the setlist after I discuss meeting Florence and Isabella. I also have a billion pictures that will be posted too. Stay tuned...

Jenny & Johnny: Maxwell's - Hoboken, NJ

2010-10-12T00:24:00.006-04:00

I do miss Rilo Kiley; however I have always enjoyed Jenny's side projects. I have actually seen her perform every time she tours, and Maxwell's wins the award for smallest venue I have seen her at. It was well worth it! Let's just say, the artists have to go through the audience to get up on stage. Jenny and Johnny stuck to their songs from 'I'm Having Fun Now' - which I was certainly okay with. The album has grown on me and I did enjoy the hours of listening to it weeks prior to the show. I yelled out a request for "Acid Tongue". I was a bit scared to scream out a Rilo Kiley song after listening to "My Pet Snake" - is that about Blake? Unfortunately, they stuck to their set list, which I managed to grab at the end of the show. It was not the full set list from that night, but a prior show. I will take anything I can get including a guitar pick!

'Inception' Premiere - Paris, France

2010-07-23T15:26:00.006-04:00

On July 1st I was invited to go to Paris. On July 10th - I was standing front row in a crowd for the 'Inception' movie premiere in Paris. It was by chance we walked by the crew setting up the carpets and aligning the gates. We decided to take a stroll down to a Cafe down the street and come back once they were finished. We planted our camp front row by the entrance to the movie theater. 3 hours later....

I love Joseph Gordon-Levitt since 'Angels in the Outfield' and the more recent '500 Days of Summer'. Marion Cotillard looked flawless. We unfortunately camped out where the stars were not necessarily stopping to give autographs. So we watched Ellen Page, Joseph, Marion, and others walk on by us... The most anticipated actor was of course Leonardo DiCaprio - who is well worth the 3 hour wait.

Leonardo was on his way into the movie theater and naturally I yelled out "Hey Leo! Can you sign my book!" Luckily I had a Paris guide book in my possession. It could have been my long arms or the familiar American South Jersey accent - he quickly turned and looked my way and walked on over to sign my book and continue signing down in our area.

She & Him in a cooler setting - Terminal 5

2010-07-08T16:54:00.007-04:00

Obsessive? Maybe... But I had to go see She & Him two days later at Terminal 5 Tuesday, July 7th. We decided on not rushing to the front and enjoying the concert with beers in hand upstairs on the 3rd level on the couches. About two songs in, my friend Kristin and I decided we needed to be up front. The crowd just looked boring and not enthusiastic. We ventured downstairs and squeezed through the calm crowd. A simple "Sorry, our friends are up there" was all that was needed to let us get by. We settled in the second row center in front of Zooey Deschanel. Perfect. If you were there, we were the two singing and jumping like it was a rock concert. Music is made for dancing!

Deschanel again was not interacting much with the crowd. She did speak up way more than she did at the Governors Island show. The show was still satisfying and worth every penny. I snagged a set list and fortunately got it signed after the show by her tour bus.

Positive: Signed set list and great ending to my She & Him Weekend

Negative: Deschanel refuses to take pictures with fans after the show

Fireworks for Your Ears - She & Him

2010-07-08T16:44:00.006-04:00

What better way to spend a 98 degree Fourth of July on Governors Island with She & Him. Sadly I missed She & Him last time they were in NYC. Being that this show was free, it was a necessity to go. After taking the ferry over and finagling a couple to let us cut in line to guarantee wrist bands into the show, we finally solidified our position against the barrier.

Opening for them was Oakley Hall who kept the crowd entertained and nodding their heads. They are definitely worth a listen.

Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward came on stage rather quickly after the opening act. It could be because everyone had to be off the Island by 7pm. They sang a boatload of songs which included a few covers. Deschanel's voice is pretty much perfect; however I was disappointed by the lack of audience interaction. Both M. Ward and Zooey Deschanel rarely spoke to each other, let alone to the hundreds of fans baking 'In the Sun'.

Positive: My friend and I both got set lists and quality pictures.

Pictures from She and Him at Governors Island

Nicole Atkins + Brooklyn Wine = Summer Sundays

2010-07-08T16:10:00.002-04:00

New Jersey's own Nicole Atkins performed at Vivo In Vino on Sunday, June 6th. The intimate performance was perfect for any wine lover, fan of Nicole, or simply interested in live music. She interacted with the crowd and kept everyone laughing. She sang a few of her more famous songs, "Neptune City" and my personal favorite, "The Way It Is". Most of her set was new songs off an upcoming CD. She also sang "The Tower", which I first heard played at the Regina Spektor' Doctors Without Boarders' Relief Program for Haiti.

Brooklyn Oenology also was handing out samples of their different wines. I am not a wine drinker, but I did fall in love with one of their samples.

Overall it was fantastic way to spend a Sunday evening.

Cheeseburger in Paradise - Key West, Florida

2010-06-10T18:50:00.003-04:00

Maybe it is because I have a lot of family here. Maybe it could be that I see this everyday there. Key West has always been a yearly trip for me. The past few years, it turned into a every few years trip. I finally brought my boyfriend down to visit my extended family who live here. Private islands, trips on the boat, being stranded at seat, Fat Tuesdays, $5 Martinis, mayhem on Duval Street...

We had a fantastic experience. Key West has reentered into the yearly visit category.

My first Bar Concert: Holly Miranda @ Kung Fu Necktie

2010-06-10T18:24:00.004-04:00

The night before my boyfriend and I embarked on a journey to Key West, Florida, we decided to head into the not so nice part of Philadelphia for the Detroit/Brooklyn artist Holly Miranda concert at Kung Fu Necktie on May 25th. We actually got there rather early and walked into the sound check. I would have gladly stayed, but our hunger lead us to a small diner down the street.

Arriving back to the venue, we drank a few beers (which they had a pretty decent selection for a good price). We established a nice position up front (standing room only). There were only about 40-50 heads in the venue if that. The Grooms opened for Holly. The drummer in this band is AMAZING. I could not stop looking at him. Note: Research this band.

Holly finally got on stage. The lighting made her look green. Literally.

She played every song I hoped she would play... 'Waves', 'Joints', 'Forest Green, Oh Forest Green', etc. It was a more rocked out performance compared to her album, which made the show actually more enjoyable. I stole a poster from the wall advertising her performance for the night and, which she kindly signed and participated in some small talk. Holly Miranda is definitely a must see.

Concert Rituals: Happens 99% of the Time

2010-04-27T21:55:00.001-04:00

So I have this ritual I go through pre and post a concert.

Buy my tickets
Start listening to mp3's of the artist
Attend concert - arrive prompt!
Rock my face off
Leave concert
Secretly want to attend at least 5 more shows immediately from this artist
Listen to the mp3's of the artist NONSTOP
Research artist - watch videos & interviews
Download every remix, cover, b-side, etc

Steps 6-9 usually last a week or two after concert date.

I am currently hitting a month with Florence + the Machine.

I see no end to my obsession. Another show? I am going to She & Him in July. Still has not encouraged me to change my playlist over to a more diverse list of artists.

Philadelphia's Magic Gardens - MUST SEE

2010-04-22T15:08:00.001-04:00

My bestfriend Holly and I have been meaning to visit this outdoor sculpture. Located on the not so famous part of South Street, it can be easily missed. For a $4 donation, we entered into a labyrinth that kept us speechless until the siting of a Latin American.. maybe Mexican... baby Jesus on the wall.

The work is sculpted by Isaiah Zagar. Zagar spent 12 years excavating tunnels and tiling the 3,000 square feet area. I won't give too much information in hopes you will one day go visit the site yourself.

Philadelphia's Magic Gardens is a must see. The beauty and creativity is one of a kind. I recommend going on a sunny day. I guarantee you will be planning to go back again.

Florence and the Machine: Part 2 - Video of Her taking shot

2010-04-12T00:08:00.015-04:00

Midway through the video (3:30) you see her (kinda blurry) taking the shot that got me the boot! At first she turned it down, where she rubbed my head. Then she took the shot and gave me a high five. After, you see her repeatedly motion at the bouncers to back off. She then yells "Come on!". Thanks for the support Florence! You certainly are awesome to you fans!

Florence and the Machine: Getting Kicked Out of Concert = Awesome Night

2010-04-11T20:15:00.005-04:00

I am a firm believer in drinking before a concert. The prices at venues are ridiculous. I bought 2 tickets to the sold out Florence and the Machine show off of Craigslist.com. I waited a day too long to buy them myself. Luckily, they were only $90 for two - not too much over face value. I also owned tickets to the Friday, Terminal 5 show. Le Poisson Rouge holds 800 people, while Terminal 5 holds 3000. Any fan would choose the smaller venue over Terminal 5's so-so quality sound. I sold my hard copy (we all know hard copies beat email print outs) Terminal 5 tickets to some local NYC fans.

On Thursday, April 8th, I head over to Le Poisson Rouge early. I have my vodka and Gatorade mixture in hand to help pass the time of waiting in line for the doors to open. I get to the venue around 4:30pm. Only 4 people in line! Awesome feeling. The front-center is a guarantee. The bouncers start doing the normal ID and wrist band dance. To my surprise there was a happy hour event before the concert. They opened the doors right away! I am waiting for my boyfriend to get here from work. What would I do with my 4 bottles of Vodka and Gatorade? I found a girl waiting outside for her friend as well. I creepily offered my mixture, which she took. My boyfriend finally arrives who took the other bottle as well as her friend. Coincidentally my boyfriend knew her friend from elementary school. Small world.

We get into the venue, doors to the stage were not open. Out of know where they opened and we went in. The stage was up to my waist (I am 5'3 on a good day). Fans start lining up against the stage. My boyfriend informs me that Holy Hail was not opening up for Florence and the Machine, and Florence will be on stage at 8:30pm. Sweet.

She started with Howl, which is my favorite song at the moment. I was really looking forward to see Rabbit Heart (Raise it Up) be played. I read in past blogs and forums, that Florence takes drinks from fans during performances. In my buzzed mind I thought, "How cool would it be if I got to take shots with Florence!" Mid performance, I beg my boyfriend to buy a few shots. Being the good boyfriend that he is, he comes back with 2 shots. I slam the 2 Tequila shots on stage. Florence grabs one, we cheers and take the shot. Nothing could beat that experience. Fans around me were cheering at the shots and enjoying it as much as I did. I yelled up at Florence, "Would you like another shot!". She said "Sure!" I asked, "Tequila or Vodka?". Florence says, "Tequila or Vodka is fine, but don't spend a lot love". At that point any fan would pay a billion dollars to buy Florence another shot! My boyfriend came back with 2 more shots of Tequila. She only took half, as did I.

She was very interactive. Rubbing my head since I was right up against the stage. Florence puts on a high energy, genuine performance. This was definitely going down as the BEST concert experience ever.

During the show, a bouncer came up to me through the crowd, and I was forewarned that anymore shots on stage would have me kicked out of the venue. This picture shows the shot that kicked me out. I put up my last tequila shot that I did not finish to hopefully cheers her half tequila shot she had on the stage by the drums. She grabbed MY drink and took the shot.

Florence and the Machine leave the stage after Dog Days Are Over. This is typical Encore behavior. I saw the set list in arms length taped to the floor. I knew my fate would not have me in this concert much longer, so I took the set list. I doubt Florence would miss it, since there were two by her drum. I then feel someone grab my arm. It was the bouncer who warned me before about the shots. He pulled me out of the show to the bar area and grabs the set list! I no longer have view of the concert, and most importantly, I no longer have my set list. He said I could listen, but I came to the show to see! The bouncer was not feeling me inching my way to view the stage. After arguing with the bouncer, I settled on the no view and just listen to the Encore. My boyfriend eventually talks the bouncer into giving me back the set list.

After the show ends. We head outside. People were still unloading out of the venue. We decide to wait a bit outside. Then in a blink of an eye, I see Florence leaving the venue. I stop her saying, "Sorry for the shitty Tequila shots! I was kicked out of the venue for giving them to you." She stopped and gave me a hug and apologized for the bouncers actions. I asked her to sign my set list and take a picture with me. I ramble on about her being an awesome performer and person for being fan oriented, and I hope she will never lose touch of that. She thanks me and asks me my name and the rest is history!