March 26, 2010
Kymberly and Andrew's Wedding Photos
This was a spectacular event I did with Emily Smiley. Check out the great photo collage from photographer Boyd Harris.
March 23, 2010
Terrified
No, not actually terrified. Just excited about this great pop song. I heard it for the first time during the Hollywood week auditions on American Idol when Top 12 finalist Didi Benami sang it. Although it has been out for a while, a release from former AI contestant, Kat McPhee's latest album.
It's a genuinely good song, written by AI judge Kara Dioguardi. Often times I hear a song, read the lyrics and wish I could have had half the talent to write the words and melody. This is one of those songs.
I'm a little bummed that my music service has not sent me this song. I think it would make a great first dance song. Enjoy these various versions of it.
It's a genuinely good song, written by AI judge Kara Dioguardi. Often times I hear a song, read the lyrics and wish I could have had half the talent to write the words and melody. This is one of those songs.
I'm a little bummed that my music service has not sent me this song. I think it would make a great first dance song. Enjoy these various versions of it.
March 17, 2010
Dear American Idol Audience ... No clapping during the performance
In the greatest – and probably the only – pro-Thanksgiving song ever created, Adam Sandler begins to play and sing the first few lines of “The Thanksgiving Song” as his audience “assists” him by clapping to the beat. The clapping was unsolicited, and Sandler stopped singing about five seconds into it. In a gentle manner, he said:
“That clapping’s messing my head up, man,” he said in his scared little boy voice. “I appreciate it. But I was trying to think of the next line and all I hear is clapping. Thanks anyway.”
He continued and the crowd didn’t clap again until the song was over, this time in appreciation of the comedian’s interesting observation of turkey day. It was genius and perhaps one of the few times a performer has asked the audience to stop their nonsense.
This nonsense is a weekly occurrence on American Idol and it needs to stop.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m a fan of audience participation. Some of the most moving musical moments I’ve seen have involved the audience.
Take for instance, Garth Brooks’ concert in New York’s Central Park. During “Unanswered Prayers” he was visibly choked up when the crowd essentially sang the entire song to him.
About a year ago, I watched a video of Lady Gaga tearing up when her audience sang along to an acapella version of “Poker Face.”
I was at a Coldplay concert, when, at the climax of “Viva La Vida,” I along with 20,000 others stood like a church choir and clapped and sang along.
And when prompted to the words “everybody clap your hands with me,” I’ve clapped along.
But the key word here is “prompted.” Can you imagine if it was just you and your guitar, and maybe some other percussion to supply the back beat. You’re concentrating, you start your song, and then all of sudden a jumbled mess of hands clapping crescendo in?
American Idol audiences have the worst etiquette. They clap during EVERY upbeat song. They wave their hands from side-to-side during EVERY slow song. They boo the judges on EVERY negative comment, even though it’s usually accurate.
The contestants are at the mercy of the audience at home and in the auditorium that they could not dare say “that clapping’s messing up my head.” And yet, I’m sure it does and it’s extremely annoying.
Typically the unsolicited clapping starts with a spackling of a few people and then the rest of the crowd joins. But on AI, everyone immediately jumps in at the slightest hint of a beat. The natural progression of the song might have the beat drop out for when the vocals begin and then there is the awkward clapping that is too loud and then quickly fades. But then the chorus comes around and everyone starts clapping again. All the while the contestant, nervous as all hell, has to deal with this sensory overload.
On another note, can we also send a memo to audience members to please refrain from waving their hands, kumbaya-style, when someone sings a song with less than 90 beats per minute. This type of audience participation reminds me of the infamous “wave” at sporting events.
I witnessed a wave for the first time in 1984 at a soccer match during the Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles. It was amazing, a spectacle that I had never witnessed. Nearly 30 years later, when a drunk college kid is screaming “let’s do the wave” and it’s only the first inning of a San Diego Padres game, I’m a little reluctant to participate.
My point is this: the wave was once done at climactic moments. Now it’s just, been there done that. The same goes for the “concert wave.”
I recall Michael Jackson’s performance at Motown 25 when the J-Five performed “I’ll be there.” As the song reached it’s repetitive chorus toward the end, he said “put your hands up” as he waved his from side-to-side. “You’re beautiful,” he said. And it was. It was one of the most historic live performances on TV.
But now, here we are, subjected to watching a studio audience wave their hands during a reggae version of, “Under my Thumb.”
To borrow from Randy Jackson, “Ya know dawg, it’s just not working for me.”
“That clapping’s messing my head up, man,” he said in his scared little boy voice. “I appreciate it. But I was trying to think of the next line and all I hear is clapping. Thanks anyway.”
He continued and the crowd didn’t clap again until the song was over, this time in appreciation of the comedian’s interesting observation of turkey day. It was genius and perhaps one of the few times a performer has asked the audience to stop their nonsense.
This nonsense is a weekly occurrence on American Idol and it needs to stop.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m a fan of audience participation. Some of the most moving musical moments I’ve seen have involved the audience.
Take for instance, Garth Brooks’ concert in New York’s Central Park. During “Unanswered Prayers” he was visibly choked up when the crowd essentially sang the entire song to him.
About a year ago, I watched a video of Lady Gaga tearing up when her audience sang along to an acapella version of “Poker Face.”
I was at a Coldplay concert, when, at the climax of “Viva La Vida,” I along with 20,000 others stood like a church choir and clapped and sang along.
And when prompted to the words “everybody clap your hands with me,” I’ve clapped along.
But the key word here is “prompted.” Can you imagine if it was just you and your guitar, and maybe some other percussion to supply the back beat. You’re concentrating, you start your song, and then all of sudden a jumbled mess of hands clapping crescendo in?
American Idol audiences have the worst etiquette. They clap during EVERY upbeat song. They wave their hands from side-to-side during EVERY slow song. They boo the judges on EVERY negative comment, even though it’s usually accurate.
The contestants are at the mercy of the audience at home and in the auditorium that they could not dare say “that clapping’s messing up my head.” And yet, I’m sure it does and it’s extremely annoying.
Typically the unsolicited clapping starts with a spackling of a few people and then the rest of the crowd joins. But on AI, everyone immediately jumps in at the slightest hint of a beat. The natural progression of the song might have the beat drop out for when the vocals begin and then there is the awkward clapping that is too loud and then quickly fades. But then the chorus comes around and everyone starts clapping again. All the while the contestant, nervous as all hell, has to deal with this sensory overload.
On another note, can we also send a memo to audience members to please refrain from waving their hands, kumbaya-style, when someone sings a song with less than 90 beats per minute. This type of audience participation reminds me of the infamous “wave” at sporting events.
I witnessed a wave for the first time in 1984 at a soccer match during the Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles. It was amazing, a spectacle that I had never witnessed. Nearly 30 years later, when a drunk college kid is screaming “let’s do the wave” and it’s only the first inning of a San Diego Padres game, I’m a little reluctant to participate.
My point is this: the wave was once done at climactic moments. Now it’s just, been there done that. The same goes for the “concert wave.”
I recall Michael Jackson’s performance at Motown 25 when the J-Five performed “I’ll be there.” As the song reached it’s repetitive chorus toward the end, he said “put your hands up” as he waved his from side-to-side. “You’re beautiful,” he said. And it was. It was one of the most historic live performances on TV.
But now, here we are, subjected to watching a studio audience wave their hands during a reggae version of, “Under my Thumb.”
To borrow from Randy Jackson, “Ya know dawg, it’s just not working for me.”
A North Island Wedding Thank You
Justin Kanoya went the extra mile to make our wedding day special.
Justin is an excellent DJ. During the planning phase, he was very quick to respond to our emails and called to follow-up. At the reception, he was very outgoing to all of our guests. He did his homework by memorizing the wedding party's and family member's names. He even pronounced them correctly! Justin played great music and even joined the dance floor a couple of times. We've never seen a DJ do that. It felt great that he was joining in the fun instead of it just being a job for him. Many of our guests commented on how great the DJ was.
As you know, when planning special events, and especially a once in a lifetime wedding, it is so important to hire true professionals who do their jobs well. It is even better when the professionals go beyond their required duties.
Sincerely,
Andy & Kristie
Justin is an excellent DJ. During the planning phase, he was very quick to respond to our emails and called to follow-up. At the reception, he was very outgoing to all of our guests. He did his homework by memorizing the wedding party's and family member's names. He even pronounced them correctly! Justin played great music and even joined the dance floor a couple of times. We've never seen a DJ do that. It felt great that he was joining in the fun instead of it just being a job for him. Many of our guests commented on how great the DJ was.
As you know, when planning special events, and especially a once in a lifetime wedding, it is so important to hire true professionals who do their jobs well. It is even better when the professionals go beyond their required duties.
Sincerely,
Andy & Kristie
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