What I did on my Summer Vacation

by Grundoon Oakifanoakie.

I just ordered James McMurtry's new record, Live In Europe. The new Thao Nguyen CD, Know Better Learn Faster, which I pre-ordered, is now on its way. I was the first on my block to own both Cow Bop records. Each of these artists would have passed me by if I didn't see them perform live at VideoRanch 3D. I'd have never known the power of Carolyn Wonderland or the intensity of Asobi Seksu. It's likely I'd have never enjoyed the virtuosity of Rebeca Mauleon or the masterful performance of Billy BobThornton and the Boxmasters. Even if I had I heard any of them on the radio there's a good chance they'd have escaped my notice. I find I connect with an artist better when I see them perform live. Most of my new favorite artists are people who I first saw at VideoRanch 3D.

For the past 15 years or so I've spent a fair amount of time in alternative universes. I've enjoyed cyber worlds and virtual communities. It's awfully fun to pretend you're in another world all together. Or vacationing on a multi-venue ranch-resort! While VR3D has an assortment of entertaining attractions, the most compelling one is the Live Concerts on the different stages. It's fun to pretend you're really in a large outdoor amphitheater, lounging in a cosmopolitan outdoor cafe, or hanging out behind a roadside diner. There are few things finer than the smell of a smoker while listening to a full rack of the blues!

Watching concerts live on TV is nice. You can relax and get a good view from the comfort of your favorite chair. Streaming concerts on the internet are fun too, for much of the same reason. But each lacks a critical component of attending a live concert: Community. One of the most enjoyable aspects to attending a concert is sharing the experience with other people. At VR3D, we share with our everyday pals, the Ranch Regulars, and on special concert days, we get to join with the artist's fans which enhances the experience further. The chat and banter is fun. We've developed techniques to offer the performers feedback as an audience. If you're going to enjoy a concert, you ought to be enjoying it with friends.

I've attended Video Ranch 3D concerts at home, at work, in motels and in person! I've had friends watch with me. I've encouraged anyone with similar interests in music and a PC to come visit. I explained to them about the variety of interesting performers to watch and hear, the stimulating environment you can explore, complete with pigs you can pet and cars you can drive, movies at the drive-in and dancing at the cafe, AND you can fly!. I've invited folks to come join our community, particularly when I knew an artist they like would be performing for us. I've let them know how tremendously fun it is! I'd recommend VR3D to EVERONE!



The End.

ROCKOLA MAKES HISTORY!

Saturday night we went to Campland on the Bay, one of San Diego's best kept secrets, to help celebrate their 40th Anniversary. We went to enjoy another of San Diego's greatest attractions, ROCKOLA.

I've posted about Rockola before. They are a sure bet for a great time. And this time they made history. They're well known for faithfully capturing the sound of the BEATLES and this evening was ALL Beatles! The first set was a great mix of well known hits as well as a number of lesser known numbers. Well, that was the suggestion. They were all well known to me, and they were all hits as far as I could tell! As Bob said, they're ALL good!

The second set was historical. Rockola performed songs from every BEATLES album. That's something the BEATLES never did! This included peformances on piccolo trumpet, flute, tanpura and sitar. These folks are real students of their craft, and never fail to delight their audience, who love these songs as much as the performers do.

Thao UCSD's Loft lounge

The Loft is a very cool venue. Nice stools and couches. Clean. Lots of BIG windows overlooking the campus of UCSD. I arrived to the show early and joined the 6 or so people who beat me to the head of the line. There I enlisted a few conspirators for a little fun mischief involving an unconventional musical accessory Thao uses in one of her songs. 'nuff said.

When the doors opened I proceeded to lay out fliers to the upcoming MUSIC RISE event occurring at VideoRanch 3d on Memorial Day weekend. I chatted with a lot of folks and encouraged them to check it out, because Thao would be performing again that weekend and they'd get to see her again! I then strategically took a seat on a tall stool at a tall table near what I thought was close to the stage. After a few minutes I was joined by who I was to discover later to be the opening act, Samantha Crain and the Midnight Shivers. I chatted with them. Very cool young people. I thought they were students. Well, not Samantha. I knew who she was. Before long she was introduced to the crowd and the show was under way!

I had no idea what to expect. She's fantastic. I'll leave it to more clever and capable authors to describe her terrific voice and bright melodies. Instead, I'll post a sample:




After her set, I went and bought the CD. She also autographed it with a silver marker. We had a nice chat. Her band, Midnight Shivers is from SouthEast Missouri. I told her I went to high school there. I must say that in my conversation and subsequent emails with her, I found Samantha to be warm, friendly and most gracious. As an artist and a person, you'd be blessed to come to know her! To that end, please check out this video too!


I watched the next band set up and tune up. A woman and a man seemed to be sharing the chore. It looked like they had a lot of guitars, and a couple of basses. During the show, though, I only noticed a Les Paul, and upside-down left-handed Stratocaster and a red (Gibson?) bass guitar. Most of those guitars were played by Mr. Patrick Gregoire. Mr. Nico Dann was the master on percussion (including a very effective wood block). Ms. Merrill Garbus played the bass once, but usually she played ukulele. There was no "front man" as far as I could see. Each musician contributed equally to vocals and musicianship. It even seemed sometimes that the sounds each sang didn't become a complete word until all three added their part.

Did I say ukulele? Yes. I looked, wiped my glasses, peered intently and each time I kept arriving at the same conclusion. A ukulele! Now I don't know much about ukuleles, but this was NOT Aloha Oe. My ears were certain they were hearing something that might have been performed by Jimmy Page.

Sister Suvi are unconventional. What at first seems chaotic reveals itself to be very methodical and precise. When I saw Merrill perform with Thao it rather sealed my perception that here was a real creative power house. I've been listening to their CD and they've really been growing on me. Check out this video and head to their website or MySpace page. And give them a few more listens. See if each listening doesn't increase your fondness for them.

I've posted before about Thao. It's no secret I'm her biggest fan. But Tuesday night's show was the BEST I have ever seen! After The Get Down Stay Down Percussion Orchestra joined Sister Suvi for a number, Thao went back and changed from jeans to a very pretty blue dress. I've spoken of her writing. Of her melodies. Of her guitar playing and her singing. But she was so đẹp quá! So lovely. And then she started rockin'! The crowd had come to see her and everyone was on their feet (and my strategic position turned out to be not so strategic after all). After the first applause to the first song died down, Thao was doing some fine tuning to her guitar and a hush seem to fall over the lounge. She asked, "Are you guys studying?". lol. So they got their Geography lesson!

Between each song the crowd kept hollering for songs off Linen. She asked if we really just wanted to hear the songs she wrote when she was 16 or did we want to hear some new stuff. We did hear a few new songs, but she played a lot of the old favorites too.nevermytuesday

Thao was so funny about the encore. The band exited the stage but only stepped a few feet away. There was no "backstage" here. But she came on and said, "We heard you all the way backstage!" She wondered what would've happened if we hadn't been so enthusiastic in our insistence on an encore! Would they just march back on stage and make us listen to a few more songs?

The show ended with a tremendously wild grand finale! Thao invited Sister Suvi and Samanth Crain & the Midnight Shivers to join her in FEET ASLEEP

God I love Thao.

America's Classic Rock Experience!

There was a LOT of great music in the sixties and seventies! I doubt if there's been a period before or since that has seen as much creativity and innovation. There were a lot of great songs and great performers. This isn't nostalgia. It's plain fact. People love the songs from that period because they were simply great.

We here in San Diego are blessed to have a band that can render these songs with such heartfelt passion and fidelity. The band Rockola is billed as "America's Classic Rock Experience!" I really love them and have seen them five times! (Six if you include their Steely Damned incarnation.) Most recently at Humphrey's Backstage.
They played 3 sets over 4 hours. They started out wearing fashion from the mid sixties and played a lot of popular songs from that period. The Beatles (of course, they're renowned for their spot on renditions of the Beatles), The Stones... Hang on Sloopy and Chain of fools.. Man it was great.

They took a break and somehow Bob's hair grew about 26 inches!

I can't describe everything that happened over the next few hours. I was too busy having fun! They played a bunch of favorites from the sixties and seventies. They played I Got A Line by Spirit! See how cool they are?
They did a request for Laura on her birthday, and toasted a bride who arrived to party with us in her wedding gown! A few toasts actually. They played the Who's My Kennel Ration. (Heh, Bob, you're such a card.) Steppenwolf. Led Zeppelin. The Hollies, Shocking Blue, James Gang and the Zombies. What a night!
These guys are close. They share their instruments, and sometimes play the same instrument at the same time! What teamwork.

I'd like to post a nice YouTube of them, but there aren't many nice ones out there to share but you can go to their Top 20 Videos page and see some very nice videos. Join their mailing list and schedule your San Diego vacation around their calendar! You owe it to yourself to see this band!

The World's Greatest Rock and Roll Band

I love Netflix. I hate their pop-up ads on websites, but they run a great service.
Last night I watched Sixties Rock "instantly". It was like watching the tv in the sixties. All the performances were clips from appearances on Hullabaloo, Shindig and Hollywood A Go Go. It was really fun.

But that's not what this post is about. The Netflix CD I watched this weekend was Shine A Light. As I watched I was reminded why this band is known as THE WORLD'S GREATEST ROCK AND ROLL BAND. Martin Scorsese successfully captured the Rolling Stones' energy and mastery. I've seen plenty of "Rockumentaries" and concert films, but, with arguably the world's greatest director and THE WORLD'S GREATEST ROCK AND ROLL BAND, you know you're going to be witnessing a masterpiece.

The Stones have experimented with the avante garde and psychedelia, they've penned some epic jewels and have had hits with good time pop, but they've never strayed far from their Blues roots, which distinguished them from the rest of their colleagues in the British Invasion . Throughout this movie, you're treated to straight up rock and roll served by the undisputed masters of the genre.

A particularly moving moment came after Buddy Guy joined the band to play the Muddy Waters' tune 'Champagne & Reefer'. The "always cool Richards was so taken by the magical moment", he gave Guy one of his favorite guitars. Keith said, "It's one of my favorites, too. That was straight off the top of my head: 'It's yours, baby.' With everything going on that night, with this movie, I thought, 'This is my respect to Buddy and to Muddy and all the other guys who turned me on.'"

Another memorable moment came when Ron Wood played the steel pedal guitar for 'Faraway Eyes'. And there I was sans beer. Jack White of White Stripes joined Jagger for another country tune, 'Loving Cup'. Christina Aguilera danced and sang with Mick during 'Live With Me'. That was one steaming hot number!

I knew when I saw the trailor I was going to love this movie! If you kids want to learn what rock and roll is, you watch this dvd!

Peace!

Smolie Olie Olie!

A couple of years ago, my Girlphriend Hong and I went the the Phamous Del Mar Phair (where the surph meets the terph at ol' Del Mar). We had lots of phun. We ate unhealthy phood, watched the pig races, looked at all the carni attractions and participated in all the other usual phair phestivities. We then, on a whim, attended a show presented by the phenominal Phat Cat Swinger.


Of course, it was just a whim, and we had no idea at phirst they were so very phantastic, but by the 3rd song I was ready to buy the CD. I waited until intermission, however. They were smartly dressed in phorties phashion. The singer, Tim, had a big red pheather in his phedora. Their dancing and movements and romps were most entertaining, and the music was phirst rate. The phinest without a question. They were the "cat's meow!" We like them so much a phew weeks later we drove a couple of hours to Whittier and saw them again, and their video Hep Cats has enjoyed a prominent place on my MySpace ever since!


I just received an email phrom Marco that he and Phil are indeed going to try to make a return visit to the phair! I hope to see them again this summer, iph not sooner!


Remember! Don't keep them a secret!

Project Playlist

I've dumped the default MySpace playlist app and returned to the Project Playlist app instead. It doesn't suspend the music periodically with advertisments which you MUST click to restart the music, and it allows one HUNDRED songs instead of just ten.

I'm rather proud of my playlist. It's missing artists I'd like to add, like Ngoc Ha, but overall I'm pretty pleased with it. I invite you to turn it on some time and go about your business while it plays in the background. I think you'll enjoy it and probably get to hear some new stuff you are happy to learn about!

Thao's coming to town!

Thao Nguyen just wrote in her blog that's she's hitting the road and will be performing at The Loft in San Diego on Tuesday, April 28! I'm really excited and look forward to seeing her there!

Blog post About A Blog: TODAY'S PIG

This blog is about sharing cool music I find with my friend(s). I don't presume too much. But if I were able to write a really cool blog about music, art and culture, I'd write Today's Pig!

I was exploring Emily Neveu's (of Calico Horse) website and found a link to this blog. It's really well done! There's a link to a really fun colorflip website where you can peel back colored film to reveal a new color. And I've learned about a TERRIFIC band called Pale Young Gentlemen. Lots of other cool stuff. GO VISIT!

Emily, meet Tim Burton. Tim, Emily Neveu

This blog is Mike's Musical Musings. Not Mike's reviews. It's a good thing, too, because I'll never top this sort of review of one my favorite new bands,Calico Horse.

Do you know how you can watch a Tim Burton movie about some ghastly, eerie topic, and leave feeling like you just watched Mary Poppins? I get that same sort of emotion with Calico Horse and Clockwork Army.

I first saw Calico Horse at the Casbah the night I went to see Thao Nguyen. They were terrific. Their sound really spoke to me and I bought a CD on the spot. I asked Emily to sign it. She said, to my surprise, that I was the first person to ask her to do that! Can you imagine?!?! I believe that makes me Calico Horse's #1 fan!

Here is a very nice "unplugged" version of AWAKE IN THE CLOUDS. Be sure to head over to their MySpace page a give a listen to more of their stuff! I'm sure you'll be ready to buy Mirror after another song or two!

And now... Thao!

So by now you folks are saying, "'Doon, do you have some sort of Vietnam fetish?". Well I suppose that just depends of what the meaning of "is" is. I admit I'm Ga-Ga over Ngoc Ha. Yes it's true I wrote a review about Donna Du. And now... Thao.

Let me just start by saying that the previous two artists I became aware of because it's fun to go with my girlfriend to Vietnamese concerts and festivals and shopping and such. I learned about Thao Nguyen and the Get Down Stay Down, however, from Michael Nesmith's Video Ranch 3D(Look for an upcoming post about VR3D!) I was able to see her perform there live. I saw her in person a few weeks later at the Casbah in San Diego.

There's nary a soul who has been in a conversation of more than two minutes with me who hasn't heard of Thao. I just can't curb my enthusiasm. Thao has a unique and original sound. The music she draws from her guitars is amazing. And "as sharp as she sings", it is soothing! Her melodies are deceptively delightful, particularly considering some of the subjects she tackles. Most of all though, it's her clever turns of phrase which have me so fascinated.

"There's a hole in your head, spill your thoughts on the floor"...

"Shake the frame of this house, distress the wood, make it shout!" I mean, I'll bet that's the first time the word 'distress' has been used in Rock. Moreover it's the engineering application of the word, not the more common emotional connotation.

"You've got to push all the doubt to the side of your mouth"...

"I reached high, as I high as I was able. Such a small small kid at the big kids table"

"And it is not as though I do not know it hurts me. Its just I drink only that which makes me thirsty"

Wow. Pretty clever indeed!

Thao uses a toothbrush to strike the strings of her guitar on the song Moped. After I saw her perform in VR3D, and before I attended her show here in SD, I watched an interview at WNRN radio on youtube. She made a joke suggesting that audience members might bring toothbrushes to the show, thereby ensuring a steady supply.

I did bring a toothbrush. She didn't remember saying it.

Now what do you suppose a performer might think of a fan who gives her a gift of a toothbrush? Yeah.

WELL I HAVE PROOF SHE ASKED, even if she doesn't remember. Please follow above link.

I was browsing Thao's KRS catalog, and saw the

Thao T-shirt (with the bees on it).

I liked it, but well, it's kind of a girl's shirt. There's a lady here at work named Thao so I bought it and gave it to her. Anyway, there's never any stuff with Thao on it like little bicycle license plates or key chains as there are for common (anglo) names like Susan or Mike. So she was happy and it went towards supporting Thao and her work (I hope). I like KRS too.

The Get Down Stay Down, which is Adam and Willis, really add a richness to Thao's songs. I guess Willis will be singing on the next record, due out this fall!

Earworm - Girl From Ipanema

You know what an earworm is, right? It's a song that gets stuck in your head and you can't get it out. The most notorious example is probably Disneyland's "It's A Small World". (Did I infect you? it's a world of laughter, a world or tears. its a world of hopes, its a world of fear. theres so much that we share that its time we're aware its a small world after all. Ain't I evil?)

So my pal Crazy Mad Molly at VideoRanch 3D made a remark a few days ago about listening to The Girl From Ipanema. I couldn't place the song so I did a small amount of research and had my memory refreshed on that catchy jazz tune. It was popular during the 60s although I can't recall exactly where I first heard it, but only that is was incredibly familiar. Then last Thursday on the way to work, my local jazz station, the world famous KSDS 88.3 FM played it again, this week's featured artist being Stan Getz. I love that breathy sax as well as the coy, "honey-toned" vocals of Astrud Gilbert. I became infected. At least this earworm has some genuine musical value, unlike the aforementioned "It's A Small World" (just trying to get it good and stuck.)

Here's a video clip from "Get Yourself A College Girl".

Pala By Night - Coup De Foudre

Last night was a night I won't forget!

I was very lucky to attend the Pala By Night Lunar New Year Festival concert at Pala Casino in San Diego Co.

A small galaxy of stars filled the Grand Cabaret! The evening was illuminated by a duet brilliantly performed by Khánh Hà and her brother Tuấn Ngọc (each of whom had their own stellar solo numbers). Tâm Đoan sparkled sweetly, being permitted time to sing only two songs. She pointed out, to the audience's delight, she might have been able to share one more song for all the time the MC took with his ceaseless banter. The very popular Thanh Tuyền shone brightly before an adoring audience. But at the center of this galaxy was Ngoc Ha!

I awaited her arrival with tremendous anticipation, having enjoyed her CDs and videos so much. I looked forward to seeing her live with the highest expectations, but I was not prepared for just how enchanting she is in person! She looked so lovely in the traditional Central Vietnamese gown she wore. Her graceful dance and irresistible smile was captivating. Her beautiful voice mesmerized me and to this minute I remain under her spell!

There were other very entertaining performers that evening, and I enjoyed each one, but none shine as brightly in my memory as Ngoc Ha!

Here's what I consider to be her masterpiece:

Hồ Trên Núi - Mountain lake

Pala Casino hosts Pala By Night, the Lunar New Year Festival Concert, Saturday, January 31, 2009 at 7:00 and 10:00pm. I've purchased my tickets today and I am stoked! I'm sure that my heart would break if I missed this opportunity to see Ngoc Ha!

Ngoc Ha has a beautiful, powerful and dynamic voice, as well as a captivating stage presence. Not only that, she is DROP-DEAD GORGEOUS! She is utterly HOT!

vui sướng, mừng rỡ, hân hoan; tưng bừng hớn hở


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