This was the best day so far in my life as a Seattle-ite! I happened to be the 10th caller a week or so ago, and won a ticket to see Michael Franti and Spearhead perform live in the studio at the Mountain radio station, called the Mountain Music Lounge. They are opening for John Mayer tonight at the Key Arena, which I passed on due to a.) money, and b.) the acoustics suck in there! So I was super psyched to win this opportunity.
Now, I didn't know a lot about Michael, but like everyone else, "Say Hey (I love you)," that infectious, happy tune, reeled me in last year, along with "Hey World (All Rebel Rockers)."
I got to the studio on time at 12:15 p.m. The sun was shining, it was warm out, and I scored parking right in front of the building at 1100 Olive Way. God was smiling on me! Up to the 16th floor, and we were whisked into a lovely view room, with pizza and beverages, and desserts waiting for us. There were some other contest winners, others who paid and then just those important looking people who get in everywhere. Everyone was really fun and excited!
Once the band arrived we were swept into the lounge where there were seats and a small stage. I was in the front row, no less than 5-feet from the band! Michael is very tall and handsome - and he hasn't worn shoes for 10 years! Although the music is reggae, reggae fusion, rock-ish, funky with a tinge of hip-hop, he is Native American, African American, Irish, German and French - a real mutt! But he's gorgeous with sparkling dark-brown eyes, and a fit yoga physique. To Michael's right was bassist Carl Young, who has been with him "forever," then to Michael's left, former studio engineer now guitarist, J Boogie, who had THE most infectious smile I've ever seen! He was sooo happy, and enjoying himself sooo much. After the set he came right up to me, and I remarked on his happiness, and he said it was me - he was watching me, and thought MY smile was infectious! I'm in love!
Then, the gorgeous Jolene, a singer with the most beautiful face and voice - like an angel.
They opened with the title track from their forthcoming CD (due in summer) called "Sound of Sunshine." It's a very optimistic song, and Michael's introduction was touching. For a time, I was able to let it go - all the shit, you know? He said we all need to practice sunshine, wake up every morning and feel glad to be alive. He told a story of how he got sick (recently) in Italy, and the Italian doctors told him it was his gall bladder. So, he got back to the states, meanwhile getting sicker and sicker, and was told it was a hernia. It turned out to be a ruptured appendix....his belly was distended and it looked like he was four months pregnant! Anyway, it damn near killed him, so with this new CD he's examining life and death.
Much of his work has had a political/activist theme. For example, he was in Iraq in 2004 singing in the streets. He told a funny story about how he was singing "you can bomb the world to pieces, but you can't bomb it to peace" - which he wrote after 9/11 (and has made it's way to t-shirts and protest signs all over the world) - and the people just wanted him to play one of his happy songs - no more war songs!
Anyway, the next song they did in the studio, will also be on the new CD, and was called "Hey, Hey, Hey." He said they couldn't come up with a better title! It was very cool. Regarding "Say Hey (I love you)," which put them on the map, he said he was really sort of blown away, because the CD had been out awhile, and the song just kept picking up steam. Then one night they were in Minneapolis, and he had on a top 40 station, and he said they were playing "Miley Cyrus, Taylor Swift...then Michael Franti and Spearhead?" Blew him away. It was funny!
He said when they perform now, often times the crowd is diggin' them (because they are so good), but then when they do that song, it's like, "Oh, it's these guys!"
When asked about life on the road, well times have changed. These guys don't throw TVs out their hotel room windows or any such nonsense. Michael said, "maybe we'll throw our cell phones off our yoga mats."
Cute.
The third song, "I'll be Waiting," was very sweet, also to appear on the upcoming CD. Right now Michael is building a yoga retreat center in Bali, called "Stay Human," also the name of a 2000 CD. We are all invited to come!
So, the big question, about John Mayer, who they are on tour with: Mayer, as you may or may not know, has caused quite the media storm lately. Highly publicized romances with Jennifer Aniston and Jessica Simpson, then a couple of pretty bad interviews, particularly one in Playboy, made him look like a real ass. He made some pretty disparaging remarks about women, people of color, etc.
Michael said he has talked to John about it, and he feels really bad.
"He's going through a lot of transformation right now."
No doubt. Michael said Mayer is indeed a very gifted singer/songwriter, and especially guitarist, and he's really trying to change his image with this tour. We can only hope, because I'm a fan, but he has behaved very badly. Now I wish I was at the show.
So, they closed out our little show with - of course - "Say Hey," and it was rollicking! Everyone was clapping and J Boogie was on his feet jamming it out on his guitar, like 2-feet from me. Did I mention I love him?
After the show, we all got personally autographed really cool posters, and a meet and greet. I hugged every single one of them, and we chatted it up...got my picture taken with the band. And Michael like my necklace! I was wearing my Swarovski crystal peace sign necklace I got in Paris.
This was just the best day. Sunshine, great music, peace and love!
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Saturday, March 27, 2010
The Experience
Today I went to the Experience Music Project, to see an exhibit called "Taking Aim; Unforgettable Rock-n-Roll Photographs, selected by Graham Nash."
I haven't been to the EMP since I moved here, but I've been there a couple of times before. If you don't know what it is, it's the Paul Allen funded museum devoted to rock-n-roll. It's the building that looks like a smashed guitar from the air, designed by Frank O. Gehry...weird looking, but cool.
Anyway, I loved the exhibit. I have several really awesome books of rock-n-roll photos, but there were several here I've never seen. Graham Nash took several of them - I didn't know, but he is an accomplished photographer, as well as a musician.
One photo that was particularly mesmerizing to me, was of a young Mick Jagger, in very tight silver shorts (and they were short) standing on sand in a studio, taken by the great Fancesco Scavullo. I just kept staring at it. I don't care what anyone says about Mick, but he was a fine looking specimen when he was young!
There was a huge photo of Charlie Watts (Stones drummer), a profile shot in about 1990. Absolutely stunning. And of course, the psychedelic photos of the Beatles by Richard Avedon.
Some of the photos were so raw, so revealing, I wanted to cry. Johnny Cash at Folsom, Dylan alone in an airport, C,S and N on a front porch of a country home. These images make me yearn for a life I wanted so bad. Beautiful exhibit.
I haven't been to the EMP since I moved here, but I've been there a couple of times before. If you don't know what it is, it's the Paul Allen funded museum devoted to rock-n-roll. It's the building that looks like a smashed guitar from the air, designed by Frank O. Gehry...weird looking, but cool.
Anyway, I loved the exhibit. I have several really awesome books of rock-n-roll photos, but there were several here I've never seen. Graham Nash took several of them - I didn't know, but he is an accomplished photographer, as well as a musician.
One photo that was particularly mesmerizing to me, was of a young Mick Jagger, in very tight silver shorts (and they were short) standing on sand in a studio, taken by the great Fancesco Scavullo. I just kept staring at it. I don't care what anyone says about Mick, but he was a fine looking specimen when he was young!
There was a huge photo of Charlie Watts (Stones drummer), a profile shot in about 1990. Absolutely stunning. And of course, the psychedelic photos of the Beatles by Richard Avedon.
Some of the photos were so raw, so revealing, I wanted to cry. Johnny Cash at Folsom, Dylan alone in an airport, C,S and N on a front porch of a country home. These images make me yearn for a life I wanted so bad. Beautiful exhibit.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Nice bitch
My Abbey (my Cavalier King Charles Spaniel) always attracts attention because she is so damn cute, and not too many people have this breed, but there are many more of them here in Seattle. Today was gorgeous - it got up to 65 and was sunny with little breeze. After my Salsa class, I ran home to get Abbey and go down to Alki Beach, to walk, soak up the sun and watch people. There are plenty of them down there on nice days, including young men (and some old) driving back and forth in their very fancy cars, showing off, trying to impress the ladies I suppose.
We stopped and I had a chicken enchilada and a margarita at Casa Felix, a little joint across from the beach with outside seating. We met another lady with a Cavalier named Roxy. Roxy was a ruby color; Abbey is a tri-color. They were cute together. Upon leaving, we crossed to the beach side, when I heard someone yell "Nice Bitch!" I thought, well how rude, then the dude hangs out the window and yells at me again, "Nice Bitch!" I looked at him and said, "the dog?" Duh...but I've just never heard anyone say that before. So he yells, "what kind of dog is that?" He was in a flashy car with four other dudes. So, I yelled "she's a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel!" as they were driving off. I'm not sure he caught it all, but I laughed all the way back to the car.
Even funnier, the other day we went to Lincoln Park, another favorite walking place. As I came back to my car, I could hear loud hip-hop music and heavy bass. It was coming from an SUV parked right next to my car. Inside were four "homeys." So, I smile and I'm loading Abbey into her spot and buckling her into her little safety device, which is really to keep her off of me when I drive. The foursome had all their windows down, of course, and they are watching all of this. The driver says, "what's she got there, a seat belt?" I told him it was necessary to keep her off me. He proceeds to tell me he has to do the same thing with his Shih Tzu or it crawls all over him, too. He says "safety first!" I bid them all farewell, then died laughing imagining this guy with tattoo's and what not with a Shih Tzu.
I love this city. I'm so easily entertained!
We stopped and I had a chicken enchilada and a margarita at Casa Felix, a little joint across from the beach with outside seating. We met another lady with a Cavalier named Roxy. Roxy was a ruby color; Abbey is a tri-color. They were cute together. Upon leaving, we crossed to the beach side, when I heard someone yell "Nice Bitch!" I thought, well how rude, then the dude hangs out the window and yells at me again, "Nice Bitch!" I looked at him and said, "the dog?" Duh...but I've just never heard anyone say that before. So he yells, "what kind of dog is that?" He was in a flashy car with four other dudes. So, I yelled "she's a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel!" as they were driving off. I'm not sure he caught it all, but I laughed all the way back to the car.
Even funnier, the other day we went to Lincoln Park, another favorite walking place. As I came back to my car, I could hear loud hip-hop music and heavy bass. It was coming from an SUV parked right next to my car. Inside were four "homeys." So, I smile and I'm loading Abbey into her spot and buckling her into her little safety device, which is really to keep her off of me when I drive. The foursome had all their windows down, of course, and they are watching all of this. The driver says, "what's she got there, a seat belt?" I told him it was necessary to keep her off me. He proceeds to tell me he has to do the same thing with his Shih Tzu or it crawls all over him, too. He says "safety first!" I bid them all farewell, then died laughing imagining this guy with tattoo's and what not with a Shih Tzu.
I love this city. I'm so easily entertained!
Monday, March 8, 2010
The Pink Door
I had guests this past weekend, so we went to The Pink Door Saturday night for dinner. It was the third time I've had dinner there....more than any other place here so far! It's just so....pink! Seriously, the food is great, the wait staff very, very friendly, but the ambiance is key. First off, if you don't know where you're going, you'll never find it. It's located in Post Alley (close to Pike Place Market, but it is indeed an alley).
There's no sign. But the door is pink. You enter from the alley and go down a flight of stairs to the main dining room which has low lights, and trapeze looking gadgets hanging from the ceiling here and there. That's because on Sunday and Monday nights (I just learned) they have actual trapeze artists swinging around in there above the diners! Wow!
The bar, like the dining room is dimly lit with a pink hue to the lighting. There is a small stage where they have live music most nights - usually singer/songwriter types, jazz or blues. It's too cold yet, but they have a really nice outdoor deck with a fabulous view of Elliott Bay.
I had lamb medallions this time - tender and moist, they were perfect. Laurie thoroughly enjoyed the fish special, and Christy had a pasta dish with truffle oil and the most delicious mushrooms! The cocktails were yummy, and our server was right on all the time.
I like this place. It's funky, unpretentious and the food is good! And it's pink!
There's no sign. But the door is pink. You enter from the alley and go down a flight of stairs to the main dining room which has low lights, and trapeze looking gadgets hanging from the ceiling here and there. That's because on Sunday and Monday nights (I just learned) they have actual trapeze artists swinging around in there above the diners! Wow!
The bar, like the dining room is dimly lit with a pink hue to the lighting. There is a small stage where they have live music most nights - usually singer/songwriter types, jazz or blues. It's too cold yet, but they have a really nice outdoor deck with a fabulous view of Elliott Bay.
I had lamb medallions this time - tender and moist, they were perfect. Laurie thoroughly enjoyed the fish special, and Christy had a pasta dish with truffle oil and the most delicious mushrooms! The cocktails were yummy, and our server was right on all the time.
I like this place. It's funky, unpretentious and the food is good! And it's pink!
Friday, March 5, 2010
The bike
From where I live in my West Seattle "hood," it's a bit of a haul to get to the beaches and their wonderful bike trails. So I bought a bike rack for my car at a groovy little bike shop at California and Admiral. Today was gorgeous! Not a cloud in the sky. So, I got the bike and hoisted it onto my new apparatus, which was already on the car.
Now, this isn't just any bike. This is a pink (about the color of my blog - I like pink) Electra cruiser, "The Hawaiian" to be exact, with a big white basket. I got down to Alki, only to realize the basket had been scraping on my car, totally botching up the paint. Then, both tires on the bike were low, so I had a real short ride.
Back up to the groovy bike shop, and the young man who sold me the bike rack came out to look at my situation. A little trick with a bungee cord keeps the basket off the car, and he pumped up my tires. But then the owner of the store comes out, and he's not happy. He doesn't think this particular rack looks dependable with my car, so they want me to come back next week when they get some new ones in, and they'll let me exchange this one for a better one. Of course I'll have to pay the difference, but then again, I really don't relish my bike flying off onto the freeway or something! Really helpful guys. The young guy is named Apples. He's sweet.
Back to the "hood," and I took the bike off my car. Now that the tires were good, I got Abbey, my loyal little doggie, and put her in the basket for a quick ride. She loves it! It's so cute to see this Cavalier riding happily in the basket of a pink bike. No matter who I pass, they always smile or say, "Awww, how cute!"
So, that makes me happy. Sunshine, Abbey in the basket, making people smile.
Now, this isn't just any bike. This is a pink (about the color of my blog - I like pink) Electra cruiser, "The Hawaiian" to be exact, with a big white basket. I got down to Alki, only to realize the basket had been scraping on my car, totally botching up the paint. Then, both tires on the bike were low, so I had a real short ride.
Back up to the groovy bike shop, and the young man who sold me the bike rack came out to look at my situation. A little trick with a bungee cord keeps the basket off the car, and he pumped up my tires. But then the owner of the store comes out, and he's not happy. He doesn't think this particular rack looks dependable with my car, so they want me to come back next week when they get some new ones in, and they'll let me exchange this one for a better one. Of course I'll have to pay the difference, but then again, I really don't relish my bike flying off onto the freeway or something! Really helpful guys. The young guy is named Apples. He's sweet.
Back to the "hood," and I took the bike off my car. Now that the tires were good, I got Abbey, my loyal little doggie, and put her in the basket for a quick ride. She loves it! It's so cute to see this Cavalier riding happily in the basket of a pink bike. No matter who I pass, they always smile or say, "Awww, how cute!"
So, that makes me happy. Sunshine, Abbey in the basket, making people smile.
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