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Bruce Springsteen, Live in Cincinnati and Looking Good

On April 9, 2014

I’ve been giving a lot of thought lately to how I feel about Cincinnati and why I’m proud to call this city my home. The feeling is seemingly infectious, with people all around me proudly endorsing the city. But last night, when Bruce Springsteen asked the crowd at U.S. Bank arena if anyone was from New Jersey, thousands of Tri-States started clapping. We aren’t from New Jersey, but at that moment, we wanted to be.Bruce has that effect on people.

The concert was a good reminder for me about the draw of stadium shows. Attending the concert was a birthday gift for Wonder Boy and it also firmly established that 39-years-old can look pretty good and so can a 65-year-old. I mean, damn. If we can all sport guns like Bruce Springsteen at 65, go crowd surfing and be the obvious star on a stage sporting 16 other outstanding musicians from the E Street Band and Tom Morello from Rage Against the Machine, then good for us.

One thing I love about big shows is how much leeway the musician has because people are So. Excited. to see the artist. For instance, when Bruce Springsteen played Hungry Heart, the crowd sang the first verse on their own. I’m used to seeing that happen at the refrain or at some point mid-song. But last night people started the song with no accompaniment from Bruce Springsteen and it didn’t matter. I can’t imagine any of the indie rock bands I see pulling that off.

Bruce Springsteen has been making albums since 1973 and the crowd’s diversity reflected the longevity of his career as well as his place in the musical canon. With little exception, people were on their feet for the entire three hour and seven minute show … all 26 songs. Throughout the concert there was a rumble that sounded like a deep “Boooooo” but was really people yelling “Bruce.”

After he finished his closing song, a beautiful solo of Dream Baby Dream, I felt privileged to have attended the concert. Happy to have taken my husband to a show he really wanted to see. And really motivated to start lifting weights so I look as good in a sleeveless T-shirt as Bruce Springsteen.

I think the phones-as-lighters phenomenon at the end of concerts is pretty goofy. And looks sort of awesome.

Some Firsts

By Kate

On February 27, 2014

In rock

Music
My first album was a cassette and it was the soundtrack to Cocktail. I think that’s a little embarrassing. I struggle more with the fact that my favorite song from the soundtrack was “Kokomo.” That said, at least it wasn’t” Don’t Worry, Be Happy.”

Concert
So my love of “Kokomo” might stem from having seen the Beach Boys perform live countless times growing up. They played annually at a Cincinnati Reds game and I know I went many consecutive years and loved it.

(Favorite) Movie
I’m not sure what my first favorite movie was. We didn’t have a ton o movies around the house growing up. I really liked Babes in Toyland, which I watched on repeat and featured stars like Drew Barrymore, Keanu Reeves and Richard Mulligan. (Don’t let that line-up fool you into thinking it’s a fabulous movie.) I had short stints of obsession each time a new Disney movie came out because I was very cool in high school. But the movie I latched onto the most, I think, was Labyrinth. I stand by that one. The special effects are horrible but the movie is wonderful and the soundtrack, which I own, isn’t bad either!

Celebrity Crush
Growing up I watched a lot of re-runs on Nick at Nite. There’s a chance that I had a crush on a character from one of those shows. (The oldest son on My Three Sons was a looker.) I believe my first real celebrity crush would have been Kirk Cameron while he was on Growing Pains.

Collection
My coin collection started with Kennedy half dollars. Each summer my family would attend Schützenfest, a german festival hosted by a local Germanic society called the Kolping. My memory of those festivals is that whenever you spent money, a nice old man would give you your change and it would be a Kennedy half dollar and that made the festival awesome. My dad was encouraging when I wanted to start a coin collection, helping me get a book to learn more about coins and little cases in which to store the coins. I still have the collection. And it’s worth about $10 in Kennedy half dollars. The Canadian nickels I held so dear weren’t the money-makers I assumed.

All You Have To Do Is Ask. Maybe Twice.

By Kate

On November 15, 2013

In 100 List, rock

When I created my 100 List, I tried to come up with goals that felt big but doable. Like “live in another country.” That’s not something you can accomplish in an hour or during an outing to the mall. But it’s in the realm of possibilities. The item I thought was the most outlandish was “have The Features to my house for dinner.” But no.When The Features played Bunbury this past summer I sent the band a heartfelt note on Facebook and got no response. I still got to see them play, though, as well as talk them after their concert. (Wonder Boy would quickly point out that “talking” to them really involved him talking and me standing around being star struck, which is ridiculous because we’d talked to them after previous shows.)

A coworker let me know The Features were coming back in town and I immediately bought tickets. It didn’t occur to me until two days before the show to contact the band again. This time I tried locating an email address at which to reach them. The thing about contacting a band, though, is that (for me) it just means doing wild searches on Google and hoping you land on the right answer.

And sometimes you strike gold.

I emailed the only address I found on Wednesday. Thursday afternoon I received a response from the band’s manager. After almost passing it out with glee, I emailed back and forth with him to set up dinner plans for Friday at 6:30. (Throughout this there also multiple panicked texts and calls to Wonder Boy.) At 6:30 on Friday, the lead singer of the band called (introducing himself as “Matt… from The Features” as if I didn’t know that) to say they were running late. He texted a little while later to let me know they were on there way.

My seven, Matt Pellham (lead singer) and Mark Bond (keyboardist) were at my house for dinner. AT MY HOUSE FOR DINNER.

And with that I began one of the greatest nights of my life. Seriously. I could go into details about how wonderful it was and how surprisingly not weird it was. But the main thing for me is just that I was so happy. Happy that I took the time to ask. Ecstatic that they agreed to do it.

And pleased as punch with my souvenir from the evening. This past Spring I made a letterpress print that included lyrics from a Features song. And now I have a copy that is autographed by band members. Woo hoo!

Signed, Sealed, Delivered: President Barack Obama and Stevie Wonder in Cincinnati

By Kate

On November 5, 2012

In 100 List, rock

Yesterday was a momentous one for me – not only did I get to see President Barack Obama at a campaign rally at the University of Cincinnati, I also got to hear Stevie Wonder sing, thus crossing off an item from my 100 list.I get political

Yesterday’s was the first political rally I’ve ever attended. Although I have opinions on politics, I usually keep those to myself in order to avoid the nasty political discourse I see taking place all too often. But for me, supporting Obama isn’t about politics as much as it is supporting what is morally right. I don’t want to be a one issue voter because I don’t have a lot of respect for people who vote that way. But how a person stands on social issues –gay rights, women’s right, different classes of people – speaks to me about the quality of that human being. A candidate might have good things to say, but if I think they’re a poor example of a human, they aren’t getting my vote. And if that means not casting a presidential vote, then fine. At least I know I haven’t caved to anything.

I feel fortunate that I respect President Obama. I don’t agree with every decision he’s made, but I am more proud of my country since he’s been leading it than I was with the prior President. When I travel overseas, I am proud to say I’m an American and no longer contemplate telling people I’m Canadian. I don’t think things are perfect in our country, but for me, they are better now than they were four years ago.

Yesterday, more than hearing the President speak, what warmed my heart was seeing the masses of people who showed up for the event. Being among those masses. It made me equally happy to hear about how many people showed up for the Romney rally in Cincinnati. Sure, I might have opinions about who I think is the better candidate, but they aren’t nearly as strong as my feelings that people should give a damn, get involved and vote. So too many people showing up for a rally? Quite an okay problem to have.

I swoon

A significant highlight for me of the Obama rally were the performances by Stevie Wonder. He tops my 100 list and I’ve always just assumed that I would need to fly to Vegas or some other large city and fork over gobs of money to see him in concert. When I learned that I could see him for FREE less than a mile from my house? I about passed out.

My love of Stevie Wonder dates back to watching The Cosby Show. I am sure I could come up with better stories to tell, but ah well… When Wonder Boy and I got married, we walked down the aisle to Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours. The first notes of Superstition start to play and I immediately start dancing.

Yesterday I got to listen to both of those songs and they sounded great and I’m still riding my Stevie Wonder buzz. He got the crowd worked up with Obama’s rallying cry of Fired Up! Ready to go! He got people on their feet and, at the end of the evening, he got Obama dancing a little. But really, who can help but to dance to some Stevie?

This morning I crossed off See Stevie Wonder from list.

In Love with New Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes Album, Here

By Kate

On May 25, 2012

In rock

This morning, while all hopped up on adrenaline and trying to stay focused at work, I listened to a preview of the new Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes album, Here. Ohmigod.I liked their 2009 album Up From Below quite a bit but my views of the band were colored by one of the times I saw them perform live. The first time they were so, so, so fabulous and the second time the lead singer was so, so, so stoned out of his mind that it was a little annoying. But guess what? All is forgiven!

I plugged in at work and Man on Fire started playing and before the song was done, my love was professed all over Twitter. I Don’t Wanna Pray is what sealed the deal for me. It’s got the perfect mix of bluegrassy folk and anthemy lyrics that I love. It started playing and I looked up the band’s concert line-up because I can easily imagine attending an outdoor show and dancing around to this song across some crowded lawn.

At that same imagined show, when Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes starts to play Dear Believer, I’d have to lie down (or at least lean back into Wonder Boy) and shut my eyes while rocking back and forth into a happy delirium. Have I established yet that this album has me a smitten kitten? I can go on! Child hails to slow-jam dirty 60s rock

Here is not 100% perfect, but it’s such a welcome addition to my summer soundtrack! Love.