Are you all ready for another fun show?! On December 9, tune into my Twitter feed for live coverage of DC101's Festivus at the Patriot Center in Fairfax.
Thanks to Event Chaser, I'll be bringing all the fun to you from the floor! Weezer is the main attraction, with performances by Jack's Mannequin and Motion City Soundtrack as well.
DC101 Festivus tickets are hard to come by, so click that link or stop by Razor Gator, where you'll find the best concert tickets around! You can also find Weezer tickets for your area if you're not in DC.
My full review will be on Event Chaser after the show. Happy Festivus! :)
For all who have served, are serving, and will serve this country through our amazing military, thank you. Thank you for your service. Thank you for your sacrifice. Thank you for the freedoms you have given to all of us.
Please take a few minutes out of your day to honor our military. Below is a moving video tribute made by a vet. Watch to the end and be sure you have tissues. Then go thank our troops. Today, and every day.
Note: Click on photos to enlarge. You can also see more videos from the show here.
Lady Gaga finally made her much-awaited, rescheduled appearance in Washington DC at DAR Constitution Hall on Tuesday. I was fortunate enough to cover the show from the orchestra pit along with my friend Heather:
As we waited an hour-and-a-half past the 8 p.m. start time, we were entertained by music that seemed fresh out of New York's fashion week. Heather commented that the seating arrangement at the hall made it seem like The Oscars and I completely agreed. The whole vibe was just very glam.
The place was packed with the most gorgeous, stylish, unavailable men...at least for the ladies (poor Heather). I had worn a simple cardigan and tank with jeans but wished I had instead chosen something sparkly and bold as most others had.
I was given a photo pass to wear, which one guard at the backstage entrance told me would get me backstage after the show. Unfortunately, we would find out after the show that she was wrong, much to Heather's and my disappointment.
There was no opening act, so at 9:30, a video montage with Lady Gaga as a character named "Candy Warhol" began playing. Candy complains that someone has stolen her heart and it got a bit graphic at this point as she opened her jacket and showed the bloody evidence of her missing heart.
Candy announces that she feels....."Lost? Empty?" a man asks in the background.
"No, free. I feel free," she answers to a cheering crowd. The montage continued from there into a burst of flames that really got the crowd revved up:
When the curtain fell, and Lady Gaga stood there in all her glory, I was in awe of how gorgeous she looked in person. Her fabulous costumes and dance moves were only outdone by her impeccable voice. And the most perfectly-shaped butt I have ever seen! *jealous*
What impressed me the most, though, was how personal she was to the crowd and how much she connected with everyone. The Lady Gaga you see portrayed in the media often comes off as aloof and conceited. Yet, she was the complete opposite of that as she sang greetings to DC, told everyone how much she loved them, thanked them for their support, etc.
She gave out as many gifts as she received, throwing out gloves, drumsticks and even her microphone, into the crowd. At one point, she handed her microphone to a man in the front row and let him sing part of the lyrics....a man who just happened to be Heather's friend. Here's Spencer with his friend Alex (Heather and I were in this picture, but I looked so horrible, I had to crop it. Sorry, Heather!):
Alex had her own brush with fame as Lady Gaga accepted a ring she handed to her, put it on her finger and told the crowd, "Do you know what this means? This means we're married. Because I f*cking say so!" Alex later told Heather and me that she wants spousal support...or at least a hug, lol.
Another thing I discovered about Lady Gaga is that she has a strong faith. At one point she told the crowd that she had something very important to ask of them. "I'm a big believer in God and miracles and the power of prayer," she said.
She then said that her father was going to be having heart surgery soon and she asked if everyone could please send him good thoughts. At that point, she turned her head away from the crowd and wiped her eyes.
Later, she directed her comments to the youth in the audience who "maybe hate (their) parents" because they won't let them stay out late (among other reasons). Lady Gaga told them to go home and make sure they tell their parents that they love them because they do not want to be sitting there one day feeling like she did right then. You could feel her angst and regret, and it was heartbreaking.
And, of course, she acknowledged her gay fans (which are many), dedicating the song, "Boys, Boys, Boys" to them:
The piano rendition of "Poker Face" was the highlight for me, especially with her bubble costume and piano:
Lady Gaga did various vogue-like poses throughout the number and sang out a greeting to DC:
After holding her leg in the air for quite awhile so that everyone could snap a picture, she said, "Good shot!" which was exactly what everyone was thinking.
She then segued into the regular version of the song while donning a cap and climbing on top of the piano:
The finale came sooner than expected for me, with the show running only about an hour long. I think I speak for most everyone when I say we definitely wanted more Gaga!
As I write this, news just broke that her upcoming "Fame Kills" tour with Kanye West has been cancelled, so getting more Gaga is going to be longer than I would like, unfortunately. (UPDATE: Lady Gaga announced today, October 2, that she will continue on the tour solo!)
On a side note, Heather got herself what she has now dubbed a "Lady Gaga Happy Meal" after the show:
Barbie and Gaga - separated at birth. But, after this show, there's no doubt Barbie could only hope to be as free and glam as Lady Gaga. ;)
Many thanks to Lady Gaga's team for the opportunity to review this fabulous show and to Heather for once again being the perfect assistant as well as friend. She snapped so many good Twitpics with her phone for the live Twitter coverage, which freed me up to take the camera shots (the credit for the pic below the finale video goes to her as well). Heather, you so rock!
Pink's Funhouse Tour made a stop at the Patriot Center in Fairfax, Virginia Monday night and I got to take in the show from the front row! The Ting Tings were the opening act (I adore them) but they didn't bring the house down like Pink did.
THE TING TINGS
I have long been a fan of The Ting Tings so I was really psyched when they came on stage. They had energy and performed perfectly. But the crowd didn't seem to share my enthusiasm. The stadium hadn't filled to capacity yet so that might have had something to do with it. It certainly wasn't from a lack of a good performance. I would've danced a little more if the crowd around me had been revved up, though. I overheard someone say, "That didn't go very well," after their set was done. Bummer because I really love them and I think they didn't get the appreciation they deserved.
PINK
Any lack of enthusiasm quickly dissipated when Pink came down from the ceiling in a bright orange, feathered gown. Even before she appeared, the crowd was going wild over an introductory video montage of Pink set to AC/DC's "Highway to Hell."
Pink sang every song live...she is adamantly against lip syncing. What amazes me though is that you can't even tell the difference between her live voice and her recorded one. She's that good.
She talked to the crowd quite a bit, sharing stories of her recent adventures, accepting gifts from her fans (dozens of miniature frogs were thrown on stage from all angles at one point and Pink said, "Does everyone in Fairfax know each other?"), and even acknowledging boos that came during her performance of "Dear Mr. President."
She said it was the first time she'd been booed, but said "dissent is good." It definitely stood out to her, though, because she took to Twitter to discuss it after the show, which set off a firestorm of tweets from angry fans who dissed Virginians and anyone who has a different political opinion than Pink.
I happen to love Pink's outspoken nature and her ability to express how she feels through spoken words or music (and I'm a conservative...and no I did not boo!). Without that kind of passion, the crowd would never have been treated to her heartbreaking rendition of "Family Portrait," a song about a broken family from a child's perspective.
Pink looked on the verge of tears and the crowd themselves were definitely shedding a few themselves. She sang with such emotion and depth that you couldn't help but be moved by her.
Her passion extended to a more physical nature as she did a slow version of Divinyls' "I Touch Myself." It was at this point that I wondered why ANY parent would bring their child to an adult show (and there were many who did). As Pink is splayed out on a couch, hands reach through holes and caress her body. At one point, Pink does what the song says...she touches herself and then puts her fingers in her mouth. Definitely hot. Definitely erotic. Definitely not for kids!
Pink's performance alone was enough to enthrall, but the pillow fights with feathers flying, aerial acrobatic stunts (Pink was unable to perform the scene she did at the VMA's due to a shoulder injury...a replacement stood in for her instead), confetti falling from the air...it was all just dazzling!
SETLIST
1. "Highway to Hell" (opening video montage) 2. "Bad Influence" 3. "Just Like A Pill" 4. "Who Knew" 5. "It's All Your Fault"/"Ave Mary A" 6. "Don't Let Me Get Me" 7. "I Touch Myself" (Divinyls cover) 8. "Please Don't Leave Me" 9. "U + Ur Hand" 10. "Leave Me Alone (I'm Lonely)" 11. "So What" 12. "Family Portrait" 13. "I Don't Believe You" 14. "Dear Mr. President" 15. "Trouble" 16. "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You" (Led Zeppelin cover) 17. "Sober" 18. "Bohemian Rhapsody" (Queen cover) 19. "Funhouse" 20. "Crazy" (Gnarls Barkley cover)
Encore 21. "Get the Party Started" 22. "Glitter In The Air"
FUNHOUSE TOUR TIP
If you're planning to see Pink's Funhouse Tour in your area (and I HIGHLY recommend that you do), the best seats are general admission floor if you can get them. I was able to get to the front row but noticed many people standing around the end of the thrust stage in the middle of the floor.
I quickly found out why, as Pink sang many of her songs there and had the most interaction with her fans there (those of us in the front row had a barricade that left a buffer of about five feet from the stage). It's also where she makes her entrance and where most of the aerial performances take place. And during the finale, as she is resting in a sheer cloth hanging from the ceiling, she is dipped below the floor and comes back up soaking wet. Amazing.
So, go if you can go, get a floor ticket and get thyself to the center of the thrust stage! You won't regret it.
Disclosure: I received two complimentary tickets to this show to facilitate this review.
Wanted to give you the heads up that in addition to live tweeting from Pink's Funhouse Tour on Monday, I'll also be bringing you live coverage from Lady Gaga's tour the very next evening! Click here to follow along with me!
And stay tuned for full concert reviews for both shows coming soon!
