This blog spot is the home to my ramblings. I am a free lance writer. Most of my work goes on Associated Content. Sometimes I write what is on my mind, sometimes I plug some of my writing, and sometimes a combination of the two. So, sit back read, enjoy, and we will see where it goes.
This winter/spring I have volunteered at the cold weather shelter quite frequently. I am spending the holiday weekend helping out. I just started my second night in a row.
Today has been a bit rough. Left the shelter in the morning..home..church
.visit relatives in town go home get ready return to the shelter. A blur best describes the day.
But these folks need the shelter. 13 nights spent awake and away from home is really the least I can do.
The economy is not good. I struggle yet these folks struggle too. Homelessness is real. I don't normally see them on the streets like in the big cities. However I know they exist I see them here.
I wonder where will they go. There will be cold days..stormy days..hot days...and I wonder how they will find shelter. How will they eat?
I wonder about next year. Where will the shelter be? Who will survive?
Today is Eric Clapton's 68th birthday. He is currently touring in support of his latest album "Old Sock" and celebrating 50 years in the music business. So in honor of his birthdday let's celebrate his career...
Here is Eric Clapton with the Yardbirds...
A song called "Steppin' Out" with John Mayall...
Of course there was the Super Group Cream..
and Blind Faith..
The solo years...
Now..
any way Happy Birthday..I will be blogging about theatre tomorrow and then the A to Z Challenge starts on Monday so stay tuned...
Sometimes I read some Christian fiction ( I read books dealing with other religions sometimes as well). Last month I read the best seller "The Shack."
The book does make you think. It deals with a family, a death of a child, and forgiveness. Closure as well.
Ah, Spring time which apparently is taking a vacation. Anyway I read a pirate book called "Pirate Latitudes" by Michael Crichton. What can I say I like high sea adventure stories. It hit the spot and Crichton is working his way into becoming one of my favorite authors. He certainly does mix up the topics.
I've slowed down a bit in March but I have finished a couple of classics and have started more books. I just haven't grabbed one to finish.
Well I also covered the legendary Patti LaBelle this week. She did a benefit concert for the Duke Ellington School in Washington which is an amazing school. First I wrote a preview. The school is named after the legendry Duke Ellington..
Hewre's a clip about the school (or featuring talent from the school),,,
You can read my review of the show here. Below Patti LaBelle visits the show from a clip produced by students...
Can a concert of show tunes be great? Can the tunes stand up without the show? Well you throw in a great venue like the Music Hall at the Strathmore, put Mreil Berg in charge on the piano, with a solid bass player, a cool drummer, and a keyboardist you are off to a good start. Then top it off with four Broadway stars and the answer is an astounding yes! You can read my review here.
Part 2 of my last college basketball post. I ran out of room on last post and the games kept going.Thje conference tournaments gave me a chance to extend my basketball coverage past FLorida and Georgia Tech.
First up the MEAC Tournament
I picked up the MEAC Tournament and recapped the action on March 12, March 13, March 14, and the semi-finals on the 15th. It was a fun tournament as all of the top seeds were eliminated.
Here are highlights from the home team being eliminated...
From a minor conference to a major conference the Big East...
I started recapping the action on March 12, March 13, March 14, and the semi-finals on March 15.
Another late season snow storm is here. It didn't interupt my evening plans and I will update soon about a really cool "show tunes" show I attended. I hope it doesn't stop me from seeing tomorrow's show. So yes more posts are coming!
I know I haven't posted in here in a few days. Life has been busy, other writings, family, and the occasional blahs have interfered. Don't worry this week should be busy with basketball, and concerts. So stay tuned. Some plans didn't work out some did.
Aopril, I am once again going to be doing the A to Z Challenge, which is a lot of fun! I am lining up a few shows to cover. So the blog will be busy!
Thank you all for visiting my humble blog. The blog has been averaging over 1,000 page views a month for a year now. This month might have the most page views ever before it is over. So, thanks come back soon and enjoy the ride!
I can't think of a better way to celebrate St. Patrick's Day then getting a chance to see and listen to an authentic traditional Irish band. I lucked into it when I was able to see the award winning band Danu.
I really enjoyed the female singer, even when she was singing in Irish. It was an impressive vocal one I could listen to all day...
Anyway you can read my review here. It was really cool to share the day with my daughter. It was great to see her enjoy the music and learn about a different culture. Beats green beer!
Friday I went to the premiere of Truthpaste: A Blotto Biography by Tad Janes. What is Truthpaste? Janes plays eight different people in this commedy. I wouild call it one person skit-humor.More thought out than improv theatre but along the lines of Saturday Night Live skits. Not politically correct but funny as heck!
You can read my review here.
It plays this weekend at the Maryland Ensemble Theatre in downtown Frederick, Maryland.
they have been putting out a lot of god stuff this season!
It featured the legendary Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page with the voice of Whitesnake David Coverdale.
The group toured Japan but never made it to the US to tour.
"Take Me for A Little While"
Here is a live version of "Shake My Tree"
Yes 20 years ago this CD was the one I was rocking out too as I was digging out my car from the blizzard before heading to Mrytle Beach...
Well it is March and I have been writing a bunch on college basketball. The madness has started at least for me! I will break it down by the teams I have covered all season long Georgia Tech and Florida, Hopefully, I will find some highlights to add to it as well.
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Georgia Tech ended February by upsetting the Maryland Terrapins. The loss moved Maryland over on the bubble. You can read my recap here. Highlights below...
The Yellow Jackets started March off with a loss to the North Carolina State Wolfpack You can read that recap here. Here are some highlights...
Then Georgia Tech enjoyed their biggest win of the season. The Yellow Jackets upset the Miami Hurricanes.You can read all about it here. Below are highlights...
Georgia Tech lost their regular season finale to the Boston College Eagles in a close game. You can read the recap here. You can see the highlights from that game below...
In the opening round of the ACC Tournament, Boston College showed the world it was easy to beat the same team twice. Georgia Tech was whipped in a rematch with Boston College. You can read about it here.
Olivier Hanlan had an incredible game. Here are some highlights from that game..
Florida Gators
The Florida Gators delt a blow to Alabama's NCAA Tournament hopes with a 64-52 come from behind win. You can read my recap here.
Next the Florida Gators clinched the top seed in the SEC with a big win over Vanderbilt.YOu can read my recap here. Highlights are below..
The Gators wrapped up the regular season with a loss at Kentucky. You can read my recap here.Here are some highlights from that game...
My next basketball post will have more about some conference tournaments I have been covering so stay tuned....
DC Metro Theater Arts where I write reviews of plays, musical, comedians, concerts and other events turns a year old on March 15, 2013. If you haven't checked out the site I invite you too. Here is a link. It really has become a leading site for entertainment arts around Washington. How will I celebrate the one year anniversary? I will be covering a one man play.
What are the other events? I've had the privilege of covering a circus and a Chinese dance drama. As the site embarks into their second year I look forward to contributing to the site in the future.
Just a short happy birthday, a brief post to mark this anniversary, a chance to mark this moment. I will be back in a few hours with a new post.
Peter Banks ,the origial guitarist for Yes has passed away at the age of 65. It looks like it was from heart failure. His career with Yes consisted of two albums the 1969 self titles debut and the follow up "Time And a Word." Other bands he worked with included Syn, Flash, Empire and solo reccordings. He is considered an important figure in Prog Rock. He will be missed.
Reports of his death...
"Sky at Night" from Empire featuring Phil Collins on drums..
Here is the video for "Astral Traveller" from his days with Yes..
The snow has barely cleared the ground but my daughter clsaimed it was Spring. Mother Nature was agreeing as the temperture rose to 60 degrees. So my daughter and I dug some trences in our yard and planted some seeds. So a garden starts.
Now this won't be a beast of a garden, My parents have a big garden, my Uncle has one, and my Grandfather had one. Theirs were big. Mine is simple. I live on a wooded acre. So I have some space but not much for gardening. Also I live on a mountainous hill so the ground is mainly rock. So I am not going to be tilling that. I also have bunnies, possums, birds, and deer in my yard. So whatever comes up, I will have competition for the harvest.
No this about spending time with my daughter and having fun. If we have success then we have peas to eat in May. If we fail I still win since I got to spend the time with my daughter. If I come up with a dollar's worth of peas I break even. Since they will be organic the yeild doesn't have to be great to break even.
Okay, I finally saw the movie Les Miserables at the discount movie theater in Frederick for my Saturday date night with my wife. It was weird seeing lines outside that movie theater. However, they were also playing The Hobbit(another movie I want to see) it shouldn't be that surprising. Plus lines outside any local business these days is a good thing since it means business!
The movie was good, but if you didn't know Les Mis is a musical the singing might I have been a bit awkward. The movie won three Oscars and was nominated for five more so maybedescribing it ias good is an understatement. Anne Hathaway did a great job in a supporting role which she won an Oscar. but the film was filled with a bunch more who did great jobs as well. It is easy to see why Hugh Jackman was nominated and he did a superb job. It was quite different from his Wolverine role.
Here is the trailer for the film...
The story is pretty well known from the stage production and the novel. My wife did state a lot of the dialog is cut out in the movie compared to the stage production. Well it was worth a see...
Nothing panned this weekend. Thought about going to see some jazz tomorrow but my better half wanted to stay close to home. Tonight I spent catching up on a few episodes of Dexter. Tried to go to a movie with my stepson but was turned down. I have a couple of meeting tomorrow and I am volunteering at the shelter Sunday night into Monday. So maybe a movie tomorrow I am not sure...
Next weekend gets crazy. I am confirmed for a show on Friday. I could be going to a show on Saturday and Sunday as well. Then I am trying to cover another show the middle of next week. So this is the weekend of calmness before it gets crazy.
Alvin Lee will be remembered most for being the great guitarist and singer for Ten Years After. Even though he enjoyed a long solo career after the band broke up. He passed away unexpectedly after complications for a routine surgery. You can read the official statement at his website.
Here he performs at Eric Clapton's Crossroads Festival in 2010 with Vince Gil, James Burton, Keb Mo and more...
Here Alvin Lee performs a couple of songs in 1994...
Here Ten Years After plays Going Home at Woodstock...
The music world has lost a great one. May we all enjoy his musical legacy left behind in his recordings and may he rest in peace.
Well the big snow wasn't as big as all the meteorologist said it would be here. I think there was more rain in the storm and temperatures stayed mostly above freezing. Still we got our share of it and the kids got a day of from school. I didn't have anywhere to go so it didn't bother me too much.
I did loose power for a few hours which meant I lost heat. My house gets cold easily and temps in the mid 30s don't help. Luckily I had blankets and took some naps. Of course my daughter came home soaked from playing outside while the heat was off. I helped her take her wet snow gear off and we warmed up with some snuggle time. The snow day became basically a do nothing family day. Then after a few hurs with no power the internet was off. Well the internet is my families replacement for television so it is kind of a big deal.
Anyway that vcame back up. So the snow day has passed. The streets have been thawing. The kids have a two hour delay tomorrow but I won't be snowed in. So all and all not a bad a snow day. It is funny sometimes the smaller snows can keep you snowed in longer.
The immportant thing is everyone here was safe and we made it into a fun, family day.
Different from "No One Here Gets Out Alive" and perhaps not as entertaining. However, the insight and perspective is quite different and very interesting. IT was neat to read what John thought about being in a band with Jim Morrison. Thoughts on drugs, thoughts on how "straights" viewed long hairs back then. Also interesting to read about his struggles in life.
Interesting video below I thought would add to the post..
Like I stated earlier the year is starting off with me reading a lot of books. I'm a manic reader I will read a lot then I won't pick up a book for a long time. So, stay tuned and I will share another read soon.
Over the weekend, I watched some theatre that didn't invlve subtitles and a production I actually wrote a review about. I caught a very entertaining performance of Next to Normal by the Reston Community Players. They gave a great effort, had a super group of musicians performing the music, and put a lot of heart into the prduction. You can read my review here.
The musical deals with mental illness and the family and has a rocking score. Even though it deals with a serious issues there are a few great one-line zingers in the script.
Here is a clip from the 2009 Tony Awards...
Well I will keep this one short and sweet and I will be back with a new post soon!
A thre hour play in subtitles is a little tought to follow at times. My seats were good at the Kennedy Center but they were in a place where I couldn't see the larger print main subtitle boards. I had to depend on the smaller side ones which were a strain to read and follow with my aging eyes even with corrective lenses. The first half was a bit hard to follow. I did even if I missed some of the dialog. Luckily the bullitin had a synopsis. The second act was better and I follwed better. I ended up really liking the story.
It was a third one in a trilogy and March is a bit late for a Christmas theme play. The Warmblooded offered a look at Finish life through the eyes of a band of homeless folk living under a bypass. A crew made up of an Iraqi immigrant, Romanian gypsies, and Fins it shows their struggles, the way society looks at them, and along the way their is some comedy and their is a real story. It was interesting look.The play was written and directed by Sirkku Peltola.
Last night was the U.S. premiere but this group has been doing it for a while . Here is a clip from a shw a couple of years ago. Enjoy...
Today was Roger Daltrey's 69th birthday. The leadsinger for The Who is still in better shape than me, as you can see this video from the 12.12.132 show...
