Tune In: Clean Bandit

My friend and I decided SUPER last minute that we were gonna go to this concert down at Toad's Place. No regrets! They were so much fun, and more talented than you may think for an EDM group. Catchy, infectious, reminiscent of the workout tracks my mom listened to in the 90's--in fact, they did an awesome cover of Robin S's Show Me Love. I sang all the words of course. If you get the chance to see Clean Bandit perform, it will for sure be a good time. 

I most enjoyed watching these two dance.

The opening act was a pleasant surprise, Roman GianArthur. He's a part of the Wonderland Factory which we found out after my friend commented on how he reminds him of Janelle Monáe (like whaaaaaaaaat). He hyped the crowd with Prince's "Let's go Crazy" which was perfect, and officially won me over when he played this cover of "High & Dry" by Radiohead. We got to talk to him for a bit between sets--really cool dude--and he gave us a copy of his EP. You may have heard his vocals on "Classic Man." He's definitely one to watch. 

Our Trip to Brooklyn: Museum, Thrifting, and Mumford and Sons

For my birthday Zack treated me to a day in Brooklyn, since he bought us tickets to see Mumford and Sons in the new Barclay Stadium. I've been conflicted on whether or not to split it up into multiple posts because we accomplished so many awesome things or just to do an overview of the whole day. I'm going with the later for now.....although I miiight go into detail later :3

We started the day off at a sushi place since we drove in around noon. Fiancé was super awesome and planned out literally everything. He asked what kind of food I wanted and was able to find restaurants with good ratings in the area we were going to be. This place was small, but it was so wonderful!

Then we went to the Brooklyn Museum. I didn't get to venture the whole museum when I went with the art club, so I really wanted to see what this museum had to offer. There were tons of great exhibits! My favorite part though was the visible storage room. Decades of house wares, drawers filled with artifacts and jewelry, and cases upon cases of statues, pottery, and furniture. It was just really awe-inspiring. 

My other favorite part was the GO: a community-curated open studio project, which featured five brooklyn artists and displayed their work as well as a video of their studio space and their process. It was incredibly exciting for me because I'll be graduating soon, so its nice to see younger people being able to accomplish credible series and have their own studio; it's a glimpse into my (hopefully very near) future.

After the museum we walked around a bit before we went to a yummy Indian restaurant and came across this little gem. Hooti Couture is a vintage shop that also sells handcrafted jewelry. Zack treated me to a couple of goodies from this store and from  Beacon's Closet, another much larger vintage store that I fell in love with. So many great finds! I'll definitely be making a thrifting trip in the city when it's warmer out. 

We ended the night with the concert. This was probably the first concert I've ever been to where I didn't care for the opening bands, but Mumford & Sons know how to put on a fantastic show. They're so energetic, especially since their primary percussive instrument is just a bass drum. Their harmonies are amplified when they perform live, which I absolutely adored.

The whole day was filled with all of my favorite things. I couldn't ask for anything better. All thanks to my boo. *aww*

TTFN <3
-Avé

RADIOHEAD_LIVE in Mansfield, MA

I love my man, and we are obsessed with love Radiohead. We saw them four years ago at the same venue. I can't compare the two because they were both an amazing experience. JUST SO GOOD YOU CAN'T UNDERSTAND UMMMPH.

*ahem* Anyways....

Caribou opened and it was just perfect to set me in the mood for a great concert. Their beats sound so much more intense live. It was my first time ever hearing anything by them and I absolutely adored it. I kept wiggling in my seat to their infectious groove; couldn't help myself! I made sure I didn't forget to purchase their album a couple days after the show.

Caribou - I wasn't actually able to see this with all the smokes and lights and daylight.

Comcast Center is an outdoor venue; really great actually. Except most bands' sets are best seen in darkness; no daylight to interfere with their lighting and smoke or whatever. So it was a bit of a downer because you weren't actually able to see anything....Not sure how Zack's camera was able to capture this but I'm glad it did! During intermission the sun had completely set in time for Radiohead's stage to shine ever so gloriously.

15 sets. HA. get it? I'm lame get over it. 

This was the most beautiful stage I've ever seen. For each song the screens would be lifted, lowered, and tilted in all sorts of directions in so many different colors. It was mesmerizing. Each matched the song's vibes perfectly. My absolute favorite color/set up combo was with one of my favorite songs, Everything In It's Right Place.

Speaking of songs, the setlist was absolutely positively unbelievable. They sprinkled tracks from almost all of their albums. They played all my favorites. ALL OF THEM. Well, all but Optimistic, but they played that last time I saw them. Seriously they knew I was there. I just get so lucky.

As some of you may or may not know, I am obsessed with Thom Yorke and his dance moves. He gets SO INTO IT and moves like no other. It's contagious, and I love it love it love it. And how can I not mention his voice? The voice that can so easily put me in a trance I'd hate to break out of? I have a problem, guys.

They had a second drummer who looks very much like Phil. Honestly, they were so tight that you could barely tell there were two sets, yet the complexity it offers was insane. Brain explosions occurred due to the complexity immediately with Bloom. Such a great way to start. SO GOOD. I thoroughly enjoyed the new song Identikit as well.

Last thing I need to mention is IDIOTEQUE. I have a relationship with this song. Zack would get jealous but he totally understands. When they played it live at this concert, they lit a fire under it and revved it up to an extraordinary level. The vibe of this song live is totally different than the studio version but I love it all the same. Needless to say it's my favorite song of all time hands down. I have no idea why other than how I feel when I hear it.

I'm SO glad we were able to make it to this concert; Radiohead is incredible live. I'm pretty sure Zack and I will forever attend every Radiohead concert we possibly can.

Red Hot Chili Peppers LIVE in Newark, NJ: Two Nights of AWESOME

My awesome fiancé outdid himself yet again; for my birthday back in february he surprised me to not one, but TWO sets of Red Hot Chili Peppers concert tickets. He knows how much I love them so it was an obvious gift, but still! totally unexpected. Three months later, two days after the shows, and I'm still in shock. The whole weekend was just so surreal.

Sleigh Bells opened for RHCP both nights, and will be with them for the rest of the east coast leg of the tour. I found out about them when I used to work for Urban Outfitters; Treats was on heavy rotation, but I didn't mind. They're loud, fun, and filled with so much bass I had to find out more about them. I was SO BUMMED only because they're new, so not enough material to fill my aching needs. But alas! Their second album Reign of Terror is out just in time to promote it by opening for RHCP. How awesome is that?! 

I might have been the only fan of theirs in the section, but people were diggin' it. You may be asking,"Hey wait isn't there only two people in Sleigh Bells?" I later found out that the second guitarist is Jason Boyer who plays with them on tour. Honestly I couldn't tell Boyer and Miller apart--they had similar haircuts and style and everything. They played eleven or twelve tracks evenly split between the two albums they have out. Their set included a simple striped banner in the background and of course, their twelve Marshall amps, stacked in all their glory. Who needs twelve amps? No one, but it was awesome. 

Both Sleigh Bells and RHCP dedicated their performances for the 5/4 show to the late Adam MCA Yauch. Beastie Boys tracks were played before, during intermission, and after the show. Kiedis had MCA written on his shirt, as well. A sad day for the music industry and beastie boys fans was turned into a celebration of a wonderful life at this concert. I think this gave both bands extra motivation to kick ass on stage.

As I'm writing this post and I get to the part where I tell you about Red Hot Chili Peppers, my heart rate  increases and I can't breath. This should give you an idea of how glorious these shows were. I prefer the setlist of the first show over the second while Zack prefers the second over the first--they were both just too good. Both nights I think maybe a fourth of the songs were from their newest album. What really got me was they went all the way back to the days of SIR PSYCHO SEXY from Blood Sugar Sex Magik in addition to songs from Californication, By The Way, and Stadium Arcadium. The Friday night show I swear they knew I was in the audience because of all the songs in their discography, they did two of my favorite tracks, "Throw Away Your Television," and "Higher Ground." Not only that, but they also played "Did I Let You Know" with a bari sax solo thrown in there.

They were the fun loving band I always thought they would be on stage--skipping around, hanging from the lights, walking on their hands....I loved every single shenanigan they pulled. After "Under the Bridge" Flea goes, "That was a pretty gentle song. We'd like to take a moment for all the little babies who are trying to get to sleep and all the old ladies who need it quiet 'cause it's getting very late. They're very old, so we'd like to play the most quiet, mellow song. But not me for me when I was a new born baby my mother had to play me Black Flag to get me to sleep. Anyways what we're trying to say is we're going to play the slowest, quietest thing we've ever played right now," then promptly go into "Goodbye Hooray." I see what you did there, Flea.

The graphics they had on the screens above and behind them were pretty impressive and matched up with each song perfectly. My personal favorite was the boy riding the horse. Prior to the show they took pictures of some of the attendees across from the merch table to display in the last song, which was "Give It Away." I didn't see Zack nor did I see me (pout!) but it was still a really cool idea. 

My one and only tiny complaint about their performances was the lack of audible harmonies. Frusciante had that sweet sweet falsetto that I fear could never be matched. Josh can do it, and he was, but it just wasn't loud enough to hear. Other than that, both shows in my eyes was flawless. I am SO thankful to my fiancé Zack for giving me one of the best weekends of my life. All together now, "awwww"

OOTD: Red Hot Chili Peppers!

The Red Hot Chili Peppers were absolutely positively utterly FANTASTIC last night. I'll get to that in my next post, after I go to the second show tonight...

Details

• Red flannel - Urban Outfitters
• Red Hot Chili Peppers Tee - 14th birthday gift from my big brother
• Black mini skirt - H&M
• Taupe leggings - NY&Co.
• Black canvas shoes - Target
• Black hoops - H&M
• Makeup - Urban Decay, Dangerous palette: Haight (blue) and Virgin (white)

This is my staple recipe for an outfit. Tee, skirt, leggings, cardigan. I switch things up every now and then, like this flannel, but you get the idea, right? I love this shirt because my big bro got it for me; we bond over the Red Hot Chili Peppers. In fact, we named the two cars we shared Dani (california) and (so much more than) Charlie ('s wakin' me). They've been my number one band ever since I sneaked a peek at the music video for "Scar Tissue" back when I wasn't allowed to watch Vh1 at the lovely age of 9. 

You can see in my sidebar all my tweets from last night. I will probably be doing that again. Fiancé and I got some amazing pictures, too! I can't wait to post them :3. UGH I cannot WAIT for tonight! 

TTFN! <3

A New Love

Last week I had the privilege of seeing Lady Gaga perform in Atlantic City....and again for her first performance ever in Madison Square Garden. I can honestly say everything I previously thought or felt about her has been amplified to an almost unhealthy extreme.

To put in perspective the situation I found myself in, let me explain how this all went down. Thursday night I got a text from a superfan reading something along the lines of "text me back ASAP." Of course I think the worse and assume someone just went though a horrific breakup or someone's aunt died--needless to say I was glad to know it was about tickets to see Gaga. Mind you prior to this, I wasn't a HUGE fan, but I loved all of her music and her insane style. After picking a day and freaking out about what to wear, before I knew it we were on a four hour drive to the Monster Ball.

You could tell we were nearing closer to the venue by the outfits of all the little monsters. We did turn some heads, me with my red lace crown and him with his badass gagafied leather vest. We even got a few pictures out of the whole ordeal. The vibe surrounding the place was just incredible.

The opening act was Semi-Precious Weapons. Semi. Precious. Weapons. Let me tell you, no man can work a smokey eye and leggings like Justin Tranter. AND HIS BOOTS. Gorgeous. Check it. Their performance was explosive, addictive, and probably one of the best opening acts I'm glad I didn't miss.

On to Lady. Fucking. GA GA.

Her performance was absolutely flawless. Even the breaks for stage and outfit changes were entertaining. I (along with many others, I'm sure) felt them necessary to take a moment to geek out about what just happened. She has a way of luring you into a world of freedom. She "locks the freaks outside" so you can be whoever (or whatever, in Posh's case) you want to be. It may sound fake, it may be scripted, but I loved every moment of it and I'd be lying if I said I truly didn't believe her. For two hours you get to let go of any inhibitions or insecurities and fall in love with Gaga.

In case some of you haven't caught it, the whole concert was simulating the Wizard of Oz; instead of seeing Oz, She was off to the Monster Ball. Some of the obvious references were her outfits for the Scarecrow, the Tinman, and the Lion. The scripts to further convey this idea were incredibly cheesy, but completely necessary to absorb you into the whole experience, so I didn't mind. I just hope everyone else realized that's not how she really talks.

My favorite outfit by far was the "Living Dress" that she wore when she sang "So Happy I Could Die" I would describe it as a futuristic fairy princess dress, between the white sparkly ruffles and the fact that it moves. It effing MOVES. I'm already sketching a design for a dress similar to it for the next Monster Ball I attend.

Everyone has asked me what my favorite part was and it's still too hard to choose (cliche I know). But one of the most cherished moments was hearing her perform "You and I" live; particularly the time she performed it in Madison Square Garden. My friend and I were ecstatic to hear her announce that it will be on the next album!

I previously mentioned how the concert in Atlantic City was a last minute decision. It was clearly the best way to spend the 4th of July at such a short notice. However, late Tuesday morning I was still deep in post-concert depression. The same superfan IMs me to inform me that night would be her first performance ever in Madison Square Garden. I almost declined.

Almost.

This seemed like the best and only way to cure post-concert depression. Had I opted out, it would probably have been the worst mistake of the year. I bought tickets hours before the show, and we ended up in the last section on the highest row-almost behind the stage-but it was beyond incredible. In fact, it was pretty special to see what goes on behind the curtain and to see her first before she goes out to center stage. Besides, we already knew what was going to happen.

1st Performance at Madsion Square Garden > 4th of July in Atlantic City. A jillion times over.

The difference between the two concerts could not be recognized by normal people. Every song, dance, and costume were the same. The only way I could describe it is the energy was just SO much more intense. I was in such disbelief that I couldn't even stand for Semi-Precious Weapons. I just wanted Gaga.

After witnessing two mind-blowing performances, I have fallen completely in love with Lady Gaga. She has such a pure, genuine love for her little monsters; it's easy to see why she's the most "liked" person on facebook. There's no way I can explain with words what these two experiences have done to me. All I can say is go to a Monster Ball and maybe you'd understand.

Ok Go at Toad's Place, Live!

A few weeks ago, I went to see OK Go at Toad's Place. Needless to say it was flippin fantastic. I think OK Go is way underrated. Everyone knows them for their dance on treadmills and their upbeat pop indie sound. However there's more to them than that. In addition to their eclectic fashion sense, use of handbells and other coordinated dances, their lyrics are tight, witty, and maybe a little too smart for the average joe.

On stage, front man Damian Kulash exudes a flirtatious vibe--the guy every girl wants and every guy wants to be with lead vocals and guitar. Tim Nordwind plays those sweet bass lines and sings back up. He is, for obvious reasons, my personal favorite. I can't help but feel bad for Andy Ross. He seems to hide behind the spot light, but offers the most (I think) musical talent holding down guitar

and keys, in addition to any other random instrument the song calls for. And last but certainly not least, Dan Konopka droppin' beats on drums. OK Go couldn't be the same without him, haha. They played a bunch of their old favorites from Oh No and Ok Go, in addition to a few new tunes to be expected out on their latest album in the near future.

One of the opening bands has become my new favorite. Oppenheimer came straight from Belfast, Ireland. This two man band uses everything they got to give an awesome, loud performance. They certainly know how to entertain a crowd, especially with their airhorn solos and infectious electronica beats. Their music is influenced by artists like My Bloody Valentine, Dr. Robert Moog, and Stereolab. Rocky O'Reilly plays the keys, percussion, guitar, and mac (all in one song

too) while Shaun Robinson handles the drums and vocals during a live set and joins Rocky on keys and guitar in the studio. My friends and I got to talk to Rocky after the show. They had full blown Irish accents and were really nice guys (I love accents). They'll be returning to Toad's Place in April. Hopefully I'll be able to check that out.


After Oppenheimer, Longwave drowned the crowd with a loud wave of guitar goodness. However, not only did they drown the audience, but the vocals as well. Couldn't hear a thing they were singing. Their sound reminded me of Mutemath, so I was instantly intrigued enough to find their myspace. They could have been so much better live if you could hear the singer. At least Ned was entertaining :) (inside joke, don't worry about it.)

All in all, great experience. I will definitely go to see OK Go in concert next time they come around.


check out their sites:
OK Go
Oppenheimer
Longwave