Exciting Times!

I am learning so many things right now!  And am excited about various opportunities.  I want to get back to the music reviews but am busy with other options at the moment.  I hope to blog more, as time allows.

Meanwhile, my three favorite current CDs are the Mumford & Sons, the Band of Skulls and the Florence and the Machine.  I hope to carve a few moments for a review in depth.

Watch here for more news as things happen!


Thanks for reading, very respectfully, ---Vern

Re-Invention

I am in the process of reinventing and redefining myself. I want to blog more. I want to get back to the music reviews. Speaking of music, did you know that NPR offers free concerts for download? You can subscribe via iTunes. send me an email if you need help. Listening to the Shout Out Louds even as I type.

See you soon.

Flight of the Conchords at Abravanel Hall, Salt Lake City Utah, May 17, 2009

Arj Barker, who plays Dave, the pawn shop owner, on the show opened. He had some funny stuff to say. The funniest thing was he talked about being happy to be in Salt Lake City...but they didn't make it to the Vatican....


The Conchords hit the stage dressed as Robots complete with disco ball codpieces and sang:


Set List:

1. Too Many D*cks on the Dance Floor

Banter about their cowboy shirts as they were trying to look like Americans and blend in. This got a large round of applause and Jemaine said that it was "good to see that Americans are popular in America."

2. Hurt Feelings

Talking Section: Professional...better quality version of talking not just something like "We're out of onions" like we might get at home.
We were cautioned that we might get 2 songs in a row - but don't get uncomfortable. And a woman on the front row gave them 2 sexy flowers that danced. Jemaine set them on the bongos.

3. Most Beautiful Girl in the Room

Then Bret announced that they were going to do one of their new songs, one from about 7 years ago: 4. Ballad of Stana

5. Robots

Bret talked about New Zealand musical exports and named names...Jemaine played a brief impromptu version of OMC's "How Bizarre"

Then they announced that they were traveling with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and brought out Nigel the Cellist.

6. Unsure of title--something about Hello Man, Sitting in the Park

Some Banter, then straight into

7. I Told You I Was Freekiex-Girlfriends
8. I'm Not Crying9. Mutha 'Uckas

Someone shouted out a request...Jemaine said "Rose of Damascus?" Bret said that was a very weak heckle...

They finally figured out what they wanted, and they played it but Bret explained that they don't normally play them back to back becuase they are so similar:

10.Hiphopopotamus v. Rhymenocerous

They called for some "very sexy lighting" and finally settled for something soprt of dark but intimate and played:
11. Business Time
12. Dogs? (Unsure of this title)
13. Sugalumps

Encore:
14. Bus Driver's Song
15. Carol Brown
16. Alby (The Racist Dragon)
17. Bowie.


Then it took forever to get out...but along the way, we met Arj Barker, and got an autograph. He was very gracious.

Then behind Abrabvanel to wait for a very kind and graciuous Jemaine who came out to sign autographs, give hugs, take pictures, and talk.

Thanks for coming guys|! Hope to see you again sometime soon!

The Face of FACE, Park City

My dear friend Amberly Wise outside her shop on Main Street. She shines like a star herself. I am not a very good paparazzo as I missed a great glamorous shot of her as she descended her stairs. I need to have the camera ready. Plus I kept the long lens on so I could shoot from across the street...
Here is her website: http://www.faceparkcity.com/

I can't wait to hear the stories of the rich and fabulous who stopped by her shop. She told me she should have stories about Robin Williams and Sandra Bernhard.

More Sundance fun

Christie Brinkley:


















Some Rapper guys (I am sorry to say that at first I thought it was Fifty Cent along with Tracy Morgan). They are G2G's Fred Mo & Tru Threat:

Sundance!!! paparazzi training.

So, at first my camera was not working. We saw Rachel Dratch from Saturday Night Live. She is cute, tiny, etc. Someone said it's Amy Poehler, it's Amy Poehler!!! I said, no, that's not Amy, Amy is blond. That is the other Saturday Night Live girl. Then we saw Amy and I was able to snap some fantastically awesome pictures!






Here is another fantastic shot:



















I am not sure how the professionals make money doing this. I have shown these pictures to a few people now and I have had a hard time convincing them that it was Amy Poehler!!!

Kids...so great, so honest.

So I spaced that I was supposed to do a preschool visit yesterday morning. It turned out okay though. I did my usual thing, songs, stories, talked about our cats.

The highlight was when this little girl raised her hand and asked me, "Do you know you're kind of a wacko?"

Made my day. Yeah I know. Thanks for noticing.

New Brad Paisley

Hey, the new Brad Paisley CD just came out on Election day and it is an amazing piece of work. It is mostly instrumental and can this man handle a Telecaster!!! At times he reminds me of a countrified Joe Satriani or Eric Johnson. In fact he does an Eric inspired song called "Cliffs of Rock City." Great stuff. I highly recommend it.

Mmm. Excellent stuff.

I was surprised by this fragrance for my birthday. It is really nice. Ewan McGregor is the face for this scent. Well, the other face.

Halloween Party

Thanks to my good friend Shaelyn for pictures from this year's Halloween Party.

Here I am, Rockin' the house!

































Incidentally, some scouts told me I looked like Indiana Jones's dad:





















I don't know, what do you think?


I think I look more like my hero Pete Townshend these days.