Last minute with Mz.B

So one day I'm at my part-time job where we listen to one of 3 stations we have 80's hits, 90's hits or Dance. My fav was on 80's hits and none other than Pat Benatar "Love Is a Battlefield" comes on I'm bopping around the store mouthing the words when a customer looks over smiles and chuckles a bit. She says you know Pat Benatar is going to be at the L.A. County fair on Sunday (the next day). I say no I didn't but thanks that's very tempting. My wheels start turning I put the word out via Facebook and Twitter to find some accomplices. I forget to check the ticket price and she times until it was already late in the afternoon when it hit me I just said aww bummer. The following day I go to work and a coworker asks about the concert and for some reason I go to the LA County fair website just to see and lo and behold I realize I actually hadn't missed it! The concert was the upcoming Thursday at 7:30 and then I realized that fair admission was only FIVE dollars after 5pm that day, not to mention fair food! I was SOLD! And so was my coworker.

Thursday we left work a bit early to drive to Pomona,CA where the fairgrounds are, traffic was thick most of the way and made me nervous. We go there just minutes before showtime. Upon arrival we were greeted with a long line at the ticket counters but we did confirm there was an opening act (Berlin) so I felt a bit more at ease. My ease soon dissipated when my co-worker Christy noticed a sign that said there were only a limited amount free general admission tickets which had started being distributed at three pm. We got our fair tickets and started hightailing it to the grandstand we can hear Berlin on stage. Once there we found the box office and there were still tickets left SUCCESS! We get in and take our seats.

We catch just the end of Berlin they sounded great and Terri Nunn looked great as well! Main event time the lights went down and people jot pumped up, Pat Benatar came out looking great and sounding even better. I was ery impressed as a person who longs to have been a teen in the 80's it was great seeing her up there doing her thing. On this tour they were celebrating their 30th anniversary as a band which was clearly seen in how tight and insync hey were on stage. I thought it was awesome that she has been touring with her husband who serves as lead guitarist Neil Giraldo for so long, just adorable and really a testament to their relationship I'd have to assume. They had an awesome setlist that included all the favorites. We Belong, Hit Me With Your Best Shot, Invincible (which she noted was in the worst movie of all time The Legend of Billie Jean,which I used to watch every time it came on TV!) Love Is a Battlefield and the closer of the night Heartbreaker. It was a really fun show and It was great to see the cross section she drew out that night. It put a smile on my face to see guys, soccer moms and young kids rocking out with Pat. I'm so glad I took the oppurtunity to see Pat Benatar live in concert she is truly great! I'd have to suggest buying her greatest hits album.

Backlog

To get you up to speed.

July
07.13.2009
Incubus
Hollywood Bowl Los Angeles, CA

This was my first time at "The Bowl", I'd driven past numerous times and heard first hand accounts of how cool it is. It's definitely a cool venue! The seats I had weren't that great but I had a wonderful time. I think the sound quality could have been better but that may have been due to where I was seated. Incubus did not disappoint! Stellar in the night air and under the stars (what I could see of them for being in LA ie. Smog heaven and millions of lights) was all I needed and their cover of Prince's Let's Go Crazy was just the cherry on top.


August
08.07-09.2009
Lollapalooza
Grant Park Chicago, IL

Toooo many bands to name, so many I didn't get to see. Highlights Kings of Leon, Arctic Monkeys, Fleet Foxes, Cage The Elephant, Santigold and Passion Pit. Chicago lived up to all of it's hype that I had placed on it and I can't wait to go back!

08.22.09
Kings of Leon
The Forum Los Angeles, CA
I have an IN-DEPTH review here

September
09.17.2009
Yeah Yeah Yeah's
The Greek Theater Los Angeles, CA

I had been pining away over seeing the Yeah Yeah Yeah's before the year was out and my hopes kept being dashed! I couldn't make it to Sasquatch or any their other festival dates they played and I had missed shows in my area, then out of nowhere it seems this date came up. I was all over that presale like white on rice. And Just as I was securing the tickets for myself and five friends I heard the news they would be filling in for The Beastie Boys at Lolla. Which was just around the corner at that time. I got the tickets anyway and was quite alright with seeing them twice. My view at Lolla wasn't great, I kinda just hung back and watched the video screens because I knew I'd get my real show the following month.

Concert night. I finally figured out who was opening that day at work I checked out YATCH and The Breeders on MySpace neither left an indelible mark so I was okay with missing them. We got there at the end of The Breeders set who were having some sound issues as well as trouble wining over the crowd. They had a pair of songs which seemed to be mre popular and gained the a bit more love from the audience so they left the stage on a pretty good note.

The YYY's take the stage Karen O. is donning some dinosaur type onezie/suit complete with a headpiece and commences to do the things that makes me call her the best front woman in rock going right now. They blister through the set hitting all the right marks Runaway, Zero, Hysterics (my current FAV which Karen had a spot of trouble with and required a do over but in the most endearing way possible) as well as tracks off the previous record like Pin and Date With The Night and of course Maps which they do an acoustic version of now. I heard this version at Lolla and was a bit disappointed but when I heard it at The Greek it was great and didn't leave me wanting. Not sure if it was because I knew what I was gonna get or if it was the much better vantage point but that night the rendition was awesome. They released huge eyeball beach balls into the crowd I was obsessed with hitting one. I was standing next to a rather tall fellow who kept them just out of reach but I finally got a little touch in and that made me happy. In the end Karen O's voice along with pink and white confetti being blasted into the air was a magical feeling.

Setlist here

P.S. I love The Greek it's quite similar to The Bowl with the whole outdoor amphitheater but smaller (which I always prefer in a concert setting) not to mention cup holders in the bathroom stalls can you say GENIUS! And I'd be remiss if I didn't include the celeb sightings of Chris Kattan, Topher Grace, Kate Walsh and Sweet Pea (of Project Runway fame).

Introductions

Hi.

• Ni'Cole.
  
• Twenty-five.
  
• Los Angeles.
  
• Female.
  

I've always been a huge lover of music but I never went out of my way to see shows. Recently I started listening to a band that tours nonstop and spends lots of time at international music festivals and it made me yearn for live music like never before. I've picked up this dirty little habit and I realized that I get through days and weeks of monotony by thinking about the next time I will be at a show. It dawned on me I'm living my life from one concert to the next and it keeps me happy and sane and away from sharp objects when life has me nearing a 5150 hold. After that realization I realized since July of this year I've been to at least one show a month soon after that thought I decided I should try to keep this up for a whole year, so here goes.

Before I start that let's get some things out there I'm not a writer, I'm not a music critic I am a girl who loves music like I need air in my lungs. This blog may or may not contain in-depth reviews of concerts and this blog may or may not contain in-depth reviews relating to said concerts so sit back relax and be happy with what you get.