Last night I was out at Santana Row to see Almost Honest perform,
and as always it was a fun night listening to some great music!
The highlight of the night for me was when the band premiered a new song called, “How Long.”
Check out their performance below!
What do y’all think? I like it! I’m all for the pop-rock vibe.
Aaaaaand as a bonus, here’s the band’s cover of *NSYNC’s hit song, “Gone”!
As always, support local Bay Area music & check out the links below!
Last Friday, I attended singer-songwriter Jackie Gage’s recording party for her upcoming live jazz album at SLG Art Boutiki & Gallery in Downtown San Jose.
I first learned about Jackie this past June at the Left Coast Live 365 event, where she performed with her jazz/rock band, Distant Dice. I was very much impressed with the band’s sound, as well as Jackie’s vocal ability. When I found out about her recording party, I figured it would be a great opportunity to check out Jackie’s solo jazz endeavor.
I had such a great time, and Jackie’s live album is going to be incredible! One of the highlights of her set was a very jazzed up rendition of Neon Trees’ hit song, “Animal.” Take a listen below!
Cool cover, right? I think it’s just fantastic!
I also have to give props to the Mark Arroyo Trio, who kicked off that night’s show. They were fantastic! If you’re in the Bay Area, you definitely should check them out at Left Coast Live on October 8!
Support local Bay Area music & check out the links below!
Jackie Gage: Website, Twitter, Facebook
Mark Arroyo Trio: Facebook
Before the Top 11 contestants from the tenth season of American Idol took the stage at the HP Pavilion in San Jose on July 13, I had the opportunity to sit down for a one-on-one interview with Washington native, Stefano Langone.
Langone and I talked about the current tour, his post-tour plans, and his advice for the American Idol season 11 hopefuls.
How has the tour been going so far?
The tour’s been going great. We’re getting some great reviews. Just trying to establish myself as one of the top-notch performers. Everything’s been working out.
So you tried out for Idol initially in San Francisco, and now you’re performing tonight in the Bay Area, how does it feel to kind of come full circle?
All of my family’s from the Bay Area. I’m really, really pumped to perform tonight. There’s going to be a lot of Langones in the house.
What has been the most fulfilling part of the tour so far for you?
Just getting to see the crowd’s reaction, and getting to see the fans after the show. My goal really is to make a name for myself, and really show people who they voted for and just making more fans, you know? Creating a buzz and making sure I establish what I want to do after the show. Unfortunately I didn’t get to pick the songs that I wanted to do, and I didn’t get to perform in the way I wanted to, but I’m taking what I’ve got and I’m making the best of it. I’m going out there and giving great performances and that’s number one.
Having to perform the same set every night on tour, how do you stay amped for each show?
It’s the crowd. The crowd keeps you hyped up; you can always count on that. You can’t get sucked into the, “Ugh, I’m doing this again.” You can’t get sucked into it; you’ve got to realize what you’re doing it for and why you’re here. It’s about the music and about your performances.
Continue reading Backstage with ‘American Idol’s’ Stefano Langone
Hours before the Top 11 from American Idol season 10 took the stage at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, I had the opportunity to talk with a certain Idol contestant that was extremely excited and happy to be back in his neck of the woods.
Santa Cruz native, James Durbin and I sat down backstage for a pre-show chat, where he discussed getting the crowd up and on their feet during the tour, writing and recording for his album, and the episode of Idol that neither of us will be forgetting anytime soon.
So how does it feel to be performing in the Bay Area?
It feels great. We did Oakland last night, and that was insane. I’m really excited for tonight.
It has to be a cool feeling to have tried out for the show in San Francisco, and have this full circle kind of moment.
This place, HP Pavilion, I came to my very first sporting event here. It was the Sharks versus the Avalanche. I was five-years-old, packed arena, and out of every single person, my one seat, I won a CD player. And then a hockey puck got hit over [the barrier] and landed right next to me. Unfortunately the Sharks lost, but two out of three things ain’t bad.
I’ve been here so many times. I’ve seen countless wrestling shows here. I once waited for three hours and climbed on top of that cement wall to catch a glimpse of Chris Jericho. Now I have him on speed dial. We were just texting and he’s in Europe with his band touring. We went and saw Rod Stewart, Stevie Nicks, Poison, and Motley Crue, and hang out all the time. It’s so crazy, it’s a full swing.
Very cool. Have you been able to get back to Santa Cruz while you’re here, or does everyone kind of have to come to you?
Everyone’s had to come here. I’m dying to go to Socrates and get a sandwich, but unfortunately not, which really sucks. It’s a twenty minute cab ride. I could grab lunch and come back.
So, how has the tour been going so far with the handful of shows you’ve done so far?
This will only be our sixth show out of forty-seven. It already feels like it’s been awhile, but it’s only been a blink. But, it’s gone really good; every show’s been great. Everyone’s been really receptive, everyone’s there to have a good time. Sometimes they need to be reminded that they’re supposed to have a good time. A lot of people have been sitting down.
You know, I’ve gone to a handful of Idol tours, and sometimes people treat the live show like they’re at home watching y’all on TV, instead of embracing the vibe of being at a concert.
I know some people get agitated if people are standing up, Sit down! We’re trying to watch the show! It’s a concert; you’re supposed to stand up! We enjoy it when you stand. That’s why when I come out for my set, I come out through the crowd. I want people to stand up! Stand up! Try and find me!
Continue reading Backstage with ‘American Idol’s’ James Durbin
This week the American Idols Live! tour rolled through San Jose, CA to the delight of the masses who showed up to see one particular Santa Cruz native by the name of James Durbin. Just the mere mention of his name at the top of the show by season 10 runner-up, Lauren Alaina, resulted in an eruption of cheers from the crowd.
And I must say that Durbin didn’t disappoint. He appeared in a couple group numbers during the first half of the show, but it was his entrance for his two-song set that had the audience at the HP Pavilion on its feet.
Entering from the back of the building wearing a San Jose Sharks jersey, singing Guns N’ Roses’ “Sweet Child O’Mine,” Durbin shook hands as he made his way up to the stage. Towards the end of the song he held his microphone out to the audience and, without any real prodding, they sang the chorus back to him. I have to hand it to Durbin. He’s charismatic, has great stage presence, and absolutely relished every moment of his solo performance, wherein he took the time to thank the fans for voting for him and for the overall support he received from the Bay Area.
But Durbin wasn’t the only Idol who amped up the crowd. Paul McDonald got the people on their feet in the first half of the show during his lively performance of Rod Stewart’s “Maggie May.” Naima Adedapo’s rousing rendition of Jennifer Lopez’s current hit, “On The Floor,” complete with an African dance break, was one of the most well-received performances of the night.
Continue reading Concert Review >> American Idols Live! in San Jose, CA 07.13.2011
This past Thursday, Left Coast Live 365 kicked off at the Theatre on San Pedro Square in Downtown San Jose with bands Almost Honest and Distant Dice.
Distant Dice kicked off the night, and they were just fantastic. I had checked out some of their music prior to the show that night and was only further intrigued to catch their performance at LCL 365.
Check out their performance of “Firewater” below!
Almost Honest closed the show that night, and I was super stoked to finally get the chance to hear what their vibe was like with a full band. It was great to hear songs off the band’s upcoming EP, and it sounds like people will be in for some awesome music when it’s released!
Check out their performance of “Because of You” below!
For those who were unable to come out, you missed a great show from both Almost Honest and Distant Dice. I strongly encourage y’all to check out the bands at their upcoming shows!
Get more info on Almost Honest and Distant Dice:
Almost Honest: Website/Like Them/Follow Them
Distant Dice: Website/Like Them/Follow Them
And if you haven’t already, check out my exclusive interview with Almost Honest’s Drew Orepeza here.
San Jose native Drew Orepeza, lead singer of Almost Honest, didn’t always know that music would be his chosen path.
“I always liked to sing. I sang in high school (Pioneer). I didn’t do anything formal, but I would sing at parties,” he said. “I sang at a rally once for fun.”
Even though both of his parents are musically inclined, it wasn’t until after Orepeza graduated from San Jose State University, where he received a degree in Business, that he felt like music was perhaps the right direction for him.
“I was at one of those points in my life where I wanted to do something different. I was a personal trainer, and I wasn’t really happy with what I was doing,” he explained. “So, I decided to drop everything and move to LA when I was 20. So, I started music when I was 20-21. I was a late bloomer, a late starter.”
It was also around this time that Orepeza was introduced to his Almost Honest band-mate, Justin Florence.
“[Justin’s] brother was a radio DJ, and I had cut a demo. I gave it to [him] to listen to; I wanted his critique. It wasn’t very good at that point. He thought there was promise, and he said, ‘My brother is a guitarist. He just got out of a project and he’s looking for something different.’ So he introduced us, and we met at his house one night, and we just jammed. It just kind of clicked.”
Flash-forward to the present, Almost Honest is currently gearing up to release their debut record this early this summer.
This past April, in between flying back and forth to LA to put the finishing touches on Almost Honest’s record, Orepeza and I had an opportunity to sit down one night in Downtown San Jose to talk music, the band, and what to expect from their first record, which Orepeza said, “sounds nothing like what you’ve heard that we’ve done before.”
What artists had an influence on your music?
Growing up, I listened to a lot of 70’s rock. James Taylor, Fleetwood Mac, and a lot of classic rock. I think for me, what kind of got me into music was more of the indie scene stuff. An artist named Ernie Halter, Tony Lucca, and some LA guys. I started listening to them around the time I started writing. They kind of inspired me to pick up a guitar and start writing. So, it was more of the indie-folk kind of rock stuff that really got me to where I am with my writing.
How long had you and Justin been playing together before you started playing shows?
After about two months of just trying to throw some songs together, we had a song or two, and we played covers. We had a 6-song set. We played a coffee shop probably like two months after we had met. It was like 12 people. It was like a little coffee shop, but it was fun. I’ll never forget it.
We were really green, but people were like if you guys stick with it, you guys have something special.
Last Wednesday, I got my Gleek on with the best of ‘em at the HP Pavillion in San Jose for Glee Live!
Tickets to the show are a bit on the pricey side, especially if you’re making it a family outing. However, as soon as the curtain rises and Cory Monteith (Finn) and Lea Michele (Rachel) kick off Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’” as part of the five original members of Glee’s New Directions, you’ll be happy that that you got to witness this spectacle live.
The stage is set up in such a way that there’s a main stage with a cat walk that leads out to another stage area, which leads into the first few rows of the crowd. Also, about three-fourths the way towards the back of the arena, there’s another small stage set up, which featured a couple of the night’s best performances.
The Glee concert set list highlights fan-favorite group numbers like “Born This Way,” “Loser Like Me,” and “Somebody To Love,” as well as wonderful solo numbers from some the main players.
Mark Salling (Puck), Chord Overstreet (Sam), Kevin McHale (Artie), Harry Shum Jr. (Mike), and Darren Criss (Blaine) come together during the show to perform an acoustic version of the Rebecca Black song “Friday.” With both Salling and Overstreet on acoustic guitar, the guys really carved out quite the moment for themselves.
Continue reading Concert Review >> Glee Live! in San Jose, CA 05.25.2011
Tonight I got to attend the private acoustic Mix 106.5 David Cook Mixxer at the Hotel De Anza.
This was such a treat to attend! I’ve been a longtime fan of David’s since season
seven of American Idol, and I’ve gotten to see him play a handful of times, but I have always wanted to see him play an acoustic set.
David and his guitarist, Neal Tiemann did a short 4-song set for the audience, which included, “Heroes,” “Come Back To Me,” “Light On,” and “The Last Goodbye.”
Check out my video of “The Last Goodbye” after the cut!
Continue reading David Cook Live in San Jose, CA – Mix 106.5 Mixxer
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