music

Josh and I aren’t big on getting each other Christmas gifts. We either set a small budget or just don’t exchange gifts. This year we decided to go on a date to the St. Louis Symphony to hear Ben Folds. A couple of months ago I saw that Ben Folds would be in St. Louis so we quickly decided to splurge on the tickets and call it a Christmas present. (The show sold out in just a short time so we were lucky to get good tickets.)

We got all dressed up for the big date which was a lot of fun. I got a new dress on clearance for $34. The dress kind of reminded me of the cocktail dress Julia Roberts wears in Pretty Woman. You know, the black one with the lace overlay. She’s like, “I bought a dress. A cocktail one!”. Anyway… Josh looked awesome in his bowtie and suspenders. I’m so glad I have a husband that is willing to get dressed up every once in awhile. We knew there would be everything from jeans to dresses at this concert but decided it would be more fun this way. I’m so glad we did. There just isn’t a lot of opportunity to wear clothes like that.

I’ve never been to the symphony before so I didn’t really know what to expect. I was not disappointed. Ben Folds, of course, was amazing. I got the biggest grin on my face as soon as he came on the stage. The audience went crazy as he humbly shook his head and pushed his glasses up.

This concert was unlike any other Ben Folds concert I’ve been to. His concerts are usually very crowd participatory. This one was a little more sit and listen. He talked about each song before playing which was very cool. He played a lot more of his slower songs that worked so well with a full orchestra. I got a little choked up during “Gracie”, the song about his daughter. And my heart was racing during “One Angry Dwarf”. The orchestra was just phenomenal.

Afterwards I felt like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman again. After they see the opera and the woman asks what she thought of it. “It was so good I almost peed my pants.” Then Richard Gere says, “She said she liked it better than Pirates of Penzance.” Okay, enough Pretty Woman references. Seriously though the concert was amazing, my date was a total hottie and quite the gentleman, and the evening was delightful.

Just some music to get your weekend started. Have a good one!

I told everyone I would make it until Tony‘s show on October 11th and that I did! I got to hear him play twice which was awesome. He sounded great.

It was so amazing to see Tony play his music in front of so many people. People we knew, people we didn’t… I felt pretty proud to be related to so much talent!

I am so excited for my brother’s show(s) tomorrow! If you’re in the area, come to Fusion Brew at 3:00 or Border’s at 7:00. You can see a big ‘ol pregnant woman (ok, so not that big) and hear some sweet music by better LUCK this time!

A couple of weeks ago my pregnancy journal stated that the baby can now hear what is going on outside of the womb. I decided that I should definitely play some music for the kiddo. (Yes, I realize this is completely cliche and somewhat dorky. But research has shown that there are some benefits to doing this.) On Wednesday I started a playlist in iTunes that I could transfer over to my iPod. What started out as a few classical songs turned into the musical education of my unborn child.

I was picking through the classical music in our library when I came upon “Video Killed the Radio Star”. I thought, “That would be really cool if my kid knew that song”. So I added it to the playlist which then of course snowballed. There had to be some Ben Folds, Elton John, oldies, uh hello…Frank Sinatra, Jack Johnson… (I avoided anything that was a lot of bass or too harsh sounding.) I now have 4.6 hours of songs to play. Who knows what I’d have if I tackled our cd collection!

If research is correct the baby will be comforted by some of these songs after it is born. Let’s face it, who wouldn’t want their kid to be comforted by Stevie Wonder and REO Speedwagon?

Josh and I went to see Juno on Saturday. We had to drive a little further than usual since it wasn’t playing in our area. (Although I just checked and it opened this week here.) I loved it! We saw a preview for it months ago and I wanted to see it immediately. I was worried I had built it up too much but I was not disappointed. Although it was hilarious, it was also touching and I got a bit choked up at the end.

I loved the music in it too…so much that we drove to three different stores looking for the soundtrack after the movie. Turns out that even though you can download it off iTunes, you can’t buy it on cd until tomorrow.

We’ve been quoting Juno since we saw it on Saturday. There were so many good lines that it was hard to catch them all. I might have to go see it again!

This is one of my favorite Christmas commercials this year. I mean, you really can’t go wrong with a little girl in glasses and John Lennon in the background.

That commercial also led me to a cover of that song, Real Love. Normally I’m not a huge fan of Beatles covers because well…they’re the Beatles…nobody can do it better. But this is Regina Spektor and love her. I think she nailed it.

I’m a total sap and have a favorite Christmas commercial every year.

I love the Flight of the Conchords but this song has been stuck in my head since yesterday. You all must have it stuck in your heads too.

Sometimes when Josh and I are in the car together, he’ll specifically play a song for me. He’ll point out that he really likes it and wink at me. I will usually then sit real still and listen to the words. I always find it so endearing that a song reminded him of me or our relationship and he wants me to hear it.

Last Saturday night we were listening to the new Plain White T’s cd. Josh told me that he really liked track nine so he skipped ahead to it. He gave me “that smirk” so I listened closely. Here’s the preview on iTunes and the lyrics:

“Write You A Song” by Plain White T’s

I don’t know how to make lots of money
I got debts that I’m trying to pay
I can’t buy you nice things, like big diamond rings
But that don’t mean much anyway
I can’t give you the house you’ve been dreaming
If I could I would build it alone
I’d be out there all day, just hammering away
Make us a place of our own

I will write you a song
That’s how you’ll know that my love is still strong
I will write you a song
And you’ll know from this song that I just can’t go on without you

I don’t know that I’d make a good soldier
I don’t believe in being violent and cruel
I don’t know how to fight, but I’ll draw blood tonight
If somebody tries hurting you

I will write you a song
That’s how you’ll know that my love is still strong
I will write you a song
And you’ll know from this song that I just can’t go on without you

Now that it’s out on the table (it’s out on the table)
Both of us knew all along (knew all along)
I’ve got your loving and you’ve got my song

I don’t know how to make lots of money
I don’t know all the right things to do
I can’t say where we’ll go, but the one thing I know
Is how to be a good man to you
Until I die that’s what I’ll do

I will write you a song
That’s how you’ll know that my love is still strong
I will write you a song
And you’ll know from this song that I just can’t go on without
I will write you a song (I will write you a song)
That’s how you’ll know that my love is still strong (love is still strong)
I will write you a song
And you know from this song that I just can’t go on without you

Funny how a song can perfectly describe something…

I can’t believe it’s been almost two years since I last saw Ben Folds in concert. Josh and I got to see him last night when he came to Illinois State.

Of course you weren’t allowed to take pictures (which I don’t get) and there was camera patrol all over. I took the above picture rested on my knee, holding my breath with no flash. And because I’m such a rebel, I took some video too.

He’s just so cool. Some highlights of the show: He played an electric keyboard with his foot while playing his piano (and it sounded good). At one point he played the bass and drums at the same time, occasionally hitting the strings with the drumstick. He played Underground and I sang the lyrics really loud! “Hand me my nose ring!” Ben Folds sang his cover of Dr. Dre’s B*****s Ain’t S**t that had practically everyone singing along (sorry, but not me). I will admit that it’s pretty awesome to hear an auditorium full singing along.

Anyway, he’s just so amazingly talented and seems to be so down-to-earth. It’s such a combination that it’s hard not to be fascinated with him. As always, I’ll be looking forward to the next show of his!