Santigold/Femi Kuti

Ok. So is it even possible to see a bad show at The Hollywood Bowl? Seriously. I have been going to the bowl since I was a kid, and it didn't matter if I had to sit through classical music, I had the best time ever that night...and it's no different now. There is a energy that comes from the people who go - everyone is in a good mood, drinking, eating, dancing or chilling to whatever music is playing under the stars.

I happened to witness a incredible show though. While I missed Raphael Sadiq, I was able to catch Santigold, formerly Santogold, and Femi Kuti. I have seen Santigold perform before and I was a little (yawn) bored by her last time, but amazed by her dancers. This time around, she had a band with her and she brought her A game. She was connecting with the crowd, telling stories of her youth and getting the crowd to groove with her. Her boyfriend Trevor Andrew even came up and sang a song with her. I wonder what her new sound will be like now that she has been in the studio working with JayZ. Santi, we are ready for it.

By the time Femi came on, people were high and drunk and moving to the Afro beats...or leaving the venue. It was a interesting grouping that the Bowl put together and while I am not normally a World Music listener, it was a good follow up to the high people got from Santi.....riding out the energy and ending it on a high note.

Head Heads see What's It Called : Radiohead

Is there ever a bad night at the Bowl? Exactly. So when my friend offered up tickets to see Radiohead, I thought - fantastic! A good show plus a night under the stars. What I didn't know was that I would fall for Radiohead for my first time and possibly become a head-head. I've seen a lot of shows...and I have even seen Radiohead the last time they played the Hollywood Bowl...but last time I saw them I was bored. The set up of the camera playing to the audience up in the other area code was similar, but only one angle.

This time around they outdid themselves. A set of light poles designed like a sculpture of icicles, with more than lighting as the goal. I don't know how quite how many cameras were set up, but they were attached to the poles to capture a multitude of angles from Thom Yorke and band. It was dynamic - and combined with the colorful, ah hum, "rainbow" showcase of lights it's a wonder what the tour bus caravan must be like. It was quite spectacular.
Every time the next song would come on the roadies and stage crew moved the instruments like a theatrical stage - but with such precision and ease that if you blinked you would just see different instruments in place of something that had just been there...and a new color of color raining down the icicles.Aside from the extreme precision that Yorke and the band exuded...one of the most enjoyable moments of the night was when he could step away from the mic and dance! The energy was oozing out and those were the moments that I stepped back and thought....this is Radiohead.

SET LIST - 8.24.08

1. 15 Step 2. There There 3. Morning Bell 4. All I Need 5. Pyramid Song 6. Nude 7. Arpeggi/Weird Fishees 8. The Gloaming 9. The National Anthem 10. Wolf at the Door 11. Faust Arp 12. Exit Music 13. Jigsaw Falling into Place 14. Idioteque 15. Climbing up the walls 16. Bodysnatchers 17. How to Dissappear Completely

encore:
Videotape
Dollars and Cents
Paranoid Android
Street Spirit
Reckoner

2nd encore:
House of cards
Lucky
Everything In Its Right Place

Photos by David Zorn

Hollywood Bowl : Dodgers/Randy Newman/4th of July Fireworks

Last night I was invited to the Hollywood Bowl for the 4th of July Fireworks. When I was little it was my parents had a box and every 4th of July they brought my sister and I for the firework show.
There was usually some special focus of the night, like the music from Star Wars....last night was no different.



In celebration of 50 years of the Dodgers in Los Angeles, the theme was baseball movie scores, and baseball songs performed by the LA Phil. It was fun...I mean, I'm not a sports fan by any means, but it was exciting. It's never a bad show at the Bowl. You're under the stars with a light show. Many of the old Dodgers including Ron Cey and legendary Dodger Manager Tommy Lasorda came on stage.



Somehow in the mix, Randy Newman performed 3 songs and conducted one with the LA Phil. Singing "I Love LA", "You've Got A Friend", and a new track from his upcoming record - it certainly added some interesting moments of the night.



The evening finished up with some spectacular fireworks.

Check it out for yourselves - Daily Candy posted about it
I Love LA.