Counterfeit Tix, Bitchy Seat Neighbors, Awesome Bands: KROQ Almost Acoustic Christmas

This past Sunday we went to night two of KROQ's Almost Acoustic Christmas. I'm a dumbass so I'd missed the general public sale date which meant I had to sit my ass in front of a computer for the week preceding the show refreshing my browser on Cragslist in the hopes that someone would be descent and post a pair of tickets at face value, which of course they don't do that early on, because they have the luxury of time for selling their tickets to people who can't be at their computers obsessively refreshing their browsers for a week, for two to three times the face value of the ticket. And I know why they do it, and I know that they can, but it just really pisses me off. I mean, some people were selling them for $500 a ticket. Really? And people buy them at that price? Why? Actually, I know people who'd buy them at that price because they go to one show a year and they don't know any better. Don't know how to search for tickets and be patient. But anyway. I really couldn't spend more than face. Quite literally I did not have the money for it, so it had to be face or below, or nothing. And I knew it might come down to the day of, standing outside the venue, haggling with some scalper, but I was prepared to do it, because I really wanted to go.

So, I found a guy, who eventually sold his tickets to me for a little below face, without me even asking him to bring down the price and yeah, it was a bitch of a drive to get them, but it was worth it for being able to get into the show and for paying less than face. As we were going in to the venue, we saw two "kids", probably late teens, who'd unknowingly bought counterfeit tickets - you know, the kind that are sent via e-mail and you print at home? Yeah, never buy those for that reason. I'm sure there are some legit people selling those, but why risk it? I felt so bad for them because they looked so upset. There were two cops looking over the print-out and the line (there were only a few of us there) was being held up while they investigated. More than looking mad about it they looked disappointed and my heart went out to them because I could imagine how much it would suck to really be looking forward to going (as I was) spending the money, being at the door and being told your tickets are no good. Sometimes, people just suck. Especially Craigslist people. As the line opened up and we went through security I heard the girl ask the cop "isn't there anything you can do?" and I wished I'd had the money to run out and get them a pair of tickets from a scalper so they could get in. It also made me want to text my seller and thank him for not being a scalper, but he might have thought it weird to get that text...

The seats were pretty good if a little to the side. Unfortunately, my seat neighbor had a stick up her ass. I go to a fair amount of concerts a year, so it's all kind of second nature to me. I know how it works- I know people are going to be getting up to get beer or go to the bathroom, I know you might end up next to an annoying talker or shouter, and sometimes you luck out and you get cool people who just enjoy the show and don't annoy the crap out of you. I think I'm a fairly good seat neighbor: I'm sober, I don't shout annoyingly, I don't get out of my seat often for beer or whatever and when I talk to my friend, I talk into his/her ear and not out loud so the whole section can hear me. I do dance in my spot though, and every now and then, I might accidentally elbow the person next to me (not hard), after which I quickly apologize. Cool people don't usually mind. They understand it happens, as I do, when it happens to me. This woman was a giant bitch. I was reaching down to get something from my purse and accidentally bumped into her leg. I quickly apologized only to have her give me the stink eye and cross her arms. She crossed her arms for about half the freakin' show. It's a five hour show! At one point, she'd left her seat and I moved over because I was recording and I had a clearer view from her spot. She came back just as the song was ending and I told her in a friendly way that I'd move in about five seconds. She sighed heavily and crossed her arms again. Her seat was next to the isle, I mean, it wasn't  a hardship to give me a few secs. When I was done I thanked her for waiting and smiled and she said nothing back. See? Bitch.


Anyway, as for the show, I thought it was great. This was my third year going (not consecutive) and I feel like this year was smoother than last. No stage issues and no lag time between bands. I think they do a good job of keeping it moving. I saw Broken Bells, The Temper Trap, Florence + the Machine, and The Black Keys for the first time and loved them all. Florence + the Machine and The Black Keys were especially great. Florence has great stage presence and a powerful voice, and the Black Keys are just so good and so much fun. I could not stop dancing. Loved. Them.

I'm not a Neon Trees, or Vampire Weekend fan, but I knew a few of their songs, so their sets seemed to go by quickly. Brandon Flowers was entertaining, I guess. I used to really like The Killers, but I've moved on from them, and him and so I wasn't sure if I was looking forward to seeing him or not. I liked that he did a cover of Betty Davis Eyes, and did a Killers song (or was it two? I've got the worst memory) but overall I was pretty indifferent about him. Phoenix closed the show, and while I like them very much, I'm not sure they were the best choice to close. I find it interesting that they were the choice because from what I could tell, Vampire Weekend had the bigger fan reaction (which baffled me, but what do I know? I don't listen to radio). Anyway, Thomas Mars, the lead singer seemed a bit tired but they still put on a good show.  I think the choice to play Love Like a Sunset was interesting... just because it seemed people got restless and then started to leave. I may be overgeneralizing, but I think people who are regular radio listeners (or who mostly only listen to radio) don't care for songs with no lyrics or catchy hooks. They just don't know what to do with those.

All in all I was so thrilled to have been able to go. I loved the bands, even the ones I didn't love, just because I was giddy to be there. Concerts/ live music in general make me giddy, so five hours of it, even next to a bitchy, anal seat neighbor was fun!

Here are some vids:

Sally Hawkins Is My New BFF. In My Head.

Exactly a week ago today, I went to a screening of Made In Dagenham. I didn't write about it sooner, because I'm lazy. But anyway, for financial reasons I'm on a self-imposed no-movies-in-theaters ban. I just can't afford it. That being the case, I wasn't expecting to see this movie until it came out on DVD but as luck or fate would have it, an opportunity to go to a free screening followed by a Q&A with Sally Hawkins arose, and I was very happy to pounce on it. 

 I confess I'm a sucker for anything "feminist" so I was predisposed to like the movie. And even before going I'd heard good things, and I really like Sally Hawkins, so you know it was going to have to suck majorly for me to do anything but love it.  And love it I did. I want to think I'm not the only one though. The movie inspired our screening crowd to cheer at some scenes and hiss at others. Twice I got misty-eyed. It's that whole girl-power thing I can't help but love.

In any case, after the screening Sally Hawkins came out, adorably humble when the interviewer told her how great she was and how happy they were she was there. I'm sorry to say, however, that adorable Sally Hawkins is quite a rambler. It was a little bit awkward. Any question they would ask her would take her forever to answer, and she never quite got to the point. People got fidgety, started shifting in their seats. Ok, it was really awkward. In any case, I still found her adorable, if long winded.

By the time the questions were over, only maybe half the audience remained and I decided to head for the front of the stage in the hopes of getting a pic. A small group had gathered and Sally was literally on her hands and knees signing things for people. These people came prepared! They had posters, DVD's and pictures. Why it didn't occur to me to take my Persuasion DVD with me, I just don't know. In any case, I did have a note pad and some pens, but just as I got up to her her manager was telling her that she really needed to get up off the floor. I didn't want to hold her up too much, so I didn't ask her to sign anything, but I did ask if she'd mind taking a quick picture, which she agreed to, getting back on her knees for so we'd both fit in the frame. As she positioned herself, I told her I loved her as Anne Elliot, and she replied, "In Persuasion, you mean?" and I said, "Yes, it's my favorite" (I don't know why I said that, since Pride and Prejudice is actually my favorite, but it's what came out!). Anyway, she said "Yes, it's my favorite too" and smiled. And as far as I'm concerned, the fact that we not only talked, but talked Persuasion, and how it's both our favorite (albeit not entirely true) now makes us BFF's. Or at least I'm that much closer to it than I was with Halle Berry. At least. I so wanted to ask her about the lovely (and by lovely, I mean hot) Rupert Penry-Jones, but there was just no time, unfortunately. Maybe next time. Right, because there'll be a next time.

Maybe I was delusional in thinking Sally might get a Golden Globe nomination, or maybe I was just wishing it for my new BFF, I don't know, but I'm bummed she didn't. And Angelina Jolie got one for The Tourist. Ok, whatever. Anyway, I know an Academy Award would be a long shot, but if she did get it, it'd be great because I thought she was that good in this.

It's also really disappointing that the movie is not getting all that much attention in the States (that I'm aware of). I think it'd make for a great Girls' Night Out movie: a group of girlfriends, dinner, the movie and then some drinks after to discuss how far we've come and how great the movie was. Just sayin'. Maybe when it comes out on DVD I'll have a Girls' Night In...

Seriously, if you're a woman, I don't see how you can watch this and not get chills. You should want to rush out and see it!

Halle Berry: Frankie & Alice Screening. Oh, and We Didn't Become BFF's.

This past Wednesday, I had another of those "only in L.A." sort of evenings, that I still can't believe I get to experience. For free no less. Who knew this stuff went on? And available to the general public if you know where to look! I got to attend a screening of Halle Berry's new movie Frankie & Alice followed by a Q&A with her.  

Now, I've never been a terribly deep thoughts kind of person and I'm not about to get all film critic on you now, because it would quickly become apparent to all of us, that I don't know what I'm talking about. All I can say about any movie is whether I liked it or not and if I feel strongly about it either way, I might go into detail, but otherwise I like to paint with a nice broad brush. I liked this movie, overall. Yeah, I thought the psychiatrist's (Stellan Skarsgård) story line didn't seem completely fleshed out and I didn't love how they wrapped up the end, but overall, these things did not bother me enough to make me not like the movie.

Of course, the acting by everyone was great. Chandra Wilson as the jealous, bitter sister gave us a tiny bit of levity and provided a couple of laughs while Phylicia Rashad was the seemingly-in-denial, wrought mother - though I don't think I could ever see her and not think, "Mrs. Huxtable!" (at least just at first. I mean, seriously!). As I said, both were great; I only wish there had been a bit more of them.

I can't remember ever having seen a Halle Berry movie in theaters-and I hesitate to admit this next thing because it makes me sound totally shallow- but I have to say from time to time I couldn't help being distracted from the performance because I couldn't stop myself from thinking how beautiful she was. Good lord, she really is. A screen-sized Halle Berry is hard not to take notice of. Despite being distracted by her ridiculously good looks, I paid enough attention to know that the Oscar buzz surrounding her is warranted. We'll see what comes of it though.

In any case, she showed up after the film for the Q&A, and and again I freely admit my shallowness overtook me. I struggled to pay attention to anything she said for the first ten minutes because I couldn't get over how beautiful she was and could not stop thinking that I was somehow, impossibly, in the same room with her. I'm female and I'm straight, but as I've no doubt made clear, I can appreciate hotness in a woman when presented with it, what can I say? Anyway, I was about five rows back from the stage, though a bit off to the side, but even from there I could see she she's got perfect skin. Must be nice. In any case, though the person I went to this screening with said he was nervous for her having to come out and face a crowd that had just watched her film, she seemed perfectly at ease. She got a standing ovation and seemed flattered but a bit embarrassed.

She talked about how she'd been trying to get the film made (off and on) for twelve years, and how everyone in the cast was her first choice and she was surprised that they'd all agreed to be in it. It shot in twenty five days and though the budget didn't allow for too much "fancy" stuff, they did have plenty of Ding Dongs around (a reference to something in the movie). She talked about how being a mother has helped with her acting, but how that doesn't affect the roles she chooses to take.

A woman asked her about any advice she might have for someone who is of mixed race (in this case, the woman who asked was asking for her 12 year old daughter who was there) and how they should approach casting situations. Berry basically said that early on she decided she identified with being African American and that's just what's always felt right for her because of how she looks, and that the daughter in question should do what felt right for her,  that there's no right or wrong and no matter what, she's beautiful as she is. I'm not judging and I do agree that people should absolutely do what's right for them, but the way she spoke made it sound as though she almost does not acknowledge (for lack of a better word) being half white. Out of sheer curiosity, I would love to ask Berry's mom, who is white (and from what I understand, raised Berry mostly on her own) what she thinks about all that.

Anyway, when the Q&A wrapped up, there was a rush to the stage to get pics and autographs and for a moment I was a little scared for her. She took a few pictures, signed a couple of things and then they managed to get her away from the over-eager crowd. And there I stood thinking: Good Lord, I was just in a room with an Oscar winning actress! Not many movie-loving, non-celebrity folk get that opportunity and I know that, so I was not about to take it for granted.

In the end, Halle Berry did not pick me out of the crowd to become BFF's as I imagined she would before I got there, but I'm sure that's only because she was rushed by so many people so soon after the Q&A that there was just no time. Yep, that's what it was. That aside, it was a really good evening and I'm happy that I got to go!