Isaac Slade of The Fray!

We hopped down after work, and to their dismay, I made them all stand in line for an hour and a half in the freezing cold. But once we were inside, and finally thawed out, I think the girls were happy to have our front spots. It ain’t easy folks, but it’s always worth it. Two of the girls dashed to the bar for coffee and wine, while the rest of us stayed and held our spot. We were about 3 people back from the center, so we were feeling good.

The Fray having some fun!

The Fray took the stage and played all of my favorites. After seeing them the last time, I knew to prepare by listening to the new record, Scars and Stories, which just came out this week. My favorite songs off the new record that is seriously on repeat on my ipod is “Turn Me On” and “Run For Your Life“. The opened again with the acoustic version of their new single “Heartbeat” but most exciting was when they played the old classics “Vienna” and “Happiness“, per the audience’s request. Another treat was when the guitar player, and The Fray’s resident hottie, Joe, sang their new song “Rainy Zurich“. I managed to catch the whole thing on my phone for your viewing pleasure. The band is very talented where they have their choice of singers.

Jamming on their instruments

And never one to let you guys down, I had some major interaction with the band during the show. As this was a charity show for Housing Works, which helps homeless people in New York find jobs, the lead singer Isaac Slade was talking about what he does and how everyone is a part of something. He turned to the audience and says “I’m sure all of you have jobs, what kind of things do you all do?” to which he stares directly at me and says “And what do you do for a living?” A little shocked and unsure if he was pointing at me I said “Me? I’m a jewelry designer” which, is a lot easier than my technical job and mostly true, to which he responded “Oh Wow, that’s really cool!” HA! So, I know it’s not much but it’s all it takes to make me feel special during the show. I guess being 5’10 and wearing a cute neon green hat helps to stand out.

le sigh

Anywho, I love seeing The Fray live and up close. Slade’s voice is super magical and I’m hoping and praying that some Radio City tickets find their way into my lap!

Check out my review of The Fray at Housing Works on the Round Table. More videos, photos, and a set list!

Elle King

I showed up to the Monday night show (which was technically his first US show and didn’t start until almost 10!) and made some new friends while in line. They filled me in on the singer’s background and after chatting in the cold, they let us into the venue and wouldn’t you know it, I got a nice little spot right up front. The opener was a great little country singer, who also happens to be actor Rob Schneider’s daughter, named Elle King. Boasting bleach blonde hair, and a sleeve full of tattoos, I did not expect her to pick up a banjo and starting belting out country tunes. She’s got a quirky, interesting sound and she was a lot of fun to open the night. Check out her jam “Easy Pleasing Girl” for a little taste of this Brooklyn, country gem.

Ed Sheeran!

When Ed Sheeran took the stage, all I knew of him was that he played guitar, and looked like Rupert Grint (aka Ron Weasley from the Harry Potter movies). The two of them even made a music video together for Sheeran’s hit “Lego House“. He made his way through the packed crowd to stand solo on stage and if you’ve ever been to Mercury Lounge, you know that it’s a teeny tiny venue that fits roughly 60 people inside. Now, you all know I’m a sucker for a British accent but his playful nature and youthfulness just made him all sorts of adorable. But I wasn’t prepared for how insanely talented this kid was.

Sheeran on stage!

Sheeran played his entire 14 song set totally alone, just using a looping pedal. For those of you who are unfamiliar with what that is, it’s a microphone that can record and play sounds on a loop. Sheeran used it to create his own percussion from his guitar and his own back up vocals, often relying on the audience to help him out. He opened with my favorite song “Give Me Love” which was actually featured on this week’s episode of The Vampire Diaries and launched into #137 on the US itunes chart. Soon after he played my favorite cover of a song called “Wayfaring Stranger” that is just so hauntingly beautiful that I had to capture it on my phone. It’s totally amazing to see how he makes all his own back-up on the looping pedal.

Um, does it get any closer?

Then, as if being way up front wasn’t enough, Sheeran decided that for his last 3 songs, he wanted to get into the middle of the audience. He walked right past me, put up his chair, and sang to the rest of the room in the total darkness. The only lights and sounds were that of people using their phones to capture the intimate setting and snap photos. I can’t even explain to you how amazing it was, for the audience to just decide to ditch the stage and microphone, grab his acoustic guitar and get right in the middle of everyone. He asked everyone not to sing along as he sang us an Irish lullaby. He finished up with his hit song “A Team” which I captured on film. It was hard to fit him in the screen since I was so close but I think I managed to get it done.

Me and Ed Sheeran!

And you all know me, I had to snag a photo with the singer (sadly it was blurry) after the show and I’m glad I did. I really think he’s going to blow up here in the next few months and if you can rush out and see him when he tours with Snow Patrol this Spring I highly recommend it. I’m currently working on tickets of my own to that show so maybe I’ll see you there!

Also, don’t forget to check out the review I did on The Round Table. Set list and more photos!

Robert Earle Keen!

After grabbing a quick drink, we got to the show right after the opener and perused the crowd. It was sold out, to full capacity so trying to find good spot so late was nearly impossible. But the crowd was rowdy and excited and it was a great post-Fray option. I only know one REK song, “I Gotta Go” so when it came on I got way too excited.

Sneaking up closer!

So just a quick update for you since I didn’t have a good spot and my iPhone zoom is terrible! But it was a fun night and if you’re into country, which Morgan is slowly getting me into, then check out this classic artist!

The Fray!

I was able to score myself two tickets to a very intimate venue downtown and rushed down after work to secure my spot right up front. I grabbed FRoD fave Morgan and the two of us managed to snag second row dead center. After 30 minutes inside, dancing along to the DJ and mingling, the show began with a brief introduction.

Isaac Slade on the piano

PC Richards is a small venue that holds roughly 200 people so we were pretty well positioned within the room. There usually isn’t a bad spot in the house (given that I’m 5’10) but it’s also not a full set list. The band usually plays about 6 songs and it is done as a live webcast so anyone can tune in. Luckily, the show seemed to last about an hour as The Fray ended up playing all of their big hits and a few new songs off their new record.

Instagram pic of The Fray

The set began with an acoustic version of their first single off the new album. I managed to catch some of “Heartbeat” on my iPhone for your viewing pleasure! It was such a casual, intimate show where lead singer Isaac Slade was just playing the guitar sitting on his piano, like we were all just hanging out. While the version was really beautiful, I was a little disappointed he didn’t start out with an upbeat song but it was still a great way to start the set. Slade jammed on the piano for all of their mega hits including “How To Save A Life”, “You Found Me” and “Over My Head (Cable Car)“.

The best part of the night however was when Slade took a break to give the audience a history lesson of the band. He told the audience that they were coming up on their 10 year anniversary as a band and wondered aloud what kind of gift they should get each other to commemorate this milestone. After him and his band mates suggested diamonds and watches, I decided to suggest that they get a tattoo and the lead singer agreed with me. I would LOVE to see later this year a post on their twitter account that they decided to take my suggestion seriously! Silly fangirl interaction aside, I was mostly blown away with by how natural Slade’s voice was. His ability to write such emotional, inspiring songs aside, when he sang, it just seemed to be so effortless. I couldn’t help but get a little jealous because it was almost as if he just woke up one day and said “Yeah ok, I think I’ll be a singer”.

Slade chatting with the audience

I’m sure you’re all aware of The Fray, but if you can, grab a ticket to their upcoming Radio City gig. They are fantastic live. And stay tuned for another review soon as I’m seeing them again next week at a small book store downtown for a charity event. Mission picture with the band is in full effect!

Also, check here for my full review of The Fray show as a guest blogger on The Round Table!

Portugal. The Man at Bowery Ballroom

I connected with an old friend who I knew was a fan, and together we headed to the show to meet up with my Pandora friends. It was nice to just relax and enjoy the show and not be so silly fangirl about getting front row. The band took the stage around 9:30 and played to a full house. This was the first time in a long time where I didn’t know a single song by the band but it was nice to catch up with an old friend and listen to some live music.

Rocking out at the show!

The band is from the Alaska/Seattle area (is that an area?) and they had a real jam band indie sound. At first their songs seemed to just go from one to the next and it wasn’t until the end of the show where they started to really pick up and the crowd got into it. After hearing them live I looked up a few songs and I would have to recommend checking out “So American” and “Sleep Forever“. Check them out to see if you like! I think I’d be more into them during the summer, but I’m adding them to my list.

Front Row!!

My favorite part of the night, as with most bands I see when I don’t know any songs, is when they did a cover and PTM decided to cover Oasis’ “Dont Look Back in Anger” and it was perfectly timed. They played the cover close to the end so the entire room sang along and it really amped up the atmosphere. I have to admit that at first the show started pretty slow and seemed to drag, but by the end I found myself front row and rocking out, but hey, what else is new? I even had a second wind and found myself bouncing around the lower east side after the show with some old and new friends. This is why I love the city and live music, it gives you energy and before you know it, it’s Tuesday night and you’re out meeting new friends who call you Rachel Bilson and He-man the bartender is sharing cookies with you! But we’ll save that story for another time …

VH1 Divas Soul!

Once my spot on the guest list was secured, fellow FRoD member Morgan agreed to come with as my plus one so we bundled up for the cold and headed to Hammerstein about 45 minutes early. The line was around the block and I was a little shocked. I figured since we got there somewhat early we’d be one of the few that got tickets, but it turns out they didn’t even check our names off the list and just handed us bracelets. They tried to break up the line since it was so long so we snuck away for a quick cocktail to warm up. We ended up meeting two other girls at the bar and making friends. After nicely dropping my glass to shatter on the floor and bow for a job well done in front of the entire restaurant, all four of us hopped back in line by sneakily passing through the surrounding hotel lobby and made our way inside. I tried to check our coats while Morgan secured some killer spots, but to my dismay the coat check was an insane mess so I abandoned hope and succumbed to the fact that I would be holding my winter coat during the show.

The amazing set!

I walked back up to find that Morgan and our new friends had secured a sick spot on the floor, about 4 people back from the center of the stage. After a little bit of waiting, chatting, and geeking out that was I was about to see Florence kick some major butt, the house lights dimmed and the show started. Since it was a TV show taping, it was a bit different from a regular concert. There would be some times when we stood around waiting while they switched up the sets, and the performers/presenters just stood idly on the stage waiting for their cue.

Florence! Her dress was ah-mah-zing!!!

First up was my favorite, Florence + the Machine. As soon as I saw her I fangirl crazy lost it and started jumping up and down. I was in shock when everyone around me was asking who she was! I didn’t care that Morgan and I were the only ones jumping around but she opened the show with her new single “Shake It Out” and it was everything I wanted it to be and more. It’s such a fun song to just jump around to and lose your mind. For me, all of the Florence + the Machine music is overwhelming in a really good way, and seeing her live is really something everyone needs to do. If she doesn’t announce her US tour soon (if there even will be one!) I might cry! Her outfit was all pale gold and sparkles, and was the epitome of Florence.

Jennifer Hudson and Kelly Clarkson!

Another performance to highlight was when Jennifer Hudson, Mary J. Blige, and Kelly Clarkson took the stage together to sing “You Keep Me Hanging On” together which was originally done by The Supremes. After the three amazing singers collaborated, they each broke out to perform their respective hits “Spotlight”, “Real Love” and one of my faves “Since You’ve Been Gone”. Having seen Kelly Clarkson twice now in the same week, I’ve realized what a power house and awesome singer she really is.

Jessie J!

Up next was another performer who, in my opinion, has all the potential and talent to make it big in the US but for some reason, the public isn’t latching on. Jessie J is a tiny thing with an odd and powerful pop ballad voice. She seems a bit loopy to me but she has fun when she’s on stage, and her outfits reflect her crazy personality. She broke out in an all fringe outfit singing her new hit “Domino” which, since the show, I’ve noticed increased airplay. I was a little fearful when she looked to the audience to sing along, so always wanting to help them out I made sure to sing the words out loud, haha I’m sure it didn’t make a difference but I’ll pretend it did. It was fun to see her in a large setting since the first time I saw her was a small dingy bar on the west side over a year ago, so it was exciting to see her sing with the likes of Jennifer Hudson with the song “Knock on Wood”.

Jennifer Hudson - girl rocked it!

Another highlight of the show was when Jennifer Hudson, who I think really was the night’s star, impressed everyone in Hammerstein that night when she took to the stage in a skimpy, Jessica Rabbit inspired outfit, and sang “Night of Your Life” amidst go-go dancers, lasers, and steam shooting up from the stage. It was quite the spectacle and her voice is amazing. It’s as good as it is in Dreamgirls but better. She hits every note effortlessly and how she didn’t win that little talent show is seriously beyond me.

Kelly Clarkson!

Up next was Kelly Clarkson, who I’ve always enjoyed but never really embraced until this month when I saw her live twice. Her voice is powerful and her rock ballads are hard to not sing along to. She came out on a number of songs and did a few duets but my favorite was when she did her new single “Stronger”. Its such an amazing girl power ballad and her vocals are sick. She did however perform without shoes due to “spraining her ankle” right before the show, which seemed weird but whatever. She played at Radio City this past weekend and I was really sad to have missed it.

Florence Welch = goddess!

There was a tribute to Amy Winehouse which, quite fittingly, was a bit of a mess. My girl Florence rocked “Back to Black” but it wouldn’t have been one of the songs I would have chosen. I might not have focused on a song that dealt with addiction, but if memory serves, they might all be that. The worst was when Sharon Jones and Wanda Jackson performed “You Know I’m No Good” and Wanda Jackson didn’t even know the words. It was uncomfortable for everyone in the ballroom and I would have thought they would have redone it or edited it, but alas, they went on as is. The biggest surprise of the night for me though was when Florence came back out to sing one of my all time favorites by the great Annie Lenox. She busted out “Walking on Broken Glass” and it was such a delight to my ears! It was so much fun to dance along to this cover and I’m 100% sure that she would never play these covers at her shows. So it was such a treat to witness them live.

Boyz II Men!

Other performers of the night were Chaka Khan, Erykah Badu, Mavis Staples, Ledisi, Estelle, Travie McCoy (3 times in 1 week! ha!), Boyz II Men, Jill Scott, Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, The Roots, Marsha Ambrosius, and Wanda Jackson. Special appearances were made by host LaLa, rapper, actor and hottie Common, actors Terrence Howard, Sherry Shepard, Samuel L. Jackson, Archie Panjabi, Queen Latifah, rapper Nas, and best of all – Dolly Parton! Ugh, what I would have paid to have heard her sing “Jolene”! Can’t have it all I suppose. All in all, it was an amazing show that I was so happy to have had the chance to go to!

Front row for Hootie, duh.

We made plans to meet in line a few minutes before the doors opened but I got out of work early and decided to take a stroll from midtown to Chelsea and got there early. Steph was able to join a few minutes before doors were SUPPOSED to open, but to our dismay we ended up having to wait an additional 20 minutes out in the cold before they would check us in. The last time I had been to Highline was for a comedy night with the girls a few years ago so I totally had forgotten how small it really was. Being FRoD through and through, Steph and I wasted no time finding two seats right up front and staked our claim with our bags and coats. We knew there was going to be an open bar and apps, and being the fabulous broke city girls we are, it was apps for dinner! After some major stalkage of the cocktail waitresses, we found ourselves making friends with one of the event coordinators and got the skinny on the MasterCard Priceless NY events, which was throwing this bash. Basically, if you own a MasterCard, it’s the cards way of giving back to their members so check it out party people.

The crowd at the Highline Ballroom

After loading up on some appetizers and a cocktail or two, we took our seats for the show. I really didn’t know what to expect since my Darius Rucker knowledge extended from what I knew from the radio back in 1994 when he played with Hootie and the Blowfish. He had just released a solo country CD called Learn to Live and I think it is doing pretty well on the charts. Rucker started with some pretty upbeat songs and Steph and I soon found ourselves bouncing along. We were a little nervous being front row since we didn’t know ANY of his songs, but the lyrics weren’t too complex and I found I could fake most of them. I always feel strange being up front when the singer can see you, they def. know if you’re a fan or not and being so FRoD, I like to be the best fan, even if I don’t know a single lyric.

Darius Rucker!!

The songs all sounded a little bit alike but it was really interesting to see him in a storytelling mode. I think it made me like him that much more. He’s married with 3 kids and a lot of his songs drew inspiration from that, sooo basically I couldn’t relate but it made him seem like a more down to earth, country boy which he claims is his true North Carolina roots. Hearing him chat so easily with the audience was what set the mood and allowed the audience to relax and feel like they were hanging out with a friend … it certainly wasn’t the stock pile of red wine glasses Steph and I were hiding under our chairs, or was it …

After singing a ton of his country songs, and let’s be honest, it’s closer to the pop country I like, he gave the audience a few throw backs playing some classic Hootie. I managed to get the story and the full song for “Let Her Cry” on my phone and it was truly awesome. He talks about the Black Crowes being an inspiration for his sound and how he literally wrote this song off the top of his head in two takes. He even covers “She Talks to Angels” for a little (FRoD member Morgan will die for that one!). Some people are just born with it I guess. He played “Hold My Hand” and the crowd went crazy. He did the right balance of new and old, and was a real pro with performing in front of a crowd. As our parting gift, we received a free copy of his new CD, if you are interested in checking some of it out, I suggest starting with “This“. It’s pretty country though!

Me and Steph hanging with the band!

Darius Rucker made me a country fan, at least for the night and it was such a wonderful way to spend a cold Tuesday night in the city!

The crowd with the shark flying around!

This was I think the 9th time I’ve seen Oh Land live and as always, I had the BEST time dancing my butt off. As usual, we got there nice and early to secure a front row spot, and as it goes, some jerks always try to push their way in front of me. But as you also know, I’m pretty tough and never back down, well, at least when it comes to all things concerts.

Savoir Adore

The opening band was named Savior Adore and they were GREAT. This boy and girl fronted duo were backed by a full band and reminded me a ton of Phoenix. This Brooklyn duo was a perfect opener for an act like Oh Land. Their dreamy beats got the crowd swaying and transported us into an electro-pop world. The lead singer Dierdre (who happens to be a childhood friend of FRoD member Stephanie!) played it super serious on the keys while her counter part Paul really rocked hard on the guitar. I really loved the soft electro-sound that this band has and I’ll be sure to check them out in the future. For now, check out their single “Bodies” for an introduction.

Friends the band.

The next opening band was a very different type of band, and for some reason, I can’t remember where or when, I’ve seen them open for someone before. The band’s name is Friends, and it was actually a pretty fitting name for the group. They seemed like they all just hopped up on stage and were hanging out. The lead singer was really weird, she kept removing layers of clothing every song and then jumped into the crowd and started dancing with the audience. She was pretty entertaining but not my type of music. They definitely do their own thing and have fun doing it, if you want to check them out, listen to their song “I’m His Girl“. At one point during the show they invited audience members to join them on stage to dance, and let me tell you, people really let loose with their dance moves. It was an interesting set for sure.

Oh Land takes the stage!

Next up was the main act of the night, one of my all time faves, Oh Land! I’m not sure how much more I can spread the word and gush over how awesome she is but seriously I hope you’ve all checked her out at least once. Her songs have the ability to make you feel like you’re in another world. She played a much more simpler, stripped down set of her songs than last time, and you could tell she was happy to be home from touring Europe with Katy Perry. She played all of my favorites including “Heavy Eyes” from her first record Fauna and her new song “Twist” from the movie Abduction. She also played a cover of one of my favorite songs by The National, “Bloodbuzz Ohio“. Also, I’m pretty sure I was the only person singing along to it, haha but what else is new? She wore an amazing all fringed red dress and bounced around playfully between her drummer Hans and keyboardist Tore.

Love the red fringe dress!

Morgan and I were finding it hard to have our usual space to dance given her surge in popularity, and also we had to really stand our ground but overall it was one of her better concerts. She had sold out Bowery Ballroom twice in a short span of time and I’m sure she’s only going to keep on growing. Given her electro-sinth sound, I’m sure she’ll stay the indie-pop route but I think I like that better, still gives me a chance to see her up close and dance around like an idiot. As per usual she closed with our favorite song “We Turn It Up“. It is a serious dance party.

Oh Land with her drummer Hans.

After the show we were so exhausted from standing for hours and dancing our butts off that we left the show before saying hi. I desperately need a new pic with her since the last one I took I look like a hot mess. I wanted to ask her all about Katy Perry again but alas, it shall wait for the next time. It feels a little weird not have an Oh Land concert on the books, but I’m sure she’ll be back up and running after the new year!

Me and Steph getting ready for Jingle Ball!

A few weeks before the show, I was out to dinner with some college buds when I checked my email to find a congratulatory email in my inbox. I was the first winner of the Fuse 12 days to Jingle Ball Sweepstakes. The prize included airfare, hotel, and 2 tickets to Jingle Ball in New York City. This was probably the biggest prize I’d ever won, too bad I didn’t enter for the Miami Jingle Ball to take advantage of the airfare and warm weather!

Me, Danielle, and Steph with The Script earlier in the day!

FRoD regular Stephanie was going to come along after the day event, until she won 2 tickets at the Aeropostale store a few days later and soon we had a nice little group all set! I obviously had to decline the airfare portion of the prize but we kept the hotel so we could have a base camp after our long adventure at Hammerstein Ballroom. So right after, Stephanie and I hopped over to the Hotel Pennsylvania to meet up with my roommate Amie and Steph’s friend Sharon. I knew the hotel was going to be bad, but this hotel was gross. So much for being a grand prize winner. Good thing it was just a pit stop so we rested up a little, changed our clothes, grabbed a slice, and headed across the street to the Garden. I picked up my tickets at Will Call to find that I was up in the 400s with Steph’s tickets. We took our seats, which ended up being in the top tier behind the stage, and got settled for the first act.

Our terrible Jingle Ball seats!!

Hot Chelle Rae opened the show with their hit “Tonight, Tonight“. They were a great opening act since the song is so pop-catchy goodness that you couldn’t help but dance along. I was shocked however that they only played one song! Luckily we had seen them earlier in the day but if I had been a HCR fan at Jingle Ball I would have been disappointed with just having one song.

Foster the People!

Next up was FRoD faves Foster the People. I was shocked to see them come on so early since to me, they were pretty much the act I was looking forward to the most out of the whole night. They started with their song “Don’t Stop” which the new video is hilarious, and it’s featured on the new Nissan commercials! I’m pretty sure I was the only person in my area bouncing and screaming along with them. Next up was my least favorite FTP song “Pumped Up Kicks” but I was so excited to see if they were going to go “Ham Pirate Style” … and as expected they did. The laser light show at MSG was awesome and me and Steph went insane for a good 5 minutes during the techno-remixed version. But sadly, FTP only played 2 songs! I was not liking how Jingle Ball was progressing.

Demi Lovato

Up next was Disney sensation Demi Lovato. Her music was too cheesy for my taste, and she was wearing this weird long coat, army boot, hot mess of an outfit. The girl has pipes, don’t get me wrong, but her music was silly. She sang her hit “Skyscraper” which was pretty good because it was a slow ballad, but all her other songs had weird back ground dancers and just sounded like a jumbled mess.I was grateful when the Gym Class Heroes took the stage because they were able to bring the energy back up to where Foster the People had it. This was also our 2nd time of the day seeing GCH, and they were pretty decent in the bigger venue. Surprisingly they didn’t play “Stereo Hearts” and I won’t lie, I was secretly hoping and praying for a surprise spot from hottie Adam Levine. But alas, they did the same set as they did earlier in the day.

LMFAO!!!

My favorite act of the night, besides my Irish loves, was electro-pop duo LMFAO. And while only half of the duo were present (Redfoo was out with a back injury), they certainly put on one of the better acts of the night. Their songs are beyond catchy on the radio, but in person, they go insane on the stage and just make it so fun. They had light up accessories, life size blow up zebras, and could barely keep their clothing on while performing. Everyone in the audience couldn’t resist getting up out of their seats to shake it to jams like “Sexy and I Know It” and of course the “Party Rock Anthem“.

Kelly Clarkson & Demi Lovato

Soon after, Kelly Clarkson took the stage and got things going in the right direction. She opened with “Since You’ve Been Gone” which holds a special place in my heart since me and my college girlfriends used to belt that one out at every party. Kelly Clarkson was great, she has an amazing voice and a ton of energy. I actually really liked it when she brought Demi Lovato back on stage and the two of them sang a great version of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”. Clarkson finished up with her new single “Mr. Know It All” and overall was pretty awesome.

Backstage set up for David Guetta!

David Guetta took the stage next and this was an interesting set. I thought for sure we would have Usher pop in with a surprise appearance to sing “Without You”, or at least Nikki Minaj for “Where Them Girls At” but instead he just did a straight up DJ set. It was good, we definitely danced along to all of his tunes, but I was a little disappointed to not have any live appearances. Even with Pitbull coming up next, I expected Ne-yo to show up for “Give Me Everything” but alas, he thanked Marc Anthony who’s head appeared in a digital form on the big screen and I guess did a duet with him? I was really excited for Pitbull but ultimately let down.

Pitbull!

So I had had quite the day with my Irish loves, The Script, and when I spoke to them earlier in the day, they didn’t mention anything about being at the show later in the night. I knew they were playing in Miami the next day so I thought they would be leaving for Florida. Halfway through Pitbull, I looked down two tiers and saw Danny and Mark standing in the aisle watching. I even impressed myself with my eyesight/stalking abilities and got really excited. I figured they were just there to watch the show from a better vantage point. After a few minutes I decided to take the opportunity before Lady Gaga to use the restroom. I had to go down 2 levels just to find one but I couldn’t have timed it more perfectly because as I was washing my hands, I heard it. The first few notes to “For the First Time”. I ran out of the bathroom and into the aisles of the 200s section. I just happened to be in the right area because I was about 25 feet away from the boys doing a surprise acoustic set for all of MSG. It was amazing. Everyone in the audience was singing along and I got to be so close. They had set up security guards in the aisle so you couldn’t get up close but some lucky people right around caught some awesome footage, check it! It was very exciting to be there to see my favorite band ever perform for all of MSG, and for everyone to be singing along! Great moment.

Very blurry picture of The Script performing in the aisle!

Next up was the big act of the night Lady Gaga. I am not a huge Lady Gaga fan since I think she does a lot of what she does just for the shock value but I can admit she puts on a good show. She started by hiding in a Christmas Tree and then broke in to her, as to be expected, super weird choreography. She had the longest set of the night with about 8 songs or so, playing for almost 45 minutes. She even sang her own version of “White Christmas” in which she added on some extra verses she made up. Her set was very cool since she went on and on about being a native New Yorker and having gone to Jingle Ball when she was a teenager and deciding it’s what she wanted to do with her life. I had the same experience when I first went in 7th grade, but sadly, I don’t have the talent . I was sad she only played a snippet of my favorite Lady Gaga song “Just Dance” but overall she was a fun headlining act for the tween-extravaganza that night.

Lady Gaga!

I’m glad I didn’t end up paying actual money for the show but it was a fun experience! Embracing my inner tween isn’t something new for me, but this brought it to a new level!

Waiting on line at Hammerstein Ballroom

So, when I saw The Script 2 months ago, they told me that they were booked to play “some holiday radio show” in NYC, and I knew that could only mean one show, Z100′s Jingle Ball. So right then I got to work putting my feelers out for tickets etc. and once the line-up was announced, sadly, The Script weren’t on the bill. But being a huge dork and having made friends with The Script’s marketing team, they gave me the insider’s confirmation that they were playing the Jingle Ball pre-show, which is a 6 hour long event that takes place across the street from MSG the day of the event. This was good news to me since the event was free, but it meant spending my whole day amidst tweens. Hey, nothing in life is ever totally free. So I secured the day off, made plans with FRoD faves Stephanie and Danielle, and we met at 9am to wait for the doors to open up at noon.

Hammerstein Ballroom - Coca Cola All Access Lounge

Once we got inside, the entire ballroom was lit up for Christmas. Lights were hanging from the balcony, Coca-Cola had an entire winter wonderland scene with snow falling, and everyone was in great spirits. We decided to thaw out a little bit before beginning to visit all the booths to increase our chances of winning tickets for the show that night. Immediately people began to crowd the stage to get a good spot for the ticket give-aways but we decided to check out the Coca Cola booth. We ended up downloading some app for our iPhones and playing some game called SCVNGR to win points for prizes. When we filled up on points, I went to the woman handing out the gifts and she gave me a Script meet and greet pass. After realizing what she was handing out, she quickly snatched it back and told me she couldn’t give those out yet. She handed me a Demi Lovato pass and I gave it back thanking her but telling her I’d rather someone else who wants to meet her have it and I’d check back for when she was handing out The Script passes. Game on.

The creepy Coca Cola anamatronic bear

So our mission was set, become besties with the Coca Cola people to score some meet and greet passes so I could say hi and see if the boys remembered me from two months ago. We checked back periodically throughout the day and this blonde girl was so sweet and told me to come back around 4 and 4:15. So for the rest of the afternoon we entered more contests, played some games, took some photos and enjoyed some performances. The performers for the day were Mindless Behavior, Karmin, Hometown Hero Winner, Hot Chelle Rae, Gym Class Heroes, and The Script. So about every half hour someone new took the stage.

Hot Chelle Rae!

Hot Chelle Rae played a few songs during the middle of the event and they were great. I don’t want to admit that I like them, but they were so sweet when we hung out with them back in October, and damn if their songs aren’t so catchy. The lyrics are horrible but for some reason I have this weird love for them. If you dare to embrace your inner tween, check out “Tonight, Tonight” or my fave “I Like it Like That“. These boys won best new artist at the AMA’s this year so they’re fun, pop-filled goodness.

Travie McCoy of the Gym Class Heroes

Next up was a performance by the Gym Class Heroes. Front man Travie McCoy has had some success on his own with songs like “Billionaire” but GCH have just released a new CD and played some favorites like “Stereo Heart” and some others. A few years ago I had been lucky enough to see Travie McCoy at a small venue downtown when he did a surprise appearance at my friends show, so this was fun to see them again after so many years.

Success!! Getting ready to see The Script

At this point, we checked back in with the girls at Coca Cola and to our dismay things weren’t looking good. The meet and greet was starting around 4:30 and at one point we saw a disappointed look on the blonde chick’s face. So when 4:30 rolled around we assumed it was a no-go. A little disappointed we decided to just go stake out our place for their performance in an hour but just then, the lady who held the passes got a big smile on her face and called us over handing us each a pass! So after many thank you’s and a few photos for the Coca Cola website, we headed up to the meet and greet area. The girls walked in first and I wanted to see if my favorite Mark, remembered me. So as soon as Danielle and Steph said hi, Mark looked at me and said “I know you from somewhere” haha so feeling a little stalkerish I just tried to play it cool and reminded him how we met in Foxwoods. He got excited and gave me a big hug. We posed for the pic and I asked him if he was staying in town for the show, and after a 10 second convo I got ushered out of the room. It was quick but I was glad to be able to say hi and excited that they remembered me. Sadly I don’t think I even said hi to Danny or Glen but no matter, still a great moment!

Getting ready for The Script

So after stopping in to thank the Coca Cola girls again, we got into our spots for the show. Left side of course to be on the side of my favorite The Script member, and we managed to get up to about 8 people back. The show started as they usually do, with “You Won’t Feel a Thing” and I of course, embarrassingly screamed every word. They played all their big hits, “Man Who Can’t Be Moved“, “Breakeven“, “Nothing“, and “For the First Time“, but to my surprise, they also played “We Cry” from their first record. We managed to move up to about 4 people back from the front and were close to singing into the microphone but Danielle and myself were screaming every word and we were definitely the only people who knew them, it was kind of awesome.

The Script

While they only played six songs, it was a great little mini Script concert and it made the hours leading up to it and all the effort well worth it! I sort of lost all care to go to Jingle Ball that night and would have traded it for a full The Script concert. In some Script news, the lead singer Danny was just named the new judge on “The Voice” for the UK version. As awesome as that is, it made me a little sad knowing they won’t be back touring for a long time so I had to soak it up on Friday!

Mark!!

After the show we headed over to our hotel room across from the Garden to start getting ready for the next show!