Crafting, performance and music...

The weekend started off with me hosting my 1^st ever craft night

Yes you read that right.  Me.  Jami.  Hosted a craft night.  Now most of you that know me know I have never been much of a cook or a crafter and look at me!  I’m attempting both.  Sort of.  More so the crafting at the moment because I think I need something creative to be doing. 

Here’s how it started:

Basically I signed up for Pinterest.  I had done a craft last Halloween time with my friend Jill at Artology.  We made little Muertos altars which most of you read about in my blog back then.  Well, it made me realize – I kinda liked it!  Then Pinetrest came along and I have joined the zillions of others that got somewhat hooked into it.  Now, don’t get me wrong, I probably “Pin” less than any of my friends but I do have OCD after all and too much is just too much.  Anywhoo, I’ve “pinned” a few DIY like things and thought to myself “I want to do these but I know me and I know I will forget about them or not do them or try to do them and fail miserably and not want to do them anymore so why don’t I do them with a friend or two or ten.  And that’s how it started.

I have a lot of “crafty” friends and figured why the hell not.  We can get together, have some snacks and wine and make a craft!  Of course some of the ladies I mentioned it too leapt at the idea.  SO – I picked our 1^st craft and hosted the night.

I set up my deck with the supplies needed and posted the “how to” on the umbrella. 

 I found the craft on Pinterest and must give props to the originator so if anyone is interested, here is the blogger that posted it Magnet Craft

I told my friends to bring their own supplies and we would all share.   There were a total of 5 of us and my mom for a brief stint and between us we had just enough magnets, way more than we needed paper and fabric which was awesome, and more than enough little gems.  We had all brought enough supplies as well.  It was an absolute ball.  We talked of future crafts and craft nights and all made a nice little handful of adorable magnets!  We even kept crafting into the nighttime to which I pulled out my living room lamp, popped off the shade and BAM - Halogen.

 We also randomly ended up messing around with the fabric and turned ourselves into a mini skit of “Gangsters” called “La Crafters” (Picture this said with a heavily “gangsta” accent) and snapped these pics which I for some reason love so very much:

I’m starting to realize how much I do love handmade items and art and being creative in a new way and looking for new and unique ways to give gifts.  1^st attempt at a Craft Night – SUCCESS!

Saturday evening brought me to dinner with my friend Paul who spend almost a year in Abu Dhabi working as a game show host at “Ferrari World”.  I had wanted to get together with him and hear all about his travels.  We had plans for a Thai dinner followed by a show I had been dying to see.  The concept of this show had been living in my friend Angela’s head for about three years.  I remember sitting at bar listening to her excitedly tell me about her idea for a movement piece revolving around Alice in Wonderland.  I wanted so much to be involved, but it being a movement piece and me not moving very gracefully I instead was a very excited audience member.

The piece was amazing.  I loved loved loved the movement numbers!  I was especially a fan of the really harsh awkward ones that usually had some sort of dub step in the music.  You could easily follow along with the story even though there was not much dialogue.  The gal who played Alice (Tian Walker) was a great dancer!  I wish I could bottle up the energy she had.  The stand out for me was a gal by the name of Danielle Kaufman.  I don’t know what it was about her but my eyes were drawn to her every time she was onstage.  I loved the way she moved and the energy she brought.  The entire cast was fantastic.  The energy they had the night I saw it was spot on.  They moved together beautifully and my hips and old injuries ached watching some of the moves they pulled off.  It had Angela all over it.  Bravo girl!

Sunday evening Dad, Libby and I went and saw the Wavelength Festival put on by Pacific Symphony Orchestra at Pacific Amphitheater.  My friend hooked us up with AWESOME 4^th row seats!  I had heard that PSO was going to play Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon and I was all over this.  I didn’t quite know what to expect but what I got was truly amazing.  Here is a link to the festival with all the information explaining the thought behind it. Wavelength Festival

I am now saddened I didn’t actually attend more days!  It was so great!  Our evening opened with AyseDeniz GOKCIN.  This woman was phenomenal.  She played the piano beautifully and would incorporate record scratching INSIDE THE PIANO!  She also would pick at the piano strings sometimes along with her playing.  It blew my mind.  My highlight was when she had the trippy sound scape playing then she struck the 1^st chord on the piano absolutely perfectly.  This led into a mix of Comfortably Numb and when she hit that chord tears welled up in my eyes.  I just love when music can strike and emotional chord with you.  There is absolutely no explanation except that is does just that.  My heart was gripped and tears filled up in my eyes and my breath was taken away for that moment.  Just beautiful.  This is her below:

Next up was Windborne . I have since learned this is a group of musicians that does collaborations it looks like of “Music of…”  The lead singer was Randy Jackson. Not a fan.  He could not hit the notes sometimes, would mess up lyrics and actually sang the echoes or re verb from Pink Floyd songs.  I wanted to smack him.  He was the only one I disliked though.  The lead guitarist was George Cintron.  This guy was f-ing awesome.  My dad and I both just had one beef – TURN IT UP!!  The sound guy must have been asleep because the levels on this guy’s guitar were way too low.  But man could he shred!!!  I was also a fan of the sax player Eddie Williams.  He of course was no Lenny Picket but was damn good.  They put on a great set and at one point brought up some volunteers from the crowd to help sing “We Don’t Need No Education”.  Hilarious.  Great set for sure!

Then we had storytelling with Uncle Joe Benson, a very well known DJ from 100.3’s The Sound.  He gave us a nice tid bit of trivia and kept the audience laughing.  I learned quite a bit about 1973 and was reminded yet again I grew up in the wrong era.

Then the highlight of the evening.

PSO came out and was let by the conductor Brent Havens.  Brent was awesome to watch.  Energetic and brilliant.  The PSO of course was at its best and made me realize that Dark Side of the Moon was seriously meant to be backed by a full blown orchestra.  I was a little sad when Randy came back out to sing, but the orchestra drowned him out mostly so it was too painful.  There was the vocalist Kathryn Key who when it was time to sing her heart out did just that.  She wasn’t as soulful as the gal on the album rather more of an opera singer and it was a lovely take.   The entire night was just stunning.  The orchestra was perfection.  The violins and cellos seriously made an already brilliant album just that much better.  I absolutely loved the performance and do hope that this Wavelength isn’t just a one time thing!

Yup.  Another damn good weekend to add to many.