Tag Archives: House of Blues Boston

“When Irish Eyes Are Smiling…”

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Only in the city of Boston does St. Patrick’s Day go from being a one-day-only holiday to a weekend-long affair- but we extend the celebration for as long as possible and my God- do I love it! Even if you’re not Irish (and I believe I’m too small a percentage of it to really count)– you are going to celebrate and enjoy every second of it, damn it- whether you want to or not.

From our cherished traditional parade in Southie, green beers on Boylston Street and our annual Celtic punk shows over at the House of Blues- the city of Boston is briefly turned green for a few days around this time of year and everyone is in high spirits (until the hangovers kick in, anyway.)

I’ve been pretty tame the past few St. Patrick’s Days- focusing on work or playing the role of designated driver for my friends who wanted to see how much Guinness they could ingest before 2 p.m.- but since the holiday fell on a Friday this year, I thought I’d have a bit more fun after I’d left the office for the weekend.

While I only had a couple of beers (and some clover cake- as pictured above) on Friday night- the real party started on Saturday when I headed to Agganis Arena to catch a Dropkick Murphys gig where I had been generously provided a V.I.P. pass that got me club room access and a really great seat by the side of the stage where I could see everything. It was AWESOME. I met and sat with so many wonderful people from all corners of the globe who were just buzzing with excitement and positivity that it really just made the whole afternoon even more fantastic.

The set, probably one of my favorites in recent memory- included new and old favorites alike. My ears are still ringing and I’m still a little hoarse from singing along so loudly- but it was worth it.

After the show, I booked it over to the House of Blues across from Fenway to catch the Murphys Boxing match lineup from ringside (another generous treat!) I’m a big boxing fan, and as the night progressed each fight got more and more intense. The definite highlights were finally seeing two of my favorites- Danny O’Connor and Mark Deluca- both win their respective matches. Dropkick Murphys also played an acoustic set before the main event- which was an added bonus for everyone.

I seriously had the best time and I can’t thank Ken enough for going above and beyond for me with the hookup for the show and the fights. I’m so, so grateful and I’ll cherish the day and the experiences forever!

On Sunday, utterly exhausted from the previous day and night- I didn’t attempt the Southie St. Patrick’s Day parade. Instead, I had brunch and some much-needed coffee with friends before taking a long stroll through the Common and all the way to the waterfront to get my blood pumping and energized. It worked wonders- and watching the sun gradually poke it’s way through the clouds as I passed by plenty of people waiting to get into pubs (and sporting as much green as possible)– it seemed like a fitting and peaceful way to end the weekend before I came home to crash and prepare for work on Monday morning.

Every year I say I’ll make it to the parade and every year something comes up that delays or stops me- but I’m really hoping to make it back to the sidelines in 2018. It’s one of my favorite traditions during the early days of Spring!

xx

“I guess the coastal air gets a girl to reflect…”

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TLSP20161

The very first time I met Alex Turner, I was 20 years old and visiting NYC while the Arctic Monkeys were touring North America to promote their debut album, ‘Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not’. I was waiting to leave a hotel lobby with a couple of friends of mine from their road crew to head out to dinner plans we had made when Alex came off of the elevator and we were introduced.

What I remember most about Alex back then was how baby-faced and young he appeared. We were the same age, but he seemed years younger. He was shy, soft-spoken, polite and had a couple of pimples (I did too- which was a relief)– but never, not once- did he ever strike me as a “rock star”. He was simply Alex from Sheffield. A nice kid in a band that wrote catchy songs and was in the same boat as me in the sense that we were in one of the most exciting cities in the world- but still weren’t old enough to legally get into bars.

Over the years, I’d seen Alex plenty of more times. We laughed and took what is undoubtedly the most unflattering photo of either one of us while I was in London for Reading Festival years ago. We talked music and food backstage at a gig in San Diego after I’d turned 21- and whenever he and the Arctic Monkeys would visit Boston (and specifically the House of Blues)– there would almost always be a competitive bowling tournament next door after the show where the band, the crew, myself, and anyone else who tagged along would pound a few drinks and slide around in bowling shoes until closing time.

Even though his appearance changed from youthful-looking, mop-headed kid into a more put together and handsome adult man- I still always thought of him as Alex from Sheffield. Even when he thrashed around on stage. He was never a “rock star”.

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Then I saw Alex and Miles Kane perform as The Last Shadow Puppets this past Sunday at the House of Blues in Boston, and that perception entirely changed. I suddenly understood the crowd- FILLED with shrieking women professing their undying love for Alex- and why they were so frenzied. Gone was the shy, soft-spoken kid I’d met years ago- and in his place was a loud, exciting and provocative rock star. Right there before my eyes.

It was a trip.

The show was impressive and pretty incredible- and I’ve been loving the new album, ‘Everything You’ve Come To Expect’ that they were/are promoting with this current tour. Their opening act, Cameron Avery- was really fun, too. I enjoyed his set very much.

Since Sunday night post-show at the HOB, I’ve been working and trying to get my sleep schedule back on track since these past couple of weeks have consisted of a tremendous amount of staying out late and getting up obscenely early. Tuesday, my usual day off- was spent lazily lounging around my best friend’s new apartment in Melrose- watching “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” episodes on Netflix, napping, fooling around on Snapchat (I just downloaded it for the first time and I’m having way too much fun with it) and only exerting myself when it came time to load up on Mexican food and banana split sundaes.

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So, so good. I love my days off!

I’m looking forward to this weekend, since I have a couple of recipes I’ll be trying my hand at- and a trip to Mystic, Connecticut I’ve been meaning to take for a few weeks now.

I’ll be sure to bring my camera with me since the town and it’s surrounding areas are really beautiful in the late Summertime.

xx

“The Earth is Heating Up – I Still Want You…”

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BrandonFlowersAugust20151

It’s been a little over 24 hours and I’m still buzzing and beaming from an incredible Monday night at the House of Blues. I had the absolute pleasure and privilege of joining my friend Steven in the lighting pit the other night where I watched him work his magic while Brandon Flowers captivated everyone in the room from the stage.

I’m sure I’ve told this story before, but my very first Killers show was back in 2004 when I was 18. I paid $2 to see the band at a dive of a venue in Boston just as their debut album, “Hot Fuss”, was gaining momentum on the charts. A year later, I met Steven at another Killers’ show in Providence while he was preparing to work- and the rest is history. He’s been one of my dearest friends for just over a decade now and I simply adore him. I really wish I could see him more often, but it’s always a complete blast whenever I do. Monday night was no exception.

The show was incredible, and Steven’s designs and concepts were visually stunning. Prior to his having to report to duty, we had a lovely dinner at the Lansdowne Pub next door to the House of Blues. I was also fortunate enough to meet some of his co-workers (who were all very sweet!) before I took my seat and was blown away by the show. My favorite song off of Brandon’s latest album has got to be “I Can Change”, so to finally hear and see it live was a definite highlight of the night- as were hearing two of my most beloved Killers’ classics “Jenny Was A Friend of Mine” and “Human”.

I didn’t want to obstruct the view of or distract those standing/sitting behind the lighting pit by snapping away with my camera all night, but I did manage to take a few photos of the show here and there.

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My personal favorite.

Steven was also kind enough to give me a set list after the show (I have a bit of a collection of them, as well as some guest passes/ticket stubs at my place. They range from 2005 until now,) which sort of marks my final Killers and Brandon Flowers show of my 20’s- which is incredible (and maybe just a little bit depressing!) I can’t believe how long this music has played a part in my life. Time really does fly- and while I know that nothing lasts forever- I’m really hoping for some more nights like Monday’s when I’m in my 30’s, too!

xo

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