Concerts – Page 3 – Blondie Birdie

Wonderful, Wonderful…

January 12, 2018by Ashley DeLargeLeave a Comment

Have you ever had a weekend that was so action-packed and busy that you needed a full week to recover from it, and before you knew it- it was the weekend again? Well, if not- let me tell you about last Saturday and Sunday.

In the midst of sub-zero temperatures, a group of friends and I had been planning a night out on Saturday to celebrate Sean’s birthday in style. Sean had mentioned wanting to have a big dinner at a local Japanese restaurant (weather permitting)– but with a wind chill advisory in effect and more than one person experiencing car problems when the negative temperatures started affecting their engines/car electronics/sensors- we made do with a board game and pizza night at the apartment in Melrose where everyone could stuff their faces without reservations or judgment and stay warm.

A few slices (and buffalo wings, of course) and a round or two of FLUXX and ‘Code Word’ later- and it was time for coconut cake and singing for Sean with some trick candles that almost made him lose his breath trying to blow them out. Although he won’t own up to his age- I know the truth- and I’m really glad that his night was so special and laid-back. He earned it.

On Sunday, after running some errands- I headed down to TD Garden with my friend Kayla from work to have a few drinks, catch up with a friend of mine from Ireland who was in town working for the night, and see The Killers- who were passing through town for their North American leg of the “Wonderful Wonderful” tour. The show was Kayla’s first time seeing the band- and my 274th (okay, maybe not that exact number- but I have seen those lovely and talented boys from Vegas quite a few times over the last 14 years!)

The set and the visuals during the show were unreal- maybe some of the most elaborate, technical, stunning effects I’d ever seen during any of their concerts. My photos simply don’t do it justice. It was awe-inspiring- and I was thrilled that Kayla got to experience it for the first time when everything looked and sounded so good.

They played new favorites from the latest album and bangers from their previous work- as well as a cover of The Cars’ “Just What I Needed” (as a tribute to Boston!) It was a pretty perfect set from start to finish- made even more memorable by all the confetti and sparklers peppered throughout some of the songs. I had an amazing, unforgettable time- and it definitely ranks up there with one of the Top 10 performances I’ve seen by the guys over the years.

If The Killers are coming to your town during this tour, I highly recommend dropping in to catch their show. You won’t regret it. It’s phenomenal- and so much fun!

Both Kayla and myself got home post-show pretty late, and I’ve been trying to play catch-up on my sleep schedule for the better part of a week while juggling work- so it’s been a very interesting few days, for sure.

I’m looking forward to this weekend- where I will undoubtedly sleep late and start packing for my upcoming trip to San Diego.

Enjoy your Friday, everyone!

– Ashley –

“Two Tickets to Paradise…”

July 19, 2017by Ashley DeLargeLeave a Comment

This past Saturday marked the five-year anniversary since my father passed away, and while I was content with just spending the weekend by myself where I could reflect and grieve quietly- some of my co-workers had a different idea- and I’m glad I went along with it because it ended up being really, really fun.

I love the people I work with. They’re all intelligent, brilliant at what they do, and are incredibly easy-going and funny on and off the clock. Some of us usually get together once a week or every couple of weeks to have drinks and/or grab food after hours- but this past weekend we all journeyed to a campground in the middle of nowhere, Massachusetts to do something a little different- catch an Eddie Money concert. If you’re not familiar with Eddie Money, the over-the-top persona- then you have definitely heard some of his hits on classic rock radio, at least- like “Two Tickets to Paradise” or “Take Me Home Tonight”.

One of my co-workers picked up tickets for about ten of us to catch the afternoon show at Indian Ranch, a campsite located off of the shores of Lake Chargoggagoggmanchauggagaugchaubunagungamaugg (Yes, that’s the real name. No, I have no idea how to pronounce it.) I hadn’t been there since I was a little kid- and had all but forgotten it was a real place until we arrived on Saturday after grabbing a couple of beers at a little bar down the road.

The venue and outdoor stage area was actually really nice- with impressive sound that carried over the crowd and all the way to the water where we were standing to watch- so we could see/hear pretty much everything with complete clarity. My only complaint was that there wasn’t enough shade- and at 2 p.m. in the middle of July- that can be a problem.

The opening act was Eddie Money’s son, Desmond, and his daughter- Jesse- who ended up joining the “Money Man” when he eventually took the stage for just over an hour. There was a lot of banter between songs, which just got funnier and funnier as the afternoon wore on and people drank more and more. I wish I could describe the scene when Eddie asked where his “eighties ladies” were and every woman over 45 completely lost their minds. It was kind of amazing.

Overall, I had a blast- and it was a nice distraction from the usual sadness that otherwise would have plagued me for the day.

The only downside to the weekend, however- was that one of my friends/co-workers was injured in a pretty serious car crash in the hours following the concert when someone abruptly cut into his lane on the highway and he swerved in an attempt to avoid a collision. He’s lucky to be alive- judging by the pictures of his car I saw- and is expected to make a full recovery per the last conversation I had with him- but it was definitely a scary thing to hear about and all well-wishes/good vibes should be sent in his direction while he’s recuperating.

Outdoor BBQ at work! The sky cleared up! 7/17/18.

I’ve got a lot to do at the office this morning- especially since yesterday was my company’s annual Summer BBQ where we managed to keep the rain at bay long enough to enjoy some freshly grilled cheeseburgers and play some games outside for a couple of hours- but it set me back a bit on my case load and I’ve got to play some catch-up this morning to make sure I don’t fall behind or overlook anything.

Have a great Hump Day, everyone!

– Ashley –

California Dreamin’…

July 12, 2017by Ashley DeLargeLeave a Comment

I did it. I made it. I pulled it off! I traveled to and from the West Coast in just under 48 hours and lived to tell the tale- although I am admittedly pretty tired after coming home and immediately heading back to work these past couple of days. I figure I can catch up on my sleep this weekend, though. I had an incredible time- and I’d do it again in a heartbeat. It was worth feeling a little sleepy and groggy.

My love affair with San Diego began in my very early twenties when I traveled there alone for the first time to see a weekend-long festival that some of my musician friends were participating in. While there, those very same friends gave me a tour of the city- including the beaches, the bars, the numerous venues and even some of the more “touristy” spots- and I was smitten pretty much immediately. Since then, I’ve spent the better part of a decade jet-setting to SoCal and back as much as I can and whenever I get the chance. Many of my friends still live in the area- so it’s always a great time to spend time with them whenever I head out for a few days.

If I could live anywhere in the world- it’d be San Diego- but it’s so astronomically expensive there that I’d really have to do some extensive research to find a reasonable, affordable and actually NICE place to hang my hat. That’s not to say I’m not keeping an eye out, though…

I digress! This past weekend, I was initially supposed to head to Los Angeles for a day and a half or so- but those plans fell through at the last minute. Having already made arrangements with someone near and dear to me in San Diego for Saturday night (when I planned to drive in from L.A.)– I opted to rearrange my flight and just fly straight there, instead- and still return home on Sunday evening.

It worked out well. My flight arrived early on Saturday morning, giving me enough time to get my bearings and make myself look presentable for the day. I booked an affordable room at the very unique and super quirky Hotel Z– where the decor is all pineapples and sass. It felt like every corner I turned- I had to stop and snap a picture of their amenities. The rooms were a bit small- but comfortable- and overall I really enjoyed curling up there after a long night of drinks and debauchery.

Prior to meeting up with my friend at our usual late night hangout spot after he got off of work for the night- I swung by The Casbah for the first time in YEARS to show my support for my longtime friend, Brian- who was being celebrated for his contributions to music in and around the San Diego area for years and years. Lead with a pretty stellar lineup of opening acts- Brian naturally performed as well. I knew of one of his earlier bands, Convoy, for a while when I was younger- but we didn’t formally meet in person until his days in Louis XIV. He’s always been a sweetheart and totally charming for as long as I’ve known him- and he’s an absolute riot. I adore people who can make me genuinely laugh until I have tears in my eyes- and he does it.

I’m so happy for him and I couldn’t be prouder.

I left right after the show wrapped up since a couple of women who’d had a bit too much to drink had started to accost me and I didn’t want any potential or unnecessary to spoil the overall upbeat mood of the evening- but I truly did have a lovely time.

The remainder of my night was spent drinking a tad too much over on 16th street with two of my favorite guys in the universe before I eventually sauntered back to my room to sleep it off and prepare to catch my flight back to the East Coast late Sunday morning.

Mild hangover and a broken sensor on my plane that delayed my flight by just over an hour and a half aside- it was smooth sailing the whole way home. I got home at a reasonable hour and was up and (barely) ready for work on Monday morning- and here I am- already planning my next trip out West!

And going with the music/live show theme- while on the road, in the air, and now back at home- I compiled a short playlist of some of the Summer songs I’ve been grooving to these past couple of weeks and that I took with me during my trip. I uploaded the playlist on my new 8Tracks Account– but thought I’d share it here, too!

This is “Pineapple Daze – a Summer 2017 Playlist!”

– Tracks –

Beth Ditto – Oo La La
Portugal, The Man – Feel It Still
The Killers – The Man
Lorde – Perfect Places
Capital Cities – Swimming Pool Summer
Day Wave – Something Here
Alvvays – In Undertow
Local Natives – Dark Days
Future Islands – Ran
Sir Sly – High

– Ashley –