#OccupyWallStreet: Headed for NY

Headed for New York City this week to investigate Occupy Wall Street, where it all began. More coming soon...For now, enjoy the music...

Video & Music - by The Yes Team; Astoria, NY 2011

Acoustic...Ninjas?

I have it, Brian told me, Acoustic Ninja Fest!

Really?

Yes...really: three bands, acoustic peace and love that bring out the ninja in everyone - and more importantly, three bands that are coming together for one epic show August 27th at Winston's in Ocean Beach.

But who are these sly groovin' melody makers?

It all started in February: truly the first day I met them all. The sun was warm, there was a perfect chill in the air and I needed a break - so I went down to Ocean Beach to shove my toes in the sand and there they were-- singing, harmonizing and drawing me in. I couldn't tear myself away and ended up staying the entire afternoon...

Jonathan eventually turned toward me and I found out they were from New York - and had come to make music, friends and live off the good graces of anyone who could show a little love. Little did I know, he would soon become a friend, an inspiration, even a superhero.

Brian seemed friendly and shared his crackers while we listened to this scraggly group, "The Yes Team." Eventually Brain joined the music and played, singing in Spanish. Naturally, I was impressed. Vinnie took his turn playing guitar and his lovely girl, Molly stood by singing along and enjoying positive vibes. The group drew crowds - people taking video and pictures. They were sweeping us all off our feet.

Since then- Each one of those people have become some of my closest friends. This weekend, they're playing a show together - and while I admit I can't be there to show my pride and dance my flops off, I can tell YOU to go - and I promise, if you haven't heard them before, you're in for the treat of your life, I swear.

The following is just a little more information to twist your arm.

First up: Vinnie & Skinny at 5PM-

Vince Costanza and Ben Cummings were two friends who started jamming together, a guitar, a violin and a little blues to fit the bill. They added Nelson Pamplona and the band was officially set. Vinnie is known for his astounding singer-songwriter ability which has even earned him the attention of -MC Hammer just a few years ago (Seriously, no kiddin). Ben, known to his friends as "Skinny," for his slick height and build has been handling the sweet strings of a violin since he was a toddler, to top it off, he's classically trained. As for Nelson, the local surfer needed a musical outlet and keeps up with the sweet music lovin' - of his band mates. Together - they impress every friend and foe they encounter and typically have the crowds groovin' on their feet, taking up the dance floor, keeping the mood swinging through the night.

What's more is the genuine nature these three men have to participate in spreading the good vibes. Ben's singing violin adds a rich texture to Vinnie's soul strings and vocals. They're talent goes beyond the stage and their warm personalities are transparent. And when they've reached the end of the set? They'll likely join you on the dance floor in support of other musicians.

Next: The Yes Team at 6PM-

Just eight months ago, three New Yorkers cruised into San Diego in a Purple Van. They hoped to make a few friends, fans and enjoy the beach, because, well, this is California. TJ Moss and Kinnie Dye had been singing for years together with the TJ Moss Band. But they needed a new niche for their song writing, so they joined forces with renown singer-songwriter Jonathan Walsh. As the three made their way out to the West Coast, in search for a little breeze, they realized - they were meant to be - and so, they said, "Yes," to a new vibe. Their harmonies are what draw the crowds in - and you won't be able to stop putting on your shades, even in a dark room.

The Yes Team has heart and soul and they appreciated the San Diego Music scene so much so - they asked a local star to join their 2011 tour: Jackson Price. After traveling the country over the summer, the four back to the beach with new music, a studio released EP entitled, Back To The Sea, and solid performances never heard on the stage before.

Last, and headlining: Bosen Arrows at 7PM-

Brian Bosen has spent much of his life mastering the guitar and writing music. After gathering some of the city's most talented musicians like guitarist, Wil Forbis, drummer, Kevin Johnson, rocker Craig Farvinall and bassist Lara Stucki - Brian set out to create not just outstanding catchy tunes, but a fun-loving experience that no one would ever forget. Brian's music captures life in its truest and often comical form. He is a high energy performer and wants his audience to relate to his music in any way they can - ultimately, he wants to connect and often does just that.

Bosen Arrows is comprised of talent and originality that creates instrumental freedom and harmony with each melody played. The band members effortlessly add to the positive mood that keeps their audience laughing, singing and connecting. Watch out, there may truly be some surprises in store....

I highly recommend you visit all three bands on Saturday at Winston's. It's only a $5 dollar cover for anyone 21 years old and up. It's worth your time and the best kick off possible to your Saturday Night.

Justin Froese

Recently I had the privilege of shooting my friend Justin Froese who is a talented musician on Tour up the California West Coast this summer. Here are some of the pictures from the shoot and if you want to hear his tunes, which by the way, are awesome-- his website is: http://justinfroese.com/ one of my pictures has already been posted on his About page. Check it out!

songs of spring & joy...

it has been a long month of hard work. from a photo-shoot to an art show to preparing a video for a beloved band who swept san diego off its feet....AND here we are at the end of the month and you're wondering: well - let's see it! -- well, friends, you can do just that: head over to my website - http://untamedfocus.com and head to the music category. oh and below are some photos from talee's shoot earlier this month. she is a local musician with a BIG heart. her sweetness, beauty and faith come out in the spirit of her smile. it's inspiring and inviting.

The Yes Team, Stills --

As I'm wrapping up pictures from The Yes Team photo-shoot and starting on their video, I thought I would share a few of my favorites: 

when in march: yes to l.a.

the month of february came and left and many of you probably are wondering where i went. well --certainly between the world exploding in the middle east (and wisconsin) and keeping up with the band: the yes team, it's been busy. but here we are and ready to step up the month of march.

a few words about the yes team:

this past weekend, i joined them in l.a --.in preparation for their show at molly malone's near beverly hills. i took a train from san diego to union station ...for the glorious price of 23 dollars. yes, that's right, i refused to drive in downtown los angeles, california.

my groupies picked me up in what they call - "purple reign," and truly it's royal, - a rather unsensible color of violet that just overpowers you. the trusty dodge van safely shauffered 5 dirty hippies (myself included) to a nearby hole-in-the-wall mexican joint for breakfast burriotos. talk about full.

after the tasty eats, we rushed off to a studio for a band rehearsal - and-it-was-solid. the yes team picked up jackson price on electric, ben "skinny" cummings on violin along with a drummer and bass player. the other musicians picked up the music quickly and they rolled through the music while i snapped pictures in a timely two hour rehearsal.

but it was a newer song --for the band, that had us all heavy hearted...emotional, creative and connected, so much so, that afterward we all needed a break and kinnie suggested, none other than beverly hills park.

so off we went - to find a patch of grass in the sun. the afternoon could be described as playful...and simply -rest. lazy acoustic songs rose melodiously from carefree friends - while a little yoga engulfed the souls of some and well then there was the shirtless kid with the hair...and we all had a hearty chuckle.

finally - dinner and show ~ we stopped in with angie, an old friend of tj moss and kinnie dye, who made cheese ravioli, salad and ...."crack" cheesy garlic bread. no, i'm not kidding. watch out kids: this stuff was explosive - you've never had cheesy garlic bread until you've had manufactured kraft dinner dried cheese on top. that's right, powdered cheese, fake, in all its glory and...yum: so much so, it was wrong. between that and trader's joes iced tea, we were geared up for the evening.

the yes team definitely brought in the biggest crowd of the night. friends, families and friends of friends all showed up to show their support. everyone had beer in hand and a few of their best screams handy for tunes. jonathan even got the crowd around their folger's commericial...live and in concert. the day was a success - for the yes team, for their music and for me.

sunday only proved to be an extention as we made our way home in the purple reign --of course, not before we swerved through an l.a. maze, only to settle on mc'ds coffee, sing a few tunes around a hippie fire pit in hunnington beach and or course - settle in with a little swell season.

Window Pain: Don't Just Stand There

it's become the current controversial video. eminem and rhianna band together for a music video that scratches deep into the intensity of domestic violence. the song carries and eerie and even beautiful melody but the controversy swirls around two people who have experienced, participate in the pain of it's lyrics. while some believe that eminem writes the song as a glare on his problems with former wife kimberly anne scott- who he has divorced twice; eminem stated in an interview that he wrote the song, partially, with rhianna in mind- and unsure whether or not she would come on board. nevertheless, the video has raised flags. why? mostly because the song offers no real resolution in the end and because the video uses glitzy actors and therefore the violence seems glorified. others want to know why rhianna would sing such a song in the aftermath of her tumultuous relationship with chris brown.

but i would like to add a few things here, and why, i can at least appreciate - perhaps the unclear message- and it's surrounding issues. first and foremost, everyone knows that eminem likes to rile up his audience, and in this case, i think it's a fine piece to get people talking- about the ramifications of domestic violence. his intention or not, let's take it for what it is. it's important to note that meagan fox, who stars in the video - has donated all of the money that she would receive to a woman's shelter - one that takes in and caters to victims. finally, for the video itself: it may be "hollywood quality" - as is any war or complicated depiction in film (it's what they do) - and rhianna may even still be suffering some of the pain she endured in her recent relationship, but sometimes, pain can create - artistic things not only in the lives of it's audience, but call attention to those that need to hear it  for their own good and turn something wretched into something beautiful.

it's true, the video doesn't offer that happy ending we all want and crave. but who's to say that it couldn't inspire those who suffer to take steps toward bravery, and a deeper healing? the fact is the abused do run back to their abuser many times before they develop enough strength to leave. the love, the hate- it's all there, and it.is.terrifying. it's a sad truth- but real. there are a plethora of both women and men who swallow domestic violence in their homes each and every day-  this is what it looks like and sometimes worse. so why not ask: how can we help them out of the pit they are in? and what message should we be offering- perhaps one of hope, perhaps one of love....?

those who live and have lived in such desperate situations have done so alone in the dark and in confusion. maybe it's time they know they're not alone anymore and maybe it's time to promote a discussion that, while difficult, is often ignored. perhaps such a shocking video and touchy subject can be the very thing to say- "this is the way [out]...walk in it."

"therefore i am going to allure her; i will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her.
there, i will give her back her vineyards, and make the valley of achor [trouble] a door of hope. there, she will sing as in the days of her youth..."
hosea 2.14-15

click here for the national domestic violence hot-line website

Once upon a time, a producer and musician called Danger Mouse (Brian Burton) joined forces with another musician called James Mercer, of the Shins. And together, they are the- Broken Bells.

Thursday night, Center Stage hosted their concert. It is their first tour and I have to admit that I was more than impressed, if that is possible. Danger Mouse is an astounding musician and throughout the night, made his way between the organ, a guitar and the drums. Mercer led vocals and guitar...while the rest of the band accented them both quite nicely. In fact, the sound effects from the band were phenomenal and sounded very much like their self-titled LP.

They moved easily from song to song and said very little except to acknowledge their team of musicians and their opening band, Morning Benders. The flow of the live music was thoroughly entertaining.

Their style carries a bit of an electro-rock-pop sound, and it's obvious that Burton's talent is showcased in every song, even down to the background scenes on the screen behind them. All in all, the concert was fun and despite the duo taking the stage a little later than first thought, the crowd was packed in and enthused.

First Head-Bangin' Concert

Do you remember your first concert? We all have the memory, I'm sure, and I certainly remember mine fairly well. I was about 9-years-old, I think. My mom took me...to see Degarmo & Key, a Christian "pop-rock" band (or were they trying to be "hard-rock") at the Civic Center in Lima, OH for their Heat it Up tour. We sat within about the first 10 rows of the stage and my mother forgot to bring ear plugs. Of course, as a kid, I didn't care. I loved being up-close and I loved it loud. Ha, I still do. And it's true, stacked away, I still have the cassette tape signed by Dana Key. And hey, what can I say, Eddie Degarmo's "key-tar" was a hit! It seemed like both men disappeared after that album, but in fact, they both became producers for their own music labels in the 90s and recorded solo albums (none of which I ever listened to). Nevertheless, the memory jarred my brain when I saw an article saying that Dana Key had died at the age of 56, may he rest in peace. And for good measure, enjoy...ha ha

Peace, Love...Tunes

Woodstock: the (in)famous concert that is believed to have defined a culture or rather, a subculture. Three days of peace, love & music...that was their anthem, their slogan and one of the largest mass gatherings in history.

I recently finished the 4-hour long documentary film as well as finished reading The Road to Woodstock by Michael Lang (the brain behind the banner).

I was immediately drawn into the film by the intimate overview of the scene. Throughout the movie- the music kept coming with the opening act from Richie Havens, to songs from The Who, Janis Joplin, Canned Heat, Santana and Jimi Hendrix. In between each two-song set, the film cut to the "happenings." Everyone was covered from the kids who attended the festival to the towns-people scrambling to make food for as many as they could to the port-a-potty plummer (no joke). What caught my attention was how many of the officers and towns-people complimented kids attending, noting that they were pleasant and mannerly. At one point, two men were caught on tape arguing- one said, in a very bitter tone, "they're all happy and on pot!" while the other contorted "well if it makes 'em happy, then why not let 'em have it? we got to feed them, what else are gonna do?!"

The film often went to a split screen of multiple "events" taking place, for example- a reporter interviewing on person in one window, and naked people taking a bath in another. It was an amusing site.

But, I would have to say that the part that stuck out to me the most is Santana's set. He was a new artist at the time and according to Lang's book, one of the latter artists to be signed. His set was one of the longer ones in the film and apparently was the first band to really get people on their feet dancing. At one point, Santana's drummer slipped into an incredible solo. The documentary did a fantastic job showcasing the drum talent with an overlapping-triple split screen: I felt like I could have been part.

Ironically though, Woodstock was not with out backyard drama among the organizers, the town and the musician's managers. Hendrix's managers insisted more money than what Lang & his team were offering anyone and had to settle for splitting him into two acts (an acoustic set at the beginning and the last performer) and therefore two payments to justify a $30,000 compromise. The Who caused problems from the moment they arrived and included rude occurrences at the local hotel accommodations. For some artists, half of their agreed payment was due upon arrival to the Woodstock site, and of course, by that time, the organizing team didn't have a dime and and John Roberts pulled out family funds to make up for the loss. And estimated 500,000 people went to the event, after losing track ticket sales and collectors, fencing problems, it became a free....and the masses swarmed- and stayed through rain and mudslides.

Despite the financial disaster; Lang said that it he felt the weekend had been a success, both interviewed in the film and written in his book 40 years later. Even Max Yugsar, who owned the land, thanked the crowd for being able to show the world that they could gather so many- peacefully and respectfully -against the critics.

Lang's book definitely provided an in depth view of the chaos behind the scenes, while the film itself- grazed the surface of bohemian expression and incredible music.

I'd have to say my only eye-brow raising moment was Michael Lang's comparing the weekend to the 2008 Inauguration. The political accomplishment for Barack Obama- while seemingly symbolic for it's moment could not truly be characterized what would come for better and worse. Not only so, but Woodstock-- the people, the weekend, the music, the equality and even the substance abuse-- will long live judged for that weekend alone. The Inauguration, in my opinion, will fall by the waist side and the political figure will be judged by his Presidential run. Nevertheless, I will agree that today's generation shows some reflection of a previous one.

Rock Star....and a Piano

He's a rock star in his own right. His talent precedes him (as do his giggling-groupies -and their single green glow stick- with their wavy hands.). Dressed in his hipster sweater and nerdy glasses, Ben Folds put on the best one-man show I've seen. After a short half-hour struggling set by local musician Zach Williams, Folds strutted out in style and redeemed the crowd. His loose humor and opening jokes about coming to Georgia with a welcome sign that looked like a "big ass" (aka, the Georgia peach) made the audience feel comfortable. In fact, the entire night was engaged with humor-filled lyrics and stories.

But two things stood out the most: his energetic ability to move his fingers up and down the piano effortlessly with skill (and even passion) and his belief that people who came to his shows "must have better pitch."

Rather than the classical piano bench, Folds had a stool. But for the majority of the night, he either balanced the stool on one leg or didn't sit down at all. He stood over the piano, feet apart, like a mad scientist in anticipation of an explosive substance. His fingers struck the keys with fervor, playing lydian blues that made me feel like I was drinking a pint and sitting with friends at a pub (the song, Piano Man, comes to mind). He played "some old shit" and some "new shit" and jumped around to songs that were hits across the board. He even pulled out two new songs from a collaboration album with fictional author, Nick Hornby. A song called "Levi Johnston's Blues," produced the most hilarity of note. The lyrics take a look at Bristol Palin's former (and political) fiance, Levi Johnston and the challenge he may have experienced being thrust into an unwanted lime-light. Whether he was pounding melodious keys on the piano, shaking a maraca against the microphone or improving wry ridiculous lyrics- Ben Folds showcased his plethora of talent as a musician.

What's more- is how he got the audience engaged. At several points during the concert; he played a series of notes in 3 and 4-part harmonies instructing the crowd to sing. Having grown up participating in choirs, the sound was immaculate. He would often stop in the middle or at the end of a song and conduct the crowd accordingly....mostly for fun and partly to add to the very essence of the song's intended sound.

The night was a success, for the musician and his fans. And in my expert opinion Ben Folds...and A Piano was insanely brilliant!

young forever...this christmas

i love the remix, it's inspiring:

Everyone Has a Best Of....

Why should I exempt myself? It's a fun game of picking my favorites and you think I'm either right on, or way off. Either way, I get the chance to display some of my Favorites from the year 2009. Are you ready to jump for joy because my picks are groovy? Or perhaps you are ready to burst into tears at my terrible taste? Here I go!

**Top 5 Commercials of 2009:
(5) Playstation 3 makes me laugh. Coming in at number five is their newest commercial for the PS3, which advertises the blue-ray capability. It starts with a young teen complaining that his Grandmother can't stop watching movies while he's waiting to play. A representative of the company comes on screen to brag about the cool feature and remind the kid that his Grandmother used to push a hoop with a stick. A stick...a stick. Laugh out loud quality commercial.

(4) Number four: Victoria Secret's latest Christmas commercial. Producer Michael Bay (Transformers, Pearl Harbor, The Island and Friday the 13th), was asked to be involved with newest promotion of gorgeous lingerie. And he shows us that Charlie's Angels doesn't have to be cheesy! Between scenes of beautiful women in the rough and delicate feminine stages, Bay creates a sensory image for the customer that wants to make sexy a statement. The music choice - "Merchant of Death" from the Iron Man soundtrack. It's as if the intent is to make these models heroic. I'm a fan of the product anyhow, as are most women, and now I feel like I'm in charge. A solid vote from me.

(3) Next up: I nominate Stand by Me by Playing for Change. It was more than an incredible idea for a music video; it promoted unity across the globe. It called attention to the homeless on the street, an issue I certainly connect with, and the non-profit organization made a name for itself, raising money using the music of many street performers to grab the public's attention. Playing for Change has since made other amazing videos with similar themes and voices and they were given a top 10 spot on best album list for the year by the Associated Press.Beautiful!

(2) Running 2nd is a Viral commercial. A small ad agency in North Carolina, called Boone Oakley created a cartoon parody of what other agencies do and what they do. What's funny about it is the level of comic honesty the stick-figures express (and I'm putting that lightly). I'm not joking. I couldn't help but laugh out loud watching this and it was more of a "what-on-earth-that's-hilarious" sort of laugh. Ironically, at then end of the commercial, when they rolled their demo reel, I immediately recognized a Ruby Tuesday commercial that had circled the web and even TV. Despite their low-key status and not residing in a big city, they seemed have made a name for themselves just by being creative. Fantastic.

(1) Finally: Levi Jeans' "Go Forth" campaign has impressed me the most this year. It is a campaign that brings the old and the new together. Levi's campaign created a retro feel and went bounding through America seeking the identity of rising generations...soliciting that under it's name-brand jeans. Not only do the commercials recite century old poems, but the cinematography expresses the beauty and the depth of youth at the same time. The colors fade tainting to black and white, flashing between simple and sexy images that are as profound as everyday people. They've posted short documentary spots on their Facebook page that target communities around the country. They allow the public to post creative writing samples and photography on their website. They even donated $100,000 dollars to Charity: Water. And after all that: I want to buy a pair of Levi jeans an be part of it all too. Brilliant!

**Top 5 Music Videos of 2009
(5) In November Rihanna released her album, "Rated R," along with single and video Russian Roulette. I have never been a huge fan of Rihanna, as I felt, previously that the young star's voiced sounded forced more often than not. But this year, she has matured in a unique way. After her frightful incident with former boyfriend, Chris Brown, earlier this year, she took her pain and emotions and put them into incredible music. Russian Roulette is a tell tale of an abusive relationship and the video itself shows a woman's inner battle - her inner battle in getting out of the relationship. It also show split second scenes that seemed to replay her struggle. Her voice as well drenched with passion and ease.

(5) Tied at number 5, just because I couldn't make up my mind- is Beyonce's Sweet Dreams. Beyonce's videos from "I am Sasha Fierce" have been truly dynamic. They have showcased her vocal ability as well as her dance ability, and I'm loving it. Sweet Dreams not only is a great dance video, but just as in a dream, the colors and effects are rather surreal, from the her outfits to the floating glass after she busts through a mirror. It's an extremely sexy and visually appealing video.

(4) Weezer makes the chart for me this year. Recently released I Want You Too video and featuring Sara Bareilles. While the album does not contain this version, I found it impressive that Weezer pulled in Bareilles' talent to duet the song in a laid back recording video. The casual session resonates with the indie rock/pop sound despite the fact the Weezer is under a major label. It's simple and gives the song a fun image of two people falling in love, and enjoying life together. Fan-tas-tic.

(3) From late 2008 and all 2009 year long, Lady Gaga has made and HUGE impression among audiences of all types. I have a great appreciation for the talent that Lady Gaga has and uses in every avenue of her music. From her voice, to piano to her dance ability, she really has what it takes to draw a crowd and rise to the top of the charts. She is the first ever to have 4-Number-1 singles of of any album. With a re-release and some new tunes to follow-up of The Fame, Gaga rolls out a resounding new video to accompany "The Fame Monster": Bad Romance. The song itself carries ode to Alfred Hitchcock in the lyrics, and combines dance with a colorful Russian-Mafia type story. Her voice bellows through longer notes and her changing appearance throughout the video sheds Gaga's faces - both beautiful and, well, interesting to say the least. Amazing video.

(2) Coming in half-way, I pick Jordin Sparks, Battlefield. The song itself is a bit "anthem-y" and the video gives a very simplistic view of that. But it's important to note why this video really sticks out to me. Watch Jordin's face at about 2 minutes and 43 seconds in: the moment is a split second but it shows the determination of the song~ the sadness of struggle but the drive to move forward and conquer the challenge of a difficult relationship.

(1) U2's "No Line On The Horizon" has been a dynamic album this year. Complete with a 360 world tour, the band has once again shaken it's audience into excitement. One of the most incredible songs on the album, Magnificent, comes in as the number one video. It opens with the sun shining bright and the mystery of a glorious city covered under sheets as if it is being prepared to unveil significant beauty. From scenes of Bono's worshipful state to the revelation of unique people and the emasculate stone city, the song lifts the listener to think higher. Even the lyrics are truly compelling: "I was born/I was born to sing to You/I didn't have a choice but to life you up." Simple, beautiful, praiseworthy, Magnificent.

Honorable Mention: 2009 has been one of the most interesting years for the world of Music. The world lost one of the greatest inovators of pop music: Michael Jackson. Stepping beyond the Jackson 5 and growing up in front of our eyes, Jackson entered the 80s with a few dance moves no one could imagine to try. His album, Thriller, one of the most successful albums of all time. So in honor I will list on of my favorite dance videos of the Jackson era: Smooth Criminal.

So now the question is: what do you think?

Happy 40th Birthday!

In honor of the Sesame Street's 40th Anniversary (and as a proud American), I thought I would share one on my favorite characters. Certainly, as a child, I thought he was the funniest, and now, so many other reasons to love...Oscar the Grouch. Wink.



*Little known fact: as I've just recently learned it, myself, Aerosmith covered Oscar's song...how much COOLER does that make Oscar?!

U2 Should Have Seen it Live

The crowd's voices began to rise with anticipation as U2 walked toward the stage. The twitter remarks went ballistic with excitement, and so- in all their glory, began a beautiful serenade live from YouTube.

First of all, the fact that technology has given the gift of live concert viewing is, in itself, incredible. But beyond that, I find it fascinating that U2 gave it's fans a chance to get a little more connected, as many may have missed opportunities to physically attend this year's 360 World Tour.

The concert opened up with Bono's vocals easing into the song, "Breathe" and continued non-stop for close to 2 and half hours, ending beautifully with "Moment of Surrender."

In tune with their humanitarian spirit, the band pointed to many peaceful leaders around the world that have made a difference~ such as Nelson Mandela, and a special tribute to Aung San Su Kyi, who has been the focal point of persecution by Myanmar forces. Bono even tacked on a rendition of "Amazing Grace," as if in a state of worship. It was beautiful.

This certainly was the closest I have been to a real concert by U2, and certainly plan an appearance in the coming future. I was impressed. In all his thank you's; Bono thanked and asked the crowd to pull our their cell phones, in an attempt to joke, he said, "I'll text ya later," but with the intention of a final, and cheesy wave of lights....which actually, turned out to look like a city at night or perhaps, even more, a constellation...a patter of stars in the sky.

The Rose Bowl stadium, and its sea of fans made the live streaming experience truly unique.

War-No More Trouble

Playing for Change continues to fill the world with music for peace. And I just love this.

Overwhelming Boyle

Susan Boyle rose to fame. We all loved her and cheered her on. But why oh why does the media keep beating the story into the ground? Yes, she graciously lost. Yes, the pressure of international stardom got to her. And what should we do about it? I say, leave her be.

The media continues to analyze her "situation" and in truth they're continuing to bombard her with attention in some capacity.

Dr. Drew noted on Larry King last night that certainly Boyle will do well, with a career and will grow accustomed to the stresses of being in the spotlight. But it's important to remember, he continued- that everyone who goes on reality TV shows should be able to have access to care or treatment or council to get through the stress that a sudden stardom puts on you.

I do think that Miss Boyle is beautiful woman. She brought tears to my eyes. She dreamed all her life of doing something that no one thought she could do. She fulfilled her mother's wish of singing in front of thousands (and in this case millions). She will do well. But she was overwhelmed.

I wish her all the best. Recently Elaine Page (Boyle's icon) said she had invited the BGT singer on her radio show. I'm sure that once she's ready, Susan Boyle will gladly accept.

A Picture of My Brain...Lately