Music to my Ears

The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra was kind enough to send me an email advertising this weekend's classic concert tickets were buy 1 get 1 free.  Score!  I emailed my favorite symphony companion and asked her if she had room in her schedule for some classic music on Saturday night.  After a few texts and a phone conversation we decided to get some tickets.  The regular price tickets range from $30 to $90.  In an effort to save money I suggested we get the second cheapest ($38) ticket available as we were there to listen to music and not to see the orchestra.

This is what happens when you buy the second cheapest tickets.  Yea....we were in the third row from the back.  I think the oxygen was a bit thin up in the second mezzanine balcony.  I felt like a commoner having to sit up in the nosebleed section.  I vowed to never let this happen again.  I much prefer the cozy chairs on the main floor in the middle.  As a matter of fact I had never even gone to the second floor until tonight. 

OK....there really wasn't much to see and we the acoustics were great upstairs but I think once you get used to a certain seat you don't want to be downgraded.  The answer is to buy more tickets when they are on sale in January and you can choose any seat for $21.

The show was called "Classically Cinematic" and featured classical songs from movies.  It was fantastic.  Let me say that again IT WAS FANTASTIC!!!!  I loved it and I am so happy that I was able to go this weekend.  I recognized most of what they played, and my favorite piece was their second selection, Wagner's "The Ride of the Valkyries".  It was beautiful and uplifting.  There is nothing better than live music done well.  It doesn't matter the genre (except for country...yuck), if it is done well it is awesome beautiful wonderful great and superfantastic.

The music program described the music and composers as well as the movie that highlighted it.  They included a piece from Aram Khachaturian, "Adagio of Spartacus and Phrygia" that was utilized in Ice Age 2 and 3 as well as Caligula.  Yes, they mentioned Caligula in the program and on the stage.  The 13 year old girl in me couldn't stop giggling.  You may remember this post I wrote about that movie.  Just one more thing to love about the ISO.

After the show we headed out to the 4th floor of the parking garage to get my car and go home.  When we arrived at my car the person who had parked next to the drivers side was waaayyyy too close and I couldn't get in my car.  However, I lucked out and they were in their car preparing to leave.  I just hung out talking to my friend while I waited the ten minutes for the traffic to clear and my badly parked neighbor could pull out.  Guess What....that little boy scraped the side of my car as he was pulling out.  I yelled out to him, "Dude, you hit my car."  He gave me a blank look.  I don't think he believed me at first but then realization dawned on his face.  By now he was backed up in the traffic and holding up all of the cars behind him.

He was about 20 years old and he gave me a scared look and asked if he could give me his phone number and could we work this out later.  I gave him a look of dismay and I said I wanted to verify he was giving me his correct number.  I got his number and called his phone to verify that it was his.  I also got his full name and his license plate number.  This was a really shitty way to end my spectacular evening of music.  I am just glad that I was there when it happened and I caught him in the act.  I am sure if I hadn't been there he would have been long gone by the time I returned and I would have been stuck paying for the repairs.  I think my poor little car has had a tough life so far.  At least she responds well to repairs;)

Thank you ISO for another great evening of music!

PS....Symphony on the Prairie will start soon.  I am especially excited to see The Sci-Fi Spectacular with George Takei in July.

Cool New Poster and Top 25 Songs

A couple weeks ago I was on a bike ride with ems and we stopped by her boys place of employment so she could visit and so I could use the lavatory. There was a most awesome poster in the bathroom and I immediately LOVED it. When I came out I asked ems boy if anyone would notice if it went missing? I received an quick response that an APB would be called out to locate any missing poster. I guess that means that they love it too. When I went home I did a quick google search and found one on Amazon for $4.49 plus shipping. I quickly purchased it and it arrived at my house on Friday.

Isn't it AWESOME! It is the only wall decoration in my bedroom. As I was admiring my new purchase I began to think of music. As many of you know I have a great love of music. I enjoy listening to it live, in my car, on my bike and at work. As a matter of fact I usually listen to my IPOD an average of six hours a day during the week.

I looked at my ITUNES account to view my top 25 played songs. I thought it was an interesting list and I should share it with you. So here goes:

1. Lucky by Jason Mraz

2. Busted by Johnny Cash

3. The Bitch of Living by Spring Awakening Cast

4. Folsom Prison Blues by Johnny Cash

5. Dark as the Dungeon by Johnny Cash

6. I Still Miss Someone by Johnny Cash

7. I'm Yours by Jason Mraz

8. Cocaine Blues by Johnny Cash

9. Jackson by Johnny Cash

10. All that's Known by Spring Awakening Cast

11. Mama who Bore Me by Spring Awakening Cast

12. Mama who Bore Me (Reprise) by Spring Awakening Cast

13. My Junk by Spring Awakening Cast

14. 25 Minutes to Go by Johnny Cash

15. Make it Mine by Jason Mraz

16. Orange Blossom Special by Johnny Cash

17. Touch Me by Spring Awakening Cast

18. Party Hard by Bennie Man

19. Laura by Scissor Sisters

20. The Long Black Veil by Johnny Cash

21. The Wall by Johnny Cash

22. The Word of Your Body by Spring Awakening Cast

23. Rehab by Amy Winehouse

24. I Want You to Want Me by Cheap Trick

25. Live High by Jason Mraz

I find it interesting that they are few artists represented. I am not sure I would have said that Johnny Cash is my favorite singer, but after I see that 10 of the 25 songs (40%) are by him I think that the math speaks for its self. So the next time that someone asks me who my favorite artist is I will have to sheepishly reply, Johnny Cash with the disclaimer that I don't like Country music. I find that to be somewhat of a conundrum.

I am glad that Cheap Trick had a place on the list as well. Who couldn't love the classic 70's song. I remember having the Cheap Trick at Budokan album on cassette and listening to it in my early college years.

As many of my friends will remember I dragged them on a trip to Columbus, Ohio to see a performance of Spring Awakening in early 2009. I was immediately enamored with this musical and music when I saw it on Broadway in 2009. It still rates at the top of my list of Broadway musicals. BTW...the traveling show is coming to Cincinnati later this year or early 2010 if anyone is interested in seeing it for the first time or a second go around.

I would like to get responses back from my friends, and I guess any strangers who read my blog, of their top songs. Was there any surprises from what you though of as your favorite and what was the most played? Did we have any music in common? I am going to mark my calender to do this same blog next August and see how my playlist has changed.

BTW...as I was writing this I was listening to my newly downloaded Amy Winehouse album Frank. I had no idea until this week that she had recorded anything other than Back in Black. It is a great collection of music and she has a great voice. Perhaps she could layoff a bit of the heroin to record a new album.

Purple Rain

While I was at work today I decided to listen to Princes breakthrough album Purple Rain. It is funny how you can listen to music from your past and it brings back so many memories. This was the first "Album" (An actual album...not a CD or Cassette tape) that I ever owned. I actually acquired it at the same time as a Twisted Sister's album that included "Smoking in the Boys Room". I believe that I was in the fifth grade when I learned to love music.

I listened to this album allot. Seriously...everyone in my family was sick of it. I have owned multiple copies of this through the years. I know I owed it several times on cassette tape and later on CD. I would ware them out.

I usually listen to music in album form and very rarely use the shuffle feature. So I was very familiar to this album while I was listening and the progression of songs it included. When it got to the song "Darling Nikki", I had a special smile come to my face as I remembered how my friends and I knew (ummm...I still know) all of the words to this song and how BAD ASS we felt by singing these controversial lyrics. BTW...this was one of the songs that spurred the movement to create the parental advisory labels we now see on CD's

As I finished listening to this song I expected the album to be over and I was a bit surprised when the next tune started. Then it hit me. Duh...when I owned the album it did end and you had to flip it over to side two. Such a revelation, I couldn't imagine having to flip my IPOD over. Most of the music that is currently on my IPOD I never owned in album form. I wouldn't think that it is over until I had listened to all of the songs. I have only had the classic album experience a few times in my life when I was fairly young.

So thank you Prince for giving me so many great childhood memories and happy 25th anniversary on the release of Purple Rain. BTW...the anniversary was June 25, 2009 the day of Farrah and Michael's tragic demise.

Please reminisce with me over these classic songs:

Side one
"Let's Go Crazy" – 4:39
"Take Me with U" – 3:54
"The Beautiful Ones" – 5:13
"Computer Blue" – 3:59
"Darling Nikki" – 4:14


Side two
"When Doves Cry" – 5:54
"I Would Die 4 U" – 2:49
"Baby I'm a Star" – 4:24
"Purple Rain" – 8:41