Yelle at El Teatro Colegiales in Buenos Aires

Posted on December 2, 2011 by CenterOrch

Un, deux, trois times I have seen Yelle this year.  First at Coachella, second in New York, and now at El Teatro Colegiales in Buenos Aires.  The Argentine love their Yelle, especially the French band’s frontwoman, the sleek, slender siren Julie Budet.  She’s beautiful and always reminds me of Martina Sorbara of Dragonette.  They must be twins separated at birth and by country, France and Canada, respectively.

They opened with “S’éteint Le Soleil” and the Robyn cover, “Qui Est Cette Fille?” (Who’s That Girl?).  The latter song earned Yelle a fan in me immediately at Coachella.  I have no clue what they’re singing about, but I love their sound.  “Unillusion” was next followed by “J’ai Bu” and their latest single, “Comme Un Enfant.”  Check out their brand new video.  So pink, pleasing, perfect.  So Yelle.

The Argentine fans are intensely into Yelle and it’s pretty exciting.  I was at this club in February when I visited Buenos Aires and I loved it then.  I love it even more now, even with all the damn smokers.  A true concert pro, I avoided the line but still wound up in the front row, on the right side.  The vantage point was precise, and the energy was palpable.  I used to think New Yorkers were the best audiences, but bands have to love playing Buenos Aires.  It was such a fantastic experience to see Yelle here.  I love them even more now.  On with the show, “Ce Jeu” was next, then “La Musique.”  I love the song “Mon Pays,” which sounds so electro-lush and “Chimie Physique.”  The best came last as they performed my favorite song, “Que Veux-Tu,” but in the Madeon extended mix version.  So sexy.  I can’t help but make a heart with my hands like Yelle does to express their love and appreciation.  They closed with their international hit, “Safari Disco Club,” also the title of their current album.  For their encore, they played stuff from their first album as well as “Cooler Couler,” a Crookers cover.    I see Yelle again this week in New York City.  Dying, I can’t wait.

 

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Hola Buenos Aires! Es Britney, Puta.

Posted on November 21, 2011 by CenterOrch

Remember that concert that made your heart race like a 13-year-old boy on a first date?  Sweaty palms, the anxiety of anticipation and no expectations?  For me, that concert was Whitney Houston in 1987 at Sandstone Ampitheater in Bonner Springs, Kans.  It was her first tour when “How Will I Know?” was a #1 hit.  I was so in love with Whitney, but now I know it was simply diva worship.  She didn’t dance, she just skipped around the stage and sang her face off.  There were others like Madonna, Cyndi, Pebbles, but it was Whitney who always captured my imagination and made my heart race.

So let’s talk about Britney Spears.  My heart has never raced for her.  Sure, a fantastic dancer once upon a time, lots of well-produced pop songs and dancefloor anthems, but the girl doesn’t sing well, I feel like she’s a product, not an artist, her tabloid life has been one train wreck after another, her irresponsible string of marriages a slap in the face to her gay fans.  Lip syncing and half-ass dance moves were my expectation of seeing her perform the Latin America leg of her worldwide Femme Fatale tour.  Now I’ll put all my preconceived notions aside and relish in helping my friend Ramses realize his lifelong dream of seeing his Whitney Houston for the first time.

Estadio Unidad La Plata was the venue.  It’s where Madonna and U2 played, and it’s an hour outside of Buenos Aires, and we took a bus.  It’s a cavernous open stadium that holds more than 50,000 people.  It’s three times the size of Madison Square Garden, and it’s nearly packed.  I can’t imagine anything more terrifying than being in the throngs of that mass of people on the floor.  People were being pulled from the crowd by paramedics from heat exhaustion during the opening act, Almost Angels, the Argentinean version of High School Musical.  Yes, I’m really here. 

While the faux Angels performed, a number of Argentine celebrities made there way in and out of the crowd and it was fascinating to see fans swarm all over the floor to wherever the latest celebrity popped up.  I gathered the Argentine are starved for celebrity sightings, and they are a screaming people.  Wow, it was loud.  With great relief, I witnessed it all from the stands, above the fray.  Finally, at 9 p.m., lights out and Brit Brit appeared singing “Hold it Against Me.”  As expected, lip sync, uninspired dancing ensued.  “3″ was fun, as was “Piece of Me.”  “Big Fat Bass” is a great song, but by this point, it became a game to sip my Quilmes every time Britney sat down.  It’s like her entire choreography was designed around where should could sit on her big fat bass.  Ok, that’s not fair.  Britney looked gorgeous and her body was in top form, perfect.  The constant sitting and singing was just really, really amusing.

 

“Don’t Let Me Be The Last To Know” was her only ballad and she sang it from a swing that moved up and down, with a trapeze artist dangling from it.  I think this was the one song where she had to really sing.  She did alright and the crowd loved it as they sang along.  My favorite moments were when she was relieved from having to dance and just bounce like a pogo stick.  “I Wanna Go” was a great moment.  Not only an excellent song, but her dancers brought up a number of fans to dance with her.  While she was still guarded by her real dancers, it was cool to see her more relaxed and it seemed as if she was having more fun.  “Boys” was Ramses’ favorite moment and one of his favorite songs.  “Hit Me Baby One More Time,” the Rihanna cover of “S&M” and “I’m a Slave 4 U” were all fun.  She saved the best for her encore, which featured “Toxic” and my all-time favorite Britney song, “Til the World Ends.” 

In the end, I gained a little more respect for Britney, mostly because she inspires a lot of excitement the way Whitney Houston did for me when I was a teenager.  So Britney’s not the best singer.  Whitney’s not the best dancer.  They’ve both have had their fair share of troubles, as we all have, so who the hell am I to criticize Britney?  There was a kid in front of me wearing a Britney Spears t-shirt that he had made.  I’ve never seen a happier kid, clapping off beat, both arms flailing uncontrollably, like two overzealous fist pumps, dancing like no one was watching him, and singing along to every word.  Normally, that kid would have annoyed me to high heaven, but not tonight.  He was a reminder of why I love music and the thrill live music gives people like me.  Keep on dancing kid, until the world ends.

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10 Feet Tall: V.V. Brown at Mercury Lounge

Posted on November 3, 2011 by CenterOrch

Thrilled am I for British crooner V.V. Brown‘s new album, Lollipops & Politics, due to drop in February.  After respectful success in 2010 of her fantastic debut album, Traveling Like the Light, Brown seems to have dropped the Motown girl group sound, war paint, headdress, Mardi Gras mask, and gotten back to basics.  Her gig at Mercury Lounge was only her second performance of the new material ever.  Getting there was a journey.  I dashed out of a client meeting in Indianapolis, changed clothes in the taxi (oddly, my cabbie named Darla gave me her number) and barely caught my flight back to New York to make the 7:30 curtain call.  I made it with time for a Quilmes and to meet up with friends.

She opened with a song called “Tough Like Glue” which I interpreted as her new self empowerment anthem that sets the tone for the album.  Another song called “Famous” came next followed by “Red Balloon,” “Be Yours” and “Like Fire,” all off the new record.  The first of two jams from her last record was “Quick Fix” which got me dancing.  “Circus Town” really caught my ear.  I loved this song and it made me so anxious to get my hands on her new material for my iPod.  I don’t know if I can wait three more months.  Then she played her best known song, “Shark in the Water,” but in a very silky, innocent, stripped down version.  Simply marvelous.  Her voice sounds so good, healthy, mature, and oh so effortless.  When I thought the best of her new stuff had been played, she performed “10 Feet Tall,” which I think will be my favorite.  To end her set, she performed her latest single, “Children (Keep on Singing).” At the end of her set, V.V. shouted out to the crowd, “what do you think of my new music?“  Yours truly hollered back from the front row, “it’s beautiful!“  She looked at me, smiled and said, “thanks, man,” in her gorgeous British accent.  Sigh.

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All You Need Is Now: Duran Duran at MSG

Posted on October 28, 2011 by CenterOrch

Twenty-eight years ago in the lonesome halls of Park Hill North Junior High, the center of my myopic teen-angst world, a question was raised by ’80s icons Duran Duran, “Is there something I should know?”  Retrospectively clueless, the answer eluded me for years, until last year.  ”All you need is now” is the album and title track of their latest album, and the mantra I adopted when I turned 40 years old.  I have been talking to girls about Duran Duran and dreaming of the glam life the notorious band members carried out for so long now.  Funny how events conjure up the same fantasy today.  This year I have been fortunate to see my favorite band perform for the first time — twice.  The first was in April at this year’s Coachella and the second this week at Madison Square Garden. 

Back in 2010, someone had the brilliant idea to pair Mark Ronson with our wild boys to produce their new album.  The result was their best record in years.  Ronson insisted they use instruments from the ’80s to recapture their iconic sound after recent misfires with Timberlake, Timbaland and other trendy timbers.  Simon’s still pitch-perfect voice, Nick’s stoically goth/glam musical genius, John’s bass picking, swagger and supermodel looks and Roger, well, he’s the drummer.  I always love the drummer.  The third Taylor, Andy, is no longer in the band, but Dom Brown, the electric guitar replacement is superb.  The spitting image of a young Bryan Adams, Brown co-wrote seven of Duran Duran’s new tracks.  So a concert chock full of ’80s hits and ’10s gems made for a seamless, perfect blend of old and new.

I’m going to admit again that I felt like a 14-year-old seeing Duran Duran for the first time.  At Coachella, I was a lone Duranny in a sea of Strokes fans.  Not this time.  My buddy Brian and I splurged on pricey pit tickets and packed extra undies to toss at Simon, but not until I got to the floor of Madison Square Garden, a mere 20 feet from the stage, did it really sink in.  We positioned ourselves at the foot of John Taylor (of course).  Not long after we got there, lights out, the boys in the band made their way to their instruments and Simon glided into the mid-tempo “Before the Rain.”  Love it when a band eases you in slowly.  Their first hit from 1982 ”Planet Earth” followed and put their long-time fans into teenage euphoria, as did the kitchy and now campy 007 theme song, “A View to a Kill.”

“Blame the Machines” off the new album was up next and it’s such a terrific song, as was the haunting “Come Undone” from 1994.  I’m struck by how pristine Simon Le Bon’s voice has remained.  Close your eyes and it’s still 1984.  Continuing with new material, Simon welcomed a surprise guest, the sensational and self-proclaimed “Duranny” Ana Matronic of the Scissor Sisters to sing one of the strongest tracks on the new record, “Safe (In The Heat of The Moment).”  I love that song and I love that girl.  I’m jealous of her.

Every song they played was better than the last.  Everyone’s favorite track off Seven and the Ragged Tiger, “The Reflex,” threw me into a dancing frenzy.  I kept waiting for the wave of water to pour from the ceiling like in the video, but it never did.  “The Reflex” was followed by ”The Man Who Stole a Leopard.”  Special guest number two was producer Mark Ronson, who joined the guys on stage for a song he co-wrote, and my personal favorite off the new record, “Girl Panic!”  It’s quintessential Duran Duran.  “Please, please tell me now!” and the opening chords to “Is There Something I Should Know?” was my favorite moment of the show (call it closure), and it’s one of my all-time favorite songs. 

“Leave A Light On” off the new record is Duran Duran’s new “Save a Prayer.”  I love this song, it’s beautiful, as well as “Ordinary World” which they dedicated to friends who have passed away.  Spirits were lifted quickly with the closing crescendo trilogy featuring “no! no! no! Notorious!” “Hungry Like a Wolf” and “(Reach Up for the) Sunrise,” which is an amazing live performance.  It’s such a pleasure to see these guys still having fun, soaking in the moment and being honestly appreciative for the long-time love and adoration from their fans.  For their encore, they didn’t disappoint.  The guys returned to perform “Wild Boys” and perhaps the song the defines them, ”Rio.”  Upon reflection of this show, I learned that dreams never die.  I feel lucky that my dreams have come true.  Not about seeing Duran Duran live, but pursuing, chasing and fighting for the life I wanted to live, and taking to heart the lyrics that inspire my fifth decade of life:  ”When you move into the light, you’re the greatest thing alive.  And you sway in the moon, the way you did when you were younger.  We told everybody – All you need is now.”

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The Robots and the Girl: Royksopp & Robyn at Hollywood Bowl

Posted on October 24, 2011 by CenterOrch

I pounced on the opportunity to see my favorite pop elfin Robyn perform with her Scandinavian bretheren Royksopp in a venue I’ve never been to — the legendary Hollywood Bowl.  It was the perfect getaway from New York after being grounded for six weeks as I recovered from ankle surgery (nothing serious).  LA in October, the chance to catch up with friends from Palm Springs to Newport Beach, and to share the concert with a long-time bestie, even better.  Unfortunately canceled The Event dream boat Ian Anthony Dale was in the box adjacent to us.  Hollywood eye candy.

Royksopp opened and would return for one of Robyn’s encores.  The Norwegian electronic duo, comprised of Svein Berge and Torbjorn Brundtland, and a handful of other artists including the mesmerizing Swedish vocalist Karin Dreijer Andersson, played for about an hour.  My god Karin has a beautiful voice.  Known for their flamboyant stage costumes and elaborate lights, Royksopp really impressed me.  My favorite moments were “What Else Is There?” and “This Must Be It”  — both featuring the dreamy vocals of  Andersson, and perhaps their best known song, “Happy Up Here.”  Dying to see these guys again in a much smaller venue and in my beloved New York City. 

Robyn opened with a mashup of “We Dance to the Beat” and “Don’t Fucking Tell Me What To Do” off Body Talk parts 2 and 1, respectively, and was a perfect transition from the tech beats of Royksopp.  “Fembot” followed by “Bad Gal,” a cover of Savage Skulls & Douster.  I liked seeing the edgy Robyn come out of the gate like a woman on a mission then embrace the “Dancehall Queen” within her.  It’s her perennial “Dancing on My Own” that still wows the crowd every time.  The first time I saw her perform this song was at the Music Hall of Williamsburg.  Now she’s performed this song at the Grammy’s, Radio City Music Hall and now Hollywood Bowl.  While she’s yet to conquer the world with her perfect pop songs, she’s getting there.  Honestly though, as I advocate for her world domination, I still long for her intimate sets in Brooklyn.  I want it both ways.

From there, she performed “Indestructible,” “Love Kills,” ”Be Mine” from her 2008 album and her most recent single, “Call Your Girlfriend,” which completed the main set.  Fortunately, we got three encores.  In her first, she played one of my favorite songs, painfully underrated from her Body Talk series, “In My Eyes,” and her big hits “Hang With Me” and 2008′s “With Every Heartbeat.”  Her second encore started with the unapologetic “You Should Know Better” and then welcomed Royksopp back on stage for “None of Dem” from Robyn’s first Body Talk installment which was produced by the Nords and ”Girl and the Robot,” technically a Royksopp single which features Robyn, yet she performs it at every one of her shows.  It’s a great song.  Her third and final encore began with “Konichiwa Bitches,” a sample of ABBA’s “Dancing Queen” and her famously stripped down version of her 1997 hit, “Show Me Love.”  I will always show Robyn love, but I”m not sure I loved the non-flattering black and neon green “squishy ball” dress or what LA Weekly called “Astro-turf-ish boobie-ball dress.”  It made her look pregnant…  Hmm… 

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I’ll Never Be Through With The Bangles

Posted on October 9, 2011 by CenterOrch

It really was a Manic Monday.  Four devoted Banglers rushed from our crazed careers for a couple stormy weathers at my favorite Chelsea watering hole, La Bottega at the Maritime Hotel, before seeing The Bangles at Highline Ballroom.   I had never seen these gals perform live, and boy was it worth the wait.  Supporting the release of their fantastic seventh studio album, “Sweetheart of the Sun,” today’s Bangles feature three of the four original members, guitarist/vocalist, Susanna Hoffs, and sisters, guitarist/vocalist Vicki Peterson and drummer/vocalist Debbi Peterson.  Bassist/vocalist Michael Steele left the band in 2005.

Notice that all the band members are vocalists?  While researching this gig, I discovered that all four women are pretty balanced.  They all write, perform instruments and sing lead on an equal number of songs on each record.  Contrary to popular belief, Susanna Hoffs is not the lead singer.  It’s sort of at the heart of The Bangles fallout too.  As the band started to top the charts in the ’80s, the public gravitated to Hoffs with her unique voice and great looks because the record company promoted Hoffs-led songs as singles.  It ended up causing a rift among the girls, but over time and as the popularity of the band waned, those pressures tempered.  Let’s just say it wasn’t as ugly as The Go-Go’s break-up.

Like lots of ’80s bands I’ve seen this year, the show was a balanced mix of classic hits and the best tracks off Sweetheart of the Sun.  They opened with one of the strongest tracks, “Anna Lee” before guitar riffs signaled a “Hazy Shade of Winter.”  Other classics included the Prince-penned “Manic Monday,” and two of my favorites, “If She Knew What She Wants” and “In Your Room.”  I also loved Debbi Peterson singing lead on “Going Down to Liverpool.”  What I found fascinating was how well balanced The Bangles are and how well they harmonize on every song they sing.  Each sang lead on an equal number of songs with the others singing harmonies.  And to see Debbi singing lead behind the drums was cool, and rare to see.  When she stepped to center stage to sing a few of her songs, SNL veteran Fred Armisen took over on drums.  What?  I guess that happens in New York, but so odd.

Favorites off the new album included Debbi again singing lead on “Ball ‘n Chain,” and Susanna on “I’ll Never Be Through With You,” by far my favorite track on Sweetheart of the Sun.  Susanna’s other highlight was “Under a Cloud.”  Love this song.  But it was “Eternal Flame,” The Bangles’ biggest hit, that got the most applause.  So great. For the encore, they performed “Walk Like An Egyptian” and “Sweet and Tender Romance.”  These girls are in their 50s now?  Maybe late 40s?  Still rocking out and sounding great.  I’m a Bangler forever.

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Oh L’Amour: Erasure and Frankmusik at Terminal 5

Posted on September 17, 2011 by CenterOrch

When I was in high school, I would drive with my friends across the state line into Kansas to go to a club called Pogos where teenagers could dance until curfew.  I vividly remember driving to Pogos one night and “A Little Respect” by Erasure came on the radio.  I think I blew out the speakers in my Chevy Cavalier that night.  The techno synth brilliance of Vince Clarke, the falsetto vocals of Andy Bell, and the message of standing up for yourself and demanding respect at an age when respect is the last thing you get, launched my three decade-long love affair with Erasure.  This week the duo played two sold out shows at Terminal 5 in New York, supported by Frankmusik, a talented performer and producer.  Frankmusik produced Erasure’s new album Tomorrow’s World, due out in October.

So smart of Erasure to team up with Frankmusik both for his producing role, and as opening act.  He is the definition of warm-up act.  So entertaining, he didn’t stop singing for a second.  It was sort of a long medley of songs from his first album, Complete Me, songs from his forthcoming sophomore record, and covers of ’80s hits like Whitney Houston’s “How Will I Know” and the Eurythmic’s “Sweet Dreams.”  He’s so talented and handsome.  He sort of reminded me of Justin Timberlake.  That’s it!  He’s the U.K.’s answer to JT.  While I don’t know his new music, I love that he played “When Your Around” and “Better Off as Two” from Complete Me.  Keep an eye on this one.  BTW, the hot Josie and the Pussycats-esque keyboard player is his fiance.  Congrats, Frank!

Finally, Vince and Andy took to the stage set with gargoyles and cages.  Perfect for Terminal 5.  Surprisingly, they opened with “Sono Luminus,” a beautiful slow tempo song off their 1995 self-titled album.  Clearly, this show was going to crescendo into a dance party like Pogos.  Up next, “Always” from 1994′s I Say, I Say, I Say album.  I love this song because it was released the year I came out.  I have at least a dozen remixes of this song.  Then Andy asked the audience if anyone saw Blondie the night before.  No one screamed except for me.  His point?  Their set list was like Blondie’s.  Lots of classics mixed with new songs from Tomorrow’s World, starting with “When I Start To (Break It All Down).”  I’m already loving the new tracks.  “Fill Us With Fire,” “You’ve Got To Save Me Right Now,” “Lose Myself” and “A Whole Lotta Love to Run Riot” were all performed.

But it was the classics that everyone wanted to hear.  I was surprised how many songs they have that I’ve forgotten about.  From 1987′s The Circus: “Victim of Love” and “Sometimes.”  From 1988′s The Innocents: “Ship of Fools,” “Chains of Love” and “A Little Respect.”  From 1989′s Wild!: “Blue Savannah” and “Drama.”  From 1991′s Chorus: “Chorus,” “Breath of Life” and “Love to Hate You.”  As predicted, the show crescendo to a great encore of “Oh L’Amour” off their 1986 debut album and “Stop!”   Pretty damn great.  Can’t wait for Tomorrow’s World to land in my iTunes.

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Still Atomic: Blondie at Highline Ballroom

Posted on September 17, 2011 by CenterOrch

I’ve lived in New York for four years now and the experience has been life-changing.  I love music and I love New York.  Blend the two and you get Blondie.  What act is more quintessentially New York than Blondie?  I think about them trailblazing new wave and punk music in their heyday, haunting venues in the ’70s and ’80s like CBGB and Max’s Kansas City, hanging out at Studio 54, Deborah Harry rapping in “Rapture” before rap music became main stream, and living through everything that’s happened in New York for the 41 years I’ve been alive.  What does New York look like through Deborah Harry’s eyes?  That’s a conversation I would love to have.  Getting to see Blondie perform at Highline Ballroom to promote their new album, Panic of Girls, is a highlight of my concert experiences this year.

Blondie still features founding members, guitarist Chris Stein and singer Deborah Harry, tonight donning a wig from the Emmylou Harris collection, and drummer Clem Burke.  They opened with three classics: “Union City Blue,” “Dreaming,” my favorite Blondie song every, and my next favorite song, “Atomic.” The latter featured a show-stopping guitar solo.  At this point I’m nearly wetting myself.  And Deborah Harry just doesn’t give a shit.  She’s the honey badger.  She walks the line of gracious appreciation for her fans’ roaring reception and stoic attitude that only comes with age, wisdom and experience.  The set list is balanced too with classics anchoring work off Panic of Girls, that clearly has the members of Blondie very excited.  My favorites off the new album are mad-hooky “What I Heard,” “Mother,” tango-tinged “Wipe Off My Sweat” and “Love Doesn’t Frighten Me,” which sounded like classic Blondie.  Loved it.

More highlights were “Call Me” and one for the girls, their 1999 hit “Maria.”   But the best came last.  Closing out the principal set they played “Rapture” with the full rap and everything.  Deborah Harry’s face after ranting her rap was priceless.  She stood there motionless, lips pursed, cold stare and arms over her head.  Amazing.  Then they mashed up the balance of the song with the Beastie Boys’ party anthem, “You Gotta Fight for Your Right.”  Then came “One Way Or Another,” arguably their best known song.  But it didn’t end there.  They returned for a three song encore, the aforementioned “Love Doesn’t Frighten Me,” “Hanging on the Telephone” and “Heart of Glass.”  I felt so fortunate that I got to see this legendary band perform in such a small venue, and in the neighborhood where Debbie Harry lives.  Blondie taught me that dreaming is free.  I still dream.

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Fun Girl: Jessica 6 at Mercury Lounge

Posted on September 17, 2011 by CenterOrch

I don’t know how or when I got turned on to Jessica 6, but I did.  With their songs on heavy rotation on my iPod, I finally got to see them perform at Mercury Lounge last Saturday night.  Their name inspired by the lead character in the book, Logan’s Run, the “nu disco” band is comprised of bassist Andrew Raposo, keyboardist Morgan Wiley and traffic-halting front woman Nomi Ruiz.   Her voice is so deep, lush and interesting, it always reminds of me Culture Club’s glam front man, Boy George.

Brooklyn-based Jessica 6 has its first album out, See the Light, and I don’t have it.  But I do have two mp3s that I love and various remixes — their 2009 debut single “Fun Girl,” which opened their set, and “White Horse,” released earlier this year and apparently was a minor hit in Belgium.  Nomi has strong stage presence, gorgeous and those legs! but I felt like the power of her voice got lost in the music.  Blame it on the small venue?  Then something happened.  I went up front to get a beer and heard a familiar song.  They covered the brilliant Mark Ronson and Boy George collaboration, “Somebody to Love Me,” off Ronson’s 2010 album.  I was so excited, I raced back into the performance space to witness her slay this song.  This time, her vocals won out over the music.  So hot.  Jessica 6 just cemented my love and affection for life.  Now let me see you dance.

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Fashion’s Night Out: Beth Ditto, Marina & The Diamonds, Wynter Gordon

Posted on September 9, 2011 by CenterOrch

Thank you, John Valentine Grande Pike.  You know who you are.  Inside the MAC cosmetics store in SoHo on Fashion’s Night Out, I was lucky to stand at the corner of a small stage while hot male models continuously refilled my champagne glass and see one of my favorite artists perform, Gossip’s feisty and fabulous frontwoman Beth Ditto.  The plus-size delicious diva appeared in a form-fitting rainbow dress, razored bob and bangs and bold MAC make-up and performed two of the four pop gems found on her 2011 self-titled solo EP, “Do You Need Someone” and “I Wrote the Book.”  Somewhere between the brassy brilliance of Bette Midler and the backwoods Barbie of Dolly Parton, Ditto’s brand of pop music spans the spectrum.  Proof of that was her ballsy cover of Madonna’s “Vogue” and a womped-up remix of Parton’s “Jolene” mashed up with a pinch of skinny ‘n sweet ”9 to 5.”

Beth Ditto is major.

Speaking of pop gems, I spotted my beloved Marina Diamandis of Marina & The Diamonds about three feet away from me.  Wearing a vintage seafoam green slip dress and ultra-soft pink cashmere sweater, Marina was adorable.  I approached her after the show, tapped her shoulder and said to her, “I just wanted to let you know that you look radioactive tonight.”  I got a big, “Oooohhhhhh!” and at least five hugs over the next 10 minutes literally “drinking shampain” together, talking about New York vs L.A., the fact that she has a lame phone, and her awesome new single “Radioactive” and album due in February.  By the way, my eyes look radioactive in the photo above.

High on our Marina encounter, my pal Joey and I made our way over to Tammany Hall on the Lower East Side to check out emerging pop star Wynter Gordon.  When we arrived we were told she would go on at 12:30 a.m., so we left to grab some dinner.  Sadly, we returned at 11 and she was already performing (I curse the door girl!) so I only got to see her perform two songs, but it was worth it.  She randomly covered Katy Perry’s “E.T. Extraterrestrial” and ended her set with my favorite song on her debut EP, ”Still Getting Younger.”  At 40-years-old, it’s sort of become my anthem for the summer of 2011.  Definitely want to keep my eye on Wynter and see her again soon.

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