43 Ideas for Birthday 43: Shipping News

Original Broadway Cast Recording of @LastShipMusical will be released on 12/16. Preorder here: http://t.co/qN9971TbRl pic.twitter.com/elxlaZVPJL
— The Last Ship (@LastShipMusical) November 7, 2014

Excited to announce @LastShipMusical is recording a cast album. Check out these shots from today's recording session. pic.twitter.com/vCacvSfgY6
— The Last Ship (@LastShipMusical) November 4, 2014

This unique portrait by @callmesquigs was created in celebration of the Opening Night of @LastShipMusical last week. pic.twitter.com/D6ywLJ47z5
— The Last Ship (@LastShipMusical) November 5, 2014

Simon and Sting Sing: Sweet Scenes

When in Hershey, PA, at the Hotel Hershey, you fill up on protein for the hours of probable dancing ahead.
Perhaps with a Reese's Peanut Butter Pie slice - split three ways.

Sustenance

Simon and Sting Tour.com

The evening at the Giant Center could be a blur of excitement, dancing, shrieking, whistling,
stamping along in rhythm, and "singing" along.

Feeling Groovy

Document for posterity as able,

but don't forget to 

Experience the now as it happens.

Look away from the screen.

Direct your attention to the larger screens
when body blocked by other concertgoers.

Snap

Lights. Cameras. Action

Power duo

Dancing Girl Grins

pero ... Ellas dancen solos

Remember this post?

STING, BABY!

Rock legends in their own right. 

A musical journey around the world in about three hours.

Musical Allies and Brothers in Song

Paul Simon and Sting on Tour Together

NYTimes

I took turns shooting on the iTouch and the Nikon. 

It took the whole show to figure out which Nikon presets to best use to get these two:

 And then ... there was backstage.

Which I didn't shoot.

Because.

Well.

Let's call it my: Gaiman Give Back Philosophy

which I developed one night after sitting waiting for Neil Gaiman's autograph after a reading.

These artists have given us so much already - often for many years,

often, with literal blood, sweat, and tears,

not even including the epically wonderful 3 hour show we just attended;

and usually they are in transit, tired, 

and must be weary of the same old song and tune off the stage.

Let me "give back" some of your time, 

by demanding no more 

than what you have already given.

I am already so grateful for you and your art.

This "give back" is my gift to you.

But thank you, Paul Simon,

for being so gracious to me and my friends,

for the words, the photo op, the autographs for those who requested,

and,

most importantly,

at least to me,

and for reaching out to one

who would have been happy just to 

give back 

to you.

It really meant a lot.

Sincerely,

An even bigger fan than before. 

March 9, 2014 Setlist:

Brand New Day

(Sting cover)

 Boy in the Bubble

Fields of Gold

(Sting cover)

Every Little Thing She Does is Magic

Englishman in New York

I Hung My Head

Driven to Tears

(The Police cover)

Walking on the Moon

(The Police cover)

Fragile

(Sting cover)

Mother and Child Reunion

50 Ways to Leave Your Lover

Dazzling Blue

Graceland

Still Crazy After All These Years
 

Me and Julio Down By The School Yard

America

(Simon & Garfunkel song)

Message in a Bottle

(The Police cover)

The Hounds of Winter
 

They Dance Alone

Roxanne

(The Police cover)

Desert Rose

That Was Your Mother

Hearts and Bones

Mystery Train/Wheels

Obvious Child

Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes

You Can Call Me Al

The Boxer

(Simon & Garfunkel song)

Encore:

Bridge Over Troubled Water
 

Every Breath You Take
 

Late in the Evening
 

When Will I Be Loved

 

The Sounds of Awesome!

2 men, their voices, their instruments, their bands, and their fans.

Hershey, PA, Sunday, March 9, 2014

Paul Simon and Sting on tour

And maybe some shrieking, some dancing, and a backstage pass.

Thanks Amelia and Christine and Deb and Carlos and Sting and Mr. Simon.

Via iTouch

On Beeing Star Struck

We interrupt these regularly scheduled blog posts, to bring you an update on one of the coolest things that has happened to me in a very long time.

Less than 18 hours ago, I was ....

20 feet from STING!

Yes. Auntie Nettie has a fan girl crush. Yes. She realizes how silly that seems, but 20 is the number of years that I have been crushing on Mr. Sting, so somehow it seems appropriate that I was that many feet away from him. (Plus, it's closer than a restraining order specifies ...)

Thanks to a friend in production who knows of this silliness, I got an e-mail entitled "Jealousy" yesterday afternoon:

I stopped by your desk, but you were gone. I just wanted to say that I was sorry for stealing your boyfriend this afternoon and tomorrow……..I’ll be hanging out next door in the penthouse with Sting in a few minutes. He’s on the Joshua Bell Live from Lincoln Center gig tomorrow night! Luckily, I got called to work the gig too! I’ll tell him you said hi!

Needless to say, I called her back and said some things that sound like puck (sorry about that Cynthia -- you know I was being facetious, right?) ... and one thing led to another and she sneaked me into the tech rehearsal for about 45 minutes. As I carefully walked around cameras, over cables, sauntering by crew with headphones, I got to watch the lighting rigs get minutely adjusted, musicians refining their entrances and intonations, and lots of producer types lurking about. I ran an errand or two for Cynthia to earn my keep and missed Sting's appearance, but I got to sit there during his rehearsal.

Usually when I get to see Sting he's either on a flat screen or inches high -- because I can only afford the nose bleed seats and he's so far away. This time, there were about 4 empty rows of chairs between me and the stage. You know, rushing distance. Plus there wasn't arena security. Luckily for all involved, I'm not the rushing type. I may have looked like I was a jaded New Yorker but deep inside me there was a not-so-little fan girl jumping up and down screaming:

STING! THAT'S STING!! OMG(oodness), OMG! THAT'S STING AND I'M RIGHT HERE AND HE'S RIGHT THERE!!!!! STTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNGGGG! I LOVE YOU! ROXANNE! Dream of the Blue Turtles! SOUL CAGES! FRAGILE!

All I could think of was "Don't geek out. Don't geek out. Be cooooooooooool, Auntie Nettie. Don't embarrass yourself OR Cynthia." DEEP BREATHS!

I wish I could have taken a picture, but that would have been uber tacky, especially given the circumstances. A flash in the dark would have certainly given away my position and called attention to the fact that I wasn't supposed to be there in the first place. Plus, I didn't want to appear gauche.

Thankfully Sting has shaved off the hoary hairy beard that he's been sporting recently, but I'm pleased to report that he's lean and lithe. So, he's looking older? Who isn't? Josh is also starting to show his age, does it really matter? They are both talented musicians and it was wonderful to see the shorthand that they have developed from working with each other in the past.

I've always enjoyed watching the behind-the-scenes stuff more than performances, mostly because I know how much hard work goes into rehearsing, scheduling, publicizing, and funding events. Backstage crews, tech crews, productions crews, and other administrative support NEVER get their props -- so here's mine. You guys ROCK!

Between seeing Sting, Joshua Bell, and Chris Botti, the gorgeous flower arrangements, the awesome views of the sun going down over the Hudson, and the very cool set and lights, I have to say it was a very very good night. Thanks Cynthia. What a way to liven up a Wednesday night.

Want to see the glossy, rehearsed, and outfitted version of what I got a glimpse of, watch Live from Lincoln Center's Joshua Bell with Friends @ the Penthouse tonight, January 21, 2009 on PBS or check your local listings. Click here for more details. Guess what I'll be watching tonight?

PBS ROCKS TOO!