Art Music Culture

Bilal Is Coming! Bilal Is Coming

noreply@blogger.com (Vanita Applebum) — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 18:39:00 +0000

AMERICA I AM - VAE Host Night - It's FREE!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Vanita Applebum) — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 17:22:00 +0000

N'Dambi

noreply@blogger.com (Vanita Applebum) — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 17:53:00 +0000

Nuff Said.

Better Love Yourself Trunk Event

noreply@blogger.com (Vanita Applebum) — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 15:59:00 +0000

We have a bunch of fundraisers this week to support The Better Love Yourself Foundation's Trunk Event!!

This is our 4th year being involved with this national program. The purpose of the Trunk Event is to assist young first time college bound young women & men by supplying them with knowledge and dormitory supplies. For more info go to http://www.betterloveyourself.com/ and check out all the good works and students doing their thing and giving back. Yall know Apple luvs da chilrins.

Support the fundraisers and the event. If you need tickets to the event hit me up (vanitaapplebum@gmail.com) or the event team on betterloveyourselfstl@gmail.com. Tickets are only $25 and you get a faboulous concert with Terisa Griffin, a meal and workshops. And you are supporting the leaders of tomorrow. Doesn't get much better than that!

Thursday, July 7, 2011
SOUL FOOD SUPPORT!
Stop by Mom's kitchen 1620 Delmar (downtown location) from 11a.m. - 8p.m. Mention that you are there to support the BLY "Trunk Event" and portion of the proceeds from every lunch or dinner plate will go the the Better Love Yourself's Trunk Event. From personal experience, the food is smangtabulous!!! Mmm.

Mom's Kitchen
1620 Delmar
St. Louis, MO 63103
314-723-6126
Lunch specials from $7.50/Dinners specials from $9.50

Friday, July 8, 2011
HAPPY HOUR OF POWER
EXO Ultra Lounge
6pm - 10pm
Come out after work, have a bit of fun and support our future leaders!

Saturday, July 9, 2011
FULFILLMENT OF THE DREAM DAY PARTY
The InSpot Dessert Bar and Lounge
5854 Delmar (in the East Loop)
St. Louis, MO 63112
Summertime Fun!

Of course it all culminates in an incredible event - and Terisa Griffin sangin her face off.

Sunday, July 17, 2011
Better Love Yourself Foundation's THE TRUNK EVENT
Phyliss Wheatley Center
2711 Locust Street
St. Louis, MO 63103
314-652-7755
$25.00

Peep the footage below:

Don't be skerred. Get your tickets now.

Re+freshed! Radio

noreply@blogger.com (Vanita Applebum) — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 17:05:00 +0000

My dude DJ76Kid aka Big Daddy aka Ike "Backhand Love" Turner is sharing his dope podcasts with us! YAY!! Check him out:

www.refreshedradio.com

So here is a note from him....

My Good People…
RE+freshed! Radio is back in full swing with sort of a NEW location

Check Out www.refreshedradio.com and u will still be able to enjoy the past, present and future podcasts.

There is also a little more items for you to view as you listen to the sounds…..

I appreciate the folks that kept logging in daily to my podcast site.

That MOS DEFinitely meant a lot! Check Out the NEW and let me know what you think!

And one more thing….. Spread The Word!

THX – ME.******

And by "ME" that means him. If that makes sense! LOL!

DJ76Kid + SoulU + Soulition = Fresh (or RE+Fresh! as it were)

p.s.: I'm back with blogging. I needed a Twix.

More Coverage From the Suite Soul Spot Featuring Anthony David

noreply@blogger.com (Vanita Applebum) — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 15:07:00 +0000

CLICK FOR PICTURES FROM MAAT OF THE SUITE SOUL SPOT FEATURING ANTHONY DAVID

Thanks Ma'at for the love!!! The Suite Soul Spot staffers appreciate you!!

Anthony David - GOD Said

noreply@blogger.com (Vanita Applebum) — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 16:21:00 +0000

Discuss

Tweet - And I'm Not TalkinBout Twitter

noreply@blogger.com (Vanita Applebum) — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 21:34:00 +0000

I love me some Tweet. That Southern Hummingbird album was fire except for the Missy Elliott rachetness (that was somewhat a guilty pleasure). I was happy with her incredible vocal control and smooth tonality (yeah I dropped that "tonality" on ya!).

Maybe its time for her to come to St. Louis.....whatchall thank?

Anthony David brings his 'masculine soul' to Old Rock House

noreply@blogger.com (Vanita Applebum) — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 16:07:00 +0000

BY KEVIN C. JOHNSON • Post-Dispatch Pop Music Critic
STLtoday.com
Posted: Friday, April 1, 2011 12:00 am

Atlanta R&B singer Anthony David talks with us about his latest project, "As Above So Below," which he'll perform at the Old Rock House on Saturday night.

• How would you describe your music for those who don't know you?
Masculine soul.

• How do you feel about being called the male India Arie?
That's my sister, so, yeah, why not? I've heard it before and it makes sense. We're literally from the same place.

• Why did you decide to cover Tears for Fears' "Everybody Wants to Rule the World"?
I always do '80s covers on my albums. I like the songs that are kind of pop tunes, but if you listen to them you've got something heavier going on in the background.

• How did the song "God Said" come about?
It was about the earthquake in Haiti and Pat Robertson doing his rant. It's about people hiding their bigotry behind religion.

• Give us a little preview of the St. Louis show.
It's an unplugged set, but it's not the normal unplugged set. People are singing and moving and going through the whole range of emotions.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What Suite Soul Spot presents Anthony David, C. Jay Conrod, Theresa Payne • When 8 p.m. Saturday • Where Old Rock House, 1200 South Seventh Street • How much $20 •
More info http://www.oldrockhouse.com/

SUITE SOUL SPOT PHOTOS featuring ANTHONY DAVID

noreply@blogger.com (Vanita Applebum) — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 16:00:00 +0000

BFREESTLOUIS Photos from Suite Soul Spot - Anthony David

Anthony David sound check at the Old Rock House..Photos LB Photography

noreply@blogger.com (Vanita Applebum) — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 15:08:00 +0000

Anthony David sound check at the Old Rock House..Photos LB Photography

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?

noreply@blogger.com (Vanita Applebum) — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 21:36:00 +0000

ANTHONY DAVID!!! (like you didn’t know – LOL!) Also known as Mr. Grammy Nominated and President Obaminated. Even the President rocks him on his iPod.

*Sidebar: President Obama’s name is so very versatile. You can just add stuff and change it around and everybody will still know who you are talking about. But I digress…

Yes, we are bringing him back to celebrate his new album “So Above, As Below”, the new single with Algebra (“4evermore”) and new label situation with Purpose Records/E1 (formerly Koch).

This dude is so hilarious – the last time he came to the STL, he and Woodchuck (his bassist and sidekick) did Uncle Ruckus (from the Boondocks) imitations for two days! When Nicci Roach interviewed him on The Freeman Bosley Show, she asked him what he looks for in a woman when considering a relationship. His answer, in his best Uncle Ruckus voice was, “I lahks a women that don’t thanks fo huhsef”.

While the whole room was HOWLING, he followed quickly with “I’m just joking, stop dialing all fast trying to call up here.”

MORE LAUGHTER

I have a dozen more stories about his last trip, from lunch at Imo’s, to the confusion as to why everyone called my friend Mocha when she is clearly light-skinneded (I had to explain her full name is MochaLatte! LOL!). He is just a pleasure to be around.

I hope y’all fall through to the concert on April 2nd. It’s only $20.00 for a phenomenal show. Doors at 7pm, show starts promptly at 8pm. If you haven’t been to the Suite Soul Spot before, that is your warning. Stroll up at 11:30pm if you want to. You are gonna be mad. And AceyDuecyless. LOL! Here is the flyer.

If you haven't peeped the vidjo for 4evermore, here it is:

*Another Sidebar: I love love love me some Phonte. That dude shole know how to spit game. Pun intended.* I wanna say a whole lot more about my love for Phonte but I should probably stop now. But again, I digress....

Peep this column courtesy of KCJ back in 2007, the last time we brought him...

   CLUB NOTES: Gravity is down with neo-soul's Anthony David

   By Kevin C. Johnson
   POST-DISPATCH POP MUSIC CRITIC
   01/11/2007

Gravity, 1620 Delmar Boulevard, is one of the newest intimate venues to highlight live talent. The    hall, which quietly opened New Year's Eve weekend for a party, goes full blast this weekend, co-owner Heaven Dees says.

Local, national and regional acts will be booked at the retro-vibed Gravity, formerly an artist co-op. Its first national booking is neo-soul artist Anthony David, whose new CD is "The Red Clay Chronicles." Art.Music.Culture's Vanita Thompson, who is presenting David at 7 p.m. Sunday, says, "I wanted to bring something new and different to St. Louis' independent soul music scene. He's a phenomenal vocalist and songwriter, and he's just the first in a series of soul music artists who are coming."

Dees says Gravity is hosting reggae music on Wednesdays and hip-hop on Fridays. By summer, Dees says, Gravity will open its recording studio.

Gravity shares a block with gay club 747. Dees likes the location, saying, "We're one block over from the City Museum, and it's not like we're on Washington Avenue, so there's not a lot of traffic."

*Yet another Sidebar: Yo, I really dug the vibe that Gravity had, it had that NYC feel that I miss so much. I wish it was still open and I hope we can get some great urb alt venues that have that vibe. Okay, back to the lecture at hand....

Imma close this post out with one of my favorite AD songs (dang, there are soooo many) the one that initially caught my ear. "Cheatin' Man" from the album Three Chords and The Truth.

*Anthony David has a song called Spittin Game that is pretty dope. Please youtube it. You won't be disappointed.

Happy Mother's Day

noreply@blogger.com (Vanita Applebum) — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 16:00:00 +0000

Secrets of the Game

noreply@blogger.com (Vanita Applebum) — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 20:00:00 +0000

Hope to see you there!

Next: Featuring the music of Anthony David

noreply@blogger.com (Vanita Applebum) — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 20:30:00 +0000

New album: As Above, So Below

Release Date: March 22nd at a store near you

St. Louis Listening Party:
The InSpot Dessert Lounge
Friday, February 25, 2011
6pm to 9pm

4EVERMORE - Anthony David

noreply@blogger.com (Vanita Applebum) — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 20:02:00 +0000

He's coming.....

SHE - Eric Roberson

noreply@blogger.com (Vanita Applebum) — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 21:34:00 +0000

New video by STL favorite Eric Roberson. Also, you aint heard it from me but a little birdie told me a new album will surface in 2011. For now tho, enjoy!

She Changed My Life

noreply@blogger.com (Vanita Applebum) — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 19:03:00 +0000

So, I’m still trying to process the death of the woman that changed my world with a single lyric.

You never know how small things can change someone’s life. When I was 12, I knew I wanted to make my living by music. When I turned 14 two years later, I knew that my music career would not be by performance, not because I wasn’t good, but because musicians were not well paid (except for a select few). I decided at that point to hone my crafts but also pursue the business of music because that seemed to be where all the money was.

In 1982, my parents decided to move the family to Saudi Arabia where I attended high school for a full (whole, long, hot, sweaty) year. I know…what does this have to do with lyrics changing your life? I’m getting to it…

Anyway, at the end of 1981 we were grabbing for things with the knowledge that we would be away from our American lifestyle and music. Little did I know that the music I grabbed would be my lifeline, my water in a dry, thirsty land. One of the albums I grabbed was “It Must Be Magic” by Teena Marie. I was a fan (not like my sister tho, that’s another conversation – she was a “Stan” for Teena before Eminem wrote about it), but I had no idea the impact that album would have on me.

While the obvious bangers on the album were, well obvious, the other stuff was prolific. Sitting in my room in our flat in Jeddah, listening to the album for the thousandth time I actually heard the lyrics to Opus III (Does Anybody Care). She said "Ars longa vita brevis-Art is long and life is short". I played it again. And again. And again. In my 15 years of life, it occurred to me that the life choice I had already made (or the choice that chose me), was equal to immortality. Or as close as a human can get. And that I had to be very careful with this universal language called music because it will represent me for far longer and with more reach than I could ever imagine. It instantly became my personal motto.

I get asked every now and then why I have that phrase posted here and there, and I hardly ever go into the full reason why. It just leads to dozens more questions. And the realization that I am older than they thought I was. LOL! So, I usually just speak on the importance of feeding the people good art and recognizing the long term effect your art has on people.

Thank you for your influence on my life. Rest In Peace, Love and Light, Lady T.

Memories past but not forgotten
The dye is cast-Soon ripe-Soon rotten
"Ars longa vita brevis-Art is long and life is short"
My euphonic heartache-Do I brag, complain or sport
It's not enough to say you care
You've got to spread the word
Have you heard
Jesus was just a man
The Bible tells us so
He gave more than just his hands
And he never said no...

noreply@blogger.com (Vanita Applebum) — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 19:37:00 +0000

The Original

Discuss

Thanks Brokey McPoverty for the idea.

Needles and Willpower Clownfest

noreply@blogger.com (Vanita Applebum) — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 20:06:00 +0000

Okay, so I went to see Needles and Willpower get their classic hip hop groove on at the Delmar the other night and WHOA! did they clown! Outside of my stopping a police office and asking him to arrest two sisters who had clearly robbed a Walgreens and stolen all the eyelashes and wore them THAT NIGHT - and - the officer taking a look at the two eyelash law violators and proclaiming that he was gonna need backup - - YES THAT WAS A REAL EPISODE IN MY LIFE -- Outside of that, I had a ball.

The soundtrack from my NYC life. Willpower had me at Public Enemy #1, one, one, one, one, one, one, one, one, one (Sorry! LOL!). But then Needles dropped one of my favorite songs of all time – Nas “The World Is Yours”. I couldn’t breathe. I had to recite EVERY SINGLE FREAKIN’ WORD. My head was spinning and Nas’ words “the fiend of hip hop got me stuck like a crack pipe” were never clearer. Twenty years later, these doggone songs move me like I heard them yesterday.

Nas featuring Pete Rock “The World Is Yours”

The words. DANG!

It's yours!
Whose world is this?/The world is yours, the world is yours/It's mine, it's mine, it's mine
Whose world is this?/It's yours!/It's mine, it's mine, it's mine
Whose world is this?/The world is yours, the world is yours/It's mine, it's mine, it's mine
Whose world is this?

I sip the Dom P, watchin Gandhi til I'm charged/Then writing in my book of rhymes/all the words pass the margin/To hold the mic I'm throbbin, mechanical movement/Understandable smooth shit that murderers move wit/The thief's theme, play me at night, they won't act right/The fiend of hip-hop has got me stuck like a crack pipe/The mind activation, react like I'm facin time like/Pappy Mason with pens I'm embracing/Wipe the sweat off my dome, spit the phlegm on the streets/Suede Timb's on my feet, makes my cypher complete/Whether crusin in a six-cab, or Montero Jeep/I can't call it, the beats make me falling asleep/I keep falling, but never falling six feet deep
I'm out for presidents to represent me (Say what?)
I'm out for presidents to represent me (Say what?)
I'm out for dead presidents to represent me

To my man Ill Will, God bless your life/To my peoples throughout Queens, God bless your life/I trip we box up crazy bitches aiming guns in all my baby pictures/Beef with housing police, release scriptures that's maybe Hitler's/Yet I'm the mild, money getting style, rolling foul/The versatile, honey stickin, wild, golden child/Dwelling in the Rotten Apple, you get tackled/Or caught by the devil's lasso, shit is a hassle/There's no days, for broke days, we sell it, smoke pays/While all the old folks pray, to Je-sus' soaking they sins in trays of holy water/odds against Nas are slaughter/Thinking a word best describing my life, to name my daughter/My strength, my son, the star, will be my resurrection/Born in correction all the wrong shit I did, he'll lead a right direction/How ya living large, a broker charge, cards are mediocre/You flipping coke or playing spit spades and strip poker

I'm the young city bandit, hold myself down singlehanded/For murder raps, I kick my thoughts alone, get remanded/Born alone, die alone, no crew to keep my crown or throne/I'm deep by sound alone, caved inside in a thousand miles from home/I need a new nigga, for this black cloud to follow/Cause while it's over me it's too dark to see tomorrow/Trying to maintain, I flip, fill the clip to the tip/Picturing my peeps, now the income make my heartbeat skip/And I'm amped up, they locked the champ up, even my brain's in handcuffs/Headed for Indiana stabbin women like the Phantom/The crew is lampin big Willie style/Check the chip toothed smile, plus I profile wild/Stash through the flock wools, burning dollars to light my stove/Walk the blocks wit a bop, checking Danes plus the games people play/bust the problems of the world today

For those of you that know me really really well, you know I’m a Wu-Tang stan. Shutup. Just roll with me. While they did drop my Boo, Big Baby Jesus, aka ODB’s classic, “Shimmy Shimmy Ya”, I waited in vain for “Protect Your Neck”. Since they didn’t I caint resist so Imma have to hear it raht nah.

Whew! I still get hype off that song!!

Occassionally, I will come across a new song that sends me back to that place. Sometimes it’s a T.I. joint, sometimes its some random stuff I heard and I’m caught again. Whether it makes sense or not. I will say this - that dude Rockwell Knuckles KEEPS me entertained. And for some reason, this dangblasted song won’t leave my head. It reminds me of honeybees and New York cabbies both just hanging around outside the Guggenheim on 82nd and Central Park East. Don’t ask because I don't know why. And don’t judge me. LOL!!

Wiz Khalifa – Black and Yellow

Enough of my old lady meanderings about the classics. Post up a few of your own…

New from The Floacist

noreply@blogger.com (Vanita Applebum) — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 15:37:00 +0000

El Debarge is Coming

noreply@blogger.com (Vanita Applebum) — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 16:31:00 +0000

St. Louis just got 117% mobetta. The original "His Lightskinnededness" is gone sang his face off. And his silky baby hairs are gonna slay all the weaves in the first ten rows. Get those tickets NOW. And if you have a couple left over, please donate them to the "vanita needs a ticket" foundation. Please and thank you.

Budweiser Superfest Part II

noreply@blogger.com (Vanita Applebum) — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 18:00:00 +0000

Okay, so its been a busy two weeks and I promised the next installments of my excursion to the Superfest and yeah I been slacking but whatever man...

If you didn't read Part I, you should do it now by clicking this right here.

With that said, I luh yall and thanks for caring. LOL! #youcare

So we are on the blanket, watching the show...yessir THE FASHION SHOW (NOT!). Why? My sisters, why? I guess the new style is the sheer, flowing dresslike tops with booty shorts and bandeaus under them. I guess they look okay, if you are a reasonably fit person. Fluffy girls like me....JUST STOP IT! If you got bulletwounds....JUST STOP IT!! Tatted up like Jaheim, ladies.....JUST STOP IT. I don't need to see your cesarean section scar, I don't need to see your chest hairs ladies, I'm gone stop right there. You know you are wrong for that. Sometimes I don't want to know that much about you. UGH!

I hate the eyelash game in St. Louis. I refuse to talk about it but I think I'm gone need therapy.

Was there a buy one get one free yaki sale?

When did it become cool to wear 5 inch stilettos to an open lawn concert?

Ummm, Miss in the blue terry cloth one piece, satdown. We see your little stank outfit. You don't have to keep running back and forth. Please and thank you.

Y'all make me tired. My brain works overtime to comprehend all the questions floating in my head. I need a nap.

For real tho, I know yall think I'm a hater. I'm not - I know we can do better. If those things make you feel good, then by all means do you. But a little moderation goes a real long way.

What was I talking about?...Oh yeah, the concert. LOL!

So my Raheem came out and showed out. Dear Raheem, I luhyoo. You set the bar super high and already I don't see how anybody would be willing to perform after you set the stage on HOT FIYAH (like Dylan).

I have been looking for amateur footage of his performance but I haven't been able to find any.

AND, I didn't know but one of my girls was on tour with him. Danggit! All of the shenanigans and grovelling and trolling for tickets I did and she actually reached out for me when she got to the Lou.

*real and actual tears before speech*

"I want to thank mah momma and mah sisters and Lady Di for standing beside me in the grind. I want ta thank mah homies for shouting me out on the regular and mostly I want ta thank mah girl Teapot for thinking of me when she got to tha Lou for backstage access and to hang out with her. I sholdid miss her. This speech is dedicated to you girl!" *points out to audience*

Of course, since I have signed off the matrix for 2010 she got the dude that ended up with my telephone number. Poor soul. I know he's been getting lit up by way of the phone. I had that number for like 5 or 6 years and like ERRRBODY all over the world got that number (and I am serious - he has surely gotten some South African and Japanese calls). I really should call him and apologize for him getting stuck with that number. Okay, maybe Sprint should...

Anyway. Shout out the Teapot doing her thing. If you are an artist that will be doing serious touring, you need her on the road with you to keep your vocals in tip top condition. Thank you Teapot for keeping mysangincrushRaheem in prizefighting condition. I got my fix!

I was wondering if he was gonna sing my joing "B.O.B." and YES HE DID. He wore it out too. I was hollering "That's right you better sang boy" all loud and ratchetlike. It was so much fun! LOL! Since B.O.B. stands for Battery Operated Boyfriend, the double entendre made all the stuff he was saying even funnier. Then his female background singer (he kept calling her Tee-Tee which had everybody asking if that's his auntie cause she looked really young) was like we need a B.O.B. in our lives because he don't cheat and he don't lie. I was cracking up but was definitely like "that's cute sis but nawl, give me the real thing like Jill Scott".

Here is footage from his DC Superfest performance.

Moving on to Jaheim, I noticed he didn't do much talking and I can't help but wonder if that was by design. They rolled straight through the set without a pause. He looked high and it turns out I don't know very much Jaheim material. Just the stuff Mary Brown did and the music they play 20thousand times on the radio. I might have been the only one that didn't know every word so I just sat and put my earplugs in. Speaking of earplugs...WHY IS HIS SET SO LOUD! If I hadn't put earplugs in my ears would still be ringing.

Good things about Jaheim's performance:

1. He has a nice body. Eyecandy = good thing.
2. He does a great Teddy Pendergrass rendition. I could listen to him sing Teddy all day.
3. He did the set straight through-no talking. The last time I saw him live he was yelling at the sound people and there was a tad bit of...um...drama. Drama as in Broadway musical. NTTATWWT(not that there is anything wrong with that).

Back to the sound. His sound sucked which is a direct reflection on him since all of the other acts had pristine sound. Clearly, he did not do HIS part at the soundcheck. I have come across quite a few artists that don't know how to soundcheck properly and end up blowing the audience away because they can't hear themselves in the stage monitors. Turn it down mofos! Take a class! I feel a new topic in the "5 ways an artist can" series coming on...

Next up was intermission...and my realization that I am the queen of obscure music and music related stuff. Just embarrassing!

Part III coming next....

This Just In!

noreply@blogger.com (Vanita Applebum) — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 18:48:00 +0000

Annie Malone Children's Home has announced their Power of 57 Cents Campaign where you give 57cents for 30 days (that equals $17.10) to support their services to homeless and orphaned children in our community. Actually, they do so much more than that but you can hit their website for that info.

Anyway, the actual kickoff is in November but if you decided to send them a check or donate online when you click right here earlier than that, I am sure they will keep it and put it to good use!

I keep telling yall a little bit goes such a long way!

Budweiser Superfest Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Vanita Applebum) — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 21:20:00 +0000

Okay so here is what’s funny. I wasn’t gonna go to the concert but for some reason, at the last minute, I decided that I really needed some Raheem Devaughn and a beer in my life. He goes hard in the paint on my joint “B.O.B” so I wanted to see A) if he would perform it and B) if he would go hard like he does on the recording. So when Lady Di called and said “let’s rock and roll” I was game.

Going back on my resolve to be in front of the velvet rope this year, I emailed and called some of my homies to see if I could score some seats at the concert. The concert was at the Ampitheatre which, of course, is an outdoor venue. The seated area is covered and the open area is all lawn. I don’t do nature like that and I didn’t want to pay last minute prices for a covered seat, soooooo, I made my calls, embarrassing as they were. I had to start off with, “I know I’m trifling for not talking to you all year but…” My girls were gracious as ever and went out of their way to locate a coupla tix for me. Finally, I bumped into Arika Parr who took care of me and Lady Di. Go Majic! LOL!

An-tee-way, I definitely don’t get out too often and when I do, I must be spoiled from all the free stuff because we walked in and went to wet our whistle and get a bite. $14 for a margarita? $5.50 for French fries? Are they crazy? Am I just cheap as hell? Lady Di decided to spring for some margaritas (the cups were shaped like guitars so I figured I would take mine home for my son) and I bought some fries for us. Shoot I needed the margarita just to calm down because I was fired up about those prices!

Well, right after we got our expensive-a$$ goodies, Coco Soul came on. She did a great job (as usual). I am so happy to hear her personal compositions and can’t wait for her album to get done. Keep pushing Coco. After Coco, Hal Linton came on. I was happy to get the opportunity to see him live as I had been hearing about him since the middle of last year. He was pretty darn good but yall know how STL audiences are, if they don’t know you, its like the Apollo in that joker. They straight talk through your whole set. This face right here for yall yapping mofos that don’t appreciate new stuff unless they play it forty-two and a half times on the radio first. Ugh.

Abraham McDonald. Remember that name. He had the voice, the drama and the extraness that had us howling. He also had Oprah Winfrey backing him up. He won whatever contest Oprah had going on and I understand why. I enjoyed him waaaayyy too much.

Our tickets were for the far right, but we decided to see if the center lawn was a better view. IT WAS! I did nature! LOL!

We put down a blanket, took our shoes off and proceeded to enjoy the show.

Parts 2 and 3 coming...