Ingrid Michaelson. Best. Night. Ever.

Last night, I got to sing up onstage with Ingrid Michaelson at the Social. TWICE. Ahhhh!!!!! :):)

This is what happened:

First of all let me say to preface this that since the Hotel Cafe show at SXSW back in March, Ingrid has quickly become one of my favorite female singer/songwriters. Ever. And her song "The Chain" is my favorite of hers. By far.

Earlier in the day, I tried to track down the song "The Chain" by Ingrid. I had first heard her perform this song in her short set that she did in Austin, TX at SXSW this year. She, Allie Moss (her back up singer/friend) and Kate Havnevik (and I think Jessie Baylin, although I'm not positive) sang this GORGEOUS song. It was a round (you know, like when one person sings, then the other comes in, and then another: like Row, Row, Row Your Boat) and it quickly became my favorite Ingrid song. Suffice it to say, this is the song that made me fall in love with her music. And it's not available ANYWHERE to download. She had it up on her myspace for awhile, but took it down recently. A couple of months ago, I listened to the thing over and over while at work. I wanted to listen to it today, but couldn't find it ANYWHERE--not myspace, itunes, nowhere. It simply wasn't available.

Anyway, Brenda, Becca and I got to the Social and as soon as I saw Ingrid's stage set-up, as thrilled and excited as I was to be at the show, I was a tad disappointed because I saw she only had one back up singer (Allie Moss again). I realized that she probably wouldn't sing "The Chain", because you definitely need at least three female voices to sing it.

Halfway through her set, Ingrid said: "So, I wrote this song that's a round called "The Chain." Anybody heard of it? It was up on myspace for awhile." She got a few hoots of recognition, but hardly anybody seemed to know it. "Thing is, we need at least one other person to sing it. Does anybody here know the song?"

I felt a burst of adrenaline and my hand shot up, then I timidly retracted. Ingrid obviously didn't see me because we were to the far stage right side. My friend Becca who was with me grabbed my hand and pushed it up further, and yelled "She knows it!"

Ingrid turned her head in our direction and asked, "Really?" With a sly, fake-pompous attitude she asked "How much vocal training have you had?" A few answers shot through my brain: I had this inner dialogue with myself that sounded a little something like this: I could say I'm in a band. No, that's just tacky and if I were in the audience and I heard someone else say "Actually, I'm in a band", I would scoff derisively at them. I can try and be witty and say "I vocal train in the shower" but that's kind of an overused joke. Hmm...or I could actually be HONEST and say I've taken a couple months worth of voice lessons or I--Instead of saying anything, I just kind of laughed nervously.

Despite my pathetic lack of wit, eloquence or even words, she said, "Get on up here."

So I jumped up onstage in front of the where Allie was standing on stage right with her microphone. There was an extra mike stand and they told me I could take that one. Becca later told me that while I was adjusting the mike stand, apparently Ingrid said "Whoa, adjusting the mike stand. Impressive." and I guess some people cheered at that, but I was kind of too nervous and in a daze to notice...

Allie pulled me aside and quickly ran through the chorus part that I was supposed to sing in like 10 seconds. I think she just wanted to make sure I could at least hold a tune so I wouldn't completely ruin the song in the event that I sucked. Allie explained to me the song structure and told me when I should come in.

Ingrid asked me if I knew the words, and she made me say them with her;) The part that I sing as the round is:

So glide away and so be healed/(or soapy heels, depending on the version...haha;)
And promise not to promise anymore
And if you come around again
Then I will take the chain from off the door

Allie looked at Ingrid and smiled and said, "Yeah, she can sing it."

So Ingrid began. I couldn't believe this. This is like something out of a crazy awesome dream. I was nervous... My hands were shaking a bit. I hardly looked at Ingrid, because I was so afraid I'd mess up. I was just kind of looking at Allie because I knew she would cue me when to come in.

After Ingrid and Allie sang through the verses and choruses, Allie nodded at me to come in and I sang WITH them. There's this part where the instruments drop out and it's just the voices singing the chorus in a round.

It was seriously the most surreal thing to be singing my favorite song by the artist (who is one of my faves) up onstage into a freaking microphone with said-favorite artist WHO WROTE the song.

The audience went crazy. I think it's best summed up in something one of the people said to me later: "We were all living vicariously through you. It was amazing!"

And to top it all off, Ingrid invited me back onstage for the final song! She looked through the audience and said "Where's Melissa? Let's get her back up here."

I protested, saying I didn't even know the song, but Ingrid said it was really simple and that she was going to teach all of us.

So I hopped back up onstage and Allie shared her mike with me. I honestly can't even remember the words or the melody or even the name of the song we did, but it was so incredibly fun to stand up there and just sing my heart out. And then at the end, we all bowed together like they do in theatre.

And that was it:)

Seriously, one of the craziest awesome things that has ever happened to me musically.
Me singing with Allie during "The Chain." Haha you can tell by my face how nervous I am. Note: Becca told me that shutter only opened halfway on the pictures during this song, sadly.


Ingrid and her band
up onstage with Ingrid during the final song
singing!:)

taking a bow. NEXT TO INGRID MICHAELSON. ahhh! although my face is covered up. it's me, I swear:)
Allie and Ingrid singing
Ingrid. Freaking brilliant.

Overall, it was an AMAZING show. Ingrid really is the whole package--she's a brilliant songwriter, an amazing vocalist, achingly funny, bluntly honest, creative, down-to-earth. She excels at establishing a personal connection with the audience. Very hard to do at all, and she does it so well.

Haha wish they would let me tour with them just to sing that one song.

I totally would. haha;)

my Tuesday evening

music: girls and boys by ingrid michaelson

By popular demand (by that, I mean by popular demand of one person), I am continuing my episode reviews of my Dexter experience as it unravels.

Episode 1.5: "Love American Style": I finagled my way into a free showing of Dexter at Jeanne's because her blessed household has Showtime on Demand, which has all of Season 1 and 2 available. Glorious.

So my inner struggle last night was this: Do I practice delayed gratification and actually wait for the Netflix DVD to come tomorrow? Or do I indulge immediately because I can? Happily--or sadly, depending on your perspective--indulgence won out.

Also, this was my sneaky way of forcing my sister to watch Dexter, since she had categorically refused to do so this past weekend:)

(I love you, sister. Please don't hate;)

I finally get the dark rhythm and quirky flavor of this show. Now I actually have time and freedom to enjoy the show's finer technical aspects like creative camera angles and unique lighting and whatnot.

In a small way, this show reminds me a lot of The Pretender, a show from the mid 90's that I'm pretty sure no one else but me watched. Dexter is like Jarod. Except whereas Jarod only messes with his victims, forces evidence from them (usually via some sort of taped confession) and turns them into the cops, Dex just kills 'em.

There were some great awkward moments where we have to see Dexter struggle with appearing normal and emotional, despite his psychopathic tendencies. I have never found unemotional so funny. Or equally heartbreaking.

Great character development episode.

Also, Mir and I went to see Kung Fu Panda last night with a lovely slew of friends. First, I was disgruntled to discover that Festival Bay has done away with $6 tickets on Tuesdays. What the crap. I intend to write a strongly worded email to Cinemark Management.

After enduring several exceedingly lame previews, the movie finally started. The animation was superb (especially the opening scene---wow!), the storyline was fairly simple and moral lesson was a wee bit cliche, but the humor was quite enjoyable:) I'm kind of skeptical of the content of animated films these days. I'm also weirded out by Pixar's recent animated attempts to humanize inanimate objects (Cars, Wall-E).

But I'll save that rant for another day;)

Because there's only one thing left to say...

Skadoosh!

On Dexter

So my friend Jeanne has been raving on and on about this show Dexter. Dexter is her Desert Island DVD. That’s intense.

Dexter—in the titular role—is a serial killer. As a protagonist. Like a vigilante, he hunts down people who has done society wrong and whacks ‘em. Except he doesn’t do this out of some inner, noble sense of justice or vengeance like V for Vendetta or anything. He only does it to “channel” his insatiable need to kill. Unique (and possibly disturbing) premise for a show, and not one would typically choose as a favorite to live out the days of one's life with on a desert island.

Anyway, since I cough up $8.99 per month for Netflix DVDs, I figured I’d add it to my queue, and over the weekend I got through Disc One. Mind you, not only was my opinion of the series on trial, my estimation of Jeanne as a human being also was on the line. Haha.

Here is my review, episode by episode:

Episode 1.1. “Dexter”: Jeanne is sick. SICK. I find Deb (Dexter’s sister and aspiring cop) kind of annoying, which does not bode well for my opinion of the show since she is closest emotionally to Dexter. This show is shaping up to be one huge ethical mess.

Episode 1.2 “Crocodile”: Hmm this show is kinda crazy. Hope they catch that Ice Truck Killer guy. Okay, so Jeanne’s not sick. She just has a black, black heart. My question is how they are going to make the audience continually sympathize with an emotionless, conscienceless killer?

Episode 1.3. “Poppin’ Cherry”: The character of Deb is starting to grow on me. In fact, I thought my heart might burst with pride when Deb was granted her deepest wish and was promoted from Vice to Homicide. I am feeling like I’m going to have to embrace some ethical paradigm shift in order to accept the premise of this show. Also, I think I need a line by line explanation of Dex’s “Code of Harry” which supposedly allows him to kill some people under certain circumstances and not others. Despite these misgivings, I am starting to appreciate the genius of the writing and also the complexity with which Michael C. Hall portrays Dexter. The voiceover narrative is unavoidably crucial to the show. I also have mixed feelings about that. Necessary evil, ay?

Episode 1.4. "Give the Boy a Hand": I am starting to finally get Dexter. This is his most psychologically revealing episode thus far. Last four seconds of the episode: “I am neither man nor beast. I am Dexter.” Freaking awesome. I’m sold. Jeanne is also turning out to be one of the most wonderfully complex people I know.

Black heart notwithstanding.

I can’t wait for the next Dexter DVD to come;)

Solaseria at Stardust

Last night I finally got to go see Chase Patterson perform his Solaseria material at the Stardust Cafe in Winter Park. Very cool, earthy venue. Looks like a Vegan hangout (yeah, you know what I'm talking about). They rent out cool indie, foreign films. And I got a wonderful iced espresso for a mere $1.86.

For having just graduated high school, Chase is a impressively gifted songwriter. He thinks outside of the box as a writer and actually develops his ideas. He doesn't submit to typical verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge, chorus, chorus formula, which is refreshing. It'll be cool to see what he does with his music. Check him out at www.myspace.com/solaseria. Hurrah for local music!;)

However, I underestimated the caffeinated power of Stardust Cafe's espresso--which I had only at 5pm to keep me fueled through the show and band rehearsal later in the evening--for the darned thing kept me up all hours of the night. Blah.

Incidentally, we--the OaKs--are playing a FREE, all ages show at Virgin Megastore in Downtown Disney this Sunday, June 8th from 7pm to 8pm. Please come out, as I think this will be the last OaKs show in Orlando for several months at least.

I'm out. Peace.

it's too late to apologize

music: dreaming out loud by onerepublic

No, it’s not. Hooray for grace!:)

Seriously though, I went to go see OneRepublic and Dave Barnes at House of Blues last night with some friends. Amazing.

This is my concert breakdown:
the venue: House of Blues
the line-up: two pretty boys with guitars, Dave Barnes and OneRepublic
the company: friends Jeanne, Tiffany, Leslie and Susan
the weather: freakishly humid and rainy

the show review:

Two guys went on before Dave Barnes and OneRepublic, but I don’t remember who they were: Jason somebody and Rob somebody. This was definitely one of the more crowded HOB shows I’ve ever gone to.

• Rob Somebody had one of those awesome drum boxes where all you did is play the beat on the box, but it sounds like a snare, high hat and bass. I want one.

• Jason Somebody had one of those Red Nord keyboards. Everybody and their mother has one of those now. I’m not so sure I want one anymore. For that very reason.

• I finally got to hear Dave Barnes live. The first time I had ever heard him was when Sydney called me from his show at New City Café in Knoxville, Tennessee. She had me listen to a couple songs through the cell phone. And then my ex-roomie Kyara gave me one of his CDs during our summer internship in New Orleans. Dave Barnes definitely takes me back to the summer of ’04, that’s for sure. He kind of reminds me of John Mayer, the way he solos on guitar in between verses. It’s very cool.

• OneRepublic came on an agonizing two and a half hours later, but it was well-worth it. One dude with crazy hair played on the cello and they did all the songs I hoped they would (Say, Mercy, Stop and Stare, Apologize, Goodbye Apathy, All Fall Down, Come Home). They even did one of my new faves that I didn’t think they would do—track 9 which I don’t know the name of.

Ryan--front man for OneRepublic--told a funny story about when OneRepublic was invited to come perform on American Idol. Little did they know that he was supposed to sing a duet with David Archuleta. The stage manager apparently told Ryan that he and Archuleta were supposed to lock eyes at one point in the song and sing to each other. Of course Ryan flatly refused and swore to beat Archuleta up if he did.

Archuleta apparently just giggled sheepishly in response.

hurricane kits

My home church Southside Christian was on WESH-2 news this week. Check it.

http://www.wesh.com/video/16456132/index.html

The Picture of Dorian Gray

I finally finished The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde over the weekend. I first became intrigued by this book during the Florida Music Festival (FMF) last year. It was pouring rain that day, so I decided to take refuge in the enormous downtown Orlando public library for a couple hours while we waited to load our equipment onstage. For some inexplicable reason, I picked up the Ravi Zacharias Deliver Us From Evil.

Looking back on it, I don’t know why I decided to read such a heavy book that day but I did. I honestly think I was in a Ravi mood at the time, having just finished Can Man Live Without God? (Brilliant read, by the way).

In one chapter, Ravi described the story of the wealthy, beautiful, young Dorian Gray, how he forges an unnatural connection to the portrait painted of him by the artist Basil Hallward. The portrait somehow supernaturally took upon his sins and deformities every time Dorian did something cruel or evil, but Dorian himself escaped unscathed from the consequences of whatever he did, until the hideousness of the portrait drove him mad with violence.

The idea of that totally intrigued me, but since I am forever wading through piles of books and trying to prioritize what I’m reading, I never got a chance to read it until recently, when Carrie hooked me up with a major discount at Barnes and Noble;) I got a copy of the book for a cool $3.99.

Anyway, the picture on the front majorly creeped me out, because I think whoever chose the portrait is obviously trying to evoke Dorian Gray, but it’s actually of Franz Liszt. I love Liszt, but there’s something about that particular portrait of him that’s always weirded me out. And to now associate that portrait with Dorian Gray is downright eerie.

As evidenced by his Art for Art’s sake manifesto that served as a preface to the book, it is clear that Wilde’s intention—as a major proponent of the aesthetic movement—sought to free art from social responsibility. Ironic that in his attempt, although he perhaps succeeded in shocking Victorian sensibilities and ethics, he actually made a deeper philosophical statement about the nature of evil and how seductively easy it is to be molded and shaped and doomed by ideas and our conversations.

I think so many times--and I am guilty of this--we thoughtlessly consume culture via media and swallow ideas without even thinking them through and before we realize it, we've internalized it and it becomes a part of who we are instead of "testing everything" by the Spirit and "holding on to the good."

I'm in the middle of reading The Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard and it explores the power of philosophy and ideas to shape the world. This is something I believe that we as Christ-followers need to take more seriously. I thought of this because I went to see the midnight showing of Sex and the City last weekend with some friends. True to form, it was definitely an enjoyable film with oodles of fashion, humor and heart (I did get misty-eyed at one point...not gonna lie) with perhaps a bit (okay a lot) of scandalaciousness (yep, I invented a word. Deal with it) thrown in there... (it's called Sex and the City, what can I say?).

However, although the film resonated with me in lots of ways as a young single woman in this crazy Western dating culture, there were still many things I so fundamentally disagreed with about the way the characters approach marriage, love, sex and relationships in general.

But the problem is, how many women out there are seriously going to dissect the philosophical threads and worldviews running through that entire film? Not many. The film is a wonderful cultural mirror, but cultural mirrors have a sneaky tendency to become roadmaps if we're not careful.

Guess that's what these blogs are for, eh?;)

All that to say (wow I got really off topic that time), I really appreciate The Picture of Dorian Gray. It's a haunting story. And it's just plain fun to read. I highly recommend it.