Friday, July 30, 2010

Moocher Monday, Because We Love You OC

Randy Newman wrote it. Orange County, you've got a friend in us.

Bogart said it. OC, this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

Rod Stewart sang it. OC, have we told you lately that we love you?

To all of our readers, fans, advertisers, writers, photographers, and supporters, THANK YOU! We do it for you and our shared love for this great county of ours. In a small way, we are giving back to YOU, our local community, starting this Monday, and continuing every Monday, with a little treat we're calling "Moocher Monday." << Get excited! >>

On Mondays, we will be offering all sorts of different giveaways from concert tickets to restaurant gift cards from local venues and businesses. Buy, shop, save local. All you have to do is keep up with us on our Facebook page, and comment or "like" the respective giveaway post to enter for a chance to win. Check back each week for different prizes. (We might even throw in a few bonus giveaways throughout the week!) Stay connected friends; it will serve you well.


Also - hot off the presses - check out the August issues of the magazine. Just to give you a slight glimpse at what you will find: Amy speaks with the legendary Buzz Aldrin (try to fill his moon-walking shoes), there are babies riding alligators (seriously), and if that weren't enough, we found 58 free August events, happening in your very own hometown. This issue is of biblical proportions. Just ask Moses.


TGIF. Keep on truckin' OC,
Sara

P.S. Did any of you see Aerosmith last night at Verizon? How EPIC was that show? Our very own TourBusLive.com was there! Jill and Gary are actually in this video... can you find them?

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Sale Stalker Coming Soon!



This post is for my fellow brothers and sisters in fashion. Whether you like the polished, the grungy, the quirky, or a beautiful hodgepodge, we can all agree that one's fashion sense speaks volumes about them. Which is probably why we all love it so much - for the ability it gives us to express ourselves. 


[Some of my favorites to mix and match.]


I myself am in the hodgepodge fashionista category. I believe Alexander Wang, Bebe and Forever 21 can live peaceably together if perfectly styled on my person. Unfortunately, being a starving artist/designer, I am not blessed with the overflowing coffers that the Kardashians have to spend on their attire. Thus I revel in finding great deals on great clothes. Thanks to the lovely ladies over at Boutiquing.com, my hours of trolling the sale racks and surfing ebay stores can be put back into something more useful (like the poor painting I started months ago and have yet to finish). On August 1st Boutiquing.com will launch Sale Stalker, a comprehensive e-commerce addition to their site that will allow you to shop all the sale racks of your favorite local boutiques from the comfort of your laptop! Co-founder Erin Hall explains, “Boutiques often have amazing merchandise that hasn’t sold at the end of the season, but without establishing their own e-commerce site, which is both costly and time-consuming, the rest of the shopping world is missing out on these hidden gems.” Enter Style Stalker. 




The site sounds like it's going to be amazing. It's like they read my mind. The site is sleek and easy to use, features over 50 designer labels at 40-60% off retail prices, with liberal return policies, instant phone access to customer service reps, and free ground shipping to the US. But here's the best feature, each item includes a video of the piece being worn on a walking model. [Insert angelic choir here.] Like I said, they read my mind.


The site will be up an running this Sunday, August 1st. If you're looking for me this weekend, I'll be cleaning out my closet to make room.


- Amy


On my iTunes: The Avett Brothers' "Perfect Space"

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

FREE TICKETS DRAMARAMA PAUL THORN

[Paul Thorn]

Calling all misers, moochers and music lovers: The OC Gazette is giving away free tickets to two great shows this weekend at the Coach House: Dramarama on Friday July 30th and Paul Thorn on Saturday July 31st. Dramarama still claims the most requested song on KROQ to this day for their alternative punk lovelorn anthem "Anything Anything." You won't want to miss them live.




So head over to our facebook, leave a comment on the post, and you're entered to win - easy as Elizabeth Taylor or Tila Tequila.

Cheers guys!
- Amy

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Talking with the dahg-gone dahgs of Dahga Bloom


[Photo by Will Tee Yang]

Dahga Bloom is a lot of things. But nothing you can put your finger on. They’re ramblers, mumblers, wanderers, wisecracks, Dennis-the-Menace incarnates armed with instruments and trippy wits. Dahga Bloom are elusive talk boxes. Howlers. Growlers. The vocals moan like a schoolyard taunt. Like the soundtrack to a 1950s street-race rumble played in fast motion. Dahga Bloom are jittery, driving beats, electric guitars stomp-hopping into wailing moans up a scale. Or something like that.


I got to talk to the local Fullerton-based band as they prepped for their upcoming show at House of Blues Anaheim this Saturday, July 31st.  They’ll be sharing a bill with other local and personal favorites The Growlers, My Pet Saddle, and Free The Robots.

 --------

Jen Hood: What makes you bloom? What’s your diet of inspiration music-wise, art-wise, film-wise, even food-and-booze-wise?
Lukas Drake: Dahga, Snoop Dahgy Dahg, Salvador Dahgi, Last of the Dahgmen, Dahg Day Afternoon, Wag The Dahga, It’s A Dahg's Life, All Dahgs Go To Heaven, The Truth About Cats & Dahga, Clifford The Big Red Dahg, My Dahg Skip, He’s Your Dahg Charlie Brown, strict meat-a-tarian/Meagan, Mexican Beer.
Matt Mason: The sun, water and fertilizer. For music I'm really into the following artists who you should all Youtube: Futureman Wooten, Eduard Khil, Screamin Jay Hawkins. For art I prefer the art of the prophet of Dahga: Daniel Bryan's hammered (before consumption) beer cans. Lucas named most of my favorite films, but he forgot Slumdahg Millionaire. I really love provincial French cuisine, Foie gras, escargot with button mushrooms, and filet mignon with a kalamata olive red wine reduction and fresh, raw quail egg. I enjoy single malt scotches, Drambuie, and anything from the Fuller’s Brewery in Great Britain. 

Hood: Do you think Danielle Bacher hit the nail on the head when she summed you up as: “Dahga Bloom meld Seeds-ish protopunk, atmospheric keyboards and jittery kraut-rock experimentation into a glorious cosmic slop.”
Collective reaction: Do YOU think Daniell Bacher hit the nail on the head when she summed us up as "Dahga bloom meld seds-ish proto punk, atmospheric keyboards and jittery kraut-rock experimentation into a glorious cosmic slop?
Hood: Talking to you guys makes me wonder if I’m sure about anything really.

Hood: What do you sing…
In the shower?
 Mason: I like to sing Meredith Monk.
Drake: I mostly switch it up between two songs. Snoop and Tupac's "Two of America's Most Wanted" and No Doubts "I'm Just a Girl"

In the car?
Mason: The first two tracks off the Mars LP.
Drake: "Today Was A Good Day" by Ice Cube.

On the lawn in front of your ex-girlfriend’s house?
Drake: No Doubt's "I'm Just a Girl"
Jen Hood: I can see why that relationship might have dissolved.
Mason: "Guilty Of Being White" by Minor Threat.

To warm up them vocal pipes?
Mason: Merideth Monk.
Drake: Meth.
Jen Hood: I’m worried.

Hood: On a serious note, Merle Haggard once said “I loved it when I heard Elvis breathe. You don’t get to hear anybody breathe anymore, because they [producers] call that ‘foreign noise.’ It takes the life and the humanity out of it for me, so I don’t listen much to modern day music.” You guys seem to be of a like mind, reveling in the spontaneity and life of the recording process. Reason?
Drake: Everything else just seems like a commercial to me. When you hear a band at their rehearsal space on a little PA, it's not a full un-blemished production. It's live and raw. That's what I like about bands, and what I like about records. That's what I like about life. 
Mason: It's a recording studio, not a hospital. It's a place to create something, and in art there has to be some form of imperfection, and that's what makes it great. You have to have a balance so the good parts can really shine.

Hood: On an even more serious note: Clint Eastwood or John Wayne?
Drake: John Wayne. My dad wanted to name me Duke instead of Luke, but my mom wouldn't let him.
Mason: Dirty Harry.

Hood: Roy Orbison or Buddy Holly?
Drake: Snoop Dogg.
Mason: The Big Bopper.
Jen Hood: Way to follow the prompt. 

Hood: Your Life’s Theme Song?
Drake: “Errryday I'm hustling” by Rick Ross.
Mason: Tiny Tim’s "Tiptoe Through The Tulips"

Hood: Official drink of your recording session?
Dahga Bloom: Natural light / Arnold Palmers 

Hood: How does the very unique culture of OC affect your music, your perspective?
Dahga Bloom: You talk shit, it makes people feel a certain way. People talk shit, and it makes you feel a certain way. You choose what shit to talk, and what shit to take. Any city, anywhere, this is true. 

Hood: Wise advice to pass on?
Drake: Save a cow, eat a vegan. 
Hood: I think that’s a t-shirt you can buy at Spencers.
Mason: Bill O'Reilly said it best: "F**k it, do it live."
Hood: And you can take that to the bank. 

Hood: Enough ladies’ delicates and beer bottles – what gifts would you like to be tossed from the crowd in the future?
Drake: The country of Monaco.
Zach Nelson: Nubbins.
Sean Yakubovsky: Forrest Gump.
Bryan King: A Yacht.
Miguel Gomez from Fullerton band, My Pet Saddle: Sarah Palin.
Kyle Schuster from OC band, Cosmonauts: I wish they would stop throwing things at me. 
Manny Lopez: Gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Mason: Odor eaters. 

Hood: Future plans for the band?
Dahga Bloom: Learn more juggling and magic tricks. 
Hood: Ongoing industry education is so crucial.

Hood: New sounds/genres you want to explore?
Dahga Bloom: The mating sounds of farm animals.
Hood: Wow, the wheels are really coming off this interview.
Dahga Bloom: The unique vocal stylings of Jonathan Davis of Korn. 
Hood: Wheels are off.

Hood: Best new band out there?
Dahga Bloom: Homiesexual.

Hood: Best old band out there?
Dahga Bloom: Pterodacdudes

Hood: Best awful band out there?
Dahga Bloom: Lady Gaga, cause she stole our name. 

Hood: What you’ll be doing after you finish this interview?
Drake: Changing diapers. 
Mason: Getting chipper with my friends.  

Hood: What you’ll never do?
Dahga Bloom: Never say never.


-----

For anyone interested, here's the rundown of what just happened.

--------
So pack up your Sarah Palins, get your fan-fare throwing arms stretched and ready, and feast your ears on the eccentric sounds and personnas of Dahga Bloom this Saturday at HOB Anaheim! Show starts at 8pm. All ages. While there, you can score their first self-titled, full length album (which has an aaaaaamazing cover, see below).

Listen to them and like them here.

Dahga Bloom is:
Bryan King: vocals, guitar
Lucas Drake: Keyboard, guitar, vocals
Matt Mason: Guitar, vocals
Manny Lopez: Bass, percussion, vocals
Zach Nelson: Violin, mandolin, percussion, vocals
Sean Yakubovsky: Drums

And this is what they're capable of...



Be warned. This will show will be ridiculous. In the best meaning of the word.
-Jen

Friday, July 23, 2010

Weezer Free Show Orange County


[90's Alternative Rock Darlings, Weezer.]


There are certain things that are universally loved. Puppy dogs, flowers, chocolate, Adam Sandler in the Happy Gilmore era, Justin Bieber - OK maybe not Justin, but you get my point. Among this list of you're-crazy-if-you-don't-like-them things is, no argument, the great American band Weezer

Many of you may still be mourning over missing Weezer because of the "Winter Tour Bus Incident of 2009" that left nerdy-cool frontman Rivers Cuomo with a couple fractured ribs which cause the group to cancel their remaining December tour dates (which included their Irvine appointment). Well dry those wet and weary eyes and cheer up, because Weezer is coming back to Orange County. And it's FREE this time! On August 7th, at 4:30 Weezer will step onto the golden sands of Huntington Beach to wow and entertain over 500,000 spectators at the Hurley US Open of Surfing

[Cold War Kids - Photo by Matt Wignall]



This year's US Open of Surfing will be the Hanukkah of music, except instead of 8 days of gifts there will be 5 days of free shows. And it's not 5 days of free shows featuring yesterdays' greatest one-hit wonders (shout out to you Eifel 65, Lou Bega, Smashmouth, Edwin McCain, and Blind Melon), it's 5 days of free shows featuring all the bands you would pay to see: Cold War Kids (local OC boys - see our interview with them here), Switchfoot, Hot Hot Heat, The Soft Pack, Bedouin Soundclash, Iration, Timmy Curran, Cobra Starship, and Street Drum Corps. For Free. Thanks Hurley/Nike/Converse. You guys are the best. 

[The crowds at US Open of Surfing.]


US Open of Surfing Concert Schedule:

Tuesday, August 3,  4:30 – 6:30 p.m. Cold War Kids preceded by The Soft Pack
Wednesday August 4, 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. Bedouin Soundclash preceded by Iration
Thursday August 5,  4:30 – 6:30 p.m. Switchfoot preceded by Timmy Curran
Friday, August 6,  4:30 – 6:30 p.m. Cobra Starship preceded by Street Drum Corps
Saturday, August 7,  4:30 – 6:30 p.m. Weezer preceded by Hot Hot Heat



- Amy
On my iPod: Weezer's "Say It Aint' So"

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Susan Nethero: The Bra Whisperer

I've never seen The Horse Whisperer, but from what I hear, it's an inspiring film about a man who has a keen understanding of horses. If all this is true, then Susan Nethero has certainly earned her moniker, "the Bra Whisperer." Nethero trained under the Queen of England's royal bra fitter, and has helped over 100,00 women find the right bra size for their unique shape. She's been featured on Oprah, The Today Show, The Tyra Banks Show, and has made a host of other T.V. appearances.

[Susan at {intimacy} in South Coast Plaza]

Did you know that 85% of women are wearing the wrong bra size? I certainly didn't realize this until last week, when I was invited to meet Susan at the new {intimacy} boutique at South Coast Plaza and she told me this unfortunate percentage. 85%! I was there to receive a fitting (always complimentary at {intimacy}) and see if I might be among the unnecessarily uncomfortable majority.

I was a little worried about meeting Susan - anyone who's been on Oprah's show more than once is sort of other-worldly in my mind - but her smile and warm demeanor calmed my apprehension immediately. I was also nervous about baring all for our fitting, but Susan was professional, respectful, and put me at ease by standing behind me between bras. The purpose of my fitting - other than finding the right bra size for me - was to demonstrate the process that all of {intimacy}'s highly-trained (they attend "bra boot camp" before they're qualified!) fitters go through with each guest to the store.

Susan explained to me, once in our lavender and gold private fitting room, that they do not use tape measures at {intimacy}. No tape measures? This is revolutionary! She told me that rather than fitting me to a bra, they fit a bra to me. For this reason, {intimacy} carries over 90 sizes of bras, ranging in cup size from A through K. If you're like me, the existence of any sizes beyond D comes as a big surprise. What's more, the bandwidth sizes available go all the way up to 45! On the wall in my fitting room at {intimacy} was a plaque encouraging me that "Your body is perfect." {intimacy} aims to dispel the rumor that if you have bra issues, your body is the problem. Not so!

Back to my size: I was wearing the wrong one. I walked in wearing a 34B, and Susan fit me to a 32C. It seems that my whole life, I had fallen into one of the common bra fitting traps- going for comfort over proper fit. Susan told me that many women are wearing a bandwidth that is too large for their frame, and as a result, the bra band slips up in the back, creating back fat for many women and decreasing support in front.
"A bra is like a seesaw," Susan said, "When the back goes up, the front goes down."
When the bandwidth is snugger, the support is stronger. Susan also told me that the straps are not meant to be constantly fussed with. The straps should be adjusted initially to fit you proportionately. 90% of the support in a bra comes from the bandwidth, so it's of highest importance that you're wearing the correct size.

Did you know that the correct bra size can make you look 10-15 pounds slimmer? Susan showed me that the correct size will lift and shape your breasts and make you look taller, perkier, and thinner!
{intimacy} at South Coast Plaza recently opened their doors, becoming the first OC location (they have stores in Chicago, New York, Atlanta, Miami, and several others across the U.S.), and at this conveniently local spot you can receive a complimentary fitting to find your correct size (or, if you're of the wise 15%, to confirm it)! Fittings are always complimentary, and always thorough. {intimacy} offers an impressive selection of high-quality, European brand bras, such as Simone Perele, Chantelle, La Perla, Aubade, and Prima Donna. The boutique also carries everything else you could need before you put on your clothes - Spanx, Embrace, nighties, travel cases, and panties galore.

 [Just like I said: Panties galore!]

 [The 'gold'-gilded bra bank/wall]

[Susan told me that she and I are new "breast friends"]

Quick and helpful list of the Top Ten Mistakes Women Make When Buying a Bra (provided by Susan herself):

1 - Baggy Back = Too Much Slack: The back band provides most of the support, so the fit should be firm yet comfortable. When the band is too loose, the back rises up, causing breasts to sag. This "see-saw" effect can also emphasize what every woman wants to hide: unsightly back fat. 
2 - Resisting Revolution: As we age, things change. Thanks to weight loss and gain, nursing and hormonal changes, a bust line can change at least six times throughout a woman's life. Susan recommends getting fitted yearly. 
3 - There is No Perfect Bra: Buying a new bra takes time. Don't just get the one your friend raves about- everyone's body is unique. To find the best fit, try on several styles. 
4 - Don't Be a Softy: Most women find underwire bras to be uncomfortable, so they make the mistake of wearing a soft, non-underwire cup. The problem is that there's not enough support, especially for fuller-figured women. A properly fitted underwire bra should fit comfortably against your rib cage with a soft cotton casing. The result is superior support and comfort. 
5 - The Big Bind: Minimizing bras actually bind and compress breast tissue, resulting in a loss of firmness. To appear taller, smaller-breasted and even pounds slimmer, voluptuous women should stick with bras that lift and center the bust line.
6 - Confusing Cups: Wearing the wrong cup size is a common mistake. The result is that breasts that spill over, or worse yet, breasts don't fill out the cups (resulting in wrinkles). Ideally, cup size should be proportional to the body frame.
7 - You Get What You Pay For: Department and speciality stores often carry low-quality, poorly made bras that fit badly. Higher quality brands, which offer more size options, are designed for real women's shapes.
8 - Self Service Slip Up: Don't sacrifice service, style, and comfort because you're embarrassed to ask for help when buying a bra. 
9 - Compressed Breasts: Athletic women often rely on sports bras which compress rather than support A sports bra with seam, shape, and cup depth will prevent jiggling while jogging. 
10 - Forever Free of Seams: While seamless bras are comfortable and look smooth under clothing, wearing them daily is a bad idea. Give your girls the support they need!

Happy fitting! :)

-Blythe

on my iTunes: Feist's "My Moon, My Man"

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Local Artist: Hindu Pirates


What do you get when you mix 1 part teenage angst with 2 parts rock n' roll, 3 parts talent, and a shot of surf/punk style? Hindu Pirates. Hindu Pirates are a group of 5 Huntington Beach guys (Austin Ferreira - vocals, Casey Snyder - lead guitar, Derek Bostelman -bass, Ben Tinsley - drums, Joey LoBasso - rhythm guitar) fresh out of high school and ready to channel their raging hormones and zest for life into something more than a 5 year stint at Saddleback or OCC. These guys are going to climb that rock and roll stairway to heaven.



I got to see the amazingly talented quintet at the House of Blues Anaheim just last week. Many bands go their whole careers without getting to play such a well-known venue and these guys are checking it off their bucket list before they've even got fully grown facial hair. It's quite an accomplishment, not to mention a testament to the quality of their music. Hindu Pirates shared the bill with some of the finest bands in this fair county: The Union Line (just embarking on their national tour with Local Natives), Rye Douglas BandPacific Hurt (comprised of former members of Aushua), and Kiev. The show was amazing - nothing less than what I expected from such a lineup - But what impressed me most was seeing Hindu Pirates live for the first time. I had already been listening to their first full length album, Pelican Daze, the week prior to the show, so I was interested to see how they would fare in a live setting. They did not disappoint.


[Pelican Daze Album Artwork]

As my friends and I leaned against the upper balcony of the HOB, looking down upon the scene below, we could not help but turn to each other every five minutes, if not every minute, to say "I can't believe these guys are just out of high school." Captained by their fearless frontman, Austin Ferreira (clad in matching captains shirt), the Hindu Pirates never betrayed their age (or lack thereof), owning the stage like a bunch of well seasoned veterans. The way Ferreira manhandled and screamed at that mic stand would have made Mel Gibson proud. Hindu Pirates' sound is very reminiscent of The Walkmen, The Subways and The Libertines, or what those guys would have sounded like had they grown up in sunny SoCal rather than soggy old England or NYC. Raspy, sliding, hungry vocals are mixed with danceable garage rock drum beats, Dick Dale-esque distorted surf rock guitar, bouncing bass lines, and simply good lyrics about what else - girls and dancing. They're not trying to be the next Bono - they're just trying to make good music people can dance to. They're 18 with a music vengeance, and you'll want to be a part of their vendetta.


Head over to their myspace to fill your eardrums and stay up to date on upcoming Hindu Pirates shows. They have a show coming up this Sunday at 1:00 in the back lot of the Huntington Beach Surfing Museum. They even make house calls. As their myspace page says, "We want to be the soundtrack for your next big rager!" House of Blues Anaheim one day and Bobby Smith's 18th Birthday the next... it's the roller coaster ride that is adolescence. 


Pelican Daze Key Tracks: "Pretty Little Lady", "Huntington Hop", "Choo Choo", and "Gun in Hand"


- Amy


On my iTunes: Hindu Pirates' "Choo Choo"

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Kyle Lightner Stays Gold


 Kyle Lightner’s photography looks like the documentation of modern day, surf-ified Outsiders. It’s all outskirts, outdoors, oddballs, and outsiders in off-kilter worlds bathed in sunlight.

Turns out I’m not the only one who finds his awesome photographs reminiscent of Pony Boy and Matt Dillon… err, I mean Dallas Winston. Nick Maggio, of LA blog A Time To Get (which you should get on your RSS feed ASAP), writes of Kyle: “Kyle focuses in and blurs the lines between extremely opposite lifestyles. It’s like the world depicted in the novel S.E Hinton would’ve written if she had been married to Bunker Spreckles - but having a torrid love affair with Sonny Barger on the side.”

Lightner, a Costa Mesa lad, captures the gritty reality of today’s Southern California fringe culture in a way that feels like yesterdays best-remembered and well-worn nostalgia.

Here's a taste of the good things to come when you go to Lightner's blog or website. Visual euphoria through "Rose Colored Glasses". (There it is: we've reduced this kid's work down to a vintage country song written by a former undertaker.)

Click on the images to make them larger.



Stay gold, friends.
- Jen
On my iPod: The Growlers' "Little Miss Jack"

Thursday, July 15, 2010

The Mint Gallery


A couple Saturdays ago, I ventured over to check out The Mint Fine Art Gallery in Dana Point. The Mint was hosting a show featuring photos of the legendary surfer, Buttons Kaluhiokalani. Even better, Buttons was at the show to autograph original pieces of art. Robert Pence also unveiled his latest plein air work, "It's a Natural Wonder." The place was hoppin' - full of art and surf enthusiasts of all ages, finger foods and wine, complimentary (and colorful) surf wax from Waxy Wax, and the opportunity to converse with the artists as they roamed around the gallery.



An impressive array of artwork is currently on display - art by photographers Hank Foto, Lou Gabriel, Squier Pavel, Brad Scott ,and Scott Carter, and fine artists Robert Leeland Pence, James Parkhurst, Casper Brindle, and Paul Bryan Jr., among others.


["Button's Brew" - you know someone's a big deal when they have their own coffee!]

[Artists Pavel and Brad Scott chumming it up]



[Buttons with the photographer]


The Mint Fine Art Gallery is operated by Mark Scabs. Check out The Mint on Facebook by clicking here.
Coming up is another fun event: on July 31st, The Mint will host a Vintage Car Show from noon to midnight.

The Mint is located at:
34085 Pacific Coast Highway
Dana Point, CA 92629
For more information, call: (949) 366-6777

The gallery is open 7 days a week from 10am to 7 pm.

-Blythe
on my iTunes: Beirut's "Postcards From Italy"

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Giveaway: Jazz Tickets!


If you're a faithful OC Gazette blog reader, you'll remember reading various posts in the past few weeks about the Hyatt Regency Newport Beach's Summer Jazz Series (here and here). Well, we try not to just gloat about all the fun stuff that's going on around town while leaving you in the dust; this week, we've got 5 pairs of tickets to giveaway to this Friday's Jazz night at the Hyatt!

To whet your appetite: this Friday's event will include live music by Norman Brown's Summer Storm with Phil Perry, Jessy J, and Brenda Russell. These tickets go for $55-95 each, and we're offering OC Gazette fans a chance to score a pair for free! The show starts at 8pm this Friday night, July 16th.


About the artists: Over the past 18 years, jazz guitarist Norman Brown has released 8 full-length  albums (3 of which were released under Motown's label), plus a ninth album collaboration with saxophonist Kirk Whalum, and trumpeter Rick Braun. Phil Perry is a jazz/soul singer who was the voice and writer behind 70s jazz band The Montclairs. With an impressive resume - attracting attention from the likes of Quincy Jones, among others - Phil Perry is a well-known name in the jazz world. Jessy J is a jazz singer and saxophonist who was named Radio and Records' "Debut Artist of the Year" in 2008. She was also awarded the "Contemporary Jazz Song of the Year" award from R&R and Billboard for her hit "Tequila Moon." The "J" in Jessy J stands for "jazz." Brenda Russell is a Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter and co-writer for the music behind the Tony-award winning Broadway musical The Color Purple. With collaboarations with big names like Stevie Wonder, Babyface, Mary J. Blige, Janet Jackson, Ray Charles, and Joe Cocker, Brenda Russell has the record to prove that she knows her stuff.

HOW TO ENTER:

1) Leave a comment below with an email address that we can contact and confirm with you in the next 24 hours if you win.
2) Earn an extra entry by becoming a Twitter / Blogger follower or a Facebook fan. Simply leave a second comment letting us know which site you follow.

Hurry - and tell your friends to enter, too - because all entries must be received by 12 p.m. noon tomorrow, Thursday, July 15th to be considered!

Best of luck to you!
-Blythe

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Misty May-Treanor Book Signing at Huntington Beach Barnes & Noble

Head over to the Bella Terra Barnes & Noble tonight at 7 p.m. to meet two-time Olympic gold medal-winning volleyball player Misty-May Treanor. Misty will be signing her new memoir, Misty: Digging Deep in Volleyball and Life. The LA native attended Newport Harbor High School, graduated from Long Beach State, and was coached by local Olympic gold medal player and coach Troy Tanner (check out his Irvine volleyball club)! Her bio reads, "After a brief stint with the U.S. national indoor team, she went on to revolutionize the sport of beach volleyball, becoming the best women's player ever." Basically, she rocks! So take a drive up the coast and get some face time with one of our greatest female athletes. Keep up with Misty on her website and on Facebook.

Misty May, coach Troy Tanner, and Kerri Walsh

Pick up your copy at Barnes & Noble. Better yet, have Misty sign it!

When: Signing starts tonight (Tuesday, July 13th) at 7 p.m.
Where: Barnes & Noble in the Bella Terra shopping center, 7881 Edinger Ave., #110, Huntington Beach
Contact: (714) 897-8781 for more information

Keep using the high SPF,
Sara
Listening to The Union Line's "Mama Don't Care" - crank it up!



P.S. Kings of Leon will be stopping in Irvine to play at Verizon tomorrow night... who's interested in some classy concert crashing? A post-show tour bus stakeout?
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