My Bucket List of Bands

Can I just talk about how amazing he is live in concert? But really.

Here’s my overall review of the show:

The opener, Jorja Smith, was kind of a snooze fest. Her voice sounded just like Nelly Furtado, but her style (fashion) was more Rihanna. Most of her performance consisted of her standing at the mic.
Bruno opened the show with Finesse from his 24K Magic album with some pyrotechnics from the stage.
- I could have done without the pyrotechnics, every time it went off I screamed. My friends got entertainment out of me being startled every single time.
He played most of hits like, 24K Magic, Treasure, Chunky, That’s What I Like, Versace on the Floor, Marry You, Grenade, Just The Way Your Are, Locked Out of Heaven and Uptown Funk.
Bruno’s band was the bomb dot com, they provided so much energy to the show that paralleled perfectly with Bruno’s stage presence.
He didn’t talk a lot. Sometimes performers like to talk between sets (which I’m not a fan of), he didn’t do that… so Mr. Mars, I thank you.
Shout out to the man in front of me who wore a Chance the Rapper shirt and had his ears plugged the entire night. Maybe you should have bought ear plugs or purchased seats that was further from the stage. You blocked a lot of my views. #notblessed

It was a stellar night with friends. If you get the chance to see Bruno Mars in concert, DO IT! The man can sing, dance and play the guitar. And let’s not forget he’s easy on the eyes too.

My Bucket List of Bands

Pack Yourself a Toothbrush Dear

November 13, 2016November 13, 2016 alittlebitsquirrely

Yes, I realize the date is November 4th + The Lumineers show was on September 15th. Better late than never!

I had tickets to their last show three years ago, but due to a family emergency I wasn’t able to go. Each year that went by without another album, so I patiently waited. Thank goodness they FINALLY released their newest album- Cleopatra. All I had to do was wait to announce when their show would be + when they did it was a major Debbie Downer. Their show was the same night as the annual fashion show I usually work. The good news: my boss knew I was a bit of a concert fiend + was cool about it… I GOT A HALL PASS!! This girl celebrated by purchasing PIT TIX!

Being the great height of five feet tall, I had a fantastic view of the show. They opened the show to Sleep on the Floor and I was officially in my happy place. I’m not going to lie, I totally peeked out when they covered Credence Clearwater Revival’s, Have you Ever Seen the Rain- goosebumps. My dad introduced me to CCR + when I heard them cover their song, I was grinning from ear to ear.

Set List:

My Bucket List of Bands

I Got Hot Sauce in My Bag

August 1, 2016August 1, 2016 alittlebitsquirrely

Let’s get in formation.

I was BEYOND stoked to see Queen Bey at Carter Finely on May 3rd… I just wish I had dressed more appropriately for the weather. Note to self: don’t wear a long dress + suede boots even if there’s a chance for rain.

En route to Carter Finley the bottom fell out- rain, thunder, lightning + hail. Fun stuff, y’all. The best part was we didn’t have to pay for parking due to the storm- woot, woot!! After tailgating in the parking lot for awhile we decided to make our way in so we could see DJ Khaled. We got there in time to see the tail end of his performance. It never fails: I will forever laugh every time I hear him say, “DJ KHALED!”

Beyonce opened to Formation, which was lit and the rest of the show followed suit. When she opened to Formation she wore a victorian inspired look by DSquared2. Other notable designers she rocked during her performances included Balmain, Roberto Cavalli, Atsuko Kudo + Gucci. To see her complete looks check out Fashionista. During the middle of the concert the bottom fell out again and we had to evacuate Carter-Finley to either the PNC Arena or the NC State Indoor Practice Field. We chose the indoor football field, because we wanted to see what it looked like. It was nice + still smelled brand new, or maybe that was the fake turf. It wasn’t until close to 11PM that we were allowed back into the stadium. Like I mentioned before, I wore the wrong outfit- my long Pink Stitch dress + Dolce Vita Grayden boots which were covered in mud.

By the time the show started back up again about 25% of the crowd had left. We were bound + determined to stay for the entire show even though I knew my tail would be dragging next day at work.

Beyonce’s show was absolutely PHENOMENAL! My favorite performances of hers was Formation, Run the World, Ring the Alarm + Freedom. She performed Freedom in a pool of water + it was sick! A bittersweet moment is when the screen went purple and they played Purple Rain by Prince. It gave me chills.

Setlist from the show:

Formation
Sorry
Bow Down
Run the World
Mine
Baby Boy
Hold Up
Countdown
Me, Myself + I
Runnin’ (Lose it All)- Naughty Boy Cover
All Night
6 Inch | I Care | Ghost
Don’t Hurt Yourself
Ring the Alarm
Diva
Flawless
Feeling Myself (Nicki Minaj cover)
Yonce
Drunk in Love
Daddy Lessons
1+1
Purple Rain (Prince tribute)
Crazy in Love– Bootylicious
Naughty Girl
Party
Blow
Die With You | Blue
Freedom
Survivor
End of Time
Halo

I didn’t get home until after 1AM, but that didn’t mean I crashed immediately. I had to shower after being covered in rain/ mud and then I spent about a good 30 minutes working on rescuing my boots. The good news is they survived the Formation Tour!

My Bucket List of Bands, Uncategorized

Planet Earth is Blue

January 14, 2016 alittlebitsquirrely

Y’all. I’m still in disbelief that David Bowie passed away. I typically don’t get bent out of shape when a celebrity passes. Yes, of course it’s sad when anyone passes away. The last celebrity death that bummed me out was Whitney Houston. I found out about that one on Twitter! She was the first concert I ever went to (and the first concert I ever slept through).

*Side note: My mom took me to see Whitney when I was in first grade and it took her so long to get on stage I passed out. To this day my mom doesn’t know how I could sleep through a concert.

**Another side note: this post isn’t about Whitney… I just got off track.

Back to David Bowie.

I expected to wake up to the hoopla over the Golden Globes on Monday, not the sad news that David Bowie had passed away from cancer. The man just had a birthday AND released his final album ON his birthday. Talk about a major buzzkill. BUT, I have to give him major props for keeping it under wraps from the public + continuing his love of music while he battled the terrible disease. He was someone I would have loved to have seen live in concert. Last year I saw Fleetwood Mac + The Rolling Stones and I know they’re no spring chickens… but I feel lucky to have been in the audience of their shows.

There was so much to admire about David Bowie– he had a beautiful marriage to Iman which was absolutely adorable, he called out MTV in the 80s for the lack of black artists being featured, his insanely outrageous + amazing style that he frequently changed and so much more. Don’t get me started on his hair… the man had a gorgeous head of hair and a set of gorgeous mismatched eyes.

Planet earth is indeed blue without him in it. I just hope he + Queen are somewhere together performing Under Pressure.

I’m wrapping this post up with some of my favorite David Bowie songs (one of which is Under Pressure) so I won’t include that in my list:

I’m going to leave you with this quote from Simon Pegg:

“If you’re sad today, just remember the world is over 4 billion years old and you somehow managed to exist at the same time as David Bowie.”

My Bucket List of Bands, Uncategorized

New Years With My Boos

January 10, 2016 alittlebitsquirrely

Another New Years Eve, another Avett Brothers concert. Now that’s the way to ring in 2016. I’ve lost count on how many times I’ve seen them in concert + each show is more amazing than the last.

After all the food + alcohol that was consumed this holiday, we decided to tailgate in style at the Greensboro Coliseum… with a more healthy spread + some champs. Because what’s New Years Eve without champs?!

Thoughts I had at the show…

Scott Avett can play just about any instrument, including a kazoo. When they opened the show, he was playing the kazoo while jamming on the banjo. Be still my heart. The person who caught the kazoo is one lucky SOB.
I ADORE their ever-changing looks. Last year’s NYE show, Scott Avett was clean cut + Seth Avett was the one with long hair + beard. This year it was Seth who was the clean cut one and Scott had the long beard. Both can do no wrong.
The woman behind us had a constant resting bitch face throughout the entire show. I couldn’t tell if she was constipated or if that was just her normal demeanor.
Joe Kwon had major hat game, bravo!
In other Joe Kwon news, I love watching him jam out while he plays on the cello… that’s passion y’all.
Of course I have to give some love to Bob Crawford… he’s the master of the upright base. And I’m not going to lie, I love his casual slightly hipster style.
- Speaking of style, Scott can totally pull off suspenders.
Father Time aka Valient was fantastic. Not only did he ring in 2016, but the man can sing. He sang Time is On My Side + Don’t Do Me Like That with the Avetts as they did the big balloon drop. Major props!
They performed Divorce Separation Blues, a new song for their upcoming album. And duh, it was amazing! I know some of my friends will appreciate it + can relate to the song.

Their setlist for their show…

In conclusion, I’m a total Avett Brothers bandaid. I will continue to go to their NYE shows as long as they continue to have them.

My Bucket List of Bands

1989

September 22, 2015 alittlebitsquirrely

Can I just mention for 5 whole seconds how AMAZING Ryan Adams’ cover of Taylor Swift’s 1989 album is? I’ve listened to the entire album twice today. Twice. I’ve been a fan of Ryan’s music for quite some time. Some of my favorite albums of his include Easy Tiger + Heartbreaker. I’ll admit I never have really been a Taylor Swift fan until her 1989 album. Fast-forward to the present. Ryan Adams took her pop-upbeat songs and crafted them into his own. You better believe I’m going to buy his album of 1989.

I’d have to say my top songs that he covered in no particular order:

What a talent.

I gotta go so I can listen to the album for the third time.

My Bucket List of Bands

My Letter to Brandon Flowers

August 15, 2015August 15, 2015 alittlebitsquirrely

Dear Mr. Flowers,

I’m not going to lie. I was super bummed when you cancelled your show at The Ritz. If you knew me, you would know I live for concerts. It’s my thing. It was also an early birthday present to myself. I’ve always been a fan of The Killers since day one and was lucky to see y’all at Red Hat Amphitheater. When I found you released a solo album, I was all over it like white on rice. Then I found out you were coming to The Ritz the day before my birthday. That was the perfect present. Fast-forward to Wednesday. You cancelled the last leg of your tour with no explanation. Major buzzkill. It better have been for something serious like a busted vocal chord or you got SARS. The only good thing that came out of it was they refunded the tickets. The bad news is I can’t use my ticket for my display I’m going to start working on… it just wouldn’t be right. Another buzzkill.

It’s a good thing I have a forgiving heart. You’re still on probation with me. I’m not saying I forgive you right now, but give me time. And by time I mean a few weeks. I will eventually build a bridge + get it over it, but I just can’t listen to your album for awhile. I hope you understand. Also, if you ever become single again feel free to reach out to me.

Bye Felicia,

Jessica

My Bucket List of Bands

Here’s My Second Hand News

August 2, 2015August 2, 2015 alittlebitsquirrely

Earlier this year I met up with some college friends to see Fleetwood Mac in Charlotte. It was great to catch up with my college roommate + pick up exactly where we left off since we don’t get to see each other often. We had a drinks + a casual dinner at Lebowski’s in Charlotte prior to the show (they’re known for their White Russians).

Thoughts I had while at the show:

Stevie Nicks is my homegirl + I heart her style.
Lindsey Buckingham is a fox for an older dude.
Mick Fleetwood is a total badass on the drums + rocked it during Tusk.
It was a major buzzkill that Christine McVie didn’t perform Songbird.
I don’t want this concert to end. Ever.
Can someone get me a time machine so I can relive this show again?

Here’s their setlist from the CLT show:

Between the other shows I’ve seen this year (Alabama Shakes, Mumford + Sons, and The Rolling Stones), Fleetwood Mac has been my favorite concert for 2015 and so far no one has topped them.

My Bucket List of Bands

Start Me Up

August 2, 2015 alittlebitsquirrely

One concert I dropped some dough on this year was for The Rolling Stones Zip Code Tour on July 1st. Best decision ever. If you know me at all, you know I love a good concert. Not only did they play at my beloved Carter-Finely Stadium (go Wolfpack), but one of my FAVORITE bands opened for The Stones… The Avett Brothers! I was beyond stoked. Normally I don’t make it to the opening act, but I made sure my tail was in my seat to see The Avett Brothers perform. You also better believe I was jamming out to them as well + getting strange looks from the elder crowd. You could tell who was an Avett Brothers fan when they were performing.

Scott Avett should really be People’s Sexiest Man Alive… just sayin’.

Ok onto the main attraction, The Rolling Stones! What a SHOW! Here’s their setlist from the show:

Jumpin’ Jack Flash
It’s Only Rock’n Roll (But I Like It)
Let’s Spend the Night Together
Tumbling Dice
Out of Control
Bitch
Moonlight Mile
Shine a Light
Honky Tonk Women
Before They Make Me Run
Happy
Midnight Rambler
Miss You
Gimme Shelter
Start Me Up
Sympathy for the Devil
Brown Sugar
You Can’t Always Get What You Want (with the Duke Vespers)- ENCORE
I Can’t Get No Satisfaction– ENCORE

Thoughts I had while at the The Rolling Stones concert:

It provided the BEST people watching, ever.
Keith Richard + Mick Jagger are in a heated competition for the most wrinkles.
Charlie Watts (the drummer) looked like a turtle + didn’t look happy at all during the concert. I loved it!
Best dressed goes to Ronnie Wood + his red high tops.
I hope I can still move like Jagger when I’m in my 70s.
Mick Jagger totally name dropped NC State, UNC + Duke as well as RTP, which was random + hilarious.
The Duke Vespers did a stellar job performing with The Rolling Stones. That’s a once in a lifetime opportunity, I hope they soaked up every second of it.

I was beyond glad I went to see The Rolling Stones perform + I HIGHLY suggest that if you ever have the opportunity to go see them, DO IT! They may be getting up there in age, but they’ve still got it!

My Bucket List of Bands

It’s Been Awhile… Part 2

February 22, 2015February 22, 2015 alittlebitsquirrely

Whelp, I’ve done it again. Failed at keeping my blog up to date, but you know what? I’m bound and determined to not give up.

With that being said, I’ve decided to do a recap of the concerts I attended in the summer of 2014 all into one post. Boom!

First up, Weezer at DPAC! Phenomenal show! I’ve been a fan since the 90s and was beyond excited when I got invited to see them with one of my best gal pals. A majority of their show was playing their music from the beginning of their career. It was pure bliss.

Next up was Vampire Weekend at Red Hat Amphitheater. My friend Natalie and I had pit tickets for the show and while I’m not the tallest person (I had difficult seeing the show), I was of course in my happy place, jamming out to the music.

The last summer concert was probably my favorite. He’s been on my bucket list to see, well basically forever. It was BECK at Red Hat Amphitheater! If you ever get the chance to see him live, DO IT! He played a lot of his old music from his albums Odelay, Guero, Modern Guilt, and more as well as tunes from his latest album, Morning Phase.

Can I also mention how much I love his style?! I pretty much loved his entire outfit and his hat! I wonder if I could pull that look off myself…

If there’s one thing I will splurge on it’s concert tickets. Those few precious hours takes me away from whatever is going on in my life and takes me to my happy place.

What’s your happy place?

xoxo