2 things

[pennie_dreadful]

                                              
First, the New Josh Groban DVD, Awake Live.  He does not disappoint. :)  I've watched the whole thing three times, and listened to the accompanying CD on the way to work over the weekend.  I especially loved his duet with Angelique Kidjo, "Pearls".  One word that kept coming to me as I listened to it was was powerful.  They both have such strong voices, and the lyrics were so emotional.  And I loved his performance of "Un Giorno Per Noi", my favorite non-English song on the album.  And I have to say, "Awake"--why is it only a b-side?  Please, please put it on the next album!  Better yet, make it the fist single on the next album!  As beautiful as it was live, I can't wait to hear a studio version.  Or, maybe he could release an lp.  I know it's not really done in the genre, but I know I also loved "Mi Morena" on his last live DVD, and I was half expecting to see it on Awake but it didn't make the final cut.  (edit--I found the studio version of "Awake" on the lovely interweb this morning.  I iz a happy fan :))

I love how he's evolved as an artist.  I remember his first album was almost strictly classical, and he didn't have any original songs.  And that first DVD, he wore a suit, was clean shaven, walked sedately across the stage as he sang.  He had to be induced by his producer, who accompanied on piano with a few songs,  to play for just a few minutes.  Now that he's proven he's star material, he's able to cut loose, put more of his personality in his music.  There's a reason I didn't really become as big a fan as I am now until the second album, Closer, when he was able to put two of his own songs on.  And on the last two DVDs, he plays piano (and has a drum solo! exciting) for a fair bit, besides just singing.  Not to mention, that if you saw a picture of him, you wouldn't put the picture with a classical artist (although he's as much pop artist as classical, now).  He's got that indie rocker, scruffy look going on.   

Okay, second; AI, when the hell are you going to make me stop jumping through hoops just to be able to go to your school?  I have to go back there again at the end of the month.  And I have to stay the whole weekend!  Some kind of orientation.  The letter said it was for enrolled students, which threw me;  How can I be an enrolled student if I haven't even been told if accepted yet?  The next line reads that this weekend is supposed to complete the admissions process, and let me meet some of my future class mates.  

Oh, and it gets better.  They also sent me an agenda, and it reads, Friday, May 30, 6 pm, check-in; 6:30 Welcome Dinner; 7:30 Music, Games, Open-Mic and Karaoke.

Open-Mic and Karaoke???  

No. 

Comments

[aurillia.livejournal.com]

Oh wow, Kareoke, classy stuff ;)

Would there be any use in calling them and asking, does this mean I am enrolled? Why all the secrecy? Surely they should know by now?!

That Josh kid looks kinda cute, I can see the appeal there. Oh you like his music...! Just taking the piss :) Where can I hear his music? iTunes I guess.

[kat-nic.livejournal.com]

Oh haha, yes I like his music. :p It's totally coincidental that he's also easy on the eyes.

And I absolutely hate those stupid "mixers", which is what the whole "music, games, etc..." thing really is, I just know it. Me singing karaoke? Surely you jest.

[aurillia.livejournal.com]

There's a time and a place for kareoke - and that's in a private room at a kareoke place in Japan, at night, when you're totally pissed on cheap beer and have no idea what you're singing and don't care much either, cause everyone sounds bad! And the only people watching are your mates :0

My first such experience? My third day in Japan, went out with a bunch of people, did the above, and got alcohol poisoning. I figure it was something like 6 pints of their awful beer. Lots of vomiting, have never felt sicker. Had to stay home and did not make a terribly good impression on the trainers, who we let believe I was homesick. A bit humiliating but better than the truth!

[kat-nic.livejournal.com]

Oh, god, really? Six pints?! How did you not just...burst? That's a lotta liquid. I don't really drink, so I will probably never try it, no matter how intimate the setting. I hate being the center of attention.

[aurillia.livejournal.com]

I don't recommend it. In my defence, I didn't realise how much I was drinking - and on an empty stomach too, which is why I got the poisoning. They have this thing in Japan called nomihodi, which basically means "all you can drink" (yeah forget "all you can eat"!) - the Japanese are so small, they don't drink very much at all so nomihodi is a good way for the places to make money. Except when the gaijin come in, and then they go broke in one night! Well not really but I bet they hate us for drinking them dry. Anyway, it's like the equivalent of $20 for 2 hours of all the drinks you want, so you can imagine how much gaijin drink - and how often they go out. I had friends/work mates there who went out drinking nearly every night. I find that kind of thing incredibly boring, to be honest. I generally only have a glass of wine with tea, or a beer on hot summer days. I stop drinking before I get properly pissed, and drink lots of water, so I haven't been drunk in a long time.

I'm way way too shy to do something like kareoke in a room of strangers while sober. Not gonna happen :)

[kat-nic.livejournal.com]

I remember when I turned twenty-one every asked if I was going to go to a bar. In most states that's the legal drinking age, in a few places it's eighteen, I think, or nineteen. Anyway, no, I didn't go to a bar and get drunk. The only times I've ever been to bars was to see a local band I like, The Escape Artists. And I didn't drink then either. I guess it's just a taste thing. Neither of my parents drink, I was never around anyone who did, and while I have tried a few drinks out of sheer curiosity, I wasn't impressed enought to let myself go.