Jenny Snyder

Just like the lyrics to the song explain... life is all about what you make of it.

We got home from NJ yesterday evening (had a great time and great trip which I will blog about later) and I made a mad dash to run a few errands before the end of the business day as well as picking up Rowdy and Kieran from the kennel.  I hadn't been home for 30 minutes when Kevin & I were online looking into tickets for Jesus Christ Superstar.  I hopped onto Craigslist and by total chance, came across a listing for someone selling Natasha Bedingfield tickets.  I asked Kevin if he knew anything about her coming in concert -- assuming it was down the road and probably at the ampitheatre.  He didn't, so I looked it up.  And lo and behold... she was performing LAST NIGHT at a SMALL BAR in CHARLOTTE!!!

It was 7pm ... the opening act went on at 8pm - Natasha would probably start at 9:30p.  Since Kevin is madly in love with her, it was more important that he look nice that me, so I threw on jeans and a halter top, rushed though my makeup, and pulled my hair up.  And the dude looked handsome for his Brit beauty!

We made it there at 8p and got to the center of the 5th row - a great view!  The opening act, The Veronicas, was stellar!  I'm planning on downloading some of their music on ITunes.  Natasha was, of course, more amazing than expected live... and absolutely beautiful.  She definitely made eye contact with Kevin a few times, but not hard considering he was in a sea of girls... and he's 6'4".  He stood out very easily to her... and knew all of the lyrics to her songs.  We were even able to talk to the band and backup singers for a while on our way out... there were standing by the bus which was next to our parking deck.  We were hoping to meet Natasha, but they said she had already passed out from the show.

We both had such a fun night - this was certainly HIS "Bret Michaels" night and I was so thankful we had the opportunity to go!  We laughed and sang the whole drive home... just a perfect ending to our vacation.

Below is a video of her singing "These Words" that I took (I missed the first few seconds)... as well as a few pictures. 

 

 

A few weeks ago while I was cleaning the house, I had the TV on and happened to catch a program that VH1 had put together highlighting select performances from the Station Fire Benefit Show.  The premise behind the show was to raise money for the victims' family members who were left behind with no means of support - Dee Snider of Twisted Sister did a great job of rallying an impressive line-up (you can read the story here).

Anywho, one particular act made me stop my dusting and mopping and sit down to watch:

I of course knew the song, but didn't recognize the singer and assumed someone was covering it.  When I looked up the name, I was floored to find out it was indeed the original singer - what a transformation from his hair band days!  Yes, the sound is a little different... but I really like this acoustic version.  This has always been one of my favorite songs to come out of the 90's, and has held special meanings to me at different points in my life (for example, I remember being on a high school ski trip when it first came it and singing it nonstop with friends that weekend).

I've never been much of a "hair band" fan.  I really just started liking Van Halen a few years ago thanks to my obsessed husband... and I pretty much preferred New Kids, Debbie Gibson, The Smiths, and The Cure to Motley Crue, Def Leppard, and Poison.

And then I got sucked into the train-wreck on VH1 known as "Rock of Love".  And I sort of maybe kinda starting liking Bret Michaels just an eensy bit.

And then I hear through Kelly that he is coming to Charlotte to a little bar called "Alley Cat" to do a show with his solo band.  BUT - tickets were $45.  Not low enough to satisfy my eensy urge to see him.  Flash-forward to the day before the show - I find a girl on Craigslist selling 2 tickets for $50.  SOLD!

My friend Michelle went with me - once Bret came on, we managed shove our way up from Row 10 to Row 2.  I'm glad my college groupie years finally came in handy!

Here's Bret singing [most] of "Something to Believe In" (I had to cut it off for fear that I'd eat up ALL of my memory!):

A few pictures from the night:

And I think its awesome that Bret Michaels is wearing a Bret Michaels shirt:

Here's Big John from "Rock of Love":

And Michelle and I... anxiously awaiting Bret:

Kevin and I met my mom and my cousin Michelle down in Myrtle Beach last weekend (11.11.07) for the Carolina Beach Music Awards.  We would normally go as a family since this event was my Dad's "baby", but this year, we went because they were honoring him and a couple of others who passed away this year.

Just after the start of the second half, they showed a short video of those who had passed away this year... then Craig Woolard called me onstage (which I was NOT expecting!) to present me with a Pepsi "bling" bottle to honor Dad.  The bottle was jokingly made to represent a morph of two of the awards sponsors - Hayes Jewelers and Pepsi.  My Dad would have laughed for days at that bottle!

The Alabama Theater was already "dressed" for Christmas, so Kevin and I took the opportunity - while we were dressed up - to snap a quick Christmas picture.