storytime with dave (and his mom!)

If there's one thing I've learned from being a Foo Fighters fan for almost 20 years, it's that Dave Grohl likes to talk... a lot. But that's okay, because he's Dave Grohl and he tells great stories.


Today, at the LA Times Festival of Books, I had the awesome experience of hearing Dave and his mom, Virginia Hanlon Grohl, tell stories of his early years -- like how she dealt with letting her 17-year-old son drop out of school to go on tour with a punk band called Scream -- and the similarities and bonds she's formed with the other moms of now-famous musical artists she interviewed for her new book, "From Cradle to Stage: Stories from the Mothers Who Rocked and Raised Rock Stars." (I've started to read the book already -- going through all the Dave stories first - shocker! -- and it's a great read.)

Here's a snippet of their LA Times Main Stage "Conversation" Saturday afternoon, posted by Muse.

   

 And here's a bunch of my photos of animated Dave interviewing his mom and telling stories (while wearing a flannel shirt in 90-degree-heat without breaking a sweat!) 

UPDATE 5/14/17: Here's the full video of the session, posted by Muse 

wildflowers, scenic views and sprained ankles

Back in March, my Channel Islands crew (aka Linda and James and I) decided to hit the high seas and head out to Santa Cruz Island to see the wildflowers in massive bloom after all the rain Southern California received this winter.

It was a foggy boat ride out to the island, but cleared just as we got near the island's coast. And our hike was beautiful and awesome for about two hours before klutz-o me, while walking on what I thought was a flat path looking at a field of pretty wildflowers, turned my ankle on a little dip off the path. I heard it pop, and thought it was broken. Luckily it was not and I was able to walk back the three miles to the boat. Unluckily, that probably wasn't the best idea, as here we are six weeks later and I'm in physical therapy and getting MRI results back on Tuesday because the "sprain" still hasn't healed.

But seeing un-disturbed nature in full bloom and pretty green-ness was still worth it... check out these gorgeous pics. You'll think we'd gone to The Shire :)

A wild island fox, looking for crumbs...

A long, thick layer of fog clung to the Ventura Coastline all day. The boat had to use the foghorn on the way back to make sure other boats knew we were there. 

In happy times, pre-sprained ankle

                

 

57th and 9th at sunset and argyle

Late last year I broke my "I'm too old for General Admission" concerts rule and bought two general admission tickets to see Sting at the teeny, tiny Palladium in Hollywood. 

Yes that Sting. Of The Police. And of STING. 

So on February 8th, my concert pal Lisa and I hit the metro to Sunset and Vine, stopped for cocktails at The Well, and then trekked across the street to look for a place near the back wall to lean against for the next few hours. 

But there was no leaning space left on the back wall, because -- when compared to most of Sting's fan base -- we're actually on the younger side ;) However, there WAS leaning space left against the security railing right to the right side OF THE STAGE. So we staked claim to our space there and there we stood for the next 3+ hours. And it was a good thing we were on time, because Sting opened the show... shocking everyone by walking out on stage with just a guitar and singing "Heading South on the Great North Road" under a single spotlight.

Then he told everyone the plan for the evening... introducing the two opening acts -- Los Bandoleros, and Joe Sumner (aka Sting's son) -- and saying he'd be back soon. And he was... playing tamborine and singing back-up for Los Bandoleros, just like he did last summer on tour with Peter Gabriel. 

The main Sting set started with "Synchronicity II" .. one of my fave Police songs / the title track of the first Police record I ever owned in 5th grade. From then on, it was awesome song after awesome song. Sting has been having so much fun on stage the last year, starting with the Peter Gabriel dual tour, and now this tour with young up-and-coming artists. And being right up front, with a great view of the man who I've been saying (for like the last 15 years) only gets better with age, didn't hurt either. Enjoy the photos...

         

The Set List: 

Heading South on the Great North Road (Sting solo acoustic before opening acts)

Synchronicity II

Spirits in the Material World

She's Too Good for Me

Englishman in New York

One Fine Day

I Can't Stop Thinking About You

Down, Down, Down

I'm So Happy I Can't Stop Crying

Pretty Young Soldier

Petrol Head

Shape of My Heart

Message in a Bottle

Ashes to Ashes (David Bowie cover) (with Joe Sumner)

50,000

Walking on the Moon

So Lonely

Desert Rose

Roxanne (with "Ain't No Sunshine" by Bill Withers snippet)

Encore:

Next to You

Every Breath You Take

Encore 2:

The Empty Chair