Theater Review: Hair Live at the Hollywood Bowl #HAIRatthebowl

The Age of Aquarius came alive under the stars tonight as the anti-war flower children of Hair took over the Hollywood Bowl. This was the first time I'd seen a musical at the Bowl and the first time I'd seen Hair at all so I was looking forward to a good time.

The powerhouse cast alone is enough to make this a must see show but to see them actually perform it only confirms that. The entire cast turned in a wonderful performance and made a memorable first viewing of this historical play.

With names like Kristen Bell, Hunter Parish, Beverly D'Angelo, Jonah Platt, Jenna Ushkowitz, Amber Riley, Sarah Hyland, and more you know you're in for something special. For me, the big draw was Kristen Bell. It's no secret I am a huge fan of hers and the chance to see her performing live on stage was too great to pass up. She was fantastic but it was another actress who stole the show: Sarah Hyland. I was blown away by her. She was charming, funny, and I am pretty sure she was on stage the entire first act. She handled some unexpected mic trouble like a seasoned broadway veteran, and even ad-libbed a joke about it in act two. This girl is definitely more than Modern Family.

Another stand out was Amber Riley. What a voice this girl has. A true talent with a killer voice and comedy chops as well.

I don't mean to leave the gentlemen out of the review here. The guys were great but to be honest, the ladies owned it tonight.

As the show went on, another unexpected issue came up: a rare summer rainstorm. Unfortunately, the fickle LA audience wasn't having the rain and a lot of people began heading for the doors. This was just moments into act two by the way and no amount of praying for star shine or sunshine was keeping the rain at bay. The cast referenced the rain in a couple clever ways and the Bowl staff passed out ponchos. The audience that remained (it was still a lot of people) were treated to a high energy and emotional finale.

One drawback is that a show like Hair is better served in a more intimate venue where cast interactions with the audience can be more appreciated and enjoyed than with a massive Bowl audience.

With great direction and choreography along with a talented and captivating cast, Hair at the Hollywood Bowl is a wonderful way to spend an evening.

You have one more chance to catch this great show tonight (Sunday August 3) at 7:30pm.

Hair

8/10 Tie Dyes!

For more information and tickets click HERE.

RAWR(for more)

Concert Review: My Big Night Out 2014 @EdSheeran @DDLovato @ColbieCaillat @AndyGrammer #MYBigNightOut

MyFM took over the Hollywood Bowl again for another night of great music and stellar performances. This year, they brought Andy Grammer, Colbie Caillat, Demi Lovato, and Ed Sheeran to the stage and each one of them delivered wonderful sets and fan earning performances.

I hadn't known that I knew Andy Grammer but it turns out I did recognize a couple of his songs. By the time he finished his set I was looking through iTunes to get his album (his new one, Magazines or Novels, arrives August 5). He has a great voice and some fun songs that was a great way to kick off the night.

Up next was Colbie Caillat, who I wish was able to perform a bit longer. She has a dreamy voice that I really enjoy and her time seemed to end before she really was able to get going. That's not to say it wasn't good, because it was, I just wanted more time with her. She closed out her set with her hit Bubbly and highlighted her new single Try. More time would have given us more of her familiar songs.

That's the only complaint I have, and it's one you get with these kinds of shows. The more artists, the less time each has to perform. Thankfully, the crew devised a great rotating stage to keep things moving quickly and getting each artist ready to go in as little time as possible. This turned what might have been a 30-40 minute intermission into 10-15 minutes. Pretty smart.

After Colbie wrapped up, a new group that I hadn't yet heard of came out to perform their current single. Nico and Vinz took the stage and with one song hooked me. They were great. High energy, infectious, really talented guys. I was almost sad that they only did one song.

Unfortunately, they were quickly forgotten because when Demi Lovato took the stage she completely owned it and captivated everyone for the next hour and change. Her performance was fantastic and exceeded any expectations I had. Forget the Disney girl she used to be because Demi Lovato has blossomed into a full fledged artist with some serious chops. She ran through several of her biggest hits and paused to discuss her troubles with addiction and rehab before performing a chill inducing version of Warrior. She's got some rock chops too and I can only hope that she gets the credit she deserves. Her music is strong, her performance was spot on flawless. Demi Lovato is a true talent and she was a joy to watch on stage. Her set was heartfelt, energetic, and memorable.

Finally, Ed Sheeran took the stage. I was interested in the whole line up but, honestly, I was here for Ed and he did not disappoint. I'm confident in saying that I think he is one of this generation's best artists in nearly every way. A modern day James Taylor who can take command of a crowd instantaneously and mesmerize them for an hour with just a guitar, his voice, and a loop machine. He doesn't need a band or back up singers and to be honest we don't want them. All we need is Ed and he makes magic on that stage. Every song is gorgeous, he can turn a classic Nina Simone song like Be My Kind into his own, and never once lose the attention of his audience. I can't name another (current/mainstream) artist that can do that.

His set was a nice mix of old and new. His banter with the audience was charming and his humbleness is evident. His first act after coming on stage is to snap a picture of the audience, after making sure we didn't mind. Of course no one did. After that, he blessed us with a magical hour or so. I've already made plans to get to see him again when he returns in august.

Overall, My Big Night Out was a rousing success. A packed line-up all of whom did wonderful topped off with a stellar unforgettable solo set from Ed Sheeran.

I'm excited to see what MyFM brings next summer.

MyFM's My Big Night Out featuring 

Andy Grammer, Colbie Caillat, Demi Lovato, and Ed Sheeran

10/10 Nights Out

RAWR(for more)