World of Color - Post Show - 10/07/2010

Here is a short clip of Disney California Adventure after a World of Color performance. This was taken on October 7th 2010. Enjoy!

John

World of Color - Before the Show - 10/07/2010

Here's a short clip of Disney California Adventure before its nightly show WORLD OF COLOR starts...this was taken on Oct 7th 2010. Enjoy!



John

Madonna Music Monday - 02/28/2011

Congrats to those who won an OSCAR last night!!! While many critics have generally panned last night's telecast, I found parts of the show entertaining. I was happy to see that the four nominated songs featured in a film were performed on the show. My favorite performance was that of Florence Welch, from Florence and the Machine, who sang the nominated song IF I RISE from the film 127 HOURS. It was a moving performance. However, the Oscar was awarded to Randy Newman for his TOY STORY 3 contribution, WE BELONG TOGETHER. After 22 nominations, this is Newman's second win. While watching the performances, I was reminded of another Oscar musical performance. That performance was for Madonna's second appearance on a Oscar show. In 1996, Madonna starred in the long-awaited film version of the Broadway musical EVITA. Madonna won a Golden Globe award for her performance, but she was not nominated for an Oscar. However, when the song YOU MUST LOVE ME was nominated from the film, Madonna volunteered to sing her song on the telecast. And in return, the Oscar show and its viewers witnessed an amazing performance. The following clip is of that performance. Madonna sings YOU MUST LOVE ME from the film EVITA. Enjoy!!!



John

Madonna Music Monday - 02/21/2011

The Oscar season will come to a close this weekend when the Oscar Awards are presented Sunday night. This past Saturday I saw 5 of the 10 films nominated for Best Film. This coming Saturday I will see the remaining 5 films. This year's Oscar Show should be interesting with James Franco & Anne Hathaway sharing host duties on the telecast. In the past few years, the Oscar telecast has been lack-luster and just too long. Too many boring film montages, the elimination of Best Song & Score performances and the odd choices of hosts for the telecast. The biggest mistake is eliminating the Song & Score performances. These performances are a highlight of the telecasts. Plus these songs & scores play a vital part of a nominated film, setting the tone and evoking the feel of a movie. Sometimes these telecast performances are much better than the films that they were nominated from. Here is one such performance. This is Madonna singing her Oscar winning song from the film Dick Tracy. This was the 1st time Madonna appeared on the Oscar telecast. This performance is a tribute to Old Hollywood and the stars of those days, especially Marilynn Monroe. Say what you will about Madonna, but when she is on stage, singing and performing, being in sync with the audience, it is a magical experience. Enjoy!



John

Linda Eder - In Concert 02/12/2011

Last weekend I had a chance to see one of my favorite singers in concert. Broadway star Linda Eder was in town to promote her new album NOW, to be released March 1st. In a small setting of 800 people, Eder gave one of the most diverse and amazing performances I have ever seen. Singing in different musical styles, Eder just kept soaring and soaring with every song. In the span of 1 hour and 40 minutes, without an intermission, Eder sang show tunes, jazz standards, movie theme songs, songs cut from staged shows, songs from musicals yet to be be staged and new material from an upcoming Broadway musical. She sang Someone Like You from Jekyll & Hyde. She sang Bryan Adam's Everything I Do I Do It For You. She sang an exquisite version of the Oscar winning song Falling Slowly from the movie of the same name. She opened with a glorious version of Vienna. She sang Make Today Beautiful. She sang a song that is sung by the Mad Hatter character in the new Alice In Wonderland musical WONDERLAND, written by Eder's ex-husband Frank Wildhorn. She told stories about her life. She explained how she almost missed her flight to Chicago for the show, left her jewelry & make-up back home, had to go to a nearby Nordstrom's for new jewelry & make-up. Someone in the audience yelled 'Happy Birthday'. Eder then asked the audience to sing Happy Birthday to her. And we did!!! She was moved by our singing. It was truly a great night of singing. You don't believe me? Than watch the following and judge for yourself. Here is Linda Eder singing the theme song from the film Valley of the Dolls for her encore. Truly Amazing!!! Enjoy!!!

John 

Madonna Music Monday - 02/14/2011

Happy Valentine's Day! Today I'm showcasing a perfect song for the holiday. Its the great classic Madonna song Open Your Heart. Taken from the True Blue album, its one of the best pop songs ever written. I love the mix of innocence and sexiness in this video. Plus Madonna looks great and sounds great in this video/song. I hope you spent Valentine's Day with someone special. Enjoy!



John

Happy Birthday California Adventure!!!

Today in 2001, Disney California Adventure opened directly across from Disneyland. Built as a tribute to the state of California, it is currently going thru a major face-lift to represent the California that Walt Disney knew when he started his magical company. The park serves as an alternative to the magical fantasy offered at Disneyland. Hopefully when all the re-habs are done, sometime in 2012, California Adventure will become a theme park that will offer more to its guests and become a tourist destination just like the originator, Disneyland. Happy Magical Birthday DCA!!!



John

Madonna Music Monday - 02/02/2011

Without question one of my favorite Madonna songs is FEVER, one of the few cover songs Madonna has recorded. Madonna's version is very upbeat and hot, which is very different from the classic Peggy Lee version. So far, Madonna has performed Fever only three times. First for Saturday Night Live. Second time was during the 1000th episode of The Arsenio Hall Show and then for her Girlie Show World Tour. The following clip is taken from that tour. Its a very simple performance. Madonna, two male dancers and the song. But it makes a huge impact. So here is Fever from Madonna's Girlie Show World Tour. Enjoy!!!



John