Michael's Musings

The Rock Star & The Nerd
Starring:
Taylor Momsen & Michael Shinafelt

This past week I had the pleasure of seeing a live show by The Pretty Reckless, courtesy of my friend and awesome publicist Ken Phillips at The Mayan in Los Angeles.

What word would I use to describe the performance? WOW! Front woman Taylor Momsen (former star of Gossip Girl) will make you forget she started out as an actress. She was born to rock!

Enough of the hyperbole, let's kick it!

Has anyone out there ever had a lawsuit over frozen embryos other than Sofia Vergara?

I had a colonoscopy in Los Angeles. You should have one too if you live anywhere else and are due. Don't put it off. PS - I passed with flying colors and gas.

Confession. The Pretty Reckless show is the first time I had Jack Daniels & Diet Coke as a complimentary drink in a long time. I chose it because the show was late and I knew it would keep me awake.

Addendum to the above confession. After I got home from the awesome show and wound down, I had a dream I was doing drugs with Miley Cyrus. See how long it's been since I drank "liquid crack" which is my pet name for it.

Ken Phillips gave me a really groovy Margaret Cho hoodie for my Birthday. It's December 18th mark your calendars.

I have the biggest crush on someone.

A shout out to fellow writer Selena Fragassi who I met at the TPR show. Welcome to Los Angeles! 

The Pretty Reckless
Photo: Michael Shinafelt

Quote of the Week: "Kinda how actors study & train & devote their lives to their craft only to be replaced by reality stars must be how career politicians feel" - Tara Strong Voice Over Artist 

Check out the funny as f@#k parody - by my friend E.G. Daily & her partner in crime Melinda Hill Melanoma & Bulimia, Melania Trump's cousins here :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lH6VmZudQ4w

Looks like Boy George is going to be a presence on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills this season. You thought Lisa Vanderpump was a sniper from the side, just you wait!

I asked a security guard to fasten my wristband on me for The Pretty Reckless show instead of doing it myself. I told him I was mentally challenged, he laughed.(glad there are people out there who still have a sense of humor)

Can we all just be honest BTW. Unless a miracle happens, we are going to make history, "yes" for the first time ever we are going to have a sex worker as first lady. While I have nothing against sex workers, I do have a thing against hypocrisy.

Time to motor, catch me at the links below:

https://twitter.com/MShinafelt
https://www.instagram.com/michaelshinafelt/ 

Jane Says: It's Time For A Shindig

JANE’S ADDICTION 

RISE AGAINST

ANCHOR RETURN OF THE SHINDIG MUSIC FESTIVAL

Uh, wow this really does look like it lives up to it's name, Shindig, not to mention Jane's Addiction is a headliner, what more could one want in a music festival except for free Jack Daniels with Diet Coke, I ask you?

Yes! It's An Addiction,  Jane's Addiction!!!

GOGOL BORDELLO, CLUTCH, FISHBONE, HALESTORM, LUCERO, MANY MORE

JOIN THE PARTY FOR BALTIMORE’S ONLY TRUE ROCK & ROLL FESTIVAL

Daylong Celebration Captures Spirit and Work Ethic of Charm City’s Neighborhoods

Saturday, Sept. 27 @ Carroll Park

TICKETS ON SALE NOW!

“My favorite thing about this festival was the overall vibe of the good people of Baltimore. The festival was packed in tight with positive, sincere people who all were there to see some great music and have fun.”

- The Vinyl District (DC)

 A "Shindig" is defined as "a large, lively party celebrating something,” and in this case, that "something" is the DIY Rock & Roll spirit and work ethic of Baltimore at the core of THE SHINDIG MUSIC FESTIVAL, returning Saturday, Sept. 27 to Carroll Park with alt-rock legends JANE’s ADDICTION and punk rock favorites RISE AGAINST anchoring a daylong, two-stage lineup in the city’s Pigtown district that’s as fun and diverse as Charm City’s people and neighborhoods.

Adding to the eclectic festivities on this year’s two main stages will be Gogol Bordello, Clutch,Fishbone, Halestorm, Lucero, J Roddy Walston & The Business, Larry and His Flask, TheMahones, The Bots, Charm City Devils, Bad Seed Rising. Gates open at Noon. Music Begins at 12:30 p.m. Tickets are on sale NOW at $60 until Aug. 16 (early bird); $70 thereafter. VIP tickets also available. To order tickets, go to www.missiontix.com/THESHINDIG. Complete festival information at www.theshindigbaltimore.com.

The all-day festival will feature two identical main stages with NO OVERLAPPING SETS of music. The Vending Village in The Woods offers a variety of Baltimore’s best and familiar food and beverage options with plenty of seating and shade available. The Woods is also home to the Ripley's "Believe it or Not" Side Stage featuring an array of rare talent including sword swallowers, fire breathers, aerial acrobats, burlesque performances and other visually captivating oddities.

"I was born and raised in Baltimore and creating a festival and vibe we've never seen was my goal,” says THE SHINDIG’s curator, longtime Maryland independent concert promoter, Paul Manna at 24-7 Entertainment “As a fan of every artist playing, I just know that thousands of live music lovers will truly appreciate this lineup as much as I do. Seeing Perry Farrell and Jane's Addiction, one of my all-time favorite bands, perform in Pigtown will certainly be the icing on the cake.”

The Shindig's inaugural event last year, featuring Dropkick Murphys, Joan Jett and The Blackhearts, The Gaslight Anthem, Clutch, The Mighty MightyBosstones, Reverend Horton Heat, The Hold Steady, and more, was a resounding success, prompting Pigtown officials to welcome its 2014 return.

"The Shindig showcased our historic neighborhood to the most people ever gathered for an event in Pigtown or Carroll Park - without any incidents or arrests,” says Ben Hyman, Director of Pigtown Main Street. “They are yet another example of our investment in Pigtown, including the opening of nine new businesses and hundreds of thousands of dollars in economic development."

Carroll Park is located 1/2 mile from Camden Yards, M&T Bank Stadium, I-95, and I-395 in the heart of Baltimore’s beloved Pigtown. To eliminate any parking concerns, 24-7 Entertainment has reserved several large, secured parking lots that border the festival grounds conveniently landmarked by the monstrous Montgomery Park building.

The Shindig is proud to welcome festival lovers from all over the Mid-Atlantic region to our beloved hometown of Baltimore, MD for another year of great music and memories.

THE SHINDIG ON THE WEB:

Tickets: www.missiontix.com/THESHINDIG

Official Weebsite - www.theshindigbaltimore.com

Facebook - www.facebook.com/theshindigbaltimore

My Trashy Evening: For The Love Of "Garbage"

Photo: Buffy Thon

“I can't use what I can't abuse
And I can't stop when it comes to you” - “Vow” Garbage

It’s Tuesday, April 10, 2012. The Mission: Getting to one of two sold out shows for the triumphant return of Garbage at the El Rey in Los Angeles.

Shirley Manson, Shirley Manson, Shirley Manson…

My friend Buffy is in town from Florida scored the tickets and she is ready to rock and see LA.

First stop on our trashy evening is one of my favorite restaurants Palermo, a tasty Italian place in Los Feliz.

We are hungry and ready, our journey from the Beverly Garland in North Hollywood to our dining destination is flawless, we even got a parking spot right off.

Something isn’t right, Palermo is in lock down….Hmmmmmmmm…armed with her I Phone Buffy pulls up the data on Palermo. It’s closed on Tuesdays, WTF?! How random, who would have thought, most establishments are closed on Monday, if at all.

“C'mon push it, you can do it
C'mon prove it, nothing to it”… “Push It” Garbage

Armed with a craving for pasta we target a new destination: Osteria La Buca ….we will have our Italian pasta and eat it too! We get to OLB and are served some of the best effen pasta ever, a dish called Poppy Seed Tagliatelle w/oysters, mushroom, basil-butter, ricotta salata…can you say Yummy?!

While dining Buffy realizes the most important part of our evening’s mission, she forgot the tickets to get us into the El Rey to see Garbage back at her Hotel room…Ugh!

Shirley Manson, Shirley Manson, Shirley Manson…

Back to North Hollywood to The Beverly Garland, our objective? To get the tickets from the bowels of Buffy’s hotel room and still make in time to see Garbage.

“I think I'm paranoid And complicated
I think I'm paranoid Manipulate it” …”I Think I’m Paranoid” Garbage

Mission completed, directive? Over the hill to The El Rey to claim our reward.

We arrive find free parking (no one wants to pay $20 effen dollars for that sh!t)!

Saunter upstairs to the V.I.P. bar and grab an energy drink, Jack Daniels and Diet Coke please. We have arrived a mere ½ hour before Garbage takes the stage.

And take it they did! The show was amazing, Shirley Manson was magnetic the whole time and is one of the best female vocalists (according to me) ever!

Hey Garbage, you rule!

“I would die for you I would die for you
I've been dying just to feel you by my side, to know that you're mine” “I Would Die For You” - Garbage

www.garbage.com