Tag Archives: concert

May29

Elton John Brunch

Posted on May 29, 2024 by lifewithlilred

Hello!! This past Sunday, Johnny and I enjoyed a highly entertaining day at an Elton John Brunch with his mom for a belated Mother’s Day gift. This event took place at the Music Box Supper Club, which is located in The Flats in Cleveland. While the venue hosts regular bands from time to time, they are known for having tribute performances and it is an absolute blast. We haven’t been to the Music Box Supper Club since seeing a Bruce Springsteen tribute band called Swamps of Jersey years ago. That was a total hoot so we all knew we were in for some fun at our brunch outing. Check it out:

I think myself, Johnny, and my beloved mother-in-law will say that the brunch portion of our time at the Music Box Supper Club left a lot to be desired. However, the mimosas were A-okay and our Elton John for the afternoon was spectacular. Tommy Lee Thompson from Akron (Represent!) was a brilliant combination of old and new Elton and he had the entire audience singing, dancing, laughing, and smiling from ear to ear. He had cheeky quips, could tickle the keyboard keys like nobody’s business, and the unmistakable Elton John voice to match. We were seated facing his back during the show, but this was actually a good thing. We could see everything he was doing on the keyboard perfectly and it was mind blowing!

For the hour and a half performance, Tommy Lee Thompson performed several classic Elton John hits. He also spent some time playing Billy Joel, The Monkees, and Carole King. Although these songs were good, I think we were all happy when he went back to Elton John. It was the Elton John Brunch, after all! Johnny and I were elated that he opened the show with The Bitch Is Back because it is our jam. And, as always, we got very sentimental when he performed Your Song. Our sweet niece did her flower girl thing to Your Song when we got married and it holds the most special place in our hearts. You could tell that everyone in the audience had some time of connection to the songs being played and it was so nice to be part of a crowd full of people having the literal best Sunday ever. ❤

We had a banner time celebrating Johnny’s mom at the Elton John Brunch and have grand plans for more visits to the Music Box Supper Club this summer. They have a stellar tribute band lineup and we are SO there for it!

What is the best tribute band you have seen? What is your favorite Elton John song? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May22

Constellations Show

Posted on May 22, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!!! Johnny and I had an incredibly busy weekend, but it was such a fun one. On Friday, our sweet niece had her preschool graduation. Saturday was the first show for Constellations, a metalcore band that I do social media management for. And on Sunday we celebrated my brother’s birthday. The show on Saturday was an absolute blast and I have been looking forward to it for a long time. This was the first time I got to meet all of the band members in person. The guys and gal of the Constellations crew were all exactly how I imagined them to be – a total delight. Not to mention they tore their first set up!

Constellations had their first show at Mahall’s, which is about forty-five minutes away from us in Lakewood. Mahall’s was such a cool venue that featured the concert space, a bar and restaurant, and a vintage bowling alley on the lower level. Before the show, Johnny and I enjoyed drinks at the bar, taking pictures, and mingling with the band and other concertgoers. Everyone was decked out in their emo/goth/metal best and we loved to see it! Constellations was the first opener for Until I Wake and that was great because Johnny and I can’t hang like we used to lol. They took the stage around six fifteen and…

It was INCREDIBLE!!! Right from the jump with their first single, RIP, they were completely in their bag. Between the music, their stage presence, and the vibey deep red and indigo lighting, Johnny and I were blown away. It was so very cool to finally see what the band is capable of and the joy that was radiating off of them when they were doing their thing. The guitarists, Chandler and Heather, went into the crowd with their instruments and the audience just went nuts. Max on bass gave the band a thumping heartbeat. Mike on drums was so effortless in his performance and our vocalist and screamer, Tre, led the show like a seasoned pro. Needless to say, I was beyond proud!

To Johnny’s delight, we helped the band load up their van after the performance (He missed it!) and got to hang out before it was time to make our way home. We sang Constellations praises the whole way back and can’t wait for the next show!

Who is your favorite local band? What is your favorite music venue? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec11

How You Can Harmonize Your Concert Experience

Posted on December 11, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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How You Can Harmonize Your Concert Experience

Who doesn’t love going to a good concert? Getting to see your favorite performer live just feels unreal, doesn’t it? There’s so much anticipation, so much hype, and all of it is thrilling! Even though it’s exciting, concerts aren’t really what they used to be; even concerts today aren’t the same as they were a decade ago. Nowadays, there are phones recording everything everywhere, high ticket prices thanks to a certain company, and sometimes you have to drive really far just to see your favorite performers, like Weird Al. In general, it all feels a bit different. With that said, it’s important to make the most of concerts as the prices and etiquette change. Here’s everything you need to know:

Plan Everything Far in Advance:

Seriously, who wants to feel stressed out before, during, and after a concert? You’ll want to go ahead and choose your tickets wisely based on your preferences for seating, proximity to the stage, and overall concert atmosphere. Basically, as soon as you find out about the concert, buy the tickets ASAP. Transportation is another big part of this. You’ll need to research your options, whether it’s public transit, ride share services, or parking facilities near the venue. No matter what, you’ll need to always plan for potential traffic and make sure you have a reliable way to get there and back.

Another thing you’ll need to do in advance is to have an idea about the policies at the venue; they all vary no matter which MSG bag policy is common for that venue, but more and more venues are getting strict about this; there are even some that won’t allow for phone or camera usage either.

Comfortable Attire:

While it’s totally understandable that you want to look as cute as possible, being comfortable matters way more. This especially goes for shoes; you’ll want to opt for comfortable shoes, especially if there’s standing involved (for some reason, standing concerts seem to be getting more common). You’ll likely be on your feet for an extended period and comfortable footwear can make a significant difference.

You Need Ear Protection:

No matter how far away you are from the stage or speakers, you’ll still need ear protection. People will be screaming all around you, seriously everywhere, there will be screams (unless this is a classical concert, of course). So it’s best to just consider bringing ear protection to safeguard your hearing without compromising the music experience.

Contribute to a Positive Atmosphere:

This seems to be a problem nowadays, not just the etiquette but this questionable toxicity that’s been growing. You need to embrace the collective excitement, and you definitely need to respect the performers and fellow concertgoers to create an enjoyable environment for everyone.

Concerts are an amazing experience and they can be even better with the tips above!

Featured Image By: Unsplash

Nov3

Johnny For A Day OOTD

Posted on November 3, 2022 by lifewithlilred

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Hello! Johnny and I had a wonderful Halloween weekend and I hope that all of you did too! On Friday, we had a game night with one of our friends and on Saturday, Johnny and I got dressed up in our Halloween best to pass out candy in my parents’ neighborhood. We had so much fun seeing all of the adorable trick-or-treat costumes and definitely plan on being the delegated candy passer-outers next year too!

The trick-or-treaters weren’t the only ones with good costumes and, while I hinted that I was going to wear my wedding dress in a previous post, I decided to go a different route. I took one of my other suggestions and created a costume inspired by my husband, instead! I freaking LOVE how it turned out and everyone in our friend group thought that I nailed it too. GREAT SUCCESS! Check it out:

How It Started:

How It’s Going:

Who? What? Wear?

Silk Scarf: This is Johnny’s and he got it from Phix
Velvet Button Down: This is also Johnny’s and he got it from Phix
Distressed Skinny Jeans: American Eagle Outfitters
Devil Horn Platforms: Dolls Kill

Ever since Johnny and I began dating, I have been inspired by his personal style that is part glam rock part emo kid. Seeing the amazing outfits that he would put together while playing a concert or just hanging out would put my heart in a tizzy! While I am a lucky lady to have such a fashion forward husband, I am even luckier because his clothes fit me lol. This is not the first time that I have worn one of his fabulous button downs in his collection and it certainly won’t be the last. 😀

For my Halloween costume, I embodied “concert Johnny” because he always follows the same formula for showtime OOTDs: Killer shoes, skinny jeans, flashy button down, and a scarf. This was probably the easiest OOTD that I have ever assembled because straying too far from what he wears for a concert would have defeated the point of the costume! He has also never worn the button down that I selected for a show before so I was honored to give it a test drive. My consensus: It works!

When I started styling this look, I originally had on one of his snakeskin patterned tops in a more muted shade. However, it just wasn’t popping enough since I wanted to go full glam rock. I tried on the red velvet button down with glittery polka dots next and I knew that it was the one. Also, if you look closely, you will notice that the buttons on it are little skull heads – so cool! This button down by Phix was also the perfect one to pair with Johnny’s black and white striped scarf. The White Stripes themed color palette looked rock concert ready and I could picture Johnny wearing it and looking fantastico.

Skinny jeans were a must for this Johnny inspired costume and, while he has never worn distressed jeans, I wanted to show a bit of skin since everything else was covered up. I probably wouldn’t have worn these AEO skinnies if it wasn’t such a nice night for trick-or-treat but it was warm enough that I got away with it. I also have to take advantage of showing off my tattoos before it gets too cold to do so!

Finally, it was time for shoes and I knew just the pair. Although they are a far cry from Johnny’s signature pointed toe Chelsea boots, I just had to break out my devil horn platforms from Dolls Kill. I wanted to add some obvious Halloween flare to this outfit and what better way to do that than with some costume ready platform boots?! They are so cheeky and fun with the horns and devil tail going up the heels. These boots also tied together the whole outfit beautifully. The red of the boots and the top are an almost perfect match and a little extra glitter never hurt anyone. ❤

I am so proud of how this costume turned out and Johnny was very impressed, albeit a little weirded out, that his wife was dressed just like him! Lol, tune in tomorrow for bonus pics from this look as well as how Johnny’s concert moves inspired all of the pictures we took!

What did you dress up as for Halloween? How did you celebrate Halloween? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul31

“Weird Al” Yankovic Concert

Posted on July 31, 2022 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!! This past Wednesday, my dad, brother, Johnny, and I went to see “Weird Al” Yankovic in concert at the Goodyear Theater in Akron. My brother and I haven’t seen “Weird Al” since 2012 during his Mandatory Fun tour and we had an absolute blast! Although we all stayed up way too late on a school night, we would do it again in a heartbeat for two and a half hours of nonstop laughs. Let’s get to it:

As you can see by the pictures, we didn’t have the best seats for The Unfortunate Return Of The Ridiculously Self-Indulgent Ill-Advised Vanity Tour. We were in the very last row of the balcony! However, this was actually fine by us because it was like having our own little private section and no one was breathing all over us lol. Despite the crappy pictures, we could still see everything perfectly… Except for when the stage lights were blinding us!

The show began with a set by comedian, Emo Phillips, and it was a riot. Him and “Weird Al” have been touring together for years now and he is also one of Johnny’s favorites so it was cool to see him live. He was SO damn funny and one of his jokes was one of the best parts of the night. Emo mentioned there were probably some liberals here and people cheered. Then, he said there were probably some conservatives here and some guy yelled “YEAH”. To which Emo replied with “Oh, okay. Don’t worry – I won’t talk about politics, religion, or science”. I think this guy was looking for some type of confirmation but he got completely MERKED and that’s always nice to see! 😀

After a rousing set by Emo, it was time for Yankovic to take the stage. The very long name of his tour meant that he was going to be performing some of his lesser known hits, which were primarily non-parody songs. He also told us stories about how each song came to be before playing them so it was neat to hear him just talking to us.

The opening number of the set was “CNR” and songs like “Lame Claim To Fame”, “Close But No Cigar”, “I’ll Sue Ya”, “Dog Eat Dog”, “First World Problems”, and “Skipper Dan” were all included. A moving coffee shop rendition of “Dare To Be Stupid” was also performed. We saw him play that during the Mandatory Fun tour and it was even funnier the second time around. That was definitely one of our favorite songs of the show!

To wrap things up before a lengthy encore, “Weird Al” told us about how his biopic “Weird: The Al Yankovic Story” will be released in November. He said he didn’t know how to feel about it, though, because there’s already a song that tells his life story… ALBUQUERQUE!!!!! So, obviously, everyone lost their shit and he added all kinds of silly bits to it that included starting the song over from the beginning. It was the absolute best.

An amazing time was had by all at the concert and we must do our due diligence to protect “Weird Al” Yankovic at all costs. The man is a national treasure!! ❤

What is your favorite “Weird Al” song? Who else is excited for his biopic? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May19

Boyz In The Band

Posted on May 19, 2022 by lifewithlilred

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Hi! This past weekend, my darling husband’s band, The Outside Voices, had their final hurrah performance at Musica in Akron. It was a bittersweet showing for everyone involved but it was so nice to be surrounded by such great friends and family the entire night. In fact, tons of Johnny’s family who I haven’t met yet made the trip to see the show and that was awesome to finally be able to meet them! We also had several of our dear friends from Marietta come to the concert, which was also amazing. ❤

All of the guys in The Outside Voices performed so well and that is all that I wanted for them during their last show. But, bigger and better things are calling and Johnny already has lots of musical plans up his sleeve to tend to and that is really exciting! I can’t wait to see what he does next!

^^^ Interested in hearing Johnny play? He is lead guitar!!

^^^ Kevin’s other band, The Buffalo Ryders, are one of my faves!!

Kevin (bass), Sam (drums), Jimmy (guitar), and Johnny are my sweetest boys and it has been an absolute pleasure to see them perform time and time again. When Johnny and I first started dating almost three years ago, we were with the band boyz constantly and they all feel like older brothers/besties to me now and that is so special to me. I am so proud of everything that they have accomplished together and can’t wait to hear all of their new projects on the horizon!

Who is your favorite local band? Can you play any instruments? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun19

Weekend Road Trip

Posted on June 19, 2021 by lifewithlilred

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Hello! Given the pandemic, if you would have told me half a year ago that this past weekend Johnny and I would finally get to see some live music, I would have said “no way”. But, thanks to being fully vaccinated, we had that opportunity and took a road trip to Marietta to see our friends in Jake Dunn & The Blackbirds perform. This was our first big outing since we were in Marietta for Valentine’s Day a month prior to the pandemic striking in 2020 and it couldn’t have been better.

When Johnny asked if we could make this weekend road trip happen, I jumped on the opportunity. We had such an awesome time in Marietta for Valentine’s Day and I was eager to go back – hell, go anywhere with my husband. After fueling up with Taco Bell and candy, we hit the road and arrived just in time on Saturday for Jake Dunn & The Blackbirds to perform in an outdoor show. As per ushe, they were fabulous and we actually saw them play the last time we were in the area. Not to mention how fun it was to all hang out again!

Once their show was over, we headed to the Adelphia which is a hotel and music venue to see a honky tonk band play. It was an absolute blast and it felt just like when Johnny and I first started dating and were at different shows almost every weekend. Reuniting with old friends and meeting new ones all to the tune of live music made for a perfect day and I can’t wait for a whole lot more of that in the future. ❤

Have you been on a road trip recently? Where did you go? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr3

Day To Stage OOTD

Posted on April 3, 2021 by lifewithlilred

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Hello everyone and welcome to a first on lifewithlilred: An OOTD exclusively for men as modeled by my fiance, Johnny. You might remember his rock n’ roll aesthetic from our Engagement OOTDs and this past Saturday, he agreed to let me take his pictures. Once we returned home from our day date, Johnny treated me to a private concert on our balcony from all of our 1950s favorites and Hank Williams. We were outside all evening enjoying the weather, music, and each other’s company and it provided me with the perfect opportunity to photograph my beau.

You can hear Johnny playing lead guitar in The Outside Voices or you can go old school and listen to his former band Johnny And The Apple Stompers. But, in the meantime, check out his Day To Stage OOTD:

Who? What? Wear?

Maroon Moto Jacket: AFTF Basic
Western Button Down: Clip-ity Clop
Jeans: Hot Topic
Scarf: Phix
Boots: ASOS
Sunglasses: Empyre brand
Coffin Ring: Etsy – This is actually his engagement ring but it is too big so he has it on a different finger lol

Now, you all know a lot about my personal style but you don’t know much about Johnny’s save for a few pictures. So, I thought we would start with a little fashion bio for him before we talk about his look:

Johnny and I each have a pretty big clothing collection and pre-pandemic, we would normally go to Goodwill whenever he felt like he needed new clothes. Through his secondhand shopping, Johnny has clothes in both men’s and women’s from years past and loves to experiment with fashion, especially when his band would play. Johnny typically rocks a more muted palette but that doesn’t mean that he isn’t all about animal print, polka dots, and fringe.

In COVID times, we have both not been actual shopping once and online shopping has reigned supreme. Because Johnny has such a specific style, he couldn’t just peruse TJMaxx’s website like his missus, and discovered his two new favorite sites: Straight To Hell and Phix. He has gotten a few sweaters from Straight To Hell but is particularly fond of their leatherware. Phix, on the other hand, has the most fabulous It Brit fashions and Johnny has several shirts from there which he can’t wait to break out when it’s finally safe for The Outside Voices to perform.

Whether he looks fresh from the 70s, like the lead guitarist in a punk band, or a country star, my fiance will serve you a look every time. Like I’ve said countless times before, I adore his fashion so let’s talk about it some more!

This OOTD is a pretty standard out and about look for Johnny and he wore this while we had our day date to a few different game stores and the patio of our favorite bar. His outfits always inspire me and I love going out with him and showing off our statement looks. The base of his OOTDs is always and forever black skinny jeans so Johnny likes to opt for a louder shirt, bold shoes, and accessories to elevate the outfit, as you can see in the pics above.

The Day To Stage OOTD is all about the finishing touches because without the jacket, scarf, and pointed toe shoes – it’s really just jeans and a button down! Making it very easy to recreate on your own. This outfit features all of Johnny’s favorite things both fashion and music wise. The western inspired shirt nods to his love of old country, the moto jacket adds rock n’ roll flare, and the scarf and boots give the perfect touch of glam. Peep the lightning bolt detailing on the shoes:

Johnny gave me a few different options of what he could wear and we both agreed on this OOTD. As always, Johnny was a joy to photograph and his look was perfect for our day date turned concert. This is what the sky looked like by the time we went inside:

^^^ So Pretty!

There is nothing better to me than having fashion fun with my fiance and I am so excited for more menswear OOTDs in the future!

What is your favorite genre of music? Where is your favorite place to secondhand shop? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul15

At Home Concerts

Posted on July 15, 2020 by lifewithlilred

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Hello! For those of you who don’t know, my “big girl job” is as an independent provider for people with special needs. I specialize in community integration and the development of daily living skills and have been an “essential” employee throughout the coronavirus pandemic. So, you can imagine how hard it is to do my job of getting my clients out and about in the community when there is a contagious virus and many of them are high risk.

My job has now been limited to the homes of my clients and that is A-okay because it’s what is best for them, their families, and myself. But, that’s not to say it hasn’t been easy, especially when cabin fever is kicking in for everyone. I am constantly trying to come up with fun ways to keep my clients entertained at home to combat the boredom blues and was particularly pleased with my brain blast last week.

My most senior client who I am with the most often during the week LOVES the golden oldies and always tells me about when he saw The Beach Boys and Sha Na Na in concert. After his recollection last week, he asked when we can see those bands live together. I told him as soon as it was safe, as always, and then I realized we kind of could see them in concert.

I told him I had an idea and pulled YouTube up on his TV. Then, I found some live footage of Sha Na Na performing as well as plenty of full length Beach Boys concerts. He couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw his favorites performing right in front of him again. In fact, he was so elated that he told me to bring his brother up so he could see how much fun he was having. 🙂

My friend and I plan on having weekly “concerts” at home, compliments of YouTube. We have The Beach Boys on deck and who knows what will be next! It was amazing to see him so excited about something and, sometimes, the most fun things can happen right at home. ❤

Which bands have you seen in concert? Who would you love to see perform live? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar10

I’m So Excited!

Posted on March 10, 2020 by lifewithlilred

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Hello! One of my favorite things about dating my boyfriend, Johnny, is that we always have so many exciting plans to look forward to. We both love being out and about, planning trips, and going to concerts and we definitely will be doing a lot of all of that as we continue trying to kick winter out the door in Ohio.

Upon the warmer weather, I can’t wait to go back to our favorite bars with a patio to have drinks and play games with our friends outside. But, I am absolutely chomping at the bit to get to our bigger plans, because we have quite a few! Including:

1) Seeing Jesus Christ Super Star at Playhouse Square in Cleveland. My dad got me and Johnny tickets for Christmas because it is my favorite musical and I am simply thrilled to be able to see it live. I am also lucky enough to see it twice because one of my old theater friends invited me to go with her, too! 😀

2) The Rolling Stones concert in Cleveland! Aw yeahhhh. Johnny, my parents, my brother, and I will be in nosebleed seats attendance for this show. My dad hasn’t seen the Stones since the 70s and Johnny and I have never seen them and they are his all time favorite band. So, needless to say, we are over the moon excited.

3) Johnny and I will also be attending a Marilyn Manson and potentially Ozzy Osbourne concert if his health permits. My MAN got me tickets for Christmas just like I asked him to and I cannot wait to see my other man, Marilyn Manson, perform for the third time. Johnny hasn’t seen him live before so I can’t wait for him to experience that! Ozzy Osbourne performing would just be the cherry on top.

4) And, finally, for Johnny’s birthday I got us tickets to Riot Fest in Chicago. Riot Fest is a three day music festival and My Chemical Romance will be headlining. We don’t know anything else about the lineup except for that but it was enough to make me buy tickets because Johnny is always talking about how he’d love to see them live again. Our long weekend in Chicago is one of the major highlights of this summer and I am so happy I was able to score tickets that sold out within eight minutes for the two of us!

It’s always nice to have something to look forward to and Johnny and I have an abundance of that. I can’t wait to fill all of you in on all of these exciting events when they happen so keep it posted!

What are you looking forward to? What concerts are you attending this year? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

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