Tag Archives: concert

Sep1

Best Date Night EVER!!!!

Posted on September 1, 2024 by lifewithlilred

Hello!! This past Wednesday was the absolute best because Johnny and I had a night on the town. We literally never do anything during the work week because of our demanding schedules. However, sometimes exceptions need to be made and that came in the form of an Alice Cooper concert at Blossom Music Center. This is the second concert I have attended there in the past month and I am so happy that Johnny and I were able to make this date night work. This show was our very first concert together! I will post tons of pics tomorrow, but would love to discuss our experience today. Let’s get to it:

Johnny and I are HUGE Alice Cooper fans and when we learned that he was performing at a venue ten minutes away from our apartment, we just had to go. We spent all of Wednesday willing the day to go by faster so we could get our Alice on and made our way to the venue around 5:30. The show started at six and the opening act, Ministry, was already playing by the time we got there. This was no harm no foul because we didn’t care at all lol. As the opener played, Johnny and I purchased drinks and had to make a pit stop so he could use the little rock star’s room. This ended up being an awesome detour, indeed!

While Johnny was in the facilities, I sat at a picnic bench with a mom and her daughter who was my age. We got to chatting and Didn’t. Stop. Chatting. Johnny and I spent the majority of our time getting to know our new friends who were freaking hilarious. In fact, we were so deep in our conversations and belly laughs that we didn’t even realize the second performer, Rob Zombie, had taken the stage. I genuinely thought music was just being played through the speakers. I have to admit, I was a bit disappointed not to have watched Rob Zombie’s set because I have never seen him live before. I had the opportunity to at another show but left before he went on. In a way, though, this was also no harm no foul. I can’t imagine the set was anything to write home about considering we had no idea it was even happening lolol.

As we continued with our newfound comradery, Alice Cooper finally began his performance. We said quick goodbyes and are very much looking forward to hanging out with them again. Johnny and I hauled ass to our seats in the pavilion and were treated to the show of a lifetime. Alice Cooper’s set was honestly like watching a horror movie unfold onstage. We were well aware of his usual tricks and gimmicks but to see them live before our very eyes was pure magic. He sounded amazing, the band was phenomenal, and the production value was equivalent to watching theater. A complete and total dream come true.

Alice Cooper played for roughly an hour and my only regret was that the show wasn’t longer! The concert ended with a rousing performance of School’s Out and it was so celebratory and fun. After the song ended, Johnny and I started making our long trek back to the car. We knew that if an encore was performed that we would still be able to hear it as we walked and we were not trying to be stuck in traffic for hours on end to get home. It took about twenty minutes to get back to the Little Red Love Machine and there was no encore to be heard. Once we were safely settled in my whip, we saw a massive throng of concert goers making their way to their cars too. We were well ahead in that race and got out of the venue and home within ten minutes flat. That’s what I’m talking about!

Johnny and I are still pinching ourselves that we actually saw Alice Cooper live and I can’t wait to share more from the show tomorrow. Stay tuned!

Who would you like to see in concert? What was the best concert you attended? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug17

Concert Cutie OOTD

Posted on August 17, 2024 by lifewithlilred

Standard

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! A few weeks ago I attended a concert at Blossom Music Center with my sister to see one of our favorite bands, AFI. We had an absolute blast and it was the most perfect sister’s night out! I didn’t have time to take outfit pics before we went to the show and by the time we got there, it was already going in full swing. Even if it weren’t, I was a sweaty mess after making the long trek to the venue from our parking spot so it was no harm no foul. I did love what I wore, though, so I wanted to make sure Johnny snapped some pics over the weekend to show all of you. Check it out:

Who? What? Wear?

Handkerchief Top: Japna, TJMaxx

Boyfriend Jeans: Banjara, TJMaxx

Platform Heels: Olivia Miller, Walmart

Skeleton Hand Earrings: These were a Christmas gift from my bestie!

For the AFI concert, I wanted to put together an All Black Everything OOTD which only seemed appropriate considering I am the textbook definition of an “elder emo”. This look was kind of up in the air because a show at Blossom is tricky to dress for as it is an outdoor venue. There is a lot of walking involved and you never know what the weather is going to do on a summer evening. I decided that jeans and a top would be a good compromise, especially if there was a chill in the air. But, I wanted to stay cool enough because I knew I would be dancing my ass off so my handkerchief top by Japna was the way to go. Yes, it’s cute AF but it also allowed for ventilation as I got my groove on. And, of course, I’ll take any chance I can get to show off my tattoos!

In the pantaloons department, I selected my boyfriend jeans by Banjara. I simply adore the relaxed fit, distressing, and the huge rhinestones for a bedazzled pop. The more roomy style was also much appreciated as my sister and I hustled and bustled through the venue and it was nice to be wearing something that wasn’t clinging to my skin. I loved the silhouette created by the tight top and baggier jeans because it added some visual interest to make the eyes dance. This was further accentuated by the difference in texture of the silky top and denim jeans.

At the concert, I actually ended up wearing a pair of Nike tennies. The last time my sister and I went to a show at Blossom, the platforms I had on ended up breaking on our way to the venue. I was SO not trying to repeat that again! These pics were shot at home, however, so I could wear whatever shoes I wanted and couldn’t wait to break out my new pastel pink platforms by Olivia Miller. The unexpected sweet as sugar hue made for such a fun touch! Finally, it was onto earrings and I popped on a pair of dangly skeleton hands from my bestie. With that, I was concert ready – albeit several days after the fact!

I felt like a star in my Concert Cutie OOTD and it was just right for a summer evening out. I stayed cool and comfortable the whole time and had the best time with my big sis!

What was the last concert you went to? What is your favorite concert venue in your neck of the woods? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug12

AFI Concert

Posted on August 12, 2024 by lifewithlilred

Standard

Hello!!! As you all know, I very rarely do much of anything that isn’t work related during the week days. My schedule is always crazy and I like to be well rested every day so I can do my best. However, sometimes exceptions need to be made because all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy! This past Wednesday, I enjoyed the most amazing sister’s night out with Kristen to see AFI and 30 Seconds To Mars at Blossom Music Center. We scored fantastic seats in the pavilion, had a perfect view of the stage, and spent the evening living our best lives together. Check it out:

Kristen and I were not interested in seeing the two opening acts, KennyHoopla and Poppy because we never heard of them and frankly didn’t care. We arrived right when Poppy was finishing their set and they actually sounded really good so we are both going to be looking into that! Very shortly after we settled into our seats, AFI entered the stage and we were so happy to have gotten there right in the knick of time. We haven’t seen AFI in seven years since they played at the House of Blues and we didn’t want to miss a minute of it.

The show opened with Girls Not Grey and when I say Kristen and I lost our shit, I mean we literally lost our shit lol. We were going absolutely crazy singing our lungs out and dancing like no one was watching. We were both huffing and puffing after three songs and needed to take a breather and it turns out people were watching! The concertgoers sitting behind us apparently were deciding amongst themselves if we were sisters or not and one of the ladies was so triumphant because she called it. Kristen and I often get told we don’t look alike at all but that’s simply not true. Our style might be polar opposites but our faces are incredibly similar. The reasoning behind this gal’s educated guess was so sweet – she told us we were dancing exactly alike. ❤

AFI’s set included tons of crowd pleasers like Miss Murder, Love Like Winter, I Hope You Suffer, and Beautiful Thieves. Kristen and I were both elated that the show closed with our all time favorite of Silver And Cold! AFI sounded amazing from beginning to end and were just as good, if not better, than when we saw them almost a decade ago. Our only regret was that their set wasn’t longer. They played for roughly forty-five minutes or so with no encore and it just wasn’t enough. AFI was the reason we were going out to begin with and in my perfect world they would have played all night.

30 Seconds To Mars took the stage at nine o’clock and Kristen and I both agreed on leaving after thirty minutes to avoid traffic. We left after twenty minutes because they lightweight sucked lol. Neither of us are 30 Seconds fans but we were willing to see what the performance was going to be like and even stick around longer if we wanted to. It was cool to see Jared Leto in the flesh and I definitely made the joke of “Do a scene from Dallas Buyers Club” several times. However, their music was kind of lame, was basically just saying “woah” a ton, and we had no desire to stand there any longer. Jared did a lot of talking and in the twenty minutes that it took to walk back to our car, he was still talking. We were both so not mad about dipping out early!

Kristen and I were exhausted the following day but that is a small price to pay for a sister’s night on the town. I loved every minute of our time together with my best friend!

What was the last concert you saw? Who would you like to see live? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May29

Elton John Brunch

Posted on May 29, 2024 by lifewithlilred

Standard

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

Standard

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

Standard

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. It is also helpful to keep tabs on who is playing by entering a search for “Uncasville concerts” (or your local area). The last thing you want is to find out your favorite band is playing and the tickets are sold out!!

Transportation is another big part of concert prep. 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. Of course, sometimes it’s just fun to wear whatever you like! Sassy cowboy boots seems like the only way to go if you are seeing Shania Twain in Guilford (or your local area).

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

Standard

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

Standard

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

Standard

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

Standard

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

	lifewithlilred on Wish Me Luck!
	mallikabooks on Wish Me Luck!
	lifewithlilred on How To Be There For A Friend W…
	Chantel Keona on How To Be There For A Friend W…
	lifewithlilred on Happy Birthday To Me!!