Tag Archives: music

Jun3

AC/DC Concert

Posted on by
Standard
AC/DC Concert

Hello! Wednesday the 28th was a fantastic, wonderful day because Johnny and I went to see AC/DC in Cleveland at Huntington Bank Field!! AC/DC is one of Johnny’s all time favorite bands and he has wanted to see them live ever since he was just a little guy. When I learned that they would be playing their last show in America in Cleveland for their Power Up tour, I decided to make his bucket list dreams come true with tickets for our birthaversary. While the opening act, The Pretty Reckless, sucked eggs lol, AC/DC delivered with over two hours of nonstop, high voltage rock. It was absolutely astounding!! Check out these pics of all of the ultra cool lighting and be sure to stop by my TikTok for videos:

When Johnny and I arrived at the stadium, The Pretty Reckless was already playing and as I was saying, they sucked eggs. And, as I told Johnny, they are REALLY trying hard to be The Dead Weather and failing miserably. Anyways, we were basically ignoring their portion of the show because we had more pressing matters to tend to. We were in the nosebleeds. And, when I say the nosebleeds, I mean that to the fullest extent because we were in the literal last row at the top of the stadium. We climbed the mountainous stairs up, up, up and all the while, I was deep breathing and refusing to look down because it was terrifying!! When we made it to our seats, I was panicking – we were up SO high!! It took me a phat minute to calm myself down and then I could actually appreciate our view. We were looking right down on the stage!

Blessedly, The Pretty Reckless wrapped up shortly after we were settled and we waited on pins and needles for AC/DC to take the stage. And, when they did, it was the best. Yes, it was cool to see them but it was even better to see Johnny’s reaction. He lit up like a kid on Christmas day! The show opened with If You Want Blood (You’ve Got It) and the hits just kept on coming. The set was filled with all of the crowd pleasers like Thunderstruck, Back in Black, Stiff Upper Lip, Shot in the Dark, Hells Bells, Have a Drink on Me, and the list goes on and on. The lighting was nothing short of spectacular and, my god, did they sound good too. Brian Johnson simply nailed it and Johnny and I were in awe that his vocals still sound SO crisp after all of these years. We also just adored his little dances lol. And, of course, seeing Angus Young duck walk will never be forgotten. That man can shred like no other and seeing his iconic moves IRL really was a dream come true for my main squeeze.

The set continued with banger after banger (IE: Shoot to Thrill, Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap, Whole Lotta Rosie, Rock ‘n’ Roll Train, and You Shook Me All Night Long) and it was truly one big party. To be in such a huge crowd of fans, sing along to every word, and dance like crazy was intoxicating. And, when it got darker outside, it was even more special. The sea of concert goers was lit up with devil horns a la Angus Young and it was a sight to behold. Unfortunately, Johnny and I began making our long trek back to the parking garage at the beginning of their last song pre-encore, Let There Be Rock. However, we could still hear them playing as we made our way to the car. We walked to the beat as we reveled in the high of one of the best shows we have ever seen.

What a night it was at Huntington Bank Field!! Being able to see AC/DC with Johnny was a once in a lifetime experience and we cherished every moment! ❤

What is the best concert you have ever been to? Are you seeing any concerts this summer? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May16

Can’t Wait!!!

Posted on by
Standard
Can’t Wait!!!

Hello!! During the pandemic, Johnny and I had tickets to several concerts that we could no longer attend. We were going to go to Riot Fest for the My Chemical Romance reunion and that hurt deeply. We also had tickets to see Willie Nelson at Blossom Music Center and that fell through too. It was all extremely disappointing, to say the least. However, I am thrilled to say that we have an excellent concert lineup for this summer and the festivities are going to be starting very soon because…

WE ARE GOING TO SEE AC/DC AT THE END OF THE MONTH!!!!

Johnny and I don’t merely celebrate birthdays, but a birthaversary. His birthday is June first, mine is the seventh, and we got married on the fourth. So, when this momentous occasion happens – we do it big! My husband has wanted to see AC/DC live since he was just a little guy and when we found out they were coming to Cleveland, I had to make it happen. We will be in the nosebleeds and that is A-okay because we are going to be there!! Since the beginning of May, I must have heard Johnny say how excited he is at least one hundred times and it never gets old. We have been listening to ALL of the AC/DC even more so than usual and I can’t believe the big show is only a few weeks away since I purchased the tickets forever ago. It’s going to be so special to have this experience with him and I wish it would just hurry up and get here! 😀

Not only do we have AC/DC on our roster but we are also going to be seeing Willie Nelson and Bob Dylan for Outlaw Fest as well as Weird Al, both taking place at Blossom Music Center. We will finally be making good on seeing Willie Nelson together and this will be mine and my brother’s third time being blessed by Weird Al. Blossom has gifted us with an amazing lineup this year and I am chomping at the bit to fill mine and Johnny’s summer concert series even more. Ghost will be coming to Cleveland as well as The Struts and we would absolutely love to see them too. Needless to say, my honey and I are going to be living it up this summer! ❤

So many concerts, so little time and I am so excited to be able to share them with all of you!!

Are you going to any concerts this summer? What is the best concert you have ever been to? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar17

Guitar Lessons

Posted on by
Standard
Guitar Lessons

Hi! My Johnny is an exceptionally gifted musician and it is one of my favorite things to hear him play. He truly brings music with him everywhere he goes – whether he is playing you a song he thinks you would love, expanding his record collection, or accurately playing air guitar anytime we are listening to a sweet solo. And, of course, he revels in being able to teach others too. He adores showing our eldest niece the ropes on the keyboard, guitar, and ukulele and they practice under the name: The Rainbow Band lol. So cute! He also recently began giving my dad guitar lessons:

About a month or so ago, my dad asked me if Johnny would be willing to give him some guitar lessons. I immediately told him “of course” because I knew Johnny would say the exact same. He lives for this! My dad has had a guitar for forever and knows some of the basics and wanted to improve on them. So, every other Wednesday, Johnny comes over after work to help make it happen. My dad has been practicing every day since their first lesson and that in itself is music to Johnny’s ears. This is his love language to the T and being able to express that is a gift for all parties involved.

This past Wednesday, I ran an errand for my parents and when I got back, Johnny and dad were setting up for their lesson. I stuck around for a bit to get a progress report and was so impressed. They were strumming along to Sweet Child O’ Mine by Guns N’ Roses together and it sounded pretty good!! That song is actually the first one I ice skated to in competition and, of course, it’s hilarious if you have seen the movie Step Brothers lol. They spent their lesson working through the song, which is exactly how Johnny learned to play guitar. It makes me so happy that my dad and Johnny are doing this together and my main squeeze always looks forward to it. I know my future rock star dad does too!

Should my dad and Johnny’s band hit the big time, you now know how it all started. I see a triple platinum record in the future!

Do you play an instrument? What instrument do you wish you could play? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar9

Something Silly

Posted on by
Standard
Something Silly

Hello!! There is honestly never a dull moment in the apartment community that Johnny and I reside in. Crazy things are always happening and after living here for so long, you just eventually get used to it lol. This past Thursday, I had a difficult time falling asleep and was treated to something that I don’t hear very often: The apartment community at night. Johnny and I go to bed insanely early because we both get up for work insanely early. So, as I attempted to fall asleep, I was hearing ALL of the things that I would normally be sleeping through. There was a heated argument in the apartment beside ours (So juicy!), a car alarm incessantly blaring, and something that made me laugh hysterically and quietly as to not wake Johnny up!

As I was just laying there, I could hear a car zooming through the property. That’s totally normal, but what made this occurrence different was the music being played. Whomever was in the car was straight up BLASTING Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen and I wasn’t even mad about it. They had great taste! And, of course, it was impossible not to immediately think of this iconic scene from Wayne’s World:

^^^ I have no rights to this song or video!

I like to think that the passengers in the car were recreating this video together and it was one of those goofy things that I felt compelled to share. That’s apartment life for you!

Have you ever lived in an apartment? Do you have any stories about your time there? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan8

Groovy Movies: Moana 2 Edition

Posted on by
Standard
Groovy Movies: Moana 2 Edition

Hello!! This past weekend, I spent a lovely afternoon with my dad and two of my nieces to see Moana 2 at the theaters. I was really excited about this for a few reasons. 1) I was with my eldest niece for her first movie theater experience and this was her little sister’s first time seeing a show. 2) My eldest niece and I watched Moana during our very first slumber party. It was her suggestion because I hadn’t seen it. I absolutely loved it and it instantly became a special movie for the both of us. And 3) Movie theater food is the best lol. I know Moana 2 was not as well received as its predecessor, but we enjoyed every minute of it! In a spoiler free setting, let’s discuss:

^^^ And, as always, I have no rights to this video!

It is a joyous day on Motunui because wayfinder, Moana has returned after a three day exploration mission. She is greeted by her precious family (including adorable little sis, Simea) and the island population in its entirety to welcome her home. Moana dreams of connecting the people in surrounding islands and thinks she might have found her first clue to achieve this on her expedition. Little does she know, her next adventure is already on the way. During a special ceremony that evening, Moana has a vision from her ancestors. The message is grim: The people of Motunui will not survive if Moana cannot raise the island of Motufetu from the depths of the sea. Motufetu was sunk by the angry storm god, Nalo, and used to join all of the islands together. Without it, any connection between islands is impossible and the people will slowly fade away.

With no time to spare, Moana assembles a crew of experts to assist in her voyage – a farmer, an inventor, and a historian. However, they are missing a BIG piece of the puzzle: Maui. Proud demigod Maui had his own problems with Nalo and wanted to raise Motufetu himself out of fear that Moana could die. During his efforts, he was captured by Nalo’s enforcer and let’s just say he is currently… tied up. A rescue mission is in order and after some help from an unexpected ally, it is full steam ahead to Motufetu. Can Moana and her team connect the islands and save the day? You’re just going to have to watch the movie!!

Moana is my GIRL and it was so exciting to reunite with her together with my bestie squad. We were hooked from the very start and remained glued to our seats for the whole movie. I know that many people felt like Moana 2 wasn’t as good as the first, but I thought it was just as good. The plot was a fantastic quest, it was visually stunning, the new characters introduced were great, and I could not get enough of the music. The soundtrack for Moana 2 is straight banger after banger. My favorites were “Beyond” and “Can I Get A Chee Hoo?”. The best song for me, though, was “Get Lost”. It was pure jazzy, villainous fun and, like all of the music in the movie, enhanced the scene and location beautifully.

One of the things that I loved the most about Moana 2 other than everything was the nods to the first movie placed throughout the film. The real ones will know and every time a tip of the cap happened, my eldest niece and I confirmed “it’s just like the first movie” lol. And, of course, the bond between Moana and Simea was the sweetest and it felt like watching my two “big” nieces in animated form. The fact that they called each other “big and lil sis” melted my heart because my nieces call each other “sissy”. Like me, my eldest niece thought Moana 2 was a hit. The jury is still out on her lil sis, though, because she slept the whole time lol.

It was such a gift to see Moana 2 with my best girls and I cannot recommend it enough. I know sequels can be hit or miss, but this one was excellent!

What was the last movie you saw in theaters? Is there anything coming out that you would like to see? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan7

Sweet Surprises: New Record Edition

Posted on by
Standard
Sweet Surprises: New Record Edition

Hello! My Johnny is not only an incredible musician but an avid lover of all music. He has an insane record collection, boasting over five hundred vinyls and it is his payday treat to hit up a few of his favorite haunts and pick up a new record or two. Despite his insistence on me purchasing records for myself, it is honestly something that doesn’t interest me. At the end of the day, you can wear a new pair of shoes but you can’t wear a new record lol. Because of this, Johnny makes it a point to surprise me with a new record every so often and he did so this weekend. While I was out with my nieces, Johnny placed one of my all time favorites under my pillow for me to return home to. I couldn’t contain myself when I saw that it was Sing the Sorrow by AFI:

IMG_2355IMG_2357IMG_2358IMG_2365IMG_2364IMG_2363IMG_2366IMG_2367IMG_2362IMG_2361

Johnny and I are elder emos through and through and were blessed to have been around for the surge of emo and alt bands in the early 2000s. While Johnny was a My Chemical Romance kind of guy, I was a total AFI gal. AFI became one of my favorite bands after one listen and Sing the Sorrow was actually the first album I bought with my own money. I am SO lucky to have seen them perform live twice with my sister and have the fondest memories of both shows as well as the top of our lungs sing alongs in her first car. AFI is a band that has been with me for such a long time, through the good and the bad, and will always hold a very special place in my heart.

Whenever I am out shopping, I love to look for “little treats” for Johnny and tend to go the clothing route. Buying records for me is truly his equivalent of this and it really is sweet. Of course, it’s nice to be thought of but his sheer excitement for it is the best. Little by little, he has made an effort to expand my record collection too and it is working! Just like Johnny, I tore my AFI record open and wanted to listen to it immediately. So we did. While we played video games and chatted away, one of my desert island records played too and It. Was. Glorious!

I felt spoiled rotten by my surprise from Johnny and it made our standing weekend date of records and games even better! He is just the best. ❤

What do you like to collect? Do you have any vinyl records? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec18

Making Music

Posted on by
Standard
Making Music

Hello!! My Johnny is an incredibly skilled musician and it is one of my greatest joys to hear him play. He is skilled in several different instruments including guitar, banjo, fiddle, mandolin, and piano and it honestly blows my mind every time he creates a little music magic. Prior to the pandemic, Johnny was playing A LOT with the band he was in called The Outside Voices. It was freaking awesome. Unfortunately, like a lot of things during the pandemic, the band came to a grinding halt and hasn’t played since. That’s not to say that Johnny wasn’t still playing at home, but after a while, he kind of dropped off. Which is why I am SO happy that he has been picking up his guitar again for the past few weekends. Don’t mind the mess in Johnny’s record room lol:

IMG_2018

Every Saturday for the past month or so, Johnny has been back in the record room Making Music and it is music to my ears. He is so gifted and being able to hear him in his zone is just the coolest. Johnny really does play a MEAN electric guitar and I love to sit there and watch him. He makes everything he does look so effortless and I am always clapping and cheering away for these solo performances. And he claims that he is “rusty”. As if!!

This Saturday, I had an amazing three and a half hour chat-a-thon with my blogging bestie, Kate of Live In The Nautical. As we talked, and talked, and talked some more, Johnny was playing the entire time. And, by the time Kate and I said our goodbyes, he STILL kept playing! Not only was I impressed, but I was elated that the concert wasn’t over so I could rock out more to my all time favorite musician. How lucky am I that said musician is also my husband?!

I am so proud of Johnny for making an effort to get back into music again and I can’t wait to hear what he plays this upcoming weekend! ❤

Do you play any instruments? What was the last concert you saw? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov24

A Moment To Complain

Posted on by
Standard
A Moment To Complain

Hello!!! Nothing pleases me or Johnny more than an amazing concert and the most recent one we attended was Alice Cooper. We both like to keep tabs on when our favorites are coming to Cleveland, Columbus, or Pittsburgh and I was simply elated by the news I recently discovered… Jack White would be playing at The Agora in Cleveland in April of 2025. For those of you who don’t know, I am his number one fan and have been for as long as I can remember. In fact, I have a portrait of Jack’s face tattooed as well as some of his lyrics. So, needless to say, I was stoked to hear that he was coming to Cleveland so I could see him for the third time. It would also be Johnny’s first time seeing him live too!

As soon as tickets were on sale, I pounced and was pleased to see that the General Admission tickets were right in front of the stage. This is always appealing because you can get yourself up close and personal with some fancy footwork, which is exactly what I did when I saw Jack White at X-Fest and Stage AE. The tickets were one hundred bucks a pop and I considered it to be well worth it to 1) See my all time favorite and 2) Have the opportunity to get to the front of the stage. I was about to place my order and then everything went terribly wrong. And by terribly, I mean expensively.

Now, I am all for treating myself and would never, ever call myself cheap. However, my purse strings instantly tightened when the grand total for two one hundred dollar tickets ended up being three hundred and twenty dollars because of fees. The fees costed more than one ticket!!! As much as I would have LOVED to attend the show with Johnny, we were both in agreement that the total price was absolutely ridiculous and couldn’t justify it. It was extremely disappointing, to say the least.

This truly begs the question of when TF did ticket prices become so expensive?! My mind was honestly blown by the grand total because I paid less for two tickets to a full fledged two day music festival in Chicago. Unfortunately, Johnny and I couldn’t attend because the pandemic, but you get the point. All week, I have been wrestling with the buy the tickets or not buy them dilemma. And, every time I think that I should just do it, my pride gets in the way because it seems insane to me. I know, I know it’s not good to complain and I am thankful to have seen my beloved Jack White twice. I’m not saying it wouldn’t have been nice to see him thrice, though!!

MAN do I feel better after getting all of this off my chest! And, in conclusion, a big fat middle finger to the dreaded fees that skyrocketed the ticket prices into something unacceptable!

How much would you pay for concert tickets? What is the best website to buy tickets from? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov18

Funko Pop Albums

Posted on by
Standard
Funko Pop Albums

Hello! A few weekends ago I went with Johnny and my brother to Akron Comicon and a wonderful time was had by all. It is a tradition of ours and we look forward to it every year. It was so much fun to see all of the vendors, cosplayers, and D-list celebrities and we all walked away with a little something something for ourselves too. I recently learned of the Funko Pop Albums collection when I purchased a Britney Spears one for my sister earlier that week. There were plenty of them at Comicon too and Johnny and I simply had to get these to display by our record player:

IMG_1137IMG_1139

When I saw the Albums Funkos being peddled, I immediately locked eyes on Alice Cooper. Johnny and I are huge, avid fans of his. In fact, we plan on being Alice Cooper and Cold Ethyl for next Halloween! I honestly don’t think we have ever come down from the joy of seeing him in concert a few months back so the Welcome To My Nightmare Funko was as good as ours. It looks perfect in our record corner where we frequently play his vinyls. And, if you haven’t seen the 1975 TV special that Alice Cooper did with Vincent Price called The Nightmare – watch it and thank me later. It is one of mine and Johnny’s favorite things in the world and we quote it constantly.

What Johnny was drawn to wasn’t Alice Cooper but Angus Young. Highway To Hell by AC/DC is one of his desert island record choices and also features his favorite form of Angus: Lil Devil lol. We got the biggest kick out of the little Funko in his likeness! Johnny dressed up as Angus Young during our very first Halloween together as a couple and it sounds silly but this Funko makes me highly sentimental. His band at the time was playing a Halloween show and I will never forget Johnny in his schoolboy getup duck walking across the stage! All Halloweens are my favorite, but that one holds an extra special place in my heart. ❤

Alice Cooper, Angus Young, and Funko Albums – oh my! We absolutely love the newest additions to our knick knack shelves!

Do you collect anything? What are some of your desert island albums? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct19

Chilly Day OOTD Bloopers

Posted on by
Standard
Chilly Day OOTD Bloopers

Hello everyone and welcome to the blooper reel from my Chilly Day OOTD! These pictures were taken before an amazing afternoon with my main squeeze. That day, Johnny and I drove to Burton, Ohio so he could be a featured musician on the PBS show The World According To Polka. It was the best experience and Johnny absolutely crushed. I always say that we are a power couple but that week further solidified the sentiment. While Johnny filmed for PBS on Monday, one of the videos that I shot for Tim Misny aired on CBS that Friday! How cool is that?! Thankfully, none of these yikes shots were on TV so, naturally, I put them on my blog instead. Lol, check it out:

WOW. Talk about a come hither shot! 😉

IMG_9913

Disregard my roots that desperately need touched up… And my face.

IMG_9902

Weebles wobble but they don’t fall down!

IMG_9935

I’M SEXY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

IMG_9895

I appear to be malfunctioning so big ups to Johnny for capturing it

IMG_9832

Who’s up for a game of Peek A Boo?!

IMG_9768

A bow or a potential face plant? The world may never know! End scene.

IMG_9834

During the work week, I feel like I am ALWAYS driving and that’s probably because I am. Driving to the homes of clients, driving clients, making the voyage to Misnyland, errands, appointments, it’s never ending. With the amount of time I spend in the Little Red Love Machine, you would think that I would listen to a book tape or perhaps a podcast. While Johnny loves them, they are not my bag at all. So, I opt for radio stations that play either rap (My favorite!) or Top 40 hits. Do I enjoy what I listen to? Not always – it often feels like there is literally nothing on. But, the music I do hear keeps me company and is familiar enough that I can perform solo concerts in my whip. It’s fun, keeps me alert and focused, and makes constantly being in my car something that doesn’t feel like a complete chore.

One thing that I have been living for recently as I listen to the radio is a new emergence of pop singers. IE: Sabrina Carpenter, Olivia Rodrigo, and Chappell Roan. I was born and raised on Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera and have never stopped loving them. These new gals on the scene bring such a fresh take to old favorites and I am so there for it. As soon as I hear ANYTHING by my three main baddies on the radio, it’s game over. I transform into lead singer, backup singer, and musician at the drop of a hat. I’ve got to say, I sound excellent (Not) and maybe Sabrina, Olivia, and Chappell could learn a thing or two from Lil Red (Still not)!!

It’s basically one person Carpool Karaoke all day every day for yours truly. It’s a lot, yes. But, when the jams are on nobody can tell me NOTHING!!

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