April 2009

Citi Field – jumbled thoughts.

Citi Field is the new “state of the art” home of the New York Mets. Last year, Shea Stadium was the home of the Mets. Combine the two and you get “Shiti Field” which is what I’ve affectionately been calling the new stadium.

Ok, so it’s not really shitty. It is, after all, state of the art. But if I was a baseball loving Alien from Mars, dropped into the middle of Citi Field, I’d have no freaking clue who played there.

This month I have been there 3 times. April 4th for an exhibition game against the Red Sox, April 18th against the Brewers and April 26 against the Nationals. I’ve noticed more and more additions to the park since the first game, but barely any are Mets related! (Advertisements, now that’s another story)

The main attraction is the “Jackie Robinson Rotunda” dedicated to the Brooklyn Dodger who broke the color barrier. As a female engineer, I totally get how what he did was HUGE for African Americans and baseball. (As I still get looked down upon only because I’m a girl in the field!) But shouldn’t it perhaps be the Los Angeles Dogders paying tribute to him? Since after all he WAS a Dodger (albeit before the team relocated) Perhaps it wouldn’t be as much of burn if the rest of the stadium actually had Mets memorabilia to balance everything out – or even just more blue and orange.

One of my favorite parts about Shea was the colored seats. It was a heck of a lot easier to remember Orange, Red, Blue and Green. Now all the seats are green. And on top of that – there are like 1800 different sections you could be sitting in. Not just Field, Loge, Mezzanine and Upper Deck. At the last game we came up the escalator and there were arrows pointing which way we had to go – but I had no idea where our seats were! There is so much information crammed on the tickets.

Apparently, the green seats are a ‘shout out’ to the Polo Grounds, where the Mets played when they were first formed. Personally, I think it is cheaper to get seats all of a same generic color. The outfield wall is BLACK and with an orange foul line. Apparently this is a ‘shout out’ to how we got our orange, from the New York Giants. (I’ve also read that they couldn’t figure out how to get a Mets Blue to stick to the material of the outfield wall, which I hope is not true because, this place is STATE OF THE ART!)

A huge FAIL, imo, is all the RED at the stadium. Ticket booths outside say TICKETS in Red and a non-Mets blue. It would have been SO easy to throw together a Mets blue and Orange for these signs. That same blue and red follows into the stadium, as each section marker is a round red and blue plaque. Hello! How freaking simple would it be to make that blue and orange?

At the last game my friend and I (who share similar feelings about the stadium) were talking to one of the ushers. He told us there is a ramp that has Mets players pictures on it. We didn’t go check it out, but I’m pretty sure that this ramp has the back side of the images outside the Left Field entrance. Totally doesn’t count.

He also told us that they were working on adding more Mets stuff. Well, it would have been nice if they worked on the Mets stuff FIRST, since, afterall, that is the team we’re going to see play… and threw in all the Dodgers stuff afterwards.

I already know how we got our colors and where we came from. I want to know where we are GOING. And where we’ve been as METS. Citi Field is a museum to where we came from and how we got here. But that is all in the past. The Mets are here NOW. The Dodgers and the Giants are long gone. Wilpon, get over it already.

(I sat 10 rows behind little wilpon last year at Nationals Park. If I knew then what I know now, you can bet I would have been telling him MORE BLUE AND ORANGE. MORE METS! But who would have thought that something so obvious would be left out!?)

Push Play&Tiffany Giardina Performance 4-1909

My last review for Push Play was short and sweet, I wasn’t sure if I would go see them again. Except then I saw that they were going to be playing my local mall. I figured, what the heck, it was only $10, 5 minutes from my house and I had heard great things about Tiffany so I wanted to check her out. Plus, that was months ago. Maybe they’d improved?

Push Play did a short acoustic set. CJ had said it would be only 5 songs, but it actually was more like 7 (by my count). My major issue last show was that I didn’t think CJ’s voice could last for the full set. But I think he has improved. Although, it being a shorter set, maybe he didn’t and I just didn’t know it! But clearly they have a large fan base of teens who disagree with me on that.

My main problem with this show, which was no fault of Push Play, was that they had all the fans standing and the band sitting on a stage that was not very high. If I was lucky, I could see the top of CJ’s head. Luckily, CJ stood for a couple of the faster paced songs so I could see him. Being 5’3″ and almost always standing in the back is not much fun for these types of set ups!

Shortly after Push Plays set, I’d say about half of the girls there left the stage area. Tiffany was playing an electric set, so she would be standing and therefore I’d be able to see her!

Unfortunately due to standing so long waiting for the M&G; and going to the Mets game the day before, I could only handle standing for 3 of her songs. But I loved what I heard. The girl has pipes! I really enjoy her single “No Average Angel” (video posted earlier) And I would definitely consider seeing her again. (If I end up at Bamboozle, maybe I’ll try to catch her set)

 

Push Play:
Cover Girl
Heart Attack
Dreamers
Midnight Romeo
Situation
Starlight Addiction
Away Away

Tiffany:
On To You
No Average Angels
Sparks Fly

 

Push Play / Tiffany Giardina M&G 4-19-09

The meet and greet, scheduled to start at noon started just before 1 just outside the Black Bear Saloon. Which is located inside the Connecticut Post Mall. I lost count of how many people thought we were in line for the store ‘Justice’ which was next door… that sold clothing for what appeared to be 8 year olds. (The line was young, but not THAT young)

CJ was up first, and I couldn’t help but notice his shoes so that was the first thing I commented on. “Your shoes are awesome” It was a nice ice breaker. We chatted a bit about the bands upcoming trek to California to be featured in webisodes. I believe he told me it would be “Balltastic” which he then told me was his new word. I’m not quite sure that’s going to catch on… He also asked me if I was going to sing along and I hesitated and was like “I don’t know, I’m kind of a new fan” and he was like “You’ll catch on, you’ll catch on” How sweet of him.

Nick was next and we said a quick hello before Steve jumped in and commented on how he liked my shirt. (NY Mets) I told him thanks and that I had been to the game the day before. He mentioned how he went to the game on Thursday and I asked how he liked the new stadium. He said he liked it, which of course led me to tell him about how I think there is not enough blue and orange there. He agreed and I was glad. (I’ve gotten into far too many fights with so called Mets fans who think I am less of a fan because I don’t like that these 2 colors are missing, but thats a story for another day) Nick asked him if for real there was no blue and orange (No, we just had a conversation entirely based on lies lol) and he said yeah.

Next up was Derek. Who said nothing to me. Didn’t even look at me and was clearly too preoccupied with whatever was on the back of his box of scooby snacks to pay any attention to me. I looked at the poster to make sure he signed it (he did) and moved on to Tiffany.

Tiffany is totally adorable and totally sweet. I said it was nice to meet her and couldn’t wait to see her set and she said thanks! Our time was brief because the line was being shoo-ed into the restaurant for the performance.

Autographs under the cut…


Push Play / Tiffany Giardina M&G 4-19-09

The meet and greet, scheduled to start at noon started just before 1 just outside the Black Bear Saloon. Which is located inside the Connecticut Post Mall. I lost count of how many people thought we were in line for the store ‘Justice’ which was next door… that sold clothing for what appeared to be 8 year olds. (The line was young, but not THAT young)

CJ was up first, and I couldn’t help but notice his shoes so that was the first thing I commented on. “Your shoes are awesome” It was a nice ice breaker. We chatted a bit about the bands upcoming trek to California to be featured in webisodes. I believe he told me it would be “Balltastic” which he then told me was his new word. I’m not quite sure that’s going to catch on… He also asked me if I was going to sing along and I hesitated and was like “I don’t know, I’m kind of a new fan” and he was like “You’ll catch on, you’ll catch on” How sweet of him.

Nick was next and we said a quick hello before Steve jumped in and commented on how he liked my shirt. (NY Mets) I told him thanks and that I had been to the game the day before. He mentioned how he went to the game on Thursday and I asked how he liked the new stadium. He said he liked it, which of course led me to tell him about how I think there is not enough blue and orange there. He agreed and I was glad. (I’ve gotten into far too many fights with so called Mets fans who think I am less of a fan because I don’t like that these 2 colors are missing, but thats a story for another day) Nick asked him if for real there was no blue and orange (No, we just had a conversation entirely based on lies lol) and he said yeah.

Next up was Derek. Who said nothing to me. Didn’t even look at me and was clearly too preoccupied with whatever was on the back of his box of scooby snacks to pay any attention to me. I looked at the poster to make sure he signed it (he did) and moved on to Tiffany.

Tiffany is totally adorable and totally sweet. I said it was nice to meet her and couldn’t wait to see her set and she said thanks! Our time was brief because the line was being shoo-ed into the restaurant for the performance.

Autographs under the cut…


Tiffany G – No Average Angel

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbQmzP5KLgY]

I feel bad that I’m being such a slacker in getting the Tiffany/Push Play review and deets posted. So here is a video of Tiffany singing “No Average Angel”

It’s the only video I took and it’s not the best. But hopefully it will hold you over until I can get my act together! 🙂

(I’m slowly realizing that my little camera is quite a failure with taking videso!)

Seal 4/10/2009

Friday, April 10, Seal brought his show to Foxwoods MGM Grand Ballroom. We got our seats late in the game, so we were up in the balcony to the left. Not too bad of a spot, save for the few “super fans” who also seemed to get their tickets late in the game.

About 8:20 the band took the smoke filled stage and started playing instrumental versions of some of Seal’s songs. I think at this point everyone realized that there wouldn’t be an opening act (even if the drunk super fan was saying otherwise)

Seal played a very impressive and solid set, his voice was powerful from the beginning until the end. He started off with more R&B; numbers, everyone was tapping their feet in their seats. Near the end of his set he busted out some more club sounding pop songs, including my favorite “Crazy”

He then left the stage, coming back shortly after to play 3 more songs. He called everyone up closer to the stage which resulted in his arm being grabbed and held on to by many 40 somethings who wanted a piece of him.

He made small talk with the crowd, there was a Red Sox/Patriots fan within shouting distance. He also teased a guy in the front row who was wearing a Seahawks jersey telling him he was “near New York” so he should “Jump on the bandwagon” Which of course upset Mr Red Sox Patriot in the front. Seal said “Red Sox? Baseball?” and then said he was going to be quiet as he had to get out of there alive once some boos were audible.

Overall I was very impressed with the show and I was up $10 at the casino, so it was a good day!

 

Partial (?) Setlist:
Human Beings
Killer
It’s A Man’s World
A Change Is Gonna Come
I’ve Been Loving You Too Long
Don’t Cry
My Vision
The Right Life
Future Love Paradise
Crazy

The Beginning
Bring It On
People Get Ready

 

David Cook canceled

The David Cook show at Southern Connecticut State University couldn’t be rescheduled before the end of the semester so refunds are now being issued. The school is still looking to reschedule for the Fall semester so I’m keeping my fingers crossed.

In the meantime, David has scheduled a show at the legendary Toad’s Place in New Haven, CT for May 24. Tickets for that show went on sale yesterday and while they were not the bargain price of $2 that the SCSU show were, it should still be worth it.

I attended the Seal show last night at Foxwoods MGM Grand Casino – expect a review and pictures later tonight or tomorrow evening. A scrapbook post is also long over due and should be coming soon!

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