Tuesday, April 15, 2014

BEYONCÉ: The Album


On December 13, 2013, Beyoncé released the self titles album "Beyoncé" at midnight, with no warning, no promotion, and every track accompanied with a music video to match. Maybe you don't really understand. With NO PROMOTION at all, The Queen released 14 songs and 14 videos that reached number 1 on the Billboard charts, and sold sold 828,773 copies worldwide in three-days becoming the fastest-selling album in iTunes history. 

Let's have a lesson on how to make this happen:

As I was laying in bed on a casual Thursday up way too late with a final the next day, my twitter feed exploded. This is because at midnight Bey announced that she had spent the majority of the last 2 years secretly working on this new project. The album generated more buzz that thought humanely possible. Not only by her millions of fans that were both amazed, shocked, and in aw, but both critics and other celebs were mind blown by the events that had happened.


The buzz made the album undeniably the greatest thing that had hit the waves in ages. Life lesson? Don't tell anyone anything and then take the world by surprise. Not true. But really, I think it is important that people shake things up and Beyonce not only shook things up she shook them up and ripped them apart. She made people, including myself, realize what hard work can lead up to. Beyonce was on tour the entire time she was recording these albums and recording these music videos, that is the tour that I went to, meaning that she was performing sold out shows at night and working hard making videos and in the studio during the day. Hard work pays off, and as I've always said: 

Monday, April 14, 2014

Show Time


Show Time

So, in my last blog I explained to you my struggles of acquiring tickets for Beyoncés' show. Now that you can see that I am in, I really want to take you on a virtual tour of what it was like.
SO first, here is the ticket that I managed to get my paws on. Take a gander into the top left corner, yes that says FLOOR as in I will be on the FLOOR at Beyonce. Okay, wanted to make sure you truly understood that. So as my best friend and I are waiting for the show to start, surrounded by Queen Bey enthusiasts, stating at the GIANT sheet on the stage with an EVEN MORE GIANT (backwards) letter "B" on it, we do not know why it was backwards, it truly is as if all of my dreams are about to come true. After some openers that I truly do not remember, the show starts. The screen is filled with lights and sounds and images and all of a sudden…..


There she was. In a perfect ensemble of white fabric with sparkling silver magic-ness all over it and that hair, THE HAIR. Beyoncé Giselle Knowles was standing mere yards away from me and all I could do was scream of pure excitement. She emulates everything that is good in the world, a prime example of how beautiful it can be to have so much fame and power and use it to brighten the lives of those around her. Just being near me was making me overjoyed with happiness. 
She went on to sing song after song, "Love On Top," "Heaven," "Single Ladies," and "Uh-Oh" to name a few. When I thought my life could not get much better, it did. As I was standing near the rear end of the floor because it was truly impossible to make my way to the front, I suddenly noticed that there was a smaller, circular stage located behind me. How I had been standing less than 10 feet away from it for almost and hour and a half and had not noticed it is beyond me, but suddenly I was very grateful I was there. In her purple sparkling, Selena-esque, full body length jumpsuit, Beyoncé was headed my way…literally. 
She was literally flying over the crowd and was soon to land arms distance from myself. Now was time for the pushing. I literally forced myself to the guard rail forcibly moving those around me to get the hell out of dodge because absolutely nothing was getting in the way of this moment. Now a quick background fact, I've been lucky enough to meet and talk to numerous musicians. 
The Wanted, The Jonas Brothers, and Macklemore and Ryan Lewis to name a few, but nothing in this world could compare to the way I felt when Beyoncé, The Queen, was singing feet away from me. 
I cannot express the pure joy that was running through my veins at this very moment. Imagine someone who you look up and admire most in this world. Don't pick your mom or dad or sibling obviously you have had more than one opportunity to meet them, I'm talking about someone who you have literally wanted to see your entire life, like Queen or Justin Bieber. At 20 years old, this was happening for me, because I was up close and personal with Beyonce. That wind blown hair, obviously due tot he ginormous osculating fans but whatever it looked natural to me, just enhanced the glamour that was already so so evident. Before I knew it she hopped back on her hook like metal swing and was hoisted back to the main stage. 

My time arms length may have ended, but the show was not over yet. She continued to dazzle throughout the night and by the end of the concert I truly had felt like my life had been changed. The show was truly a once in a life time experience that I will never forget. She is an incredible performer with remarkable talent and I am blessed to be able to say I have been to one of her shows.
Until next time Queen Bey.

Sunday, April 13, 2014

THE QUEEN HAS COME TO SAN JOSE, Where Are My Tickets?


THE QUEEN HAS COME TO SAN JOSE, Where Are My Tickets?



On July 2, 2014 at 8:00, Mrs. Carter herself was to grace the stage at the new an improved SAP center in San Jose California. The Beyoncé obsession I have is something not to be taken lightly, and let me tell you, knowing she was coming to town is the greatest thing I had ever heard. Unfortunately, the $250 that were available were slightly out of my price range. 


LETS BACK UP A LITTLE BIT! 
[[[About two weeks before this concert I started an internship at a local, high profile, radio station- 99.7 NOW! The station was hip hop and happening with locally famous DJ's and I was honored to be a part of the pack as a measly intern. Two weeks in, I knew practically nothing about radio, the way it operated, or how the whole shin dig worked. All I really knew about 99.7 was that the main man in charge was a dude named Jazzy J, what a radio name right? Jazzy was the HBIC at the office and to him, I literally was a nobody.]]]


Back to the story.
So on the day of the concert, I was in the city of San Francisco at my internship when the almighty Jazzy J came into the study where the DJ and I were at offering the DJ (Letty B) Beyonce tickets for that night. I gasped. Letty TURNED THEM DOWN because she had a prior commitment, WHO TURNS DOWN BEYONCE?!?!? Having a slight anxiety attack I knew I wanted those tickets. With all of the courage I could summon, I walked down the halls and knocked on Jazzy J's door, which was open. With much hesitation and a quivering lip, this is what followed:

Me: "Hey, Jazzy, so, I know you don't know me but..uhm..I intern here and hum was wondering like, if Letty couldn't hum go maybe I could take those hum tickets for hum Beyonce tonight? Just saying like I am available if no else is and yeah."

Jazzy: (Super casual and calm)(not looking up from keyboard)"Did you want them?"

Me: "Uhm yeah, I could totally take them off your hands yeah I can do that I would love that actually.."

Jazzy: (Still super casual and calm)(Still not looking up from keyboard) "Right your name down on a piece of paper you can pick them up at the 99.7 tent tonight."

Me: "UHM OKAY THANK YOU WOW  THIS IS AWESOME THANK YOU SO MUCH THIS IS GREAT YEAH."

I scampered out of that office and like a kid who just got the toy they had wanted all of their lived and a stupid looking grin that ran ear to ear I barged back into my seat elated about what had just happened. After years of obsessing over the Queen and wanting nothing more in this world than to see her live, I WAS GOING TO SEE BEYONCE.