Unexpected Surprise

So, I have to say driving over to Clancy’s the other night, I was questioning my sanity a little bit.  I couldn’t believe I was driving out to a show after another full weekend, feeling exhausted and tired.  Not knowing what to expect, or if we would just be playing for a few bar flies eating corned beef. Once, I hit Broadway though I could hear the sound of Give Up the Girl from about 2 blocks away.  It was driving with a heavy strong, emotional sound and suddenly I just got in the mood to get up and rock.

Apparently the guys were in the same mood because the show turned out to be really fun. The fellas were on point and after that initial song or two warming up, we were all well in sync. Sweat was pouring into my eyes and down my forehead. What a way to get a workout. We played my new song “Different” and  I was really happy to do so, because it is a song that really makes me happy to sing. The audience was there listening and digging it, and so were we.  Not a bad way to spend a Sunday night after all.

Long Beach, CA – 07/11/10 – Clancy’s Irish Pub

Who	Christa Mae & The Brigade Live at Clancy's Long Beach
When	Sunday, July 11, 2010 9:00pm - 21+
Where	Clancy's Irish Pub (map) 804 E Broadway Long Beach, CA 90802 Great place to grab a bite and a pint. It's been a while since we got to rock the joint so it's about that time.
Other Info	Lookin forward to playing Clancy's again. They have always been good to us. I recommend the steak dinner. Hey, life is short.

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Fresh Blood!

I am super excited to announce that we have a new member of the Brigade.  He is young, cool and talented. So I hope you all will help me in making Roman feel welcome.  He is bringing his saxophone  skills to help make my dream of an upbeat, uplifting, ska infused sound a reality.  He will be joining us for our gig at the OC Fair, so come on out and get a taste of our new flava!

Newport Beach, ca – 06/26/10 – Alta Coffee

Rock-A-Thon

Hey there! Just wanted to let you all know that we are honored to be playing at this year’s United Way Walk-A-Thon fundraiser at Aneheim Stadium.  The United Way is well known for their amazing contributions to the community and for the good work they do in helping people move to from dependence to sustainability. I personally have a real heart for their work  and are thrilled to participate in their fundraiser.  If you want to know more about them go to www.unitedway.com, if you are not doing anything Sunday June 13th at 9am, come on out to Angel’s stadium to support some true angels and get a double dose of music with Christa Mae and the Brigade, and Give Up The Girl.

Just me

Hey there folks.  I hope you have enjoyed the new tunes from the record.  After a bit of down time I have decided to reconnect with my roots a bit and play a solo acoustic gig.  I got ahold of the good folks down at Alta Coffee and they have agreed to put up with me for a night.  Come on out! Alta Coffe in Newport is known for their chill enviornment and amazing bread pudding.  Stay tuned for more details.

June 26th 8-10

506 31st st Newport Beach CA 92663

Long Beach , CA – 04/29/10 – Viento Y Agua

Happy Birthday Mr Ellis!

We all came together this week to celebrate the birth of Mr. Jon Lee Ellis, our drummer. It turned out to be a great night. Jon is very talented and shares the love with many different musical outfits.  We all had a chance to jam at his party.  It was an amazing evening and everyone had a blast.  It just reminded me of what a tremendous blessing it is to get to play with The Brigade.  Stay tuned for upcoming shows through out the next months and witness his magical percussion style for yourself.

Jam of Pearl

Just had to write about the most awesome show my very dear friend and I went to see Tuesday night, Pearl Jam!!!  It meant a considerable amount to me for many reasons.  First, Pearl Jam has and will always be an undeniable influence on me and my music.  The strength and stamina those guys have was really impressive.  They have been doing their thing for so long now, and it shows. 

At first, I was a little apprehensive because I wasn’t sure what message they were going to be sending out.  I bought their latest record Back Spacer right before the concert and the first song was basically an all out rant about escapism from pain.  I was a little dissappointed that the self absorbed angst was still front and center in their songs, but now that I have been able to listen to the record a few times around, and I have found more depth and deeper levels than those initially expressed.  I heard about love, family, and hope mixed with dispair and mortality.

I can accept that life is a broad spectrum of both good and bad, and where better to express that than in your music?  That’s when one can battle it out in constructive dialouge.  No winner has been named , the fight still goes on, it’s yet to be determined, but I think in the end the winner will always be the side you choose to take.

At the end of the day, the show was AMAZING! Solid, fun and a fan’s dream come true.  Thank you to my good friend Leona for celebrating my birthday in that way!

No Doubt about it

It’s kind of funny , but I am checking out 2 very popular – pop – bands this week.  First I am going to see No Doubt on Tuesday, then the Black Eyed Peas on Friday.  Normally, these are not shows that I would particularly be blogging about, but I think there is a lot to be said about seeing the spectacle of live entertainment.  What does a big band rock concert look like now a days?  Gotta admit, it’s been a long time since I have been to a show like that. These bands obviously have talent and have found a way to connect with people on a grand scale, whether it be through catchy hooks, flashy clothes or 6 pack abs.  I think it will be a fascinating case study of mass pandamonium and mass consumption…awwww  who knows I might even have a little fun.  I’ll keep you posted.