Tag Archives: fonda theatre

My music trends in 2019 with Last.fm

Every year, I like to examine my music tastes from the previous year. The image above was generated a couple weeks into 2020, so the actual data from 2019 is slightly different.

Here are my top 10 artists from 1/1/2019 through 12/31/2019. It has a lot of good stuff on it – but of course I’d think that, right? And in case images break in the future:

  1. The Orion Experience – 111 scrobbles (1st place in 2018 too)
  2. Lin-Manuel Miranda – 105 scrobbles
  3. Leslie Odom Jr. – 98 scrobbles
  4. Tally Hall – 54 scrobbles
  5. Ariana Grande – 45 scrobbles
  6. It Boys! – 35 scrobbles
  7. Phillipa Soo – 35 scrobbles
  8. Queen – 32 scrobbles
  9. Keke Palmer – 29 scrobbles
  10. Regina Spektor – 24 scrobbles

The Orion Experience was number 1 last year also, and It Boys! and Regina Spektor have been on my top 10 previously. The rest appear new!

In the image above, you can see my top albums of the past year; again, it’s a little inaccurate given that it was generated a couple weeks into 2020.

Here’s the actual top 10 album list for 1/1/2019 through 12/31/2019. Hamilton won, by a ton. I didn’t want to listen to it much before seeing it live. I waited until I had my ticket, listened to the album once, watched the show, and then listened to the album a ton. And to ensure I have it written in case the image breaks:

  1. Hamilton (Original Broadway Cast Recording) – 350 scrobbles
  2. Cosmicandy by The Orion Experience – 110 scrobbles (down from 1st place in 2018)
  3. Marvin’s Marvelous Mechanical Museum by Tally Hall – 53 scrobbles
  4. So Uncool by Keke Palmer – 29 scrobbles
  5. My Everything (Deluxe) by Ariana Grande – 28 scrobbles
  6. Guys Don’t Like Me – Single by It Boys! – 25 scrobbles
  7. Soviet Kitsch (U.S. Version) by Regina Spektor – 23 scrobbles
  8. Absolute Music 64 by Ariana Grande – 17 scrobbles
  9. Лучшие by Звери – 15 scrobbles (down from 2nd place in 2018)
  10. Steven Universe, Vol. 1 (Original Soundtrack) – 13 scrobbles

And here are my top 10 tracks:

  1. Right Hand Man by Lin-Manuel Miranda – 66 scrobbles
  2. The Cult of Dionysus by The Orion Experience – 45 scrobbles
  3. The Queen of White Lies by The Orion Experience – 43 scrobbles (down from 1st place in 2018)
  4. A Winter’s Ball by Leslie Odom Jr. – 38 scrobbles
  5. Guys Don’t Like Me by It Boys! – 35 scrobbles
  6. Break Free (feat. Zedd) by Ariana Grande – 33 scrobbles (not present in 2018 but 10th in 2017)
  7. Bottoms Up by keke Palmer – 29 scrobbles
  8. Helpess by Phillipa Soo – 21 scrobbles
  9. Eye to Eye from A Goofy Movie – 18 scrobbles
  10. Your Obedient Servant by Leslie Odom Jr. – 15 scrobbles

Overall, a lot more Hamilton and a lot less ska. And a surprise showing by A Goofy Movie, which really amuses me.

And I saw some live shows as well:

  • Sweeney Todd at South Coast Repertory
  • Heathers: The Musical at Cal State Fullerton
  • The Little Mermaid: Live-to-Film Concert Experience at the Hollywood Bowl
  • Anamanaguchi concert at SDCC
  • Shrek: The Musical at the Cerritos Performing Arts Center
  • Half Past Two in Anaheim
  • Codename: Rocky, Skapeche Mode, Suburban Legends, Voodoo Glow Skulls, “Save Ferris”, and The Aquabats at OC Brew Ha Ha
  • We Will Rock You at the Microsoft Theater
  • R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps: Phantom of the Auditorium: The Musical at the Chance Theater
  • Hamilton at the Richard Rodgers Theatre on Broadway
  • Anastasia at Segerstrom Hall
  • Suburban Legends in Downtown Disney twice
  • Frozen: The Musical at the Pantages
  • The Aquabats with PPL MVR and Dirt Farm at the Fonda Theatre

It was a pretty great year for music for me!

The Aquabats concert!

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After a week of eating the lunches from the Aquabats’ Pizza Day, I was ready for Saturday’s concert at the Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles! Emily’s Army and Kepi Ghoulie were the opening bands, but of course I was there for the Aquabats.

gem

gem

You can’t make it out in the photos, but I’m wearing a blue rashguard and gem’s wearing a purple rashguard. I opted to leave my anti-negativity helmet and power belt in the car for ease of jumping around and getting slammed by people.

Duck, Duck, Goose

There’s always a game of Duck, Duck, Goose going in the back before the bands start playing, and this show was no exception. It’s pretty cool seeing the same fans at every show. I particularly remember the guy who wears a cool Aquabats lab coat, who I believe said he goes by Skibz, as well as the young woman with kids who was then the pregnant woman in the pink rashguard and is now the woman with the young baby! Very cool.

Eagle "Bones" Falconhawk helps out Kelpi Ghoulie

Kepi Ghoulie was really good; I enjoyed them a lot. Unfortunately, their bass player couldn’t make the show. They asked if anyone could play bass, and, well, Eagle “Bones” Falconhawk can!

gem gets a toy!

The band released a bunch of balloons and streamers into the audience and even threw presents into the crowd. gem got one; it was a toy car!

Guitar pick from Kepi Ghoulie

We each also got a guitar pick from Kepi Ghoulie!

The Aquabats take the stage

Finally the Aquabats took the stage!

The Aquabats beach ball

Sorry for such a plain, boring photo, but the Aquabats threw beach balls into the crowd, and I got one. I didn’t take a picture of it until I got home. It’s probably about a foot in diameter. Pretty cool!

The Bat Commander gets a red sweater

Someone threw a red sweater onto the stage, so the Bat Commander decided to wear it before proceeding to sing Red Sweater.

After that song, the Aquabats were attacked by an evil crustacean! Don’t worry though. They managed to defeat him with the help of name-calling! Crash also recited a little poem that led into Super Rad.

The Bat Commander borrows a hat

He also borrowed this cute hat from the girl standing to the left of me. I didn’t mention it, but it’s probably worth noting that I was right at the front and in the center. It was a sweet spot. I also got to enjoy chatting with security between sets.

Later the Aquabats got into another shorter fight but then found themselves hungry. Luckily, when they asked for a snack such as a granola bar, someone in the audience actually had one. Multiple granola bars, a Clif Bar, and a bag of Pepperidge Farms Milano Cookies were all thrown onto the stage. The Aquabats took a snack break, sang Snack the Night Away, a parody of Van Halen’s Dance the Night Away, and then… all licked the Clif Bar before throwing it into the audience for some “lucky” fan to eat.

Ricky Fitness sings in a Christmas costume

Near the end of the show, the Aquabats left but came back like they usually do. When they returned, they were in Christmas costumes! Ricky Fitness and the Bat Commander traded roles, letting Ricky sing while the Commander played the drums. Funny thing – it sure looked like the Bat Commander had four arms. I was hoping to get a photo, but I couldn’t capture it. And no, there was no trick with lighting. Evan Sinclair, the Aquabats Super Show music supervisor and stage manager was crouching behind him while reaching around and playing drums. Weird but funny.

Speaking of Evan Sinclair, he came out at the end to sing a little Hanukkah song before the Aquabats sang a Christmas song.

The Aquabats concert set list

I managed to grab a set list as well! In case you can’t see the photo, they played the following:

  • Theme Song
  • Fashion Zombies
  • Martian Girl
  • Look at Me
  • Shark Fighter
  • Pizza Day
  • Cat With 2 Heads
  • Red Sweater
  • Fight/Commercial
  • Super Rad
  • Legend Is True
  • Hey Homeys
  • Demolition Rickshaw
  • Doing Science
  • Awesome Forces
  • Ricky Xmas
  • Donde Esta Santa Claus
  • Christmas Is Awesome
  • Pool Party

It was a fantastic set, and it started off so strong too! After the theme song, they went right to one of my favorite songs from Charge! and then Martian Girl (whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa).