Thursday, August 26, 2010
Thursday, August 12, 2010
London - New York - LA
Ok so I am now in LA after having the best last few weeks in London and New York. Here's whats happened...
I saw Blood Brothers in London which was really cool and ended up going to the A Team after party. Thanks Rhi! I had a few meetings with agents and casting agents which was really cool. I hadn't sung in such a long time (well it felt like a long time, 6 weeks!) so i did a really big warm up before hand and went in there and did my best musical theatre audition. Not for anything in particular, just let them know that i'm around if something comes up. It gave me such a buzz.
Went for a few more runs around Hyde Park, had a few more moments just staring at Royal Albert Hall, just trying to picture what it would be like to perform at the awesome venue. I also had a similar moment in New York just staring at Carnegie Hall. But i'll get to that a little later.
Met up with some more friends and finished my second book of the trip, Tim Winton's Breath. Really cool story of life and the choices you make. Now reading The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo and i'm completely hooked. No book has got me like this since Dan Brown's Angels and Demons.
So after cooking dinner for my mates Trav and Jade, bless their hearts for letting me doss on the couch for that long. I promise to repay the debt ten fold one day. Thanks also to Chris as well...
So New York with Wendy started off really cool, a yellow taxi driving (with awesome driver) over the bridge and looking onto Manhatten. We stayed in the Upper East right next to Central Park which was just perfect. I took the couch, Wendy took the bed. Good move Mills, there was a bit of traffic noise in the morning that i didn't get. yesss. We changed positions a few nights later. I'm a good boy.
I went for a huge run the first morning around the park and ended up catching the last bit of Black Eyed Peas for GMA in the park. So cool. I think i ran around and through the park 3 times in the week that we were there.
The best thing about New York for me was that i got a chance to see some new cool shows. The first was Memphis which was spectacular. It is quite possibly the most polished piece of musical theatre that i have seen. A must! I can't see it coming to Australia so get to it people.
Next To Normal - Is the one everyone is talking about in New York. It was a really cool story and had a sort of Spring Awakening type vibe to it. Rocky riffs (which were not mixed well at all, i hate bad mixing) and some really emotional moments but i think only one memorable song.
American Idiot - Just brilliant. It was mixed like a rock show so you could feel the music deep in your body but still had the vocals up loud to get all the lyrics and story to your ears. It was like moving art. I really enjoyed this and hope it comes to Australia. Would love to play the best mate in the show.
In The Heights - The best dancing/choree i have ever seen. The songs and story a little lack luster. But all the performances were incredible. I can see why it won all those awards. It took musical theatre to a new level.
Lend Me A Tenor - This was my favourite of the week. It is a old play which was brilliantly cast and acted. Check the website for the details. It is a must see and i would love to do this show in Australia. I laughed the whole way through. Genius.
So they're the shows and i also went on a bike tour, well i can't really say it was a whole tour of people, i was lucky enough to be the only one on the tour, so i rode around Manhatten with my tour guide Rob. He was a Belgium guy who had been in New York for 7 years and worked about 30 different jobs. He was working three at the time i met him. I suppose you just have to keep yourself busy to stay afloat in that city. He was a really top bloke with his head screwed on right and full of awesome information. We rode for a bout 3 hours, checking out Time Square, Madison Square Garden, Wall St, Brooklyn bridge, Ground Zero and the new awesome riding track up the west side of Manhatten. Free Wi-fi in the parks there!
Also checked out MOMA and a little bit of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. They had the coolest moving sculpture on the roof. Beautiful sunset up there too looking over Central Park. Oh and went up to the Top Of The Rock. I think the best views in the city.
Went to the east village and the west village a couple of times for dinner and drinking. Both amazing places, so many bars and restaurants. Went to one bar which i had to enter through a telephone booth. Ridiculous. Good Cocktails though.
One thing about New York in Summer... It's so MUGGY! Hot and Sticky is not cool for travelling to meetings when you're all dressed up. Loved the vibe there though and would happily move there in a second.
So now, in LA, had a few meetings and have a few more to go... Went and saw B.B.King and Buddy Guy last night at the Hollywood Bowl which was awe inspiring. Such presence and warmth and generosity from both artists. And all of the muso's on stage were so tight. Awesome mix too. Had a great time and caught up with an old mate after.
Think we are going to check out this Art Walk in Downtown LA tonight. Free music and entry to art galleries. Sounds really cool.
Speak soon
Behave....
And let's hope the Hawks make the finals... I'm home next week!!!
Rob
I saw Blood Brothers in London which was really cool and ended up going to the A Team after party. Thanks Rhi! I had a few meetings with agents and casting agents which was really cool. I hadn't sung in such a long time (well it felt like a long time, 6 weeks!) so i did a really big warm up before hand and went in there and did my best musical theatre audition. Not for anything in particular, just let them know that i'm around if something comes up. It gave me such a buzz.
Went for a few more runs around Hyde Park, had a few more moments just staring at Royal Albert Hall, just trying to picture what it would be like to perform at the awesome venue. I also had a similar moment in New York just staring at Carnegie Hall. But i'll get to that a little later.
Met up with some more friends and finished my second book of the trip, Tim Winton's Breath. Really cool story of life and the choices you make. Now reading The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo and i'm completely hooked. No book has got me like this since Dan Brown's Angels and Demons.
So after cooking dinner for my mates Trav and Jade, bless their hearts for letting me doss on the couch for that long. I promise to repay the debt ten fold one day. Thanks also to Chris as well...
So New York with Wendy started off really cool, a yellow taxi driving (with awesome driver) over the bridge and looking onto Manhatten. We stayed in the Upper East right next to Central Park which was just perfect. I took the couch, Wendy took the bed. Good move Mills, there was a bit of traffic noise in the morning that i didn't get. yesss. We changed positions a few nights later. I'm a good boy.
I went for a huge run the first morning around the park and ended up catching the last bit of Black Eyed Peas for GMA in the park. So cool. I think i ran around and through the park 3 times in the week that we were there.
The best thing about New York for me was that i got a chance to see some new cool shows. The first was Memphis which was spectacular. It is quite possibly the most polished piece of musical theatre that i have seen. A must! I can't see it coming to Australia so get to it people.
Next To Normal - Is the one everyone is talking about in New York. It was a really cool story and had a sort of Spring Awakening type vibe to it. Rocky riffs (which were not mixed well at all, i hate bad mixing) and some really emotional moments but i think only one memorable song.
American Idiot - Just brilliant. It was mixed like a rock show so you could feel the music deep in your body but still had the vocals up loud to get all the lyrics and story to your ears. It was like moving art. I really enjoyed this and hope it comes to Australia. Would love to play the best mate in the show.
In The Heights - The best dancing/choree i have ever seen. The songs and story a little lack luster. But all the performances were incredible. I can see why it won all those awards. It took musical theatre to a new level.
Lend Me A Tenor - This was my favourite of the week. It is a old play which was brilliantly cast and acted. Check the website for the details. It is a must see and i would love to do this show in Australia. I laughed the whole way through. Genius.
So they're the shows and i also went on a bike tour, well i can't really say it was a whole tour of people, i was lucky enough to be the only one on the tour, so i rode around Manhatten with my tour guide Rob. He was a Belgium guy who had been in New York for 7 years and worked about 30 different jobs. He was working three at the time i met him. I suppose you just have to keep yourself busy to stay afloat in that city. He was a really top bloke with his head screwed on right and full of awesome information. We rode for a bout 3 hours, checking out Time Square, Madison Square Garden, Wall St, Brooklyn bridge, Ground Zero and the new awesome riding track up the west side of Manhatten. Free Wi-fi in the parks there!
Also checked out MOMA and a little bit of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. They had the coolest moving sculpture on the roof. Beautiful sunset up there too looking over Central Park. Oh and went up to the Top Of The Rock. I think the best views in the city.
Went to the east village and the west village a couple of times for dinner and drinking. Both amazing places, so many bars and restaurants. Went to one bar which i had to enter through a telephone booth. Ridiculous. Good Cocktails though.
One thing about New York in Summer... It's so MUGGY! Hot and Sticky is not cool for travelling to meetings when you're all dressed up. Loved the vibe there though and would happily move there in a second.
So now, in LA, had a few meetings and have a few more to go... Went and saw B.B.King and Buddy Guy last night at the Hollywood Bowl which was awe inspiring. Such presence and warmth and generosity from both artists. And all of the muso's on stage were so tight. Awesome mix too. Had a great time and caught up with an old mate after.
Think we are going to check out this Art Walk in Downtown LA tonight. Free music and entry to art galleries. Sounds really cool.
Speak soon
Behave....
And let's hope the Hawks make the finals... I'm home next week!!!
Rob
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