A Frank Concert View

My view was frankly different today.

The Long Beach Municipal Band had a rare Sunday concert to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Aquarium of the Pacific.

How cool is it to get paid to play here:

The icing on the cake was the appearance of the insanely famous beFrank and Action Wife Dellis in the audience.

beFrank, as you know if you've read this blog for any time at all, is my blogging inspiration and hero. He has another blogging hero of mine, Lenslinger, gushing over him like a girl with her first crush. He's that good.

beFrank wasted no time in getting out the Blackberry to blog the event.

Bob came over to say hi to the Franks during the change-over break between the concert band and jazz band sets. He and Dellis were convinced that they had met before, but in reality their only meeting was via the blogsphere.

I love the blogsphere!

Dellis, Bryan, and I enjoyed the jazz portion of the concert while Bob continued to run sound. It was a beautiful evening, perfect to share with friends.

To Bryan and Dellis, thank you for taking the time to hang with the band.


(photo by beFrank)

To the rest of you, follow a frankly good example and come on out to the parks of Long Beach for a FREE Municipal Band concert. You've got 5 weeks left.

Next week: Cowboys!

Happy 78th Birthday Beverly!

My parents have been attending Long Beach Municipal Band concerts for the 23 years or so that I've had the privilege of being employed by that great institution. Our friend Beverly (above on the left) has spent the last 44 summers in the parks of Long Beach following the band.

Today was her 78th birthday. Where else did she choose to spend it but with us at the concert in El Dorado Park.


Happy Birthday Beverly!

Future Band Member?

I spotted him standing respectfully behind the rope, gazing in rapt concentration at the band. The music began, his instrument swung into position, and he was "playing" his very best:

Maybe one day he'll graduate to one of these:

Until then, he is performing most Thursdays at Marine Stadium.

Tony!

If it's week three of the Long Beach Municipal Band season it must be "Dixieland on Parade".

I caught this shot of the Dixieland soloists right before they spontaneously combusted. They are BURNING hot players.

To top off a blazing line up, the magnificent Tony Galla joins the band as featured vocalist this week.

Not only is he a supremely talented singer, he is also an extremely nice guy.

Some of you may remember Tony from his younger days:



Please join us at Marine Stadium tonight, El Dorado Park tomorrow, or at a special Sunday concert at the Aquarium of the Pacific. All concerts are free and start at 6:30pm.

The Smoother Pavers

One of the many advantages of living in the city of Signal Hill is that its Public Works Department actually has money for street improvements.

We were notified two weeks ago that our street was in for a face lift.

Two days ago these signs went up throughout the surrounding neighborhood:

We dutifully parked our vehicles across the street in Long Beach last night.

I took this picture 10 minutes ago:

It is worth the inconvenience of a slight schlep to the car to get a newly re-surfaced street.

I am grateful to see "The Smoother Pavers" in action!

Danny Kaye's Bums

My sister and I learned the words to this song as wee children. I remember singing it with her to our beloved Grandma Ann as she lay in bed suffering from pancreatic cancer. She got a big kick out of it...

Costume Dancer

Her first appearance was late in last summer's Municipal Band season.

She and a young friend arrived at Marine Stadium decked out in high princess style.

When the music started, something remarkable happened.

These young beauties positioned themselves in front of the stage right speaker stacks and began to dance.

Theirs was an ecstatic dance, born of sheer joy and carried along by whatever selection the band happened to play.

They danced their hearts out for the entire concert band set.

As the season ended, I wondered if I would have the privilege of being in their royal presence again.

Fortunately, as the band struck up the first chords of the season last week, the princesses reappeared. Age had not robbed them of their love of music and costume dancing.

I'm hoping to see them again tonight at Marine Stadium.

6:30pm