Saxophones, Cruella, and a roadtrip

 

Big Gigantic, Ladies and Gentlemen

Big Gigantic at The National in Richmond, VA will forever be synonymous with ridiculousness. This year's show marked the anniversary of one of the greatest weekends ever, when a big group of us saw them last year... same time, same place. (okay, it was a few months difference, but it sounds better this way.)

Killin it

 Outfit-wise, I was a little boring, I admit. I wore high-waisted jeans with a backless dress worn as a top. I didn't pack very well and had little options, but we made do.

A blondetourage we had going on

As you can see, I was still very excited...

To make up for my less than exciting concert outfit, I'm going to cover the basics as for what to pack in your purse or fanny pack to ensure proper concert preparedness:

The necessities. Not pictured: Extra Phone Battery!

 1. As always PHONE, KEYS, WALLET. It's my newest mantra anytime I leave the house and a concert is of course no exception. On that note, remember to only bring your keys to concert if you actually NEED them. If you're in a different city or not driving, it's best to leave them at your home base. You also may want to bring an extra phone battery if you have one; you never know where your night will end or when the next time you'll see your charger. Final note about these: cash is king. Don't bring more than $50 cash (usually my policy) you never know what could happen, but usually having large sums of cash on you doesn't end well...mostly for just you though.

2. Lipstick/Chapstick/Compact. Lipstick is a staple for me, my favorite is NARS "Cruella" but I always bring a compact if I'm wearing lipstick that night. If I'm going with nude lips I still always bring chapstick!!

3. Lighter/Matches. You obviously don't need to bring both but even if you're not a smoker, it's nice to be recognized as a hero when you're the answer to everyone's "who has a lighter?" question you will undoubtedly hear, at least 100 times.

4. Camera. No explanation needed.

5. Sunglasses. Crucial, maybe not for the show, but like I mentioned earlier, you never know where you'll end up...these will come in handy as you venture out the next morning to a boozy brunch, nursing your hangover.

6. Advil. For the next morning to cure said hangover. However, note that some venues are strict about bringing in pills. These are marked with "Advil" so you should be okay but try to find out how strict the venue is first!

7. Finally, the most important element: your ticket. Can't get in without this...I always try to bring up my receipt or e-ticket on my phone ready to show the people at the front just in case!



Next up: Hungarian trance duo Myon & Shane 54. I promise to get more creative with my outfits!

Sandy, Paul Simon, and Courtney Love

Happy Friday and Happy November!!




Thanks to Hurricane Sandy, I had an extended vacation at home and am a little behind on my Halloween post. I got pretty lucky as far as the storm went, and I'm praying for those still without power and food!!


Pre-Sandy adventures included seeing Major Lazer at Terminal 5. 

I've never been one to actually buy a Halloween costume. Even when I was a young, bright-eyed trick-or-treater my costumes were always homemade. This included a Power Rangers outfit complete with construction paper and bike helmets (I was the yellow ranger as my big sister pulled rank and got to be the pink ranger....everytime.)

I'm not sure my mom knows how to work the flash on her camera phone. or how to give haircuts.

This year was no exception to the make-shift costume trend. I actually went thrifting for inspiration and stumbled upon two amazing pieces:

The first was a black fringe top. Amazing, I know. I decided even if I didn't wear it for Halloween, I had to have it:

 This shirt inspired me with two Halloween options: Courtney Love or Madonna. Seeing as I was planning on dancing all night, I went with the blonde-star that wore more comfortable shoes.

A cleaned-up Courtney love with my college roomie Tori who was a Goth..or Morticia Addams as I dubbed her.

The second amazing piece was this little number for which I found a not-so-matching necklace. I didn't end up wearing the dress unfortunately but I think next year or next week I'll be a disco ball.

Some friends with the best outfits:

Finally, some Major Lazer shots. It was an awesome show. Not overly crowded with good music, it felt like a big Halloween party. We even got to hear Major Lazer and all of Terminal 5 sing a bit of You Can Call Me Al.

After losing power and running water and drinking all the wine, we decided to head back to Virginia Beach for a mini vacation and break from the insanity consuming New York. We got to catch 12th Planet on actual Halloween and then Nas a few days later. Both super fun shows, especially when the night of Nas ended in a drunken limo ride home...

Next up is Big Gigantic