Fashion Stalker: Shirley Manson

This past weekend I was lucky enough to catch live another one of my all-time favorite bands: Garbage (for concert pictures, visit my Photography blog). And during their fantastic performance, I was struck again by how amazing Shirley Manson, the lead singer, is. She is an exceptional singer, incredible personable and charismatic onstage, and her fashion sense is still spot on. I probably spent a good part of the concert thinking if I would embarrass myself and scream asking where did she get the dress she was wearing. I didn’t yell any such thing in the end (it would have been drowned by the numerous ”Shirley, I love you!” Anyway, I have some concert photos to share, and if you recognize where that dress is from, leave me a shout out on the comments! Or really, you can just leave a comment to join me in drooling over Shirley’s wardrobe and gorgeous hair.

Shirley Manson shows an almost undivided predilection to the color black in her outfits, although, from careful examination you can see that she sometimes also slips in some vibrant red and white on her wardrobe. She also wears graphical pieces, and is overall very rock’n'roll. But it’s a modern and sexy take on rock, which just adds to her aura of complete coolness.

Top 10 – My Favorite Rock Albums

I’ve been in a music kick lately. Which is a funny thing for me to say, since I don’t exactly remember a time when I wasn’t obsessively listening to music and discovering new bands to like. Well, except for lately. It’s been a while since music got me really excited, especially new stuff. Mostly, I’m a girl stuck in the 90s. My favorite bands are all from that era, the golden age of BritPop, Oasis, Radiohead, Blur, The Verve, Travis… I compiled a list of my top 10 rock albums, most of those are from my teen years and I probably listened to them till they had holes in them. This list, is one that I am constantly tweaking and working on as time goes by.

Often, through my life, I go back to those eight 90s albums that really marked a time in my life. A time when I was much more carefree and had all that free time to listen and care so much about rock’n'roll. That sort of time is a luxury lately, one that I usually take advantage of during concerts only. Then I’m back in my element and feeling like a teenager again. Those albums still inspire and move me, in a way that nothing else can.

The only non 90s albums on my list are Jack’s Mannequin and Death Cab for Cutie, the only “new” bands to really get to me lately. Two bands that I think, as the years go by, will still maintain their place in my top 10 albums of all time.

What does your top 10 list look like?

Surpassing Expectations: Noel Gallagher in Vegas

I’ll be honest, I was pretty sure I was going to like Noel’s concert. First, I already had a good idea what to expect, having watched three different live streams of his since his CD was out. I knew what the set list would be from looking at what he played in Mexico. I knew the theather I was going to see him at would be ten time smaller than the last venue I saw Oasis at, therefore guaranteeing good views no matter where I sat.

What I didn’t know was how incredible it would be to actually experience all that. It’s hard to put into words (I’m better with images, and I selected a few here to share so you have a little taste of what that night was like for me) but I’ll try.

Noel was late. Really late, actually, his show didn’t start till after 10 pm. His flight from LA got cancelled, and instead of canceling the show, Noel, who is really a classy guy, drove all six and a half hours from LA to be in Vegas, somewhat in time for the concert. And after driving all that, he still hop on stage and delivered a killer show. I mean, after driving six hours from SLC, I needed a nap in the hotel, a shower and dinner before I deemed myself fit to go to a concert. And I wasn’t even performing in it (although, people that saw me at the concert might disagree with that…).

He opened with a classic Oasis B-Side, “It’s good to be free,” to which, at the time, I was still a little shy to jump around and sing along as I usually do. But he followed it with “Mucky Fingers” and suddenly I was in the concert (rest of setlist). There were no more inhibitions, and I’m sorry to everyone that was behind me at the concert, I know I get pretty obnoxious. But I was really into it.  I’m surprised no one asked me if I was on coke, because that’s what it looked like. That’s the effect that a good concert has on me.

The music followed, Oasis b-sides that I always loved, most of Noel’s new record, and adorable public interactions. I am not tired of repeating, Noel is a classy guy. It shows through now even better that he doesn’t have Liam to outshine him. And it’s not like Liam outshone him even for good things. I love this mature Noel that commands a presence in front of any audience. It was an incredible concert and I cannot emphasize it enough: is he coming near you? You should go, there’s no reason to miss it. Well, unless you have not bought Noel’s new album yet, in which case, what are you waiting for?

And here’s a video of “Supersonic,” that I got from someone that posted it on YouTube:

High Expectations: Seeing Noel Gallagher in Vegas

It’s been a long time coming. I’m so ecstatic that Noel decided to bring his tour of his first solo album close to my home. Las Vegas is only 6 hours away, and a easy trip to make on a weekend to see my favorite rockstar ever. When those tickets went on sale, I was already standing in front of the computer, mouse ready, for at least 2 hours. I got decent spots to sit, at a decent price. The venue? The Pearl, a 2,500 seating theater in Vegas, inside the famous Palms casino. Last time I saw Noel was in 2006, he was still with Oasis, and playing for another 90,000 fans at a crowded stadium in Buenos Aires. Before that? Rock in Rio 2001, with another 220,000 people. So I am happy with this upgrade to an intimate setting. I’ll be able to see and enjoy Noel up close, in much of the same way I did in 1998, when I saw him play a mere few feet away from me, as I grabbed myself a spot right at the front of the stage.

Noel (and Oasis) and I have history. It started in 1994, with a song, “Rock’n'roll star,” and as far as I know this passion will continue to the day that I die. In 1998, my first concert was Oasis, my first time experiencing what Noel sang about in that song, that dreams come true if you believe in them. I met Noel and the rest of Oasis (at the time: Liam, Alan, Bonehead and Guigsy) at an after party in the Hotel Maksoud in Sao Paulo. I had a chance to sit and talk with all of them, especially Noel. I gave him a book with messages from Oasis fans, and I know it was a gift he treasured. And I treasure the gift of having met him. I don’t think I’ll have the same luck on this trip, but you never know. I’ll keep my eyes open and maybe I’ll get to say hello again, to one of the classiest guys in the music industry, and my all time hero.