Photobucket Hell Ya!: 5/11/08 - 5/18/08

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

New Kids Dreams Can Come True TWICE!!!

Last night something very very special and one of a kind occurred down on the Sunset Strip. None other than the New Kids On The Block played a “private”/”secret” show rehearsal in preparation for their upcoming appearance on Good Morning America this Friday.

The only logical thing I could think of doing when I found myself standing in the venue awaiting the kids first appearance on a stage in front of fans in 15 years – was to PINCH MYSELF. HOW the HECK did I finally get the chance to see my 6 year old dreams fulfilled? I spent my younger years playing with the nkotb Barbie Dolls, wearing the themed nightgowns while sleeping in my official nkotb sleeping back with the matching pillowcase – this was serious business for me as a kid. Sadly though, the closest thing I ever got to seeing them in concert was watching one of their live shows from a Vegas hotel room…until now!!!

Thanks to my good friend and co-worker Gina Star I was informed about this secret special event on Monday and God bless the soul of Peter Torres (Rock A&R for Thrive) for pulling through and getting Jenna and I on the house list for this event.

Around 8:30 a blank white screen covered the curtains of the stage of the House of Blues Sunset and the shrill screams of grown women filled the room like an arena. A montage style video full of tons of New Kids nostalgia on film proceeded to remind each and every one of us why we were there… after all these years we were all just as excited as we would have been back then.

The white screen was replaced by 5 microphones and as the curtains rose so did the decibels in the room, to such a level that one would think they were at the Staples center witnessing 20,000 pre-tweens cheer for Miley Cyrus.
The Kids (or men, rather) hit the stage sharp dressed, in shape and accompanied by a full line of back up dancers. The stage reached into the middle of the room and NKOTB danced their routines and hit their notes with such finesse…we all forgot they are now in their 30’s and 40’s? The room was enamored, elated, and ecstatic - the energy was unlike anything I’ve ever witnessed.

It was a short performance, The Kids played a wonderful medley of their hits, which included Step By Step, Please Don’t Go Girl, Hangin’ Tough, The Right Stuff and more. They then continued with their new single “Summertime” and finished off the night with one more song and dance - along with a very sweet farewell to the crowd.
Cell phones and cameras were not aloud in the venue, but thank God for my boots – I snuck my blackberry in and towards the very end I was lucky enough to snap a few shots to share with you all. Check ‘em out below as well as a few youtube vids I thought were quite appropriate to share.

OH and ps-
Joey is still my favorite. He's still just so darn cute.







This was one of my favorites of all things that came of the new kids:


The New Kids On The Block Reunion Tour! Are You Ready? They’ll Be In So. Cal This FALL!!!!! :)

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

omg. NKOTB secret show tonight in the OC!

my first autograph i was ever excited about was from the NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK back in the daaaaayyyyyyy. (The Hangin Tough' tour - - right before the Funky Funky X-mas tour)
My dad is a television engineer and happened to work on this show - - he surprised me with an autographed copy of the entire show script - - signed by all 4 members of New Kids On The Block. I was shocked and so surprised that my dad (who has a rule never to ask for an autograph, or photo from famous people) actually hooked up the best gift EVER.
Turns out - - years later he told me that him and his buddies forged all the signatures of the New Kids On The Block - - he had been lying the whole time! man what a letdown! note to all lying fathers out there - - - keep the lie going! your kid will NEVER KNOW THE DIFFERENCE!

all this NKOTB talk is for a reason - - i just got word they are playing a secret show TONIGHT @ the HOB Anaheim!!!! soooooo exciting! if anybody has an extra ticket - email me! heather@hellyadeejays.com


NKOTB 'Hangin Tough' youtube video

so jealous of everyone that has a ticket to this . . . this means you kelsea. hahaha.

i want details and blog post recap asap.

and call me when they play 'I'll Be Lovin' You Forever'. ahhhhh.

and see if you can score me some autographs while your at it!!! thanks dad. haha ;)

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Monday, May 12, 2008

Ravished Hearts in Africa: Getting Word Out

So, I realize that this is a music blog… And most of the time you would come here to hear about our next show or a new video that is amazing or a band that you have to take a listen to… Not that there is anything wrong with that, in fact the people I am going to tell you about today I met at a show this winter. They are friends of a couple of the bands we work with here at Hell Ya, and just like the rest of us they love the arts and music… They just happen to be using their talents on a different front for the next two months.



I met Joshua at The Shys residency at the Detroit Bar earlier this year. He is a close friend of several of my friends and colleagues and though we had seen eachother many times, we had never spoken. Joshua told me of the trip he would be making a month from then to Africa where he would be working with a team of talented people to document and spread the word of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Africa. They will be living there, speaking with the people, visiting orphanages, helping wherever they can, hoping that maybe the knowledge they gain can shed light for the rest of the world.

HIV and AIDS is a worldwide epidemic. The number of cases in the US grows yearly, but that is in no comparison to Africa where an estimated 5% of the adult population is living with HIV or AIDS, causing over 1.5 million deaths in 2007. What is even scarier is the lack of knowledge of the disease. Keri, one of the members of the Ravished Hearts team received an email from her friend Megan who was working for the Peace Corp in Tanzania, described in notes on their website, “She had attended [a church service] soon after arriving in the village she now called home. The local pastor gave a sermon speaking out against the use of condoms, citing condoms is what gives one AIDS.” And that’s not all, a friend of mine who lived in Africa for school was told to wear a wedding ring on her travels since a common misconception is that if you have sex with a virgin it will cure you of HIV, causing the numbers of rape to go up in the culture. The misinformation is leading to millions of deaths. With no cure in sight and the growth of those infected with the disease, the silence of the subject is extremely alarming, to say the least.



It is so easy to be “out of sight, out of mind” especially when the sight is such a horrible one to see… But I ask you to spread the word. Talk about it. Tell your friends, neighbors, co-workers, your favorite bloggers, parents, and siblings, ask them to do the same. The more people aware of the challenges of the world, the more of a chance we have to save it. Joshua, Ryan, Keri, Breezy and Megan have taken the step to enlighten, now they just need your help getting word out.

Visit their blog at AFRICA.GETTINGWORDOUT.COM for more information on the project. They update frequently with information on what they have seen, heard and what they are trying to accomplish.

Thanks for your time, guys. I will see you at the next show.

xoxo
Emily