Real Name: Nicki Escudero Gender: female Age: 25 Member Since: Jan 18, 2007 Last Signed In: Sep 18, 2009 Profile Views: 62786 View Profile » Send a Message » Sign Guestbook » Add as a Friend » The state of amp.az James Morrison’s charm packs Martini Ranch A little bit of Spain in Scottsdale Spring weather makes me so happy Sassy songstress Katy Perry gets silly, delivers on quality Friday night fun--dance nights, corsets and improv My new favorite band Phooson a sugary, fun time at Cricket Wireless Pavilion Hot celebs in town--Luke Wilson's hot, and Pablo Francisco was hysterical Jason Mraz gets elevated at Dodge Theatre January 07 February 07 March 07 April 07 May 07 June 07 July 07 August 07 September 07 October 07 November 07 December 07 January 08 February 08 March 08 April 08 May 08 June 08 July 08 August 08 September 08 October 08 November 08 December 08 January 09 February 09 March 09 April 09 May 09 June 09 July 09 August 09 September 09 October 09 November 09 December 09 January 10 February 10 March 10 April 10 May 10 June 10 July 10 
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I miss Mariah Carey. Yeah, I know, she's still around. She's got a new single, Touch My Body, out on her new album, E=MC², due out April 15, and the video debuted today. The problem is, the pop sound that made her such a big superstar back in 1990 when she got started has been replaced by trashy R&B. Even the video made me gag. It was like a comical introduction to a porn movie, part Jessica Simpson With You-esque, part wannabe-sexy. In the clip, her nerdy computer repair person has a fantasy where the two get romantic, and it makes the song even worse. If M had tried to go in a more serious direction, the song might have a shred of credibility. In this video, it's just wrong to hear lyrics like, "Let me wrap my thighs all around your waist." I throw up in my mouth a little bit every time I hear that. I miss the days of Vision of Love, Always Be My Baby and even Butterfly. Mariah may be older (she's 37 now), but sugar-sweet pop is still what she's done best. I own every single one of her albums (I even have double copies of a couple), but I probably will not be picking up her newest cut if the songs are more about moaning and groaning than catchy, upbeat melodies. There have been so many phenomenal concerts lately—OneRepublic, Cobra Starship, Miniature Tigers… I just can’t get enough!! And I’m stoked about upcoming shows by Drew Alexander, Panic at the Disco, My Chemical Romance and Yellowcard, too! This past weekend, in between all the tune-age, I saw Charlie Bartlett, the new movie about a high school kid, Charlie (Anton Yelchin), who pimps out prescription drugs for his classmates and offers sage advice in the boys’ bathroom. Robert Downey, Jr. plays the high school principal, who, ironically, is also an alcoholic. I was really surprised at how dark Charlie Bartlett was. I was expecting it to be a more straightforward comedy, but it includes suicide attempts and some brutal bully scenes, not to mention the substance abuse. I feel that if the film was a PG-13 movie and went in a more Mean Girls direction, it still could have been witty and edgy but reached a wider audience and seemed a little more realistic. Still, there were many funny parts to it, and Yelchin is a great break-out star. ------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------- ------------------ Saturday, I went to the new Chez Nous location on Grand Ave.. There was just something off about it—maybe the fact the entrance was in the opposite direction to the dance floor as its previous downtown venue, or maybe it seemed a little smaller and more well-lit. Still, there is no denying Chez Nous is the place to go for some down and dirty dancing and a diverse crowd. It beats Miniature Tigers with iji The Trunk Space, Phoenix, Feb. 23, 2008 Nicki Escudero The energy in The Trunk Space was high Saturday night as the Miniature Tigers took the small stage. The crowd of high school and college kids, which filled up most of the venue, danced and clapped along as the indie band played new tracks from their upcoming Black Magic and White Magic EPs. Though the show marked the band's return to the Valley after living in Los Angeles for the past year and a half, many fans in the crowd were still singing along to the tunes. Scenesters were also treated to some Chronic Future love, as the Phoenix band's bassist Brandon Lee played with Miniature Tigers. All the performers on-stage really got into the set, moving around and interacting with the crowd well. We also got to see vocalist/guitarist Charlie Brand play a couple acoustic tracks with piano accompaniment, and it was truly a family atmosphere as kids gathered around him and sat on the floor. Miniature Tigers is mos def a local band to watch, and you can check them out next at Art Detour March 7 at the Modern Art Space, 918 N. 6th St., Phoenix, 85004 at 8 p.m. Do you love pets? Want to earn money for writing about pets? Love blogging? Earn $0.50 per blog entry when you blog on azcentral.com’s new pets channel. Interact with members about their pets, talk about the newest in pets news and network with other pet lovers. We’re looking for people to blog at least once a day….contact me at nicki@amp.az if you are interested with your name, e-mail and phone number. Cobra Starship Feb. 19, 2008--Clubhouse Music Venue, Tempe Nicki Escudero The Clubhouse Music Venue transformed into an altar of Cobra Starship worship when the band played to a sweaty, sold-out crowd Feb. 19, 2008. “Tonight, we’re not just here to listen to great music,” lead vocalist Gabe Saporta said. “We’re here to worship at the church of the cobra.” The band members’ bright, fun personalities translated to the stage set-up, which was colorful and consistent with the 80s look the band has embraced with the release of their sophomore album, ¡Viva La Cobra! When the group first graced the stage, they brought out big balloons to throw out into the audience. The members were dressed snazzily, coordinating in purple and black, and their outfits weren’t the only thing uniting the members--the group did a great job of interacting with each other. While Saporta took charge, running around the stage and dancing, guitarist Ryland Blackinton, bassist Alex Suarez and keytarist Victoria Asher all took backup vocal duties and also provided some banter in-between songs. Blackinton and Suarez also put down their regular instruments to play synthesizers during Kiss My Sass and Damn You Look Good And I'm Drunk (Scandalous). Ever the hype man, Saporta provided many witty anecdotes throughout the night. Before singing My Moves Are White (White Hot, That Is), he told the crowd about a college experience where he felt out of place at a dance club. “I said, ‘(Expletive) this (expletive),” Saporta said. “‘One day I’m going to start a band and teach kids how to shake their (expletive).” It was evident the crowd, mostly made up of teenagers, were huge fans, as the audience sang along throughout the night and put their “fangs” up for the band—that meant lifting their hands up in a fang-like configuration that gave off a cultish, but oh-so-fun, vibe. The band played for a little over an hour, and the set included many tracks from the band’s debut, While the City Sleeps, We Rule the Streets, as well as a short Gwen Stefani cover—Cobra Starship’s version was Hollaback Boy. After playing the band’s breakout hit, Bring It (Snakes On A Plane), Saporta jumped into the crowd. His antics provided the most dramatic moment of the night, when the crowd wasn’t sure if he got trampled in the process—even the other Cobra Starship members seemed concerned, and the house lights went up to make sure he was alright. Saporta eventually jumped back on-stage, and the band came back out for an encore of Being From Jersey Means Never Having To Say You're Sorry, which Saporta dedicated to “all the Midtown kids,” fans of his other band. Cobra Starship ended the night with their single Guilty Pleasure, where Saporta sings, “I came here to make you dance tonight.” As confetti shot out over the audience and the crowd jumped up and down and got their grooves on, it was clear the band achieved its goal. OneRepublic Feb. 15, 2008- Marquee Theatre Nicki Escudero The pop rock band brought amazing energy to the stage that made them look like veterans, despite only having one album, Dreaming Out Loud. While the guys got their start on MySpace, they were very engaging live. Alternative band The Daylights and funky pop act Josh Kelley opened the show. Kelley, who may be more well-known for being married to starlet Katherine Heigl, told the audience how he bought her lingerie for Valentine’s Day. “My girl put on hers the other night, and I swear it was like 30 doves came out of the door,” Kelley said. Both acts managed to get the mostly 20-something crowd, who filled up most of the Marquee, pumped up for OneRepublic, who went on around 10 p.m. The band opened with their album opener, Say (All I Need), then played the next two songs in album succession also—Mercy and their current single, Stop and Stare. Vocalist Ryan Tedder bounced around the stage, singing and playing keyboard and guitar. This was the band’s first time in The night was a rainy one, which Tedder later commented on, but the weather came in handy when the band did a cover of Rihanna’s smash Umbrella. Fans started opening up their umbrellas, and Tedder grabbed one on-stage. “This couldn’t have been more perfect,” Tedder said. The band also performed a beautiful cover of The Verve’s Bittersweet Symphony. With cellist Brent Kutzle’s contributions, the song was even more dynamic. The band played most of their album, with their number one single Apologize as second to last. The whole crowd sang along, which wasn’t surprising since the fans also knew their lesser-known songs throughout the night. Surprisingly, the band closed with Someone to Save You, a more upbeat choice than Apologize. The guys came back for an encore of Come Home, a song Tedder wrote about his soldier friend in A week and a half ago, I got to cover a lot of Super Bowl events. Here are some random thoughts from the experience: -Brody Jenner and Frankie Delgado are tools. Seriously, making a five-minute appearance on The Hills doesn’t make you famous, kid. -Ashlee Simpson is a lot shorter than I pictured her. I’ve read she’s anywhere from 5”5 to 5”7, but my 5”6 self towered over her (to be fair, I was wearing high heels, and I’m pretty sure she was wearing sneakers.) She’s also super-gorgeous in person, and anyone who says she’s unattractive needs to take their crazy pills. -Kendra Wilkinson has really bad skin. She may be a “girl next door,” but this Playmate might want to become the new Proactiv spokesperson. I’m not really sure why being a Playboy model qualified her as a celebrity during Super Bowl weekend, either, but she had some wicked dance moves at one of the Taste Ultra Lounge parties. -I seriously think that some of the NFL players’ wives work out with their husbands’ trainers! When I went to a fashion show featuring the wives, some of them looked like they did some serious bench pressing. While the whole experience was really fun, it also made me really disenchanted when thinking about a celebrity lifestyle. I loved seeing the live music events, but the extravagance of the weekend sort of disgusted me. I guess I should stop submitting tapes for MTV reality shows now… ------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------- ------------------- After all the craziness was done, last week was a lot more laid-back. I went to a great raw foods class at The Windhawk (49 S. Sycamore, Mesa, 85202) Wednesday night to learn some raw chocolate recipes. Check out a video of the class here. ------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------- ------------------ Thursday night, Kevin Patterson hosted a telethon during the local live talk show ------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------- ------------------ Friday, I headed to Alwun House (1204 E. Roosevelt St., Phoenix, 85006) for the Exotic Preview Party, “a phantasmagorical spectacular”.
The night had an exotic art exhibit, two performance stages, food and a cash bar, all geared toward the upcoming love-it-or-hate-it Valentine’s Day. I have to say, compared to last year’s event, I was pretty disappointed this time around. First off, Alwun House’s website promised free drink tickets if you took a shuttle to the venue, but many of us never received them. Once inside the venue (or outside in the backyard, rather), the place was so packed, you could barely move around. It took more than 20 minutes to get food, and unless you were one of the lucky people who got to sit down at a table, you had to stand on the outskirts. Also, the entertainment on the main stage got sort of stale after awhile because some acts performed multiple times. For a three hour show, I find it hard to believe it would be difficult to find a variety of acts in the Valley to fill the stage. Despite the disappointments, the art in Alwun House was really amazing to see and can be viewed until March 14. ------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------- ------------------- I freaking love improv, and Saturday night I checked out Jester’z (Theater 168, 7117 E. McDowell Road, Scottsdale, 85257) The four guys I saw perform on Saturday were all great actors, and they made really bold choices when creating their characters. The scenes were really entertaining, and everyone had great energy. If you’re interested in classes, they offer 12-week courses for $350. A more affordable option might be The Torch Theatre, which is $165 for eight weeks, though the improv style is a more theatrical style, long-form. More info is here. ------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------- ------------------- Later that night, I saw No Country for Old Men, which follows three men—a hit man, a Don’t believe the hype. While I thought the movie was interesting and gripping at times, I was left wondering what the point of the film was, other than we must leave everything to fate and life is a depressing, predetermined venture. The film was also graphically violent, though I felt it was appropriate in the plot, but the movie is definitely hard to stomach. If you’re only going to see one dramatic Best Picture nominee, opt for There Will Be Blood, which I highly preferred over No Country for Old Men. Or better yet, check out Juno. The only thing that might make you queasy is the thought of giving birth.
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Kid Rock brought some alternative country rock to the Bud Bowl party in Old Town Scottsdale Saturday night, and the crowd ate it up.
The street between nightclubs Axis/Radius and Suede was complete packed with people who danced and sang along to Kid, who performed an hour and a half set. Kid's voice was on point, and he had impressive energy. He didn't stop dancing or jumping around the stage, as he performed songs such as 'Cowboy, 'Only God Knows Why' and the show closer, 'Badwitdaba'. Despite his usual scruff, Kid opted for a classy white track suit and hat. His stage was also peppered with candles, providing for a great contrast with rough music and language. Kid's band was also diverse, since it contained a saxophone player and extensive percussion. Kid didn't provide much banter during the set, though he did offer this bit of advice: "Note to self, do not (expletive) with a songwriter. Payback is an (expletive.)" He instead opted to plow through the music, though he did manage to squeeze Arizona and Phoenix into some of the lyrics. The show was an upbeat way to celebrate the eve of the big game.
Television stars, athletes and DJs came together at Taste Ultra Lounge in Scottsdale for the Friday Night Lights party Friday night.
The varied guest list, including several professional football players such as Larry Johnson and Warren Sapp, sure strove to entertain the crowd. Kendra Wilkinson from The Girls Next Door hyped up the crowd by dancing on the main stage, while Friday Night Lights star Scott Porter beat boxed and sang for the classy attendees. Fall Out Boy bassist Pete Wentz was supposed to DJ, but after an arrival a little after midnight, he simply stood behind DJ Clue, who took control of the main stage music. Wentz, who said to expect a new Fall Out Boy DVD in March, was seen lip synching to Rihanna's Umbrella, but he focused more on mingling with the VIPs than on controlling the music. He wasn't the only less-than-spectacular appearance. Musician Cisco Adler stayed at Taste for only 20 minutes--and he didn't seem so interested in the Super Bowl, either. "I don't have a favorite team that's in it, but in the 80s, I really loved the (Miami) Dolphins," Adler, 29, said. Still, the crowd, which didn't quite fill up the entire club, was busy dancing throughout the night and proved north Scottsdale and Taste may be worthy competitors of Old Town. The NFL players' wives kept busy, too, this Super Bowl weekend, as the Off More than 50 models, including Elizabeth Anderson, the wife of Arizona Boutiques such as Dolce Boutique, Sixstar Brazilian Fashions and 42 Saint While some of the wives looked like actual models, others seemed as though Before the show, hosts Pat Smith (wife of former NFL running back Emmitt A brunch and silent and live auctions also took place, though the crowd Most of the female-heavy audience had connections to the models or
Just because you couldn't afford a ticket to Diddy or Paris Hilton's parties didn't mean you had to miss out on Super Bowl fun Thursday night. For only $40 (the price was lowered to $20 after 12:30 a.m.), the common folk got to hang out at Six Lounge in Old Town Scottsdale for the Reebok Kickoff Party.
The crowd was mostly celebrity-less, with no appearance by Scarlett Johannson as was rumored. Higher-profile people who did show included Arizona Cardinals linebacker Karlos Dansby, Atlanta Falcons linebacker Michael Boley and several young football hopefuls in town training for the NFL Combine, a test to assist in draft choices. One recent college graduate entering the NFL draft, Paul Hubbard of University of Wisconsin, said Six hosted one of his favorite parties so far. "We're having a good time here in the VIP, just mingling, chilling," Hubbard, 22, said. "I was up on the dance floor the first time I came. I cut up the rug. Tonight I think I'm just going to chill and hang loose." The club hosted its traditional Mint night in conjunction, where a mostly late-20s/30s crowd dressed to impress and tore it up on the dance floor. The DJ played an interesting mix of old school and contemporary hip-hop, along with some rock songs thrown in, by artists like Annie Lennox, The White Stripes and Rihanna. Despite the lack of big names, the crowd (which Scottsdale resident David Smith, 25, called a "brodeo" because of the prevalence of males), seemed to have a great time, dancing and getting to know each other. The entire venue was packed, with barely any room to move around. "It's crazy," said Mathew Alexander, 25, a Scottsdale resident. "It's fun to be in the state of Arizona during Super Bowl." |
