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Pink Martini! (with special guest star NPR's Ari Shapiro)
southendmd:
Just came back from a Pink Martini concert at Boston's Opera House.
WOW!
This was an awesome Christmas present from a friend who knows I'm a fan. Thank you, Steven.
I knew it would be fun, but when I opened the program, I couldn't believe my eyes: Ari Shapiro!
Being a daily listener of NPR, I have a secret crush on Ari. He is the NPR White House correspondent, and a real looker.
I had always liked his style on the radio; he enunciates so well. But, I had never seen him until this past election, when he was a commentator on PBS. Incredble eyes, and dimples, he just oozes confidence.
So, one night, whilst surfing youtube for Pink Martini clips, I saw one with him, and thought WTF? He can sing too??!!
I learned he was an occasional guest vocalist for the band. But, I never thought he would show up in Boston. I mean, I just heard him on the radio yesterday.
He started with a sweet Mexican ballad "Yo te quiero siempre" (I wiill love you always) which showed off his lovely tenor. Next, he did a first for the band--a Bollywood song! After intermission, he did an up tempo number called "But Now I'm Back" followed by a Pink Martini favorite, "La Soledad", much sweeter than the version on the album. Later, he asked all the Greeks in the audience to come onstage to join him in singing "Never on a Sunday" in Greek.
It seems he can do anything.
As an encore, lead singer China Forbes announced they would sing a song first done in 1964 with Judy Garland and Barbra Streisand. And guess who is playing Judy? Ari minced a little, and they launched into the fab duet "Get Happy/Happy Days Are Here Again".I was in heaven.
Alas, he is married. To some guy. Oh well.
southendmd:
The rest of the concert was just as good. Pink Martini is hard to categorize: they do mostly pop songs, but with an international flair. They sing in about 12 languages. Based in Portland, Oregon, the band was formed by Thomas Lauderdale and his Harvard classmate and lead singer China Forbes, who is originally from Cambridge; so this was home turf for her.
Incidentally, Thomas Lauderdale was the "gay activist" who was seated next to that idiot Ted Nugent at the recent State of the Union address.
southendmd:
"This is Ari Sharpiro, NPR news, Boston"
Dreamy Ari
Ari with Storm Large who was fillling in for lead singer China Forbes
Front-Ranger:
How fun! Thanks for sharing with us!
southendmd:
[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xa2uEqOrgLs[/youtube]
Ari Shapiro with Storm Large.
The first song written by Pink Martini is this: "Sympathique", by Thomas Lauderdale and China Forbes. They thought the melody sounded old-fashioned, and added words by the French poet Apollinaire, thinking this was in the public domain. Mais non. They were sued "in French". But it became a huge hit in France.
The chorus goes: "Je ne veux pas travailler,
Je ne veux pas dejeuner,
Je veux seulement oublier,
Et puis je fume."
Which means: "I don't want to work,
I don't want to lunch,
I only want to forget,
And so I smoke."
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