31 July, 2009

my evening with regina spektor


as you all know, i was lucky enough to see regina spektor perform at el rey theatre in los angeles on tuesday, 28 july.

i was positively devastated when we weren't able to get tickets the day they went on sale. they literally sold out in seconds. don't get me started on the corruption that is concert-going in LA. it is absolutely ridiculous.

anyway, my friend scott knew that i was upset so he started trying to get me tickets through his goldenvoice connection the day they went on sale.

it looked like a lost cause, but on tuesday at 3:45, hours before the show, he called to let me know that he got me and levi in!

we showed up an hour before the doors opened, and it turns out we were on the guest list.


so not only did we get FREE tickets to a sold out performance to one of my top three favorite artists of all time, we didn't have to wait in the huge line, and we got to go in first. which means our location was killer.

we were literally as close as you could get, touching the stage, standing right where regina performed for the entire night. unbelievable. you don't have to tell me how incredibly lucky i am. believe me, i know. i was shocked at our good fortune.

her entire performance was absolutely magical.

{stars everywhere for samson - "the stars came fallin' on our heads"}

she is beautiful. she is adorable. she is sweet as pie.

she looked me in the eye multiple times throughout the evening.

{it's just me & regina...don't mind all those other hands and heads}

all i could do was stand in silent adoration with my hands at my heart and smile the entire time she was on stage.

i didn't even cheer. i couldn't. i just clapped and smiled.

she performed almost all of the songs from her new album, far, as well as a ton of older songs.

she was accompanied on stage by her drummer, two cello players, a violinist, and a viola player.

she sat at the piano for most of her performance.

she performed dance anthem of the 80s on the keyboard. she was nervous about messing this one up. she said she was rehearsing it earlier in the day. it was adorable. and she didn't mess it up one bit.

she also performed on her guitar and did a couple-few (one of levi's words) songs accompanied only by her musicians.



poor little rich boy was awesooooome. she beat the rhythm on a chair with a drumstick with her right hand, played piano with her left, and sang. so talented.

i can't pick my favorite from the night. apres moi is definitely up there. my eyes welled with tears multiple times, but they finally fell onto my cheeks when she performed us during her encore. i'm almost crying remembering it. it was so gorgeous. especially with the string instruments accompanying her.

ahhhhh, i wish i could go back. i wish i could close my eyes and vividly remember every detail of the experience over and over at any time i want.

it was such a special, magical, beautiful, surreal night. i feel so lucky and so blessed to have had this experience. and i'm so grateful that i had levi there to enjoy it with me.


here are two videos that i took to share with you all.

the sound isn't all that bad, and you can see how close we were.

*all the cheering, talking, and singing along you hear is NOT me. i'm not a big fan of singing along at concerts. that's what my car is for.

eet (unfortunately, it cuts off right at the end - sorry!)



on the radio (lots of singing along on this one)


i seriously wish you all could have been there too. it would have been so cool if that room could have been filled with us. and then maybe we could have all hung out with regina afterwards? yeahhhh.

34 comments:

  1. ooo i love regina live. and i love the el rey. you are lucky because it's such a cozy venue!!! jealous. i'm glad you had a lovely time. she's the best.

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  2. that is so awesome jasmine, i'm totally jealous!! i love the pictures too. and i'm so happy for you that you have internet now! i missed you too! hehe. man, i don't know what i'd do without internet, it helps me out in too many ways.
    i'm glad to see you've been up to some fun adventures lately. have a fabulous day! :)

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  3. So your post gave me the biggest goose bumps ever!!! There is nothing better then taking a moment out of our lives to let someone else enjoy something that is so dear and special to them..You and Levi are awesome and I wouldn't have it any other way then to make your day and help a brother out haha..

    On the radio is one of my favs and I I was so stoked to see that you put up a video of that!!! I wish I could have been there with you guys But I'm thinking we will be hanging out at band of horses!

    See ya soon jazzy fresh!

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  4. oh. my. gosh! congratulations!!!! my envy is great!

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  5. amazing. i can't even imagine. i saw her once but it was far away and outdoors. still very lovely, but this...wow. i would have probably cried. especially during samson. that song makes me weep. sigh.

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  6. she really is so magical in concert. and so sincere and sweet too. glad you enjoyed it!

    just bought tix to her show here in dc next month! can't wait. it'll be my third time seeing her- so excited!!

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  7. Oh my goodness gracious, you are one lucky girl! I'm so happy you got to have such a lovely experience. Thanks for sharing!

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  8. She gives me goosebumps -- so much love.

    I'm glad it was as spectacular as I'd hoped!

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  9. Wow...what a great night! And I totally know that feeling. I get that way too when I finally get to see someone I have loved forever. Glad you had such a great time. Regina is awesome!

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  10. So awesome!! She is one of the few artists that seems to sound just as good in person as she does on her cds.

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  11. Wow. You are SO lucky! I am checking her site now to see if she is making a trip to SLC. I love her new album SO much, and her older ones too but she is so amazing I would have probably just stared in awe as well :)

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  12. how fun! i'm so happy for you guys. what a night.

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  13. Regina is such a beautiful spirit. I can't help but be jealous of such a wonderful night. Very glad this happened for you.

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  14. She is so magical! Thank you for sharing your experience with us. I love the El Rey. It's one of my favorite venues. But man, I wish I could've gotten a chance to see her live. She's NEVER in LA. You are so unbelievably lucky.

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  15. I hate when people sing along at concerts too. I didn't come to hear the audience sing!

    Regina is awesome. I actually went to college with her - she is just as sweet and amazing in real life!

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  16. She has a beautiful voice. I saw her perform at Town Hall here in NY and I fell in love with her right away... She has a lovely aura as well.

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  17. Ahhh you are so goddarn lucky! I can't wait until I go to college in a place where they /actually/ have concerts.
    The Regina. *content sigh* she's so sweet. And pure.

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  18. You know what I love most about this post? You actually realize how awesome it was for you to be there. Your sense of appreciation fills me with joy!

    I'm glad you had a great time.

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  19. This had to have been a beautiful experience. I love all the detail in this post! Thanks for the videos too, LOVE em.

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  20. Wow. Looks absolutely amazing!

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  21. I'm SO glad you got to go. And have such a wonderful experience!!!

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  22. thanks for this post! I just tix to see her at the Greek in August, cannot.wait.

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  23. it's indescribable how happy it makes me to read your post. maybe it's do to the fact that i had a like experience, and yours brings me to those beautiful memories, or maybe it's your explicit happiness in something that i know made me at one point, as equally happy.
    whatever it is, i'm smiling.

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  24. You're adorably excited-looking in your picture with Levi :)

    Regina's in my top three too...so jealous and glad you got to go!

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  25. she is pure awesomeness.

    count me in as jealous, but happy for you.

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  26. Oh my, oh my. I am so unbelievably jealous at the moment. Her new cd is amazing!

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  27. Regina is amazing! I'm glad you had an amazing time :)

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  28. oh, my goodness! this was super fun to read and i'm all smiles right now. i can only imagine how it felt to be there, in the presence of such an amazing musician in all her glory. <3

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  29. i will most likely poop when i see her in september. that is all.

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  30. I've watched that on the radio video about a million times, wishing I was there. It sounds like so much fun!

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  31. You lucky duck! i am soooo jealous! She is ONE of my all-time favs!!

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  32. wow - super happy for you and Levi! Being able to see great shows makes me miss the heck out of LA....
    *Radiohead, Death Cab, Kings of Convenience & Ms. Spektor are presently at the top of my list, btw*

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  33. oooh. you are SO lucky! I love Regina Spektor! I love your blog! :)

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