Visitors

Yesterday famed blogger Tornwordo & his husband Serge arrived!  They are spending the week on a road trip visiting friends in the MA, NY and here in DE.  They only stayed over 1 night during last years visit. This time they're staying over 2 nights, so I guess we made them comfortable enough!

The weather was gorgeous today so after settling in the 3 of us sat out on the screened porch with Marvin & Walter and started getting caught up.

Tornwordo

Serge with Marvin

Marvin & Walter

A few hours later Spouse arrived home from work and the 4 of us went to Dos Locos for margaritas and dinner.  Spouse had salmon, I had veggie fajitas, Tornwordo had my favorite: spicy tomatilla pork burrito, and Serge had Stonegrill tuna.  We had a great meal and a great time!

Serge & Tornwordo

After dinner Spouse went home and the 3 of us walked over to the Blue Moon for the opening night of the Rehoboth Idol contest.  (I won this contest in 2011.)  It was fun to watch the contestants and chat with folks.  We got home about midnight but sat out on the porch talking again until 1am.

More details on the rest of their visit later!

Anatomy of a winner

So last night was the finale of the Rehoboth Idol contest at the Blue Moon.  Like the TV show, it is not just a singing competition, its also a performance competition.  I won this contest in 2011.  You can read about it and see photos/videos of week 1, week 2, week 3, and the finale.

As a former winner of this contest and as an experienced performer, here are my tips for winning a singing/performance competition:

1. Song choice - you can be the best technical singer out there, but your song choice can make or break you.  Pick a song you like a lot but is largely unknown by the judges/audience, and you'll have a tough time getting them to connect with you.  Pick a song everyone likes and is familiar with and the audience will feed you energy.
2. Preparation - know all the lyrics, and know all the verses in the correct order.  Singing live is very different than singing along with the radio.  Nothing takes the place of adequate rehearsal.
3. Make the song your own - don't try to impersonate the original artist because you won't sound genuine.  Switch up the melody just a little, and draw on your emotions to infuse your singing with authenticity.
4. Use the stage - don't sing behind a microphone stand!  Take the mic in your hand and use the entire width of the stage to make eye contact with the audience.  Incorporate tasteful gestures and dance moves where appropriate.
5. Project confidence - almost every performer, regardless of fame/experience, gets nervous.  Don't let your nerves get the best of you.  Tell yourself "I've got this!" and take a deep breath before going on stage in order to project confidence.

I used this criteria to informally coach 1 of the contestants.  While all the contestants did some or several of these things, Brian was the only 1 to do all 5 of them.

He won!!

Brian & the judges, some contestants, and the club owners

Brian  & his boyfriend Oscar

Friday fragments

Welcome to Friday fragments, my weekly recap of topics too big to forget, yet too small to be their own post.

We are starting to believe that Marvin may be younger than a year old.  He is exhibiting more 'puppy' behaviors like carrying our shoes and flip flops around the house and then chewing on them.  We've gotten him several chew toys which he loves and destroys in just days.  We are really enjoying having him in our lives.

I saw this on facebook and couldn't resist sharing it.

Here is a cool photo website that you could easily spend countless hours viewing.  Its an odd collection of rather unrelated photos, NSFW.  Click on the word "brief" to advance the pages.

The Rehoboth Idol 2012 contest is underway.  There are several really good singers and I'm enjoying watching and listening to the competition this year rather than participating in it.

Here's wishing everyone a fantastic weekend!

Friday fragments

Welcome to Friday fragments, my weekly recap of topics too big to forget, yet too small to be their own post.

Last evening Jeni and her friend arrived a little after 5.  We sat on the screened porch and visited for a while, then came inside because it started to get chilly.  It was a great day for their 75 mile bike ride and they had a lot of fun.  Shortly before 8pm Tristan and his friend arrived with their luggage so Jeni and her friend could shower and change clothes.  Then we walked to Agave and enjoyed marvelous margaritas and great guacamole.  It was really fun!  Today Spouse & I went to work while our 4 visitors explored the local area, took naps, and walked to the beach and back.

Tonight I am singing a song in the Blue Moon Divas show in order to promote the Rehoboth Idol singing contest.  I'm singing "Its Too Late" by Carole King, one of the songs I sang in last year's competition.  Spouse is bringing our 4 visitors to the show to hear me sing.

I saw this on facebook and had to share it:

Spouse has been checking the local SPCA website a lot lately and telling me about dogs he's seen there.  This is making me feel like he's ready to consider adopting another dog.  Jordan went to heaven 6 months ago, we've enjoyed the 'freedom' of not having to be home at a certain time, but I think he misses the love and companionship of a dog.  A few weeks ago he suggested a bassett hound named Buster but I reminded him that bassetts are hard dogs to keep because they are prone to health issues.  This week he showed me an 8-year old female Chihuahua mix named Suzie.  Today he showed me a 1-year old male Chihuahua named Marvin.  I guess we'll see where this goes.

Here's wishing all of you a FUN and SAFE weekend!

Friday fragments

Welcome to Friday fragments, my weekly recap of topics too big to forget yet too small to be their own post.

The blogs and facebook were ablaze with reports that VP Biden commented that GLBT people should have full equality in America including marriage.  Then, apparently unplanned, Obama said in an interview with Robin Roberts that he believes GLBT people should have marriage equality!  I am encouraged by this.  It has been my suspicion that Obama has felt this way all along but did not feel it prudent to make such a proclamation earlier, what with the conservative republicans at his throat every minute.  Fortunately he has now put it in the record and I can only hope it will help to smooth out the way for equality in the years to come.

I saw this on facebook and had to laugh.  Just look at his eyes!

I'm starting to really get excited about the upcoming Legends shows, which will start Memorial Day weekend.  I will be performing every other Sat, as I did last year.  I am retaining 1 of my Legends from last year, Neil Sedaka, and adding a new Legend: Elton John.  I had to go for a special costume fitting where they measured practically everything on my body!  Apparently my EJ costume is the most expensive of all the costumes for this year's show and can not be altered, so it has to be custom made to my measurements.  Guess I'd better lay off the Dunkin Donuts so I don't gain any weight!

This sums up my feelings on so many 'controversial' political topics:

Spouse & I will travel to VA this weekend to see his mom (and family) for Mother's Day.  I'm looking forward to having a delicious dinner with them at the Taco House!

Tonight I am singing 1 song in the Blue Moon Divas Show, a drag show that runs every Fri night.  The Rehoboth Idol contest will be starting in a few weeks and they want to promote the competition by talking it up and having me sing during the Divas show sing I won the contest last year.  I'm singing 1 of the songs I sang in last year's competition: Laughter in the Rain.

Have a great weekend!

Rehoboth Idol finale

This is it: the finale of the Rehoboth Idol singing contest. The night's mission for me was to pull out all the stops and really show that I am a performer, not just a singer.

The hostess, Miss Richfield 1981, explained that the order of performance for this week was determined by our rankings from last week, starting with the 2 who tied for 3rd place, followed by the 2nd place contestant, followed by me. Here's the songs we performed in the disco-themed portion:

• Tom - "Hot Stuff" (originally performed by Donna Summer)
• Amber - "Hot Stuff" (originally performed by Donna Summer)
• Terry - "I Will Survive" (originally performed by Gloria Gaynor)
• Me - "Night Fever" (originally performed by the Bee Gees)

I've been battling sinus congestion since Sun so I felt tired and drained at the coaching session that afternoon. I was told by the coach that I needed to move around the stage and add some choreography to my song. So that afternoon I watched the "Night Fever" video on YouTube with clips from the song's appearance in the film "Saturday Night Fever" to get inspiration. At home I practiced moving around the stage and added several recognizable disco moves to my routine, including the bus stop dance and John Travolta's signature 'point-up, point-across-the-body'. It felt like just enough choreography to enhance the song but not be distracting to me or the audience.

I sang "Night Fever" in falsetto as the Bee Gees did, except for the bridge. Like the original, I sang "...and that sweet city woman, she moves through the lights, controlling my mind and my soul" in my regular voice, then went back to falsetto for the rest. Although fatigued from sinus medication, my adrenaline kicked in and I gave it everything I had.
The audience and judges loved it!

Then we were onto the 2nd part of the competition which was a song from any genre. The order of performance was by age, from oldest to youngest, so here's what we sang:

• Tom - "You Shouldn't Kiss Me Like This" (originally performed by Toby Keith)
• Me - "Its Too Late" (originally performed by Carole King)
• Amber - "Angel" (originally performed by Aretha Franklin)
• Terry - a song originally performed by Beyonce that I can't identify

Since there was just 1 song before I sang again, I quickly changed out of my disco outfit into an all black outfit for my 2nd number.



After each of us sang our 2nd song we received feedback from the judges on both songs. Most of it was very complimentary and affirming.

Then the judges went to deliberate and tally their scores while the audience was treated to a performance by Carla Jones, Rehoboth Idol 2010. She did an amazing job singing Chaka Kahn's "Ain't Nobody". Although I didn't attend any of the Rehoboth Idol 2010 performances, it was easy to see why she won last year. She's got a great voice, lots of vocal control, and is beautiful.

Then judges returned to their seats and Miss Richfield 1981 called all 4 contestants onto the stage and explained that 1 of the owners of the Blue Moon, Tim Ragan, would deliver the results. Tim came onto the stage with a huge check, like they show in those Publishers Clearing House commercials, with the name covered up. He explained that the judging was very hard since the contestants were all so good. They decided not to give rankings, but to just select the winner.

Miss Richfield 1981 said "Well, don't keep me in suspense! Who is it? Who's the winner of Rehoboth Idol 2011???"

As he uncovered the name on the giant check for $1000. he said "Mark!!".

Miss Richfield 1981 took my hand and directed me to the front of the stage where Tim gave me the huge check. The audience cheered and I saw camera flashes coming from every direction so I smiled and tried not to look crazy. I often don't look good in candid photos. Miss Richfield 1981 congratulated all the contestants on a job well done and we congratulated each other. The judges joined us on stage and we closed the contest by singing "Dancing Queen".

When the song ended it was group photo time on the stage. Again, camera flashes right and left. Although I'm not very photogenic, it was actually fun/exciting to be photographed like that, as if the paparazzi were vying for the best shot.

When the mayhem subsided I joined my friends Steven & Thad, Joe P, Kim, and The Bobs who had come to support me. They congratulated me and we talked for a few minutes. Then I got a bottle of water and talked to some other friends and several strangers who stopped me to chat.

It was an AMAZING night and I am SO HAPPY that Claritan-D kicked in. I'll add photos once I get them from Joe P, so check this post again tomorrow.

In addition to winning the $1000. cash prize and the title Rehoboth Idol 2011, I will also be given opportunities to be paid to perform in other Blue Moon shows for the next year. I think I'm going to have a good time!

Tonight's the night

I've been having severe sinus pain and congestion since Sun.

I started taking a generic form of Mucinex-D (same active ingredients, just a lower dosage) on Mon and Tues but it just didn't help enough. So last night I broke down and bought the full-on, non-generic Claritan-D which is helping.

But I'm far from being over it. I'm still quite congested and I feel like I have earplugs in my ears.

But I absolutely can NOT surrender to it because tonight's the night of the Rehoboth Idol singing contest finale! In fact, I have not 1 but 2 songs to perform tonight in the hopes of winning the $1000. cash prize, the coveted title of Rehoboth Idol 2011, and the opportunity to get paid to sing in future Blue Moon shows.

Tonight's theme is disco and my selection is "Night Fever" by the Bee Gees. I've even put together a disco-ish costume and some disco moves since stage presence is my weakest judging category.

My 2nd selection (any genre) is "Its Too Late" by Carole King because its kind of soulful and tells a story.

I hope my decongestant and voice don't give out on me. Wish me luck!

Idol update

Last night's theme for the Rehoboth Idol contest was Broadway. I chose to sing "Seasons of Love" from the musical "Rent".

Since my comfort zone is definitely old standards and torch songs of which there are plenty in most Broadway musicals, I thought "Seasons of Love" would show the audience and judges that I can sing any genre and that I'm not a 1-trick pony.

Miss Richfield 1981 was the hostess and emcee again, and I must admit that I have become infatuated with her! Although it flows out of her in a seemingly effortless way, her humor and witty interaction with the audience, judges, and contestants is quite smart. Go see her if you can! A special thank you to John from Indiana for these terrific photos.
So here's how the night went: after doing her intro song and introducing the judges, Miss Richfield 1981 brought all 5 contestants onto the stage for a general introduction to the audience and to decided what order we'd sing in. We drew straws and here's the order and songs performed:

1. Tamara - "My Favorite Things" from Sound of Music
2. Terry - "Ease on Down the Road" from The Wiz
3. Amber - medley of 4 songs from Rent
4. Tom - "Get Me to the Church on Time" from My Fair Lady
5. me - "Seasons of Love" from Rent

Tamara has a lovely voice and great stage presence, but unfortunately her nerves got the best of her and she kept forgetting the lyrics. It was almost heartbreaking to watch her struggle. Terry really used the stage and incorporated lots of choreography in his number. I was impressed when the audience learned that Amber created her Rent medley herself. I was thoroughly entertained by Tom's bachelor party interpretation of "Get Me to the Church"!

Miss Richfield 1981 asked about my costume choice. When I told her I'd be singing a song from "Rent" she said it made more sense. I think she was a little disappointed that I wasn't wearing polka dots again. Here's my performance in 3 segments:






Like before the judges went off to deliberate and Miss Richfield 1981 explained to the audience that this week they could have input on the contest results. Blue paper ballots were distributed to the audience and Miss Richfield 1981 explained that they should place the ballot in the bucket of the performer they liked best. The ballots were then given to the judges to be combined with the judges' scores. I had no idea this was going to happen, but fortunately 2 of my biggest fans (Steven and Joe P) showed up and were able to cast their ballots for me. At least they better had!
When the judges returned the results were announced:

• Tamara was in last place and will not sing in the finals next week
• Amber and Tom tied for 3rd place and will sing in the finals
• Terry was in 2nd place
• I was in 1st place
  

So next Wed is the final night and the remaining 4 contestants will each sing 2 songs: 1 disco era song and 1 song from any genre. I'm holding off on stating my songs because I've already changed my mind since a few days ago. But I'm planning to pull out all the stops and have friends and Spouse in the audience to cheer me on.

I kissed a Warbler

So, last night was week #2 of the Rehoboth Idol singing contest. The theme was songs performed on the TV show Glee.

I chose "One Less Bell". I've always liked this song, I already knew the words, and the song has strong emotional content so I felt I could use that to connect with the audience and showcase my vocal abilities. I practiced at home several times and really tried to implement Pamala and Telly's suggestions from the coaching session.

One of last week's contestants (Selina) didn't return this week but 2 additional singers joined, so now there are 5 singers in the contest. Since there are just 5 there will be no eliminations as there are in American Idol. Instead, contestants get points for vocal ability/intonation, appearance/stage presence, and knowing the lyrics.

Again Miss Richfield 1981 brought all 5 of us up onto the stage at the beginning to introduce us to the judges and audience, then we drew numbers to determine the singing order. Here's how it went:

• Tamara was 1st and sang "Rehab"
• Terry was 2nd and sang "Isn't She Lovely?"
• Amber was 3rd and sang "Rollin' in the Deep"
• I was 4th and sang "One Less Bell"
• Tom was 5th and sang "Borderline"

While the judges deliberated in another room, Telly Leung performed the Glee version of "Teenage Dream" which was fantastic! I found him to be super talented and super nice. What a great guy!

When the judges returned Miss Richfield 1981 announced the results for week 2:

• Tamara & Terry tied for 4th place
• Amber came in 3rd place
• Tom came in 2nd place
• I came in 1st place

It was very exciting!!!

After the show I thanked Pamala and Telly for their invaluable assistance. Then I got an opportunity to meet and talk with Telly and his partner Jimmy. They were both so nice! Jimmy works in NYC but tries to accompany Telly when he can at appearances and performances.

I said that I wanted a t-shirt that read 'I met a Warbler', and then I thought what would be funnier would be a t-shirt that read 'I kissed a Warbler'. The 3 of us laughed, then Jimmy asked if I had kissed Telly yet. I said 'no', so Telly said he didn't want the t-shirt to be a lie so he leaned forward so I could kiss his cheek. I felt a little silly afterward, like a star-struck teenager, but it was all in good fun.

So 2 weeks down and 2 weeks to go, and I'm in 1st place. Now I really feel the pressure to practice, know the lyrics, and sing well to keep hold onto my position. After all, $1000. cash and future paid singing opportunities are at stake!

Celebrity encounter

Today I took my lunch hour to attend the coaching session for Rehoboth Idol contestants. Contestants sing the song they will sing later on that night and judge Pamala Stanley offers advice about the vocals and stage presence. Its great to get that kind of assistance BEFORE the night of the actual competition.

When I arrived I saw Pamala, 2 other contestants, and some of the bar employees. Then I noticed a nice looking Asian man in shorts and a sleeveless t-shirt who seemed familiar to me.
He wasn't an employee and he didn't appear to be a contestant; I really didn't know what he was doing at our coaching session. I decided not to allow myself to be further distracted from my purpose by thinking about him and instead reminded myself not to put my hands in my pockets when I sang.

When the contestant finished singing and Pamala had given her advice, the familiar-looking Asian man began offering the singer advice too. Then it hit me... he was this week's guest judge, Telly Leung from Glee! Telly plays Wes, 1 of the Dalton Academy Warblers.
From left to right above: Blaine (Darren Cris), an unknown Warbler, Kurt (Chris Colfer), Wes (Telly Leung).

When it was my turn to sing and receive coaching, Telly shook my hand and introduced himself to me. He was very warm, nice, and down-to-earth, and his advice to put my weight on the balls of my feet instead of on my heels was a great tip. It forces you to lean forward and really helps a singer connect with the audience. Although I felt confident in my song for that night, Pamala and Telly's coaching made me feel even better.

I left the coaching session feeling really well-prepared for that night's competition, and I'd met a real live Broadway and TV star!

Idol report

So last night was the 1st night of the Rehoboth Idol singing contest.

The host/emcee was the hilariously funny Miss Richfield 1981. I'd heard of her but hadn't seen her before last night. She had me cracking up with her delicate balance of wit and cluelessness.

After explaining the nature of the contest and introducing the judges, all 4 contestants were called up to the stage at the same time to be introduced to the audience. It was decided that we'd sing in alphabetical order so I went 1st since the other contestants' names were Tamara, Tom, and Selina.

Once they left the stage Miss Richfield 1981 asked me a few questions about how long I'd been singing, etc. then commented on my outfit. I had on very light (off-white) pants and a dark blue shirt with off-white polka dots the size of quarters. I've had the shirt for years but its 1 of those things that never goes out of style, AND you'll never see anyone else wearing. Miss Richfield 1981 said she almost wore a polka dot dress herself but every time she does she gets mistaken for Lucy. She introduced me to the audience again and my track began to play.

As I mentioned yesterday, I chose "Laughter in the Rain" because my voice is similar to Neil Sedaka, I like the song a lot, I know the lyrics thoroughly and am very comfortable performing it. It went very well! Although I was a little nervous I don't think it showed.

The judges were singer/entertainer Pamala Stanley, Blue Moon co-owner Meg Gardner, and karaoke/drag mistress Mona Lotts. They said I portrayed a smooth confidence that complimented my smooth vocals. They were a lot nicer than Simon Cowell!

It was a really fun night and I am looking forward to next week's performance of a song used in the TV show "Glee"!

Idol

The place where I often sing karaoke, the Blue Moon, is hosting Rehoboth Idol, a singing competition like American Idol, starting tonight. The winner will receive $1000. in cash and an invitation to sing in future Blue Moon productions for money.

Shortly after meeting the Blue Moon's mistress of karaoke, Mona Lotts, last Aug she began asking me to compete in Rehoboth Idol in 2011. By Dec she'd made me promise I would do it so I've had this contest in my mind for several months. But unlike karaoke, there will be no lyrics up on a monitor during Rehoboth Idol. Contestants must memorize the song and lyrics and 'sell it' to the judges.

Unlike American Idol which feels like it goes on forever, Rehoboth Idol only lasts 4 weeks. Each week there is a theme. Tonight is the 1st night and contestants get to sing any song they wish. Then it goes like this:

• Week 2: any song from the TV show "Glee"
• Week 3: any song from a Broadway show
• Week 4: any song from the disco era AND a 2nd song from any genre

I've pretty much decided on all my songs but I'm not going to list them yet in case I change my mind. But tonight I'm going to sing "Laughter in the Rain", made famous by Neil Sedaka. I've sung it at karaoke many times, I know all the lyrics, I'm very comfortable singing it, and people usually respond well to it.

So wish me luck tonight!