The Rolling Stones @ SoFi Standium July 10th & 13th, 2024

 Today is Mick Jagger's birthday. That's right, one half of the Glimmer Twins is 82 years old this Sparkle Saturday. A little over a year ago, I had the work experience dreams are made of. Well, if you work in the live music industury and grew up knowing that if you were born a boy your Dad would have named you Keith Richard (or Jerry Jeff, but that's neither here or there). 

I was working Electric Forest in Michigian when the opportunity presented itself. At that time I had already allowed myself to acknowledge that I was burntout and had started contemplating what navigating how to overcome the insurmountable repercussions of burnout amidst a busy work schedule would look like. How long had I been burntout but kept pushing through? Kept hustling. Kept proving I was't "weak" by not stopping? How long would it take to come out of a burntout state? These were just some of the thoughts racing through my brains while loading in a major music festival. A co-worker, one I considered a friend, scoffed at me when I shared I was burntout therefore looking forward to my upcoming break from working gig after gig after gig, unless of course I got scheduled to work The Rolling Stones shows at Sofi Stadium in LA mid July. Instead of showing support and enthusiam, she mocked me. That didn't stop me from confirming the shifts when they were offered. I had survived burn out for who knows how long, two more shows wouldn't hurt, plus, it was THE ROLLING STONES. 

Ravenously anticipted to be their final ado, The Hackney Diamonds tour celebrated the ledgenadary band's 24th studio album, their first collection of original music in over 20 years.  

Aptly sponsored by AARP, the non-profit that represents interests of people over the age of fifty, with shows stretching across the country fans of all ages flocked to get tickets to see the Stones live. Was it a publicity stint to sell more tickets? Only time will tell if The Stones will roll out on tour again. 

Mick Jagger with The Rollings Stones @ Sofi Stadium July 2024 
photo by Nikki DeMartini

On July 10th there I was,  at The Rolling Stones show at Sofi Stadium and again, three days later I was back for more. I wasn't only at the show, I was there to work The Rolling Stones shows.  I could hardly believe it and one year later I still can't. 

I was lucky enough to catch a them back in 2012 on their 50 & Counting Tour with who I consider to be their biggest fan, my Dad. That show was special in it's own regard. I finally got to see all the songs I grew up watching my Dad play air guitar and drums to be played by the actual band, alongside my Dad?! Priceless.

There was something inexplicable about being there for what could be one of the last live Rolling Stones tours. Even though my Dad wasn't there, he knew that I was working them and I knew he'd be at their show in Santa Clara a few days later so we both experienced The Hackney Stones Tour, together but separate. 

Those two show days were busy, stressful and long, nothing out of the norm when it comes to work. With the bump of an adereline rush to get us through it, as it usually does, my contained excitement kept my spirits soaring. I was thrilled to be there, taking in every moment of it as my team and I worked hard to cross every t and dot every i. 

Mick Jagger with The Rollings Stones @ Sofi Stadium July 2024 
photo by Nikki DeMartini

I felt that working these shows in particular owed a nod to a boss of mine who's one of the best in the field, though they'd never admit it outloud. If it wasn't for this boss and the team I'd worked with and learned from for years, I might not have found myself working The Rolling Stones shows in the capacity that I was. Not to mention my good friend who connected me with the company I was working for. When I ackowledged this and expressed gratitude to my boss, I was met with an expected response: it wasn't their doing but my own. I believe it's both because it's not who you know but who knows you, coinsided with personal abition to go after what you want, or think you want. Don't let your inate fear of failure hold you back from discovering your full potential. Fuck around and find out or fuck up and learn from it as my boss once put it. It is only rock n' roll after all. 

There I was, my heart bursting with gratitude, pride and awe before The Rolling Stones shows even started. And they started their set pretty much on time both nights. 

Backed by a full band complete with back up singers, this marked their second tour without the beloved, irreplaceable drummer, Charlie Watts. Seeing the remaining three Stones together on stage was goosbumb inducing. There they were, living legends. Knowing that I played a minute roll at these shows made it that much more magical.

The Rollings Stones @ Sofi Stadium July 2024 
photo by Nikki DeMartini

Both shows appropriatly started with their 1981 single, "Start Me Up". The song doesn't get edited on the radio and I couldn't help but chuckle to myself and give props to the then 80 year old front man for kicking off shows with a song featuring the lyric, "you make a dead man cum".
The glimmer twins, Mick and Keith, seemingly kept their distance from each other through out the show. Mick taking the mic from center stage to stage left, then stage right and down the cat walk over and over again. For a then 80 year old guy who's been rocking and rolling for more than half of his life he's still got it. That vigour. That Jagger swagger. His comanding stage presence was solid. With back up singers picking things up when he couldn't because his vocal capability just isn't what it use to be, he still sounded great and had plenty of sass to go around. 

Keith Richards with The Rollings Stones @ Sofi Stadium July 2024 
photo by Nikki DeMartini

For the most part, Keith stayed to himself deep stage left with some other band mates. All of them looking like they were having a good time, not only playing but playing together. He'd come to the front of the stage from time to time, effortlessly playing his key parts in the spotlight before retreating again and in an essence giving the stage back to Mick. 

Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood with The Rollings Stones @ Sofi Stadium July 2024 
photo by Nikki DeMartini

Ronnie, oh Ronnie. Stationed stage right but always on the move across stage to play alongside Mick as he sang, playfully play in synce next to Keith or jam with the rest of the band, he always had an ear to ear smile on his face. 

My favorite Rolling Stones album has changed over the years. From Sticky Fingers to Some Girls, Beggars Banquet, Goat Head Soup, Let It Bleed and Exile On Main Street, today I'd say all of those are my favorite Stones albums. Chills of graditude for being able to hear all the songs they played live coerced through my body making my arm arms stand on end. 

Mick Jagger with The Rollings Stones @ Sofi Stadium July 2024 
photo by Nikki DeMartini

If I had to choose my favorite moment from these two shows it'd be on night one when "Wild Horses" was qued. Keith doesn't take lead vocals on too many Stones songs but on this one he does and man what a treat it was to hear him. I had recently just listened to a "behind the lyrics" type of podcast that covered their 1971 single which many think is a love song which it is but not a love song about lovers. Keith Richards wrote "Wild Horses" when the Stones were about to hit the road to go on tour shortly after the birth of his first child, his son Marlon. Richards sang a few other songs that night including "You Got The Silver" and "Little T&A" but it was "Wild Horses" that really got me. 

Getting to to see and hear Keith Richards play his solo on one of my all time faves of theirs, "Honky Tonk Woman" on both nights was a huge, much enjoyable, treat. That song and that solo will never get old. I'm also really glad not to have missed another one of my all time Rolling Stones faves "Miss You" on show night two. 

Keith Richards and Steve Jordan on drums with The Rollings Stones @ Sofi Stadium July 2024 
photo by Nikki DeMartini

Aside from newer stuff that is less familiar, every song they played was cause for jubilation. Not to say that their new stuff wasn't cause for celebratory excitement because it was but the classics just hit different. 

It was quite moving to walk through the crowd and witness first hand the magic transcended by this rock n roll band over the decades. There were old and young and older fans, starter families, parents with their grown kids and grandparents with their grandkids, most of them decked out in their finest Stones' attire. Looking up and around as cell phone lights illuminated  the 70,000 capacity Sofi Staudium in Inglewood, CA was another rush of gratitude. In the same way that the shows started with an appropriate song, so too did they end. With 24 albums under their collective belts The Rolling Stones could have kept on playing but alas each show at Sofi came to a close with "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" which of course was very satisfying indeed. 

The whole experience was a reminder of how lucky we all were to be there to see these guys rocking. Younger generations say that The Rolling Stones are over-rated but there's no denying the greatness that is The Rolling Stones.

Mick Jagger with The Rollings Stones @ Sofi Stadium July 2024 
photo by Nikki DeMartini

Rolling Stones set-list
July 10th, 2024

                            1. Start Me Up 
                    2. You Got Me Rocking 
        3. It's Only Rock N Roll (but I Like It)
                                 4. Angry
                        5. Beast of Burden 
                           6. Wild Horses
                             7. Mess It Up 
                           8.Tumbling Dice
     9. You Can't Always Get What You Want 
                        10.Tell Me Straight
                           11. Little T & A
              12. Before They Make Me Run
                13. Sympathy For The Devil
                   14. Honky Tonk Woman
                      15. Midnight Rambler 
                         16. Gimme Shelter
                           17. Paint It Black
                      18. Jumping Jack Flash
                                    EnCore
                    19. Sweet Sounds of Heaven
                  20. (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction
                                                                                                                                                                                    

                                                                                           

Rolling Stones set-list

July 13th, 2024

1. Start Me Up 

2. Get Off of My Cloud

3. Tumbling Dice 

4. Angry 

5. Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker) 

6. Fool To Cry

7. Whole Wide World 

8. Monkey Man 

9. You Can't Always Get What You Want

10. You Got the Silver 

11. Little T&A

12. Before They Make Me Run

13. Sympathy For the Devil 

14. Honky Tonk Woman

15. Miss You 

16. Gimme Shelter

17. Paint It Black 

18. Jumping Jack Flash

Encore

19. Sweet Sounds of Heaven 

20. (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction

Bratmobile is on the road again!

Two years ago they reunited for the first time in  twenty years at the Mosswood Meltdown Festival in Oakland and Bratmobile is at it again this Summer! 

This time around, before  playing John Waters' essentric punk extraveganza on Sunday June 20th, the Los Angeles feminist punk rock legends have a show at The Belasco Theater with Death Valley Girls and Trap Girl on Friday July 18th!

But that's not all! 

The girls are also playing the Hollywood Theatre in Vancouver BC on Thursday August 21st followed by a show at Revolution Hall in Portland Oregon on Friday August 22nd before heading back home to play South Sound Block Party on Saturday August 23rd in their Olympia Washington stomping grounds. 

These original brat girls are making this Summer riot grrrl Summer in a time when we all need to stand up to the man and fight for our rights. Get tickets to one of their shows and have a good time in these wild times. 

Face It: A Memoir by Debbie Harry

One week ago on July 1st, Blondie front woman Debbie Harry turned 80 years old. Growing up with a music loving Dad like mine it feels like I've always known that Debbie Harry is cool. All one really has to do is look at literally any photo of her to know that. And as far back as I can remember I've always loved the song "Rapture" and as I got older,  "Heart of Glass" but that was about the extent of what I knew about her and Blondie.

Face It, A Memoir outside of  Fabulousa Books in SF
photo by Nikki DeMartini 

Late last summer I discovered that the female punk pioneer turned music icon had written and released an autobiography. The news capitivated my attention while the title itself spiked my interest further, Face It, A Memoir. In order to grow as a person one must work through things in life, you must face them. You must face yourself. This is a hard and uncomfortable lesson I myself have been and am learning and putting into practice. I immediately searched the internet for where to buy this book. Not wanting to feed the Amazon monster, I opted spend a little more time and money to find it else where. Work would bring me to San Francisco soon so why not support one of my favorite bookstores in the city that's close to and has always felt like home? I called up Fabulosa Books on Castro Street, delighted to find out that though they didn't have the book in stock, they could and would order it for me and hold it until I was ready to pick it up.   

I'm not here to do a full-on book report and spoil any of her story, rather, I simply want to celebrate this trailblazing woman, sparking through her some inspiration in others. 

I was taken aback to learn that I had, to an extent, some things in common with her. She starts her story from the beginning, sharing that from birth there was a deeply strained familial relatonship bestowed upon her and a motherly wound that cuts deep. She had a modest upbringing. A beautiful and curious little Debbie wasn't quite sure what she "wanted to be" but she knew she wanted to be something. As a young woman trying to find her place while forging her own path, she endured unfortunate situations, one of which every 1 out of 4 women in America face. It's extremly brave of her to bare all on this front. She remained modest even in her most vulnerable moments, as not to victimize herself which is profoundly admirable. 

the back of Face It, A Memoir by Debbie Harry
photo by Nikki DeMartini 

She speaks of her humble beginigs in music, a time when there was no real place for women in rock n roll. It was also a time before the age of internet, where societal misfits had to venture out to find each other and sensitive creatives alike had to find their outlet. In those days many found both on the streets of New York City. Along with drugs of course. What a time to be alive! These passages made me yearn to go back in time. Would I Have surivived it? Who knows! I would have had fun trying. 

Along the way of the rise and fall and phoenixing of the band, Debbie Harry stayed true to herself and what Blondie stood for. The band Blondie actually didn't stay within the lines of any one genre throughout their career. A true testimate of  legitimate punks. She dips into her acting career, different romantic realtionships and different artisitic ventures. One of the more enduring things she shares with readers is some of the fan art she's recived over the course of her decade spanning career and what they mean to her. 

Inner sleeve of Face It, A Memoir by Debbie Harry
photo by Nikki DeMartini 

She didn't set out to be a star and while both names end in the same two letters, Debbie is not Blondie. Not Blondie the band anyway. She was not naive to the fact of how attractive she was. Being one of the first front women, espeically to an all male band, she used this to her adavantage. That blondie on stage that sang and performed with Blondie was a character. A personified vision of the band and herself mixed with with a outward presentation of Marilyn Monroe. Her stage alter ego in a sense. As striking and feminine as she looked, she was driven by androgyny. Listen again to a song by Blondie and you will find that anyone, any gender (or non-gender) can sing it. That was no accident. Resisting to conform to cultural and societal constraits is again very punk rock, even if Blondie was and still is considered new wave. 

Reading the 500 or so pages of her book, which I got as a hardback, was easy, though traveling with it was not as easy. The style of her writing is is very conversational. It reminded me of reading Keith Richards' autobiogrpahy, Life. It's almost as if you can hear them talking and they're talking to you like an old friend would. No filter, witty and full of charm. Not trying to convince you of anything, just telling you how it is, was or could have been without needing or wanting anything in return. She speaks of the past in comaprison to the present. She talks about her role as an activist on certain issues, which  is another testimate of a legitimate punk. She doesn't take herself too seriously, even in the most serious of moments. 

In the end, Debbie Harry did it, she faced it. The good. The bad. The ugly. No facade, just Debbie, her story in her words. Sure she might have left some stuff out but don't we all? I found a new appreciation for Debbie Harry and Blondie after reading Face It. This woman is a force to behold. An imense source of inspiration to be your authentic self. Even if you don't necessarily know who you are yet, what you want, what you want to do with your life or where you fit in. Face the music authentically and wholeheartly, no matter how hard, messy and scary it is. It will be all of that and probably more but you'll come out on the other side to find that you became, you are, exactly who you were meant to be. 

A page of Face It, A Memoir by Debbie Harry
photo by Nikki DeMartini 

Face It is available as a hardback, paperback, Kindle eBook and an audiobook. Debbie Harry herself narrates the audiobook which is so cool! My Dad told me today that he started listening to Face It on audio after I gushed about the book. Now that I know she narrates it, I might have to give it a listen. Audiobooks read by the author are the best in my opinion and this author is Debbie Harry! It doesn't get much better, or cooler, than that. 

I was lucky enough to be able to catch some of Blondie's set at Coachella Music Festival a couple of years ago. After the passing of their drummer Clem Burke this year on April 6th, Debbie has stated that she can't see herself on-stage as Blondie without him (or Chris). That doesn't mean no more pieces of work from this artist. Until then, we will always have Blondie to listen to and Face It to read when we want to get up close and personal with Debbie Harry. 

Barry White Pizza VS. Berry White Doughnut

Over the 10 plus years of writing reviews for this here blog of mine, I've been asked a few times if I review cupcakes that would pair well with a certain concert, band, artist or venue.

The answer is simple, no.

In some cases I've reviewed and/or hightlighted cupcakes that are sold at Music Festivals and in other cases when I've interviewed bands or artists I've asked what cupcake flavor they perfer but for the most part I keep my concert and cupcake reviews separate. 

Breaking free from an unhealthy, unofficial business partner who merely supplied professional concert photos for my reviews and relocating to entertainment industry meca Southern California posed their own obsticles in terms of visability, exposure and coverage opportunities. Not to mention a busy work schdule that keeps me on the road more often than not. 

I've had to get creative with my creative output. Carving out blog content from festivals I work and places I travel to for work, as well as finding other music related things that I draw inspiration from, rather than only reviewing concerts and cupcakes has been the theme of Sweet Sound Bites lately. Being a full-time music festival worker and working music festivals around the country has been the saving grace of this blog. 

Barry White Pizza at Evel Pie Pizza in Las Vegas 
photo by Nikki DeMartini

In this double food review I happened to find two different foods while traveling for work with the same (but different) name of a famous musician. Barry White Pizza from Evel Pie in Las Vegas and the Berry White Doughnut from Good Company Doughnuts & Cafe in Washington D.C. In May I was in Vegas to work Insomniac's Electric Daisy Carnival also known as EDC. Before exhaustion set in, I happily took myself to a pizza joint I'd been eyeing since I started working the festival post pandemic. I was excited to be awake and present enough be able to try Evel Pie Pizza before the big rave this year. 

There was already a line when I arrived about 20 minutes after they opened. Evel Pie is reimminiscent of a dive bar and a mix of what I imagine the infamous Gilman Street punk venue in Berkeley was like. Black walls covered in stickers, posters, old flyers, garfetti and barely illuminated by the low glow of neon bar lights. I enjoyed the punk, thrasher theme as well as the odes to daredevil punk legend himself, Evel Kenevel: from the memorialbilia on the walls to the black and white, checkered, race flag parchment paper that lines the pizza boxes. There's also marquee outside that lights up at night just like music venues do. (Turns out every 2nd and 4th Thursday there's live music at Evel Pie!)

Evel Pie Pizza in Las Vegas 
photo by Nikki DeMartini

As I waited to place my to-go order I checked out the pizza's on display that are sold by the slice. When my eyes fell on the Barry White Pizza there was no looking back. It wasn't the iconic name that got me at first but the fact that this pizza has ricotta cheese on it. Ricotta has become one of those menu deal breakers for me in the same vain as chorizo, chipotle, Manchego cheese and jam.  If it has it, I want it.
The fact that this pizza is called Barry White justified me getting it since it was an opportunity to write and post a review of it because of it's connection to music.
I got it and a second, different, slice to-go in order to eat en route the back to the hotel to get ready for work. Ain't no rest for the wicked, or the evel in this case.

 

Not only is the Barry White pizza called Barry White because of the big dollops of white, velvety ricotta (White like his last name and velvety like that famous bass-baritone voice of his) but there's also no red sauce on this pizza. I couldn't tell if there was a white sauce (usually ranch) on it or not as I gobbled it up. It wasn't anywhere near too greasy, in fact it was perfectly greasy enough and the contrast of the toasted mozzarella paired with the creamy ricotta is chef's kiss worthy. Of course my ricotta loving heart and stomach wanted more ricotta, more of it might have over induldged the simpilcity of this tasty piece of pie. In sin city, at $6.25 a slice you'll hit the jackpot at Evel Pie. What happens in Vegas usually stays in Vegas but I had to share. The only Evel Pie location is in Las Vegas so you'll have to take a gamble and go there to try it for yourself. 

Barry White Pizza at Evel Pie Pizza in Las Vegas 
photo by Nikki DeMartini

In June, work brought me to Washington D.C for the return of Warped Tour! There's no telling if and when there will be free time for any type of exploring or if you'll be lodged in an area that has anything around but I always do a google search of things I might want to check out while in a new place. Those things usually always include food and nature and one of the go to foods I search near me is not cupcakes, it's dounuts. 

Barry White Doughnut from Good Company Doughnuts and Cafe in Washington D.C
photo by Nikki DeMartini

Good Company Doughnuts and Cafe was one of the first places to pop up in my search while in D.C and it was only a five minute drive away from where my team was staying. After perusing their doughnut flavors on their instagram page and being delightfully surprised at seeing that they had a Barry White doughnut, I knew this was the place.

Two of my co-workers agreed to leaving the hotel a few minutes early on the morning of 

load-out/travel day which was my last chance to check this place, and it's doughnuts, out. I assured them it would be a quick trip because already knew what I wanted. As I tend to do, I ended up getting two different ones and ate the Berry White Doughnut before we hit the road. 

Barry White Doughnut from Good Company Doughnuts and Cafe in Washington D.C
photo by Nikki DeMartini

The Berry White doughnut is a play on the singer's name because this raised doughnut is a topped with a tart mixed berry glaze, hence berry not Barry. It's also filled with a white chocolate buttercream and voila! The Berry White Doughnut.

 Goodness!

Eating this doughnut felt like getting serenaded by Barry White himself. The balance of sweet and tart is spot on and there was no skimping on the rich and creamy filling. It's such a delectably fresh frosting filling that I'm pretty sure I blacked out momentarily while eating it before the sugar hit my veins. 

Barry White Doughnut from Good Company Doughnuts and Cafe in Washington D.C
photo by Nikki DeMartini

Barry White Doughnut from Good Company Doughnuts and Cafe in Washington D.C
photo by Nikki DeMartini

The Berry White Doughnut from Good Company Doughnuts is the best filled donut I've had the pleasure of eating. This flavor is one of the speciality flavors in the month of June, presumably because June is the peak of berry season, so get there if you can and get this doughnut.

Remi Wolf @ WeHo Pride's Outloud Music Festival 2025

Lizzo, Remi Wolf, Kim Petras, Paris Hilton, Honey Dijon, Tommy Genisis,  and a whole bunch of Drag Queens sashayed across the stages at WeHo Pride's OutLoud Music Fest last weekend to kick off Pride month 2025! Last year the event went out with a big bang as LGBTQA+ iconic superstar Kylie Minogue closed out the show, so needless to say there were some big shoes to fill this year. 

Remi Wolf @ WeHo Pride’s Outloud June 1st, 2025
photo by Nikki DeMartini

Less than one month before the festivities in WeHo this year, JJLA annouced that due to medical reasons Lil Nas X would no longer be playing Outloud Music Festival. 

The Sunday night headliner slated to close out the show experienced partial facial paralysis which is a symptom of Bell’s Palsy. The onset of Bells Palsy can be caused by stress. On top of headling a music festival, Lil Nas X  is a homosexual black man in American during the current Trump administration, it's not hard to understand why might be stressed. The reason and diagnosis of his face paralysis is not clear.

 

Though a stretch from the sparkly pop, queer icon status sensations Outloud attendees have grown accustom to seeing headline the show, the soul-funk pop songstress Remi Wolf stepped up to the occasion. She's made a name for herself in the indie music scene yet is a rising star in the queer comunity: Remi Wolf's counter culture style and pyschedelic sound would offer some diversity to the inclusionary event. 

The 29 year old singer/songwriter from Palo Alto, California took to the stage half an hour after Hilton hotel hieress turned reality TV star turned DJ turned singer Paris Hilton. A flamboyant juxtoposition to round-out Outloud 2025, if you will, on the first official night of Pride month this year. 

Remi and her full band were a few songs into the set by the time I made it to the main stage crowd which had dwidled down considerably since Paris's set. I often wonder how artsists feel performing to smaller crowds in bigger settings and like think they're humbled to be playing to loyal fans as well as some potenial new ones. Though admittedly not the most familiar with her repotire, Remi Wolf has been on my live show bucket list for a little bit. A bit of a lull in my busy work day at WeHo Pride meant I could see what the buzz is about for myself. 

Remi Wolf @ WeHo Pride’s Outloud June 1st, 2025
photo by Nikki DeMartini

Almost as soon as setting eyes on them while they were playing the "Frog Rock" I sensed something was off. Remi was working the stage while singing but she wasn't working the crowd. Then by mid song she was gone leaving her band to finish the song. It was unclear to me if this is how the song goes or if it was a special live version or if it was something else entirely. The answer came as soon as a teary eyed Remi Wolf reappeared on stage visably and vocally unhappy. The singer's in-ears were not working properly which meant she couldn't hear herself while she performed. She was met with uplifting chants of her first name and encouraging applause before she qued the next song.  

Admist dropping a few F-bombs in frusteration she proceeded to rip the in-ears out, telling the crowd she would do her best to carry on with the rest of the show while also graciously thanking all of us for being there. Explaining the situation as her "worst fucking nightmare" she told the crowd that the next song "Is kind of about this. Sometimes you can feel like hot, goddamn shit and sometimes you can feel like the most ugly beast in the fucking world and that's ok because that's the duality of this fucking life we've been given." The song was "Sexy Villian" off her 2021 debut album, Juno. 

Remi Wolf @ WeHo Pride’s Outloud June 1st, 2025
photo by Nikki DeMartini

How brave of her. What we witnessed was an artist being real with the people there to experience her craft first hand. That frustration was pain she felt for not being able to give us her best and not having any control over it. It's unclear if her in-ears not working was a technical mishap from the festival side or not but from my perspective, I thought she sounded fine. It also wasn't lost on me that right before her, Paris Hilton was so obviously lipsyncing her entire set with no major hiccups, yet a singer and a live band had different fate. The headliner closing out the festival no less. Not to discredit Paris and the fun had watching her performance but sorry not sorry, Paris Hilton is no artist and Remi Wolf is; furthermore, she's probably had to work harder and sacrafice a lot more to get to where she is than Paris ever will. 

I saw a few folks singing along to "Sexy Villian" and the front lady was right, there probably isn't a more apropos song in her catelog for that moment we all shared that night.

Once the song was over, I slowly started to make my back to work but was stopped in my tracks when my ears heard the oh so familiar start of Fleetwood Mac's, "Dreams". Remi Wolf was taking a stab at a great and I was all for it. Again Remi Wolf showed folks at Outloud just how brave she is: it wasn't the best and it wasn't the worst.  Another woman singing the lyrics "women they will come and they will go" at a Gay Pride celebration was another thing in the few minutes of the Remi Wolf set I saw that wasn't lost on me. Remi Wolf does indentify bisexual after all. And on that note, it was time for me to get back to work. 

In another uncontrolable twist of fate, Remi Roo as I like to call Remi Wolf's Insanely Fire 1970's Pool Party Superjam at Bonnaroo, featuring Outloud 2025' Friday night soft open headliner Maren Morris, was suppose to happen in THIS tent on Saturday June 14th. Unfortunately the beloved festival in Manchester, Tennesse was canceld for the third time in the last five years (since promoter Superfly's involvement with the festival ended and became souly a Live Nation and  C3 Presents  show) on Friday the 13th. 

It is said that things happen in threes...
Hopefully some good luck is heading Remi's way soon. I for one hope I'm lucky enough to catch a one off show of hers sometime soon.

The Knocks & Dragonette Revelation Outloud

 In April the New York City eletro duo, The Knocks joined forces yet again with Canadian electro dream-pop sensation, Dragonette with their single "The Hero". It's a shoe-gazey sort of love song with shiny synths and Sorbara's nasally vocals simplistically blending with the chunky melody. It's sprinkled with dance breaks yet as a whole it's a break from the more dancey tunes these two artists give us. 

The Knocks & Dragonette Revelation ablum cover art work

Last week they released "Dreams" and revealed their up-coming forth collab, Revelation, due out in June. These co-collaborators take their own individual style and create a new sound of their combined efforts. They've already solidified a place in electro-dance-pop haventwith the release of four of the nine songs from the album. Dancefloors float to cloud nine when DJs spin their songs and if it's a dancefloor in a queer community club? Forget about it, The Knocks and Dragonette are angels. 

Days before their new album drops they are both slated to play Outloud Festival at WeHo Pride 2025!

On the eve of Pride Month, Saturday May 31st, The Knocks and Dragonette grace the SummerTramp Stage! Dance the day and night away all weekend long at this designated dance stage at WeHo's Outloud Festival and don't forget to catch these two performing new music for you to dance to. Set times should be annouced soon!

 It had been years sinc seeing Dragonette live when they performed at JJLA's Utah Pride Festival in 2023 and they were as spunky as I remember. Sorbara's energy is carefree and fun, much like her fasion sence and her beaming smile is infectious. Seeing them team up on stage with The Knocks is sure to be a good time had by all in the warm California sunshine surrounded by people celebrating love. 

The Knocks have a few more shows lined up this Summer playing the Surf Lounge in NY on June 13th, Eelectric Forest Festival in Michigan on June 19th, Dreamland Theatre in Massachusetts on July 3rd, Backyard Music Festival in British Columbia and Summer's Last Block Party in Chicago on September 20th. 

 

Thirty Years of Green Day

 Last week the boys from Berkeley known as the members of the beloved, world acclaimed punk rock band Green Day got a star on Hollywood Blvd. They invited fans out to celebrate the unveiling on May 1st in front of Amoeba Recod Store on Hollywood's own boulevard of broken dreams, Hollywood Blvd. After decades of Green Day giving us timeless tunes from rompus, angst fuled, misfit to society driven turned outspoken, political viewpoint, punk athems, it rocks to see these punks get a star. Unfortuntaely I wasn't able to make it to the big celebration but I did make it to the Green Day pop-up down the street from their star a couple days later. 

Green Day Kerplunk Kandy Grape Slurpee at 7-11
photo by Nikki DeMartini

Participating 7-11 stores have a Green Day Punk Bunny Slurpee flavor, Kerplunk Kandy Grape and on Saturday May 3rd and Sunday May 4th proof of purchase of this slurpee got you into the at the pop-up location on Hollywood Blvd. 

Punk Bunny is the name of Green Day's coffee company because even rockstars need a side-hustle these days. 

I got to the 7-11 right across the street from where the pop-up about an hour after the pop-on opened at noon on Sunday. There was about 10 people waiting by the two Slurpee dispensing machines because apparently the Green Day flavor was out and we needed it as our ticket in. A generous fellow customer randomly took it upon himself to pre-purchase 5 slurpees for the people waiting and I happened to be one of the 5 that got one of those. Soon enough I was on my way, Kerplunk Kandy Grape Slurpee in hand. I don't remember the last time I had slurpee. When I was a kid a loved a good Slush Puppie, the ice is chunkier and the syrup is different: thicker and probably more sugary and "bad for you". This one wasn't bad though, defintely sweet, not tart like a green grape so the Kerplunk Kandy Grape name is very fitting. And it's green...it is the Green Day Slurpee. The 7-11 was out of the branded Green Day Slurpee cups and there was only one size of Slurpee available which was definitely way more than I wanted. I drank about half of it while I waited in line with other Green Day fans. If it had been a warm day in LA and not the ucharcteristically overcast day that it was the slurpee would have been more enjoyable. I was just happy to be there. 

Outside the Green Day pop-up on Holly Blvd 5/4/2025
photo by random Green Day fan 

Years ago a younger co-worker not so polietly pointed out the Gen X menatlity of it not being "cool" to wear the band shirt of the band that you're going to see as an outdated way of thinking. 
 "Oh your one of those" was the comment they made about it.

While this Xennial has yet to fully shake my "outdated way of thinking" and unable to shake the  comment my co-worker made, I felt a little silly sporting my new Green Day Dookie shirt I recently got.
That quickly dispated though as more and more people getting in line for the pop-up were wearing Green Day shirts. 

The pop-up itself was a little dispointing but again, I was just happy to be there. With a work schedule as busy as mine I miss out on doing a lot of things I want to do and concerts I want to see. I had just worked both weekends of Coachella, did I see any of Green Day's performace live? No I did not. 

Green Day pop-up on Hollywood Blvd 5/4/2025
photo by Nikki DeMartini

One wall of the pop-up was plastered with old pictures of the band and old flyers for shows which was fun to look at. Another wall was covered with shelves of vinyl records of which I was tickeled to see Master, the early first EP from Yeah Yeah Yeahs that is so much more punk sounding than anything they've ever done since, right next to Dookie itself (the album!).

There was a huge Slurpee dispensing machine that looked like a slurpee in a Green Day Slurpee cup which staff was handing out small samples from. This was silly to me because everyone there had to have bought a Slurpee to be there. They were still handing out small 7-eleven patches, Green Day slurpee patches and Punk Bunny Slurpee baseball hats but all of the t-shirts had already been given away. It wasn't even 2:00pm by the time I got inside and all giveways were as supplies lasted with the pop-up hours being from 12:00pm-6:00pm. 

After the pop-up I took a stroll to Amoeba an there it was, the Green Day star on the walk of fame. How fucking cool is that?! I grew up in the Bay Area and I grew up listening to Green Day so I think it's very cool or as the French would say, tre cool. I can remember me and my cousins waiting for the debut of the "Welcome to Paradise" music video to air on MTV on a tiny TV in my cousin's kitchen. It's safe to say I was an instant fan and have been ever since. 

Green Day star on Hollywood Walk of Fame 5/4/2025 
photo by Nikki DeMartini

In 2023 when I saw that they were re-issuing Dookie on light-blue vinyl for the 30th Anniversary I jumped on it! It is one of my favorite records to spin. 

Though I didn't get a chance to break away and see any of Green Day's headlining performace when I worked Coachella this year, I did get to see them at one of their Saviors Tour shows last year. 

Green Day at Oracle Park in SF 9/20/2025 
photo by Nikki DeMartini

It wasn't just any Green Day show either. It was the Dookie 30 Year Anniversary, the American Idiot 20 Year Anniversary and it was at Oracle Park in SF. The same park (maybe a different name back then) me & one of my best friends, Becky handed out Green Day American Idiot/LIVE105 stickers out to people as they left the American Idiot Tour show there twenty years ago when we worked on the LIVE105 street team together. There we were, twenty years later, at  the Green Day Saviors show at Oracle Park where she now works. I cannot discribe how full my heart was at this show, it felt as though it would burst. 

The boys from Berkeley played "Dookie" first, cover to cover and it was just...so good. The park was packed and everyone was loving it: on the field, in the suites, up in the nosebleeds,  you could feel the good vibes in the air! The stage design blew my mind. Inflatables covered the stage to recreate the Dookie album cover art and it was flawless! Billie, Mike and Tre have always put on a great show fully of energy that always comes across sincere everytime I've seen them anyway. It was no different when they rocked the stage on September 20th, 2024. These dudes are getting old, just like the rest of us and they're still delivering, still playing for hours, still jump kicking around and that is no small feat! 

Green Day at Oracle Park in SF 9/20/2025 
photo by Nikki DeMartini

After playing Dookie cover to cover they did an antic they've been doing for years which is pluck a fan from the crowd to sing a sing with them on stage. Ashley was the lucky fan that night and "Know Your Enemy" was the song. They played a few tracks not found on either of the anniversary albums they were on tour for before moving on to play American Idiot. 

Green Day at Oracle Park in SF 9/20/2025 
photo by Nikki DeMartini

The stage design changed when they played American Idiot with the same type of infatables used to recreate that album's cover art. Of course it was cool looking but the Dookie stage design took the cake for sure. 

Of course Billie had a lot to say about Trump and MAGA but he also had a lot to say about the Oakland A's being relocated to Las Vegas and his major displeasement with the team's owner, John Fisher. 

The whole show was so good. One of my favorite parts is when everyone left the stage and Tre Cool came out in a silky leopard print robe and preformed one of my all time Green Day favorites, "All By Myself" all by himself. 

My favorite part of seeing Green Day in 2024 was seeing them with Becky. We both love Green Day and have for forever. We're both so busy now in our adult lives that being able to go tot this show together was a real treat, one I will cherish for forever.

Green Day at Oracle Park in SF 9/20/2025 
photo by Nikki DeMartini