Tag Archives: nashville

Feb7

I Fell For A Reject!

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I Fell For A Reject!

Photo by Kindell Brinay / Soundberry Design

Yes, I confess–in the past 48 hours I have fallen in love.  It’s like a dirty little secret I can’t hide any longer.  Surely, I’ve been in like with this reject for about ten years when he explained how he was crushed by a former love on the “American Wedding” soundtrack.  I was motivated by him when he told me to move along, but yesterday, it all changed when Tyson Ritter walked into a coffee shop in Nashville.

Before I knew it, [Tyson Ritter] offered to put me on the guest list for his show the next night!

As most know, I’m kind of a jill of all trades–novelist, journalist, publicist and yes, barista.  Well, imagine my surprise when my eyes met Tyson’s as he stood on line to get his green tea latte.  Instantly, I recognized him–I had even met Tyson and the other All-American Rejects in a press room a few years ago, but now, here he was while I donned an apron ready to take his order.  I figured it would be all business.  He’d tell me the details of his beverage.  I’d ask if he’d like anything else.  We’d finish the transaction and I’d say “That lead singer of The All-American Rejects is just a normal guy.”

Well, Tyson Ritter is anything but normal, and I mean that in a good way.  After I took his order, the beautiful-eyed, smooth voiced, talented man asked me about my plans to watch the Super Bowl.  We made small talk back and forth.  Before I knew it, this guy offered to put me on the guest list for his show the next night!  Incredibly sweet, right?  But I don’t think that was even the moment I got in too deep.  No, it was the next night at Exit/In in front of thousands of AAR fans who had long ago fallen completely head over heels for Tyson Ritter.  Who could blame them?  I don’t know how I didn’t succumb to his powers before.  Then again, this was my first Rejects concert…I never threw myself into the belly of the beast until now.

My plus one, Kindell, and I quickly realized what we were in for when the band took the stage.  Nick Wheeler, Mike Kennerty, and Chris Gaylor make up the rest of the band and are all incredible musicians; I can’t fail to mention that.  The sound was practically flawless.  Tyson was the perfect entertainer.  He sang–not just screamed–rocked the guitar, and spastically danced around the stage, which seemed to make the audience feel comfortable doing the same!

The sold-out crowd sang along to hits like “Swing, Swing”, “Dirty Little Secret” and “It Ends Tonight”, but even songs that weren’t singles received just as much attention.  The band’s newest release, “Beekeeper’s Daughter” was definitely one of the favorite songs of the night.  I wound up downloading the song as soon as the show was over.  “Beekeeper’s Daughter” is now available on iTunes and will be on the band’s upcoming album Kids In The Street.  AAR debuted the song of the same name for us, and we were hungry for more.

One of the biggest highlights of the show was when the band performed “Move Along”.  Tyson got so into the song that underneath all of his jokes, and crazy-eyed looks, lies a true artist with plenty of heart.  I mean, who else offers their barista free tickets?  Come on now!

What better way to end the show than to perform “Gives You Hell”, the ultimate hate anthem that’s catchy enough to make you feel good about singing it.  To be honest, I can’t remember the last time I went to a pop/rock/punk show and truly loved it from beginning to end.  I have seen a lot of concerts over the years with StarShine Magazine, but The All-American Rejects really proved to be something more than I ever expected.

Like I said earlier, I was always in like with AAR, but now…I fell in love with a bunch of rejects, and I’m really okay with that.

I hope somewhere Tyson Ritter is reading this, and appreciates my opinion as both a journalist, and now, as a big fan.  Thank you for hooking me up!

For more info on The All-American Rejects: www.allamericanrejects.com

Twitter: www.twitter.com/therejects

Follow Tyson Ritter: www.twitter.com/tysonritter

Feb6

Nick Carter Puts His Space Suit On…

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Nick Carter Puts His Space Suit On…

The line to get into the Cannery Ballroom in Nashville was wrapped around the building.  Girls were dressed in flashy sequined outfits while some guys were simply dressed in a Backstreet Boys t-shirt.  Yes, guys were in attendance–some even straight!  107.5 The River hyped the show for several months, especially on-air DJ, Intern Adam, who came out on stage that night with one of Nick Carter’s biggest fans to announce him to the stage.

Before Nick hit the stage, though, the crowd fully welcomed his opening act, Guinevere.  She performed with two back-up dancers and showed off her moves along with her vocal chops.  Pumping out cover songs of pop queen Kylie Minogue’s “Can’t Get You Out Of My Head” and Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ On A Prayer”, Guinevere had the crowd singing and moving along as if they’d known who she was prior to the show.  Original songs like “Crazy Crazy” and “Liar” also had the crowd going wild.  ”Crazy Crazy” can now be requested on radio.  Hopefully we’ll hear from Guinevere in 2012.  Check her out at: www.thisisguinevere.com.

As for the main event, Nick Carter came to the stage with theatrics that no fan of his was surprised by.  He has always been fascinated by aliens, and in honor of that, Nick made his grand entrance wearing a space suit complete with helmet and American on his sleeve.  Even his band members donned similar costumes.  Fittingly, Nick began the show performing “I’m Taking Off”.  The song is not only the title of his latest solo album, but also the name of the tour, which runs through February 12th before he hops back on the NKOTBSB tour this spring.

Nick mixed into his stage show some of his own guitar playing, a few dance moves, and gyrating for his screaming fans with the tease of taking off his shirt throughout the night.  He surprisingly only sang three songs from his 2002 debut album, Now or Never, and filled the rest of the show with his newer songs, a couple of rock covers and a few BSB songs.  The entire show was full of energy and Nick’s vocals were on point throughout–whether he was belting it out or seducing the crowd with toned down notes.

The biggest highlight of the night was Nick’s intimate performance of “Falling Down”.  He played acoustic guitar with no other musical accompaniment but his voice, and the audience–if Nick didn’t own them already–were now his.  Other songs like “Do I Have To Cry For You”, “I Got You”, “Burning Up” and “Just One Kiss” had everyone screaming, dancing and swooning all at once, it seemed.

It was nice to see how Nick Carter has really grown into a confident music artist, both on his own and within the Backstreet Boys.  What’s just as nice is how fans and media have been receiving him with open arms.  (Journey pun intended.  After all, they are Nick’s favorite band.)

For more info on Nick Carter: www.nickcarter.net.

A huge thank you to Intern Adam at 107.5 the River for hooking me up!  Follow him for all the juicy entertainment info and great laughs at: www.twitter.com/internadam.

 

Oct17

"Burning Up" with Nick Carter!

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"Burning Up" with Nick Carter!

I really wrestled with the idea of trying to get an interview with Nick Carter when I found out he was shooting his video right here in Nashville.  I literally just ended StarShine and if I made allowances for the Backstreet Boys, where would it end?  I’m not saying I’ll never do an interview again…but I want to do it more in a bloggie manner than be editor of a magazine.  Anyway, back to Nick Carter, who by the way I’ve loved for half my life…Needless to say when I realized 107.5 The River were picking people to be extras in his video, I found myself tweeting Intern Adam, not thinking much into it.  Apparently, my tweet was creative enough to grab his attention because before I knew it, I got a message from him saying I would get a wristband for the shoot.

I was told to pick up the wristband by 9:45, well, that tipped me off to more of a first come, first serve basis.  So I arrived right before nine and sure enough, there were a group of girls who were already there!  I expected to wait a while, but hours passed and the line was building while we all stood outside like groupies more than the “chosen” ones. I figured there would be more order to the shoot. Talk flew throughout the crowd that Nick was writing the treatment as he went, but I never know what’s true and what’s not in a group of fans. Like Intern Adam said to us, “Y’all like to talk and give out wrong information”. Ain’t that the truth?

It was a sure thing by the end of the day that I’d see at least one fan crying out of disappointment. Every event I’ve been to, whether as a fan or a journalist, I’ve witnessed a fan crying or angry. I’m usually pretty understanding, knowing there’s a lot of chaos and a lot of people involved in an event, and it’s not easy on anyone, I’m sure.

However, things could have been done a little better. The radio station gave out mixed information, for one. Two, the crowd scene should have been filmed first, not last. Everyone’s feet were killing them by that point! Most people hadn’t eaten either, afraid to lose their spot in line.

After spending the morning outside and part of the afternoon, things paid off for me—Nick Carter came out to quickly shake hands and talk to the crowd to show his appreciation. He posted a video on Twitter of us outside and asked what he should tweet it as. I randomly called out, “Hardcore” and he laughed and said, “Hardcore…”. Little did I know he wound up tweeting the video as “Hardcore. Not Porn.” Gotta love him. (Watch the video here: http://www.twitvid.com/IW2YI.  You can see me peeking out, I have “Lost In You” in my hands and I’m waving.)

When Nick walked over to me, I shook his hand and slid my first novel, “Lost In You” into his hands. I told him I published a book and that the Backstreet Boys inspired it. “Oh, wow, thank you,” was his response. Then I added, “I autographed it for you.” Haha! I love autographing things for my idols! I doubt Nick will read it, but I hope he does appreciate it. So now, two Backstreet Boys own an autographed copy of “Lost In You”. AJ McLean’s mom, my good friend, Denise Solis, sent him a copy for me when it was first released in 2009.

After Nick went down the line, he walked back into Play Dance Bar to finish filming the video. More hours went by and fans were complaining more and more of hunger and sore feet. Finally, someone comes out and tells us they’re going to select about twenty girls to go in first. There goes my “first come, first serve” theory. They picked the most dressed up girls and also, the skinniest and skimpiest.

That’s all fine and good…It’s a sexy video, but in the e-mail from the station, we were told to wear sexy, but casual with creative vibes and not your typical club scene. I took that too literal, I think. I wore my favorite outfit (which I also wore to my “Dream Catchers” book release party). It was a little sexy punk look with a petticoat, halter top, black vest, boots and fingerless pleather gloves. I thought I looked pretty fierce, so I wasn’t going to sit there and put myself down on why those girls got picked and I didn’t. Their outfits were the better fit. The rest of the crowd ranged from plain old t-shirt and jeans to formal wear! Obviously, everyone’s opinion of sexy and casual are different.

Another hour or so passes and we’re finally allowed in, but kept in the foyer of Play for another freaking hour! It was so crammed before the crowd started thinning, feeling the day was bogus. I could have left after giving Nick “Lost In You” and been happy, but I would like to say I was in the music video. What can I say, I’m a fame seeker!

We were finally allowed into the video shoot and Nick is supposed to be a DJ while the crowd is going crazy with glow sticks. (Check out a video posted by 107.5 of this scene here.)  It felt like I was at a Nick Carter concert a little bit, except “Burning Up” was the only song he sung, haha! It was quite an arm workout waving my hands in the air repeatedly with full force. This machine kept blowing gusts of air into my face, which actually felt good considering we were all packed into the room like sardines. Nick was keeping the crowd pumped by making us laugh and asking us to repeat lyrics with him. They started sending people out of the shoot after a little while for the paint scene. I was one of them, but I was fine with it. I love my outfit too much to risk ruining it! Of course, on my way out, I witnessed two very upset girls whining to Intern Adam about the day. He told them to calm down in a nice way. Gotta love Adam!

I headed home, physically exhausted. I felt like I did a full body workout between all the standing, jumping and arm pumping. By the way, people in Nashville looked at me like I’m a prostitute dressed the way I was in daylight, glitter and all! In New York, not many people would flinch.

So I doubt I’ll be seen in the actual “Burning Up” video, but at least my hands will stand out if they’re shown. I think I was the only one wearing fingerless pleather gloves. :)

Something off my checklist today…Now if I can just get Jared Leto a copy of “Dream Catchers”, I’d be thrilled. I hope “The Watch Dog” doesn’t wind up having any celebrity inspiration. I will make it a life mission to get that person a copy. Why do I like to drive myself crazy? ;-)

Enjoy the Nick Carter pictures.  Comments are welcome and appreciated!

Aug11

Lanndon is Country Music's Next Sweatheart!

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Lanndon is Country Music's Next Sweatheart!

Lanndon Lingerfelt

While I was visiting Nashville this summer, I made sure to spend a lot of time at the local honky tonks to scope out some fresh talent for StarShine Magazine.  Talent isn’t something Nashville is short on!  A great band or singer is about a dime a dozen in those Broadway bars!  However, not all of those talented folks are meant to be stars.  It wasn’t until I was sitting in Tootsie’s on a Sunday afternoon that I saw someone with that extra special quality.  This pretty blonde girl was singing Tammy Wynette’s “Stand By Your Man” with ease and perfection.  I was instantly impressed and even more so as she pulled off Miranda Lambert’s “Gun Powder & Lead”.  She introduced herself as Lanndon with the cutest southern twang to her voice.  I was convinced that this girl was going places!  So I gave her my card and a few days later, we met up again at the very famous Tootsie’s for an interview.

To my surprise, Lanndon is only 15-years-old!  With her strong voice, personality and maturity she carries herself with, I would have never guessed.  She was born and raised in North Carolina and first performed in front of people at 8-years-old singing in a karaoke competition.  She was terrified and wanted to back out, but her parents encouraged her to go for it.  “They pretty much stuck me up there,” she laughed as she told me about the experience.  She sang a Carrie Underwood song and the crowd loved her.  She even won the competition.

Growing up, Lanndon watched her brother’s friend, Josh Black make music and perform it all around the south.  “I was jealous,” she admits.  “I was like, ‘you know what?  I can sing, too!”  She admits the need to perform was an “attention thing” at first.  As she got a little older, singing and music were her passion, but at the time, she was only 12-years-old and people didn’t want to work with her because she was so young.  Josh recommended her to his own band, 30 Aut Sixx, who didn’t believe a kid could perform with them.  When they heard she was going to audition with “Last Night” by Carrie Underwood, they didn’t think she could pull it off, but she proved them wrong.

Soon Lanndon and Josh Black were performing together around North Carolina and Nashville.  Now, the band is no longer performing together, but both Josh and Lanndon are pursuing solo careers.  Lanndon performs a couple of times a month in Nashville at Tootsie’s and Rippy’s.  She’s also recording a demo in Nashville in hopes to get a record deal soon and to pitch her songs to radio.

When I asked why Lanndon wants to be a country music singer, her answer was this: “I hope to do what the stars do for me.  I want me to come out through my songs.  I hope people

Lanndon performing at Tootsie's Nashville.

listen to one of my songs and say ‘hey, we can relate to her’.”  To end my interview with Lanndon, I asked her what she would like to say to her fans and future fans and she had an inspirational message for y’all.  “Always stick to your dreams.  Never back down.  There’s always a rainbow at the end of every storm.”

Keep a lookout for this girl because she’s one to watch!  For more info and to join her mailing list, go to www.lanndon.com.

Jul11

Look Out Music City…

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Look Out Music City…

Me and my sister Cindy near Lake Watauga in Centennial Park.

Hey Everyone!

So if you follow me on Twitter/Facebook, I’m sure you’ve noticed I’ve been talking an awful lot about honky tonks and Southern living…Well, that’s because as of August 2, 2011 I will officially be a resident of Nashville, Tennessee!  This move of mine has been planned officially for over a year, but I’ve thought about it for a while before that.  Most people ask me why would I want to move away from New York…

To put it simply: I’m sick of New York.

The hustle and bustle of being in Manhattan can drive me crazy, but what’s even worse is living just outside Manhattan in Staten Island or Long Island and having to travel by boat, train, bus, etc. for hours to get to an event is brutal.  I don’t drive and that doesn’t bother me for the most part.  In Long Island, however, it’s frustrating.  I only moved there to spend time with my niece and nephew before I moved to Nashville – and to save money for my move.  It’s impossible to get around in Long Island without a car.  As for Staten Island, transportation isn’t really the issue, except for when I have to go into Manhattan and transportation always fails me…The steamy subways and their annoying re-routes, the ferry and its crazies…

Anyway, I love New York.  I do – it will always be home to me in some way.  My family and friends are there and I will miss them all terribly, but something has been pulling me away.  So with the start of my 4th novel, “The Watch Dog”, I decided I needed a new inspirational environment to set the scene for this book.  Nashville popped into my mind when I thought about the main character Garrett “Rett” Baker.  So the seed was planted and the more time I spent working in Manhattan, the more I wanted to leave New York.

Last Wednesday, I left for my first visit to Music City…Nashville far exceeded my expectations!!  The history, the scenery, the music, the nightlife – wow!!  I am so proud to be moving here!!  Nashville is the perfect mix of big city in a small town!  The people are so friendly and literally, there’s live music everywhere you go, except for Starbucks, which is where I am now.  Starbucks is pretty much the same everywhere, which is good – since I’ll still be working here, so it’s like the comfort of something from home whenever I need it.

Anyway, I figured it has been a while since I last blogged and thought you might want to know what’s going on with my life, my next novel and StarShine Magazine.  I’ll be finishing up a series of vignettes as part of the “Dream Catchers” series, which will be available on Kindle.com this fall!  And I’m eager to get to work on “The Watch Dog”, which will be released in 2012.  As for StarShine – I’ll be posting interviews with the cast of “The Casserole Club” soon and hopefully, some other cool interviews soon.  Since country music will be so accessible to me now, I will be letting you guys know about some well-known and not so well known, but just as talented artists on the scene!

Thank you guys for all your support!!  Keep reading :)

Hugs, Kisses & Stars,

Sandy Lo

Jul24

BLOG: Change is the only thing that's Constant.

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BLOG: Change is the only thing that's Constant.

Hey guys!  I figured you don’t always get an insight inside of my life aside from my status posts on Facebook and Twitter.  I want to start blogging more regularly, this way I can update you on my progress with my novels and you have something to read from me in between.  Here it goes…

With every year that passes, I find myself evoking change.  As a child, I had no say in anything.  I was the youngest of four.  My parents were both close-minded.  I was taught to think everything was “weird” or “crazy”.  I wanted to change it all.  I wanted to change who my father was.  I wanted to change how my mother felt about him.  I wanted to change the fact that my siblings were older and moving on from childhood, because I thought they were moving on from me as well.  I suppose this need and want for change is why I’m so accepting of it now.  In fact, I welcome change while my siblings fear it.

Change is inevitable, though.  Why not embrace it?

The things I have strived for in life are things that were somewhat frowned upon in my family.  My parents wanted me to be practical.  I was never practical.  I always dreamed big.  My mother, God love her, used to call me a modern day hippie.  I’ve always been a free spirit who loved the differences in people and kept an open-mind.

When I began my own magazine at eighteen, it was something no one took seriously.  It was only when I took my dad with me to interview Jessica Simpson, that he realized I was actually doing something productive.  My mother didn’t need me to take her on any interviews to realize how big of a deal it was when I presented the Backstreet Boys an award.  And all I had to say to my brother was, a million people read StarShine Magazine.  Still, one thing mattered to everyone and still matters to them this day…money.

I realize money is a necessity.  So is happiness, though.  Writing and meeting interesting creative talent makes me happy, with or without compensation for it.  One day, I hope to make a living off my books.  I also want to keep working in the entertainment industry.  Maybe not as the editor of StarShine Magazine, but maybe as a publicist or working in some other realm of the industry.

To invoke change, you have to make change.

In 2011, I am making the biggest change of my life.  I’m moving to Nashville, Tennessee.  Why?  There’s not one particularly grand reason, like I have relatives there or friends.  There’s little small, possibly insignificant-sounding reasons.  Like when I was 10-years-old, I saw a movie called “The Thing Called Love” that was about a songwriter from New York who moved to Nashville to make it big.  Or how about the fact that Nasville IS “Music City”?  Maybe because my next novel takes place in Tennessee and I want to see what it’s like to live in the south.  Maybe I want to move out there because I’m tired of New York.  Or maybe because I want to live in a completely new, unknown place and make a life for myself all on my own.  All of these reasons are why I want to move to Nashville.  I could probably find a bunch more, too.

With that change set in motion, I’ve decided I need to re-evaluate my time management.  Juggling a full-time job, a magazine, and writing novels is tough.  Not to mention, trying to get an agent, promoting those novels and finding time for family, friends and sleep–I’m wiped out.  Something has to give.  So, not being able to part with any of those things–I’m condensing them.  I’ve been running StarShine Magazine for 9 years.  That’s a long time.  Without much of a staff, I’m doing just about everything, and it’s exhausting.  Especially when every once in a while, your website gets hacked into or the webmaster decides to stop doing it.  I’ve been through a lot with it.  Plus, I manage 3 Twitter accounts, 3 Facebook pages and 2 MySpace pages.

So, gradually, StarShine will be a section on this website: www.sandy-lo.com.  I will still interview celebrities when I can and post about new music, movies, etc.  But it can no longer be the chunk of my life it once was.  Writing novels has been part of me for longer and has been dying to make its way into the forefront of my life.

I just hope the StarShine readers and artists will understand and support me in my writing career.  I hope you guys will still check out the site and see what I’m up to–I’m sure in Nashville I’ll be interviewing some awesome country stars!

Change is difficult, I know.  Believe me, it took a lot to make this decision.  However, with the decision made, I’m excited for the future and all the doors this will open.

Hugs, Kisses & Stars,

Sandy Lo