One of the best things about living in Southern California is the close proximity to the television and film studios. There are endless opportunities to attend free live concerts. I was lucky enough to win tickets to attend a CMT Crossroads special featuring two of my favorite artists, Katy Perry and Kacey Musgraves. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity to see the artists perform songs such as Perry's "Firework" and "Roar," as well as Musgrave's "Follow Your Arrow" and "Merry Go Round." One of my favorite parts of the show was Katy Perry's comical comments between songs. At one point the show's director said over the loud speaker, "Can we get Katy hair and makeup?" Perry responded to the mysterious voice with, "God, do you think I'm ugly?" Although Perry and Musgraves come from different genres, their style and similar music taste makes them the perfect match. I hope to see more collaborations from Katy Perry and Kacey Musgraves in the future.
Here is a list of some websites where you can find television taping tickets. Did I mention it's FREE!
"Flashlight" is the newly released song featured in Pitch Perfect 2. The single was penned by two of music's biggest stars, Sia and Sam Smith. Jessie J says, "I guess the ultimate feel behind the video and the concept is about giving someone something happy, you're my flashlight. Having someone that gives you light in moments of darkness." This uplifting song is the first original song released from the upcoming film.
Standout Lyrics:
"I'm stuck in the dark but you're my flashlight, You're gettin’ me, gettin’ me through the night, Can’t stop my heart when you shinin’ in my eyes, Can’t lie, it’s a sweet life"
The House of Blues Anaheim is an all ages venue located in the heart of Downtown Disney. I enjoy smaller sized venues, so this happens to be one of my favorites. I have seen Colbie Caillat, Natasha Bedingfield, country music group Gloriana, as well as many others here. Each time I attended a concert, I stood in the very front. The reason for this was a trick I learned a few years back. The House of Blues Anaheim has a restaurant in it, and if you eat at the restaurant, you get priority admission. This means you enter before everyone else who has been waiting in line for hours. This venue is standing room only, but there are a very limited amount of seats on the second level. I would suggest the House of Blues Anaheim to anyone because of the great location, intimate size, and talented acts.Don't forget to eat at Crossroads, the House of Blues' restaurant for priority seating!
Where to find House of Blues Anaheim:
1530 Disneyland Dr, Anaheim, CA 92802
Where to park:
Parking is free for the first 3 hours, each additional hour is $6, with a maximum of $30. (Every time I have been to a concert, the parking attendant has left before I exited the parking lot, so it was FREE!)