LA Fun with Kenny, Kathy, Bill and Graham

October 20, 2011 By Marilyn Leave a Comment

Though I’m a homebody and try to stay within approx 65 miles of the Jersey Shore (which will take me to Brooklyn and also Philly, generally satisfying my urban desires), my recent trip to LA to spend time with Kenny Chesney was just delightful. Kenny was in great voice when he made a rare acoustic appearance at the Clinton Foundation Concert at the Hollywood Bowl, where Bill Clinton thanked him onstage for his performance and for “being the only other person on the stage who doesn’t have an accent.” The weather was perfect in LA, and the open air concert on Saturday featuring Kenny, Usher, and Gaga was historic.

I got to hang out a bit with Kathy Kane, a brilliant woman who’s known in the music field for her work with Bonnie Raitt but whose interests and talents are very broad as befits the holder of a degree in International Economic Relations: The Developing Countries – from U of Michigan. With those credentials, no wonder Kathy fit in so well with the many other eggheads at the concert (see photo, Kathy’s the pretty lady with glasses right next to Bonnie Raitt.) I waved at the President when he arrived and though the secret service folks were asking everyone to move back, President Clinton walked right over to me and shook my hand, then proceeded to greet at least 25 stagehands who were working outside the VIP tent — what an impressive gentleman the former President is! Speaking of impressive gentlemen, it was an unexpected bonus to find myself in LA at the same time that the elegant and accomplished film producer Graham Leader was also visiting from the east coast. After rehearsals at the Hollywood Bowl, I met up with Graham at the Hotel Café to see singer Tom McBride, then joined Graham and a group of his filmmaker friends at the ultimate hipster hamburger joint Umami. Gee, if traveling were always this fun and interesting, I might be tempted….

Marilyn Laverty got a great seat for the show from Kenny’s management but you can’t see her here, this is a shot of Bono singing to Kathy Kane (and also Bonnie Raitt, Jane Fonda and of course the Clintons). Photo courtesy: Clinton Foundation

Filed Under: Blog, Featured Tagged With: Bill Clinton, Bonnie Raitt, Clinton Foundation, Graham Leader, Kenny Chesney

Zac Brown Band Fills Stomachs, Stadiums

August 17, 2011 By David McTiernan Leave a Comment

It was only a matter of time before it was time for my first Eat & Greet as a member of the ZBB team – it’s a rite of passage.

Cookie, the band’s enormous, glistening trailer/mobile kitchen was parked last Saturday outside the Meadowlands, back doors flayed open, with the aromas of Chef Rusty’s beef tenderloin, fresh baked bread, and chocolate peanut butter biscuit pudding wafting outwards.

Cookie

What struck me most, though, was not the smorgasbord of southern grub, but the casual interaction between the band and the select group of lucky fans. Had I not known what they looked like, I could never have picked the band out of the crowd chowing down at one of the long tables.

Zac, Clay, Chris, Coy, John, and Jimmy completely blended in with their fans, carrying on conversations over savory mouthfuls as if they were just a group of mostly-bearded guys who like country music.

ZBB thinks about touring differently. It’s not just important to them that they put on a killer show (though, indeed, they do), but that every fan feels like they’re getting the ultimate experience… because they are. From taking the time to shake every single fan’s hand to the belt-busting array of home cooking, to the hardest-hitting set this side of arena rock, ZBB created a space where nothing was as important as their fans.

And it was delicious.

The Menu:

Heirloom tomato salad with smoked corn, edamame, pickled cucumbers and moonshine vinaigrette
Fresh bread with agave fig butter
Braised Brussels sprouts with country ham and red-eye gravy
Wild mushroom and snap pea spoon polenta with smoked gouda
Grilled cauliflower, broccoli and okra with a saffron chardonnay butter
Beef tenderloin with Zac’s Georgia clay rub
Pork tenderloin with “Zac’s Love Sauce”
Chocolate peanut butter biscuit pudding
Zac’s famous cole slaw

ZBB rocking the Meadowlands

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Chef Rusty, Cookie, Cooking, food, home-cooking, Kenny Chesney, Meadowlands, Menu, recipe, zac Brown band, ZBB

Tropical Treats and Triumphs in Travel to Tampa

March 24, 2011 By Marilyn Leave a Comment

Wow, what a treat it was being on hand at the first stadium show on Kenny Chesney’s 2011 Goin’ Coastal Tour. The day began with an early morning expedition in a caravan of golf carts to the very last seat in the last row at the top of Raymond James Stadium, where Chesney viewed the stage from the vantage point of his fans and psyched himself for the show. Here’s the view from the very last seat:

And a shot of the gigantic pirate ship that adorns the Buccaneers’ stadium and is so appropriate given Mr. Chesney’s affinity for pirates:

Joining us at the top of the stadium were Sony/BNA execs CEO Gary Overton (in profile), Director of National Promotion Buffy Cooper and Vice President of Media Wes Vause:

Later I got to hang out backstage and hear photographer Danny Clinch and Kenny’s tour manager Robin Majors jam on their harmonicas a bit before lunch:

The tour catering was terrific (yum, Mexican food) but I’m sorry I ate so much because I didn’t have my typically robust appetite when I sauntered over to the Eat and Greet sponsored by Zac Brown Band for their fan club. Zac Brown Band are the featured guests on Kenny’s 2011 Goin’ Coastal tour, and I got to hang out with their team a bit while viewing their incredible new facility for feeding their fans, a gleaming bus-turned-kitchen that’s aptly named Cookie. Pictured here: Lynn Oliver of Zac’s label Southern Ground Artists, Southern Ground recording artist Sonia Leigh, me (Marilyn Laverty)  and ROAR’s Director of Communications Liz Norris:

Many superstar athletes are fans of Kenny, and as a life-long Phillies fanatic I was grateful for the chance to meet and talk to Chase Utley and Cliff Lee (both photo’d here with me, Marilyn Laverty) while they gathered at Kenny’s tour bus to say ‘hi’ before the show:

What nice guys they were and they assured me that the Phils will dominate this year.

The day’s music started with Uncle Kracker and Billy Currington, then featured artists Zac Brown Band, and finally Kenny Chesney and his powerful band in a great set punctuated with a terrific encore in which they were joined by Zac Brown Band. The ’super moon’ illuminated Raymond James Stadium, adding a fairytale glow to a really fun day.

Filed Under: Blog, Featured Tagged With: chase utley, cliff lee, goin coastal tour, Kenny Chesney, sonia leigh, tampa bay, zav brown band

Goin to Florida for the Kenny Chesney Goin Coastal Tour

March 21, 2011 By rshapiro 1 Comment

Sipping my third coffee of the morning, I’m sitting in West Palm Beach’s airport’s California Pizza Kitchen, feeling bummed to return to NYC today. Why? I’m coming off a huge high from my 24 hour jaunt to Florida for the opening night of Kenny Chesney’s nearly 60 date tour which kicked off on St. Patrick’s Day at West Palm Beach’s Cruzan Amphitheatre.

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After a year-and-a-half off the road, Kenny launched his set with a huge bang with “Live A Little” (from his new album ‘Hemingway’s Whiskey’) and proceeded with a killer two hour show which included my two favorite songs “No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problem” and “She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy.” I don’t think I’ve ever seen fans so spellbound; they knew all the words to Kenny’s songs and he really does a superb job of connecting with his audience.

Some of my personal highlights from the backstage “Vibe Room” include:
•a sighting of football great Joe Namath
•the “Hooters Girls” serving coronas in full force, complete with short shorts, tube socks and their signature tank tops.
•an awesome slide show of photos of Kenny with his friends, fans and more
•the abundance of jolly rancher candies including what seemed like an extra supply of my favorite flavor– grape!

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: grape jolly rancher, Joe Namath, Kenny Chesney, Tour