i still sleep with the lights on

Ahhhh...a day filled with Center Stage goodness...or not so goodness....

Center Stage days are pretty much the highlight of my week when we have productions. I can't even explain to you what makes them so great - the car trips, the people, the crazy things that always go wrong - but it is always a memorable time.
As you probably know, I have been ranting and raving about Teitur since I heard his album. I am also quite fond of Glen Phillips. So I noticed on the Iota site (one of my favorite clubs - in DC) that Glen would be there, so I checked out Pollstar and Philly and low and behold he was coming to the Northstar. So I check that site to see who was opening and dammit it was Teitur. As soon I found that out, I told Marissa that CS HAS to do the show. No question about it.
So she set it all up and everything was going well. Well, aside from the wrong turn we took. There has never been a problem filming at the Northstar and it is one of my favorite places to film because the people there are always so accomodating. We get there for load in, where Keith (the manager) proceeds to tell Marissa that everyone has to be 21. This has never been an issue before! And wouldn't have been an issue if Marissa and Jay weren't 19. Which left just Epler, Ed, and me. I had the idea of having the portable studio outside so she can direct and produce, just not be in the venue. Then the crew informed me that we were in the ghetto and someone may die. There was already a helicopter swooping over the area, which we assumed, was looking for a body. So we did the only thing we could do - go to Wawa.
After deliberating, it was decided that Marissa and Jay would cruise around South Street and Epler, Ed, and I would pull of at least a five person job, with 3. The three of us have been working together on this crazy idea of mine for a while so I had confidence on our production. I wasn't ready to step into producer mode, I was all psyched on handling a camera for the show for the first time, but of course I did since I live for this. But the show went INCREDIBLY well. Especially for how limited it was since it was a solo artist. We try not to do solo artists because of the lack of busi-ness on stage, but we had to do Teitur because he is amazing. I think I drove the boys nuts since the entire time I was singing along and saying how beautiful and great his music was. And I don't think I ever yelled once, which is a feat for me in production, I actually had a voice left. Afterwards...the interview.
Again, I wasn't really prepared to interview anyone. Usually I bask in the fact that I can go to these productions now and not stress, that's on Marissa's shoulders now ;-). I hope the interview went well...asked the basics, plus stuff I was personally curious in, and other business type questions. As Ed was fiddling with the audio, I had about 15 minutes to talk with Teiter off camera. One of the most personable guys I have ever interviewed that I hadn't known previously. Though the interview went smoothly, I am curious to look back on it and see how he answered a few questions. Wondering how much of an influence Universal has on his public speaking. Not to say that any of the answers weren't acceptable, but he was very quick to answer his thoughts on some things, such as music downloading. It was simply just plain awesome to interview him. Marissa pointed out that Center Stage is now internation (Teitur is from Denmark). Rock on.
Out of all of the productions I have done, it didn't rain for like, two of them. Of course it was downpouring on the way home and still going strong as we unloaded. I guess I should be worried if its actually sunny and nice for a show.
Nothing too entertaining about this show, no one bled, no one was embarrassed, no one fell off the stairs, no one knocked over a candle on stage...but it was still an incredible experience.