A Lovely Day to Be Out of Jail

The other night I was walking past our Borders downtown (that would be Borders store number 1 for those of you who don't know) and saw a poster announcing that Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings would be doing a performance and CD signing this week and I absolutely knew that I couldn't miss it... especially since it was free! All I had to do was get up early and be at the store yesterday morning when they opened to get an armband and all was set!!

SO... Sharon Jones is a soul/funk singer who is a part of this neo-Motown resurgence happening who has since retired from her former job as a correctional officer at Rikers Island. Needless to say, she will beat you down if you don't applaud. The Dap Kings, her back-up band, is the house band for Daptone Records and were an implemental part in Amy Winehouse's buh-mazing album Back to Black, among other collaborations. If you remember from one of my first posts, I have a huge affinity for this type of music.

You MUST watch this:

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings - She Ain't a Child No More
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor Fox News

I had the great pleasure of going to the short concert and signing with Mary Martin, who I mentioned in my last post, as she sang the national anthem for President Obama at the University of Michigan graduation.
Below are some of my own pictures, but here are some from AnnArbor.com that are of a slightly immensely higher quality than those from my BlackBerry Pearl.

BANDS FOR THE BAND!

Where are they!?!

Being interviewed by some guy from 107.1-- celebrities EVERYWHERE!

A girl gotsta take her shoes off to give a good performance

My friend Timothy was actually in attendance and standing next to me... she called him up and sang to him!!

I believe this was post "Pony-ing" and pre "Turky-ing"

Post concert was the CD signing and Mary and I didn't have anything for her to sign. 

"Do you think she'll sign this?"

The Borders guy actually told us we couldn't meet her because we hadn't purchased anything from the store but Ms. Jones had a lil' somethin' else to say about that and waved us by.  He is now in the hospital with a broken rib for not obeying her the first time

We also got a chance to chat with Starr and Sandra (that's pronounced "Sahndra" as in "laundry" and not "Sandra" as in "pasty white actresses"... and don't you dare call her anything different!) who are her back up singers appropriately named the Dap-Queens.  Naturally, Mary and I are now Dap-Queens, but only on Thursdays and Sundays. Okaaaaaay.  As a side note... we are smiling because we are with the Dap-Queens, and they are smiling because I told them Mary has sung for the President.