Alex Nester at The Troubadour 6-18-11WITNESS TO GREATNESS
INDIE MUSIC THRIVES
Rarely can one say they are witness to a real happening. A coming out party. To be able to say; "I was there when..." Well last night on June 18th 2011 The World Famous Troubadour known as a launching platform for musical artists since 1957 was the showcase venue for who many are calling the best unsigned artist in the world. Her name; Alex Nester. Here genre of music is Soul. Her hero and inspiration is Stevie Wonder (who she met last month) at the studios of K Earth 101 in Los Angles. A meeting arraigned by K Earth knowing Alex's talent and her love for Stevie.
Alex has opened for the great band Chicago and also for Earth Wind and Fire. Before the show began I met a wife of one of the band members of Earth Wind and Fire and her friend. They said they were attending the concert based on her husband saying. "You don't want to miss Alex if you can see her live. Pretty strong praise!
Alex Nester's concert was not just a showcase of this young woman's talents. this was a benefit concert to raise money and awareness to fight cancer. 100% of EVERYTHING collected is going to charity! Everyone involved in the event worked as volunteers to make this show a success. When I arrived Alex's Mom and Dad had their sleeves rolled up and were bringing in articles to be auctioned. Recognizing Alex's talents back in December, Tito Jackson brought Alex on board with his band and she has been with him ever since. He was kind enough to donate a signed guitar for the auction. The show was to begin in 3 hours and the army of volunteers were scurrying around under the direction of Danika a person who knew how to coordinate events who Alex brought on. Alex's best friend Katie was running around and Alex who demands perfection was doing sound check and also checking on some of the small details. The stakes were huge!
The opening band was "Stiff" and they kicked some Rock N Roll butt. For their last 2 songs Alex was introduced to sing with the band. She was only giving the packed house a glimpse of her vocals. A tease if you will. Stiff did well and the audience was primed. The stage was black and Alex Nester's techs were setting up. Was there going to be enough room on that stage for what they were carrying out? The anticipation was now palatable as Alex walked down to check what the techs had done. She then walked over and sat behind an organ.
Alex has opened for the great band Chicago and also for Earth Wind and Fire. Before the show began I met a wife of one of the band members of Earth Wind and Fire and her friend. They said they were attending the concert based on her husband saying. "You don't want to miss Alex if you can see her live. Pretty strong praise!
Alex Nester's concert was not just a showcase of this young woman's talents. this was a benefit concert to raise money and awareness to fight cancer. 100% of EVERYTHING collected is going to charity! Everyone involved in the event worked as volunteers to make this show a success. When I arrived Alex's Mom and Dad had their sleeves rolled up and were bringing in articles to be auctioned. Recognizing Alex's talents back in December, Tito Jackson brought Alex on board with his band and she has been with him ever since. He was kind enough to donate a signed guitar for the auction. The show was to begin in 3 hours and the army of volunteers were scurrying around under the direction of Danika a person who knew how to coordinate events who Alex brought on. Alex's best friend Katie was running around and Alex who demands perfection was doing sound check and also checking on some of the small details. The stakes were huge!
The opening band was "Stiff" and they kicked some Rock N Roll butt. For their last 2 songs Alex was introduced to sing with the band. She was only giving the packed house a glimpse of her vocals. A tease if you will. Stiff did well and the audience was primed. The stage was black and Alex Nester's techs were setting up. Was there going to be enough room on that stage for what they were carrying out? The anticipation was now palatable as Alex walked down to check what the techs had done. She then walked over and sat behind an organ.
SHOWTIME!
Alex began playing the piano and sang a 30 second song setting a soft mood. The spotlight was on her and she stopped! She then paused and rose. Spotlight affixed on Alex she then walked center stage, just feet from a now jammed floor of fans trying to be close to her. She began to sing again, softly, a black back ground behind her as she stood seemingly alone as see reached a pause. Then! I mean THEN... The stage erupted with lights. A full horn section to her right, 4 back up singers to her left (Including her husband Eddie) bass player. lead and drums behind her and Alex just ripped it! Her voice sent shivers through the crowd. People who had never seen her live were visually in shock at how powerful this woman was singing... "Burn it down... Burn it down... Burn it down Burn it down!!!" I have that song in my head right now and it's distracting to write. But I shall carry on.
Alex connected with the audience with her vocals within a minute, but all of her songs were sung with such passion that people were hanging on to her every note and lyric. Alex wrote all of her songs except one she co-wrote with Dannielle Savre. She wrote a song in tribute to a friend of hers who lost her battle with cancer "Hold On" and I fought off tears as this artist poured her heart into this soft a tender song. Alex changed things up with "Idolatry" a short right hook directed to the "Power-brokers" in Hollywood. Alex brought her Dad to do a song and play trumpet. Mr.Nester, take a bow, you were great! "Oh Oh Oh" was a fun song and I'd be hard pressed to think of a song one might call a "filler" some albums produce. No, this album was made with the heart of an artist and the soul of an angel.
Everyone in attendance received Alex's CD (album) #BurnItDown which will be available on itunes and cdbaby this week. I am not a music critic. I am a writer and filmmaker, I Blog when I have something on my mind and this benefit concert given by Alex Nester at The Troubadour made me just WANT to share how I felt. I hope you read this and take my recommendation to buy this album when it becomes available. Indie artists are the engine that drives real inspirational music. As Indie movies began to define the movie industry and artists starting making movies people wanted to see instead of what studio heads fed the theaters, I believe artists like Alex Nester will soon define and expand your choices as a consumer. Just like the theaters are forced to show movies or risk getting black balled, the same is true with radio. And Indie sensations like Alex Nester are knocking down walls to be heard!
I would love to see this album soar because it has the chops to hang with any top 10 album out there. The question is... Are the sheep going to overthrow the herder. I truly hope I have been able to convey a fraction of how talented this woman is.
Ten years cancer free and Alex did this show to give back. I feel privileged to have been there to see history made. Because some day very soon I will say... "Yes I was at Alex Nester's first show at The Troubadour."
Alex connected with the audience with her vocals within a minute, but all of her songs were sung with such passion that people were hanging on to her every note and lyric. Alex wrote all of her songs except one she co-wrote with Dannielle Savre. She wrote a song in tribute to a friend of hers who lost her battle with cancer "Hold On" and I fought off tears as this artist poured her heart into this soft a tender song. Alex changed things up with "Idolatry" a short right hook directed to the "Power-brokers" in Hollywood. Alex brought her Dad to do a song and play trumpet. Mr.Nester, take a bow, you were great! "Oh Oh Oh" was a fun song and I'd be hard pressed to think of a song one might call a "filler" some albums produce. No, this album was made with the heart of an artist and the soul of an angel.
Everyone in attendance received Alex's CD (album) #BurnItDown which will be available on itunes and cdbaby this week. I am not a music critic. I am a writer and filmmaker, I Blog when I have something on my mind and this benefit concert given by Alex Nester at The Troubadour made me just WANT to share how I felt. I hope you read this and take my recommendation to buy this album when it becomes available. Indie artists are the engine that drives real inspirational music. As Indie movies began to define the movie industry and artists starting making movies people wanted to see instead of what studio heads fed the theaters, I believe artists like Alex Nester will soon define and expand your choices as a consumer. Just like the theaters are forced to show movies or risk getting black balled, the same is true with radio. And Indie sensations like Alex Nester are knocking down walls to be heard!
I would love to see this album soar because it has the chops to hang with any top 10 album out there. The question is... Are the sheep going to overthrow the herder. I truly hope I have been able to convey a fraction of how talented this woman is.
Ten years cancer free and Alex did this show to give back. I feel privileged to have been there to see history made. Because some day very soon I will say... "Yes I was at Alex Nester's first show at The Troubadour."
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