“This next song is the first song that we put out… that anybody really cared about. Ironically, I was making a joke on MySpace earlier, but this is the song that we put onto MySpace back when it was a thing [laughs/cheers]. Yeah. Just put the Millennial tag on us right now. We did break on social media, it is true. But it can be used for good regardless.” Ryan Tedder, in preface to the hit OneRepublic song, “Apologize”. A highlight of the 10th Anniversary of the annual Notes & Words: Benefit For UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland event that took place at Fox Theater Oakland on Saturday, April 27th. As per tradition, it featured both writers and musicians on stage, this year with Ryan Tedder & Drew Brown of OneRepublic, Jazz Mafia, Katy Stephan, and the Oakland School for the Arts handling the “notes” side of the show and Oscar winner, Helen Hunt, and Pulitzer Prize winning writer, Andrew Sean Greer, joining the stage with one of the key creative forces behind the event, Kelly Corrigan, taking care of the “words” side of the programming. Notes & Words is an annual benefit concert created to support the UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland, which provides the highest quality medical care to children throughout California. They announced that in the last 9 years, they’ve raised $12,150,000 with this event! I have heard that this year’s event on Saturday raised more than $3 million dollars.
Ryan Tedder to Headline Notes & Words 10th Anniversary Benefit For UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland at Fox Theater on April 27th
The 10th Anniversary of the annual Notes & Words: Benefit For UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland event will be held at Fox Theater Oakland on Saturday, April 27th. As per tradition, it will feature both writers and musicians on stage, this year featuring Ryan Tedder (OneRepublic) and the Oakland School for the Arts as well as Oscar winner Helen Hunt (actor/writer/producer) and Pulitzer Prize winning writer, Andrew Sean Greer as well as the creative force behind the event, Kelly Corrigan. Notes & Words is an annual benefit concert created to support the UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland; the Children’s Hospital & Research Center Oakland provides the highest quality medical care to children throughout California. [Read more…]
Rewind | Lost 80’s Live ’18 at Thunder Valley Outdoor Amphitheater | Lincoln, California | 9/2/2018 (Concert Review + Photos)
“I guess the 80’s is the best thing around…” Mike Score of A Flock of Seagulls, putting things in simple terms before the massive crowd at the joint presentation of Rewind | Lost 80’s Live ’18 concert event at Thunder Valley Outdoor Amphitheater on Sunday night. Known for it’s rotating series of artists who made significant marks on the music scene throughout the 80’s, each year the show presents a unique concert going experience. The line-up this time around featured A Flock of Seagulls, Mickey Thomas from Starship, Wang Chung, Dale Bozzio from Missing Persons, Animotion, Farrington and Mann from When In Rome, and Annabella Lwin from Bow Wow Wow. [Read more…]
Notes & Words 2018: Benefit For UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland at Fox Theater (feat. Dave Grohl) | Oakland, California | 5/12/2018 (Concert Review + Photos)
Early in his rare solo acoustic headlining performance at Notes & Words 2018, Dave Grohl at once revealed his laid back humor and his insightful personal pondering on life and how it intersected with the feelings of the evening in his stream of consciousness commentary leading into one of his famous Foo Fighters songs: “As I was thinking about the setlist earlier… 15 minutes ago… [laughs] I thought that maybe that I would begin the set with this song, but then decided not to… But I think that this song is one of the ones that makes most sense tonight. I wrote this song in a period of my life where I was down… and I finally stopped and took at look at everything I had and all the things that I’d taken for granted. A wonderful home and appreciation of life, and love, and my friends. And the good things, and the good people, and the big picture and how we’re all connected in some way. I wrote this song and it’s called “Times Like These”. Every year, there is magic all around at the Notes & Words: Benefit For UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital event, and it was off the charts again Saturday night, as per tradition. The format remained the same – entertainment including both writers and musicians on stage – and this year featured musicians Dave Grohl with Emmett Reeed and Oakland School for the Arts, as well as writer George Saunders and, as always, writer and event host Kelly Corrigan. The highlight of the evening for sure was watching Dave perform on stage with his two very talented daughters, Violet and Harper Grohl. Not just the music, but the opportunity to see a loving family share with the crowd in such an amazing, candid and joyful way. And all this good will went toward making new happy beginnings as seen with some of the real life stories shared by families who have been helped by UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital.
Dave Grohl to Headline Notes & Words 2018’s Benefit For UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland at Fox Theater on May 12th
The annual Notes & Words: Benefit For UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland event will be held at Fox Theater Oakland on Saturday, May 12th. As per tradition, it will feature both writers and musicians on stage, this year including musicians Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters, Nirvana), Emmett Reed, and the Oakland School for the Arts and writers George Saunders and Kelly Corrigan. Notes & Words is an annual benefit concert created to support the UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland; the Children’s Hospital & Research Center Oakland provides the highest quality medical care to children throughout California. [Read more…]
Notes & Words 2017: Benefit For UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland (feat. Daveed Diggs) at Fox Theater | Oakland, California | 5/13/2017 (Concert Review + Photos)
“You never know who you’re saving; you never know what future you’re making possible…” Kelly Corrigan speaking to a packed Fox Theater in Oakland, with 1,615 people in attendance on Saturday night for the 8th annual Notes & Words: Benefit For UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital. As per their format, entertainment included both writers and musicians on stage. This year featured musicians Daveed Diggs, The Head and the Heart, and Vocal Rush and writers Michael Lewis, Calvin Trillin, and writer (and event host) Kelly Corrigan. The Oakland School for the Arts Chamber Choir also performed. Notes & Words is an annual benefit concert created to support the UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland; the Children’s Hospital & Research Center Oakland provides the highest quality medical care to children throughout California. An intimate show, it shared many personal stories and perspectives by way of the personalities on stage as well as video presentations offering real context by showcasing some of the patients of the Children’s Hospital.
Notes & Words: Benefit For UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland at Fox Theater on May 13th
This year’s Notes & Words: Benefit For UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland event will be held at Fox Theater Oakland on Saturday, May 13th. It will feature both writers and musicians on stage, this year including musicians Daveed Diggs, The Head and the Heart, and Vocal Rush and writers Michael Lewis, Calvin Trillin, and writer Kelly Corrigan. The Oakland School for the Arts Chamber Choir will also perform. Notes & Words is an annual benefit concert created to support the UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland; the Children’s Hospital & Research Center Oakland provides the highest quality medical care to children throughout California. [Read more…]
Rewind Fest ’16 Presents Lost 80’s Live at Thunder Valley Outdoor Amphitheater | Lincoln, California | 9/4/2016 (Concert Review + Photos)
“Are you ready to get your Wang’s Chung’d? We’re going to Chung your ass’s off!” Rewind Fest‘s special edition of Lost 80s Live was a non-stop party featuring some of that decade’s best loved songs and artists, with no less than nine performances, including Wang Chung, tongue firmly planted in cheek. A World One Presents production by way of Rob Juarez’s incredible Boss Booking Agency of over 30 top 80s artists. The crowd was on their feet much of the show, as each of the many artists played very short sets of their top hits, making for almost a live version of listening to 80s radio back in the day. It was a who’s who of New Wave and 80’s music featuring Mike Score from Flock of Seagulls, the aforementioned Wang Chung, Berlin featuring Terri Nunn, Farrington and Mann from The Original When In Rome UK, Martha Davis and The Motels, Nick Van Eede from Cutting Crew, Nu Shooz, Animotion, and Tommy Tutone! Incredible, and an unforgettable evening of nostalgia and real artistry from some of the most innovative artists of the era. [Read more…]
Notes & Words 2016: Benefit For UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland (feat. Chris Martin) at Fox Theater | Oakland, California | 4/30/2016 (Concert Review + Photos)
“…that’s the dream, that together we can do amazing stuff for the right reasons!” Author and event organizer Kelly Corrigan was left nearly speechless on stage as she reflected back on the amazing evening that closed with Coldplay’s Chris Martin and performers from the Oakland School for the Arts covering David Bowie’s “Life On Mars?”. All part of the annual Notes & Words: Benefit For UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland at Fox Theater on Saturday night. The sold out crowd of sponsors, donors and attendees took in a wide ranging selection of entertainment that also included a rocking performance from The Stone Foxes and readings from B.J. Novak and Dave Eggers. There was a lot of emotion throughout the night, though the majority of it was good humor and contagious joyfulness.
Notes & Words: Benefit For UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland at Fox Theater on April 30th
Fox Theater in Oakland will be hosting the Notes & Words: Benefit For UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland event on Saturday, April 30th. It will showcase a number of artists including Chris Martin from Coldplay, Bay Area rock band The Stone Foxes, actor, comedian, author, screenwriter and director BJ Novak, novelist, screenwriter and publisher Dave Eggers and writer Kelly Corrigan. Notes & Words is an annual benefit concert created to support the UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland; the Children’s Hospital & Research Center Oakland has been providing the highest quality medical care to children throughout California. [Read more…]