First Outings: Jamie Cullum at the Hollywood Bowl

I have a confession. Up until last night, I had never been to the Hollywood Bowl.

(Pausing for the gasps of horror, stifling laughter before "Wha-?" - whatever floats your boat and follows with me going "I know, right?").

But I think it was fate that led me there...

It actually started weeks ago. I had noticed that Jamie Cullum was going to be at the Hollywood Bowl (while looking at my trusty RSS feed of ExperienceLA.com events) and I immediately wanted to go because I own both Twentysomething and Catching Tales. While I like to note myself as the independent-type, I didn't know anyone who had ever uttered his name and the Bowl didn't seem quite so fun by myself, so it faded from my mind...until yesterday. My friend Darryl randomly contacted me, asking if I was free to go to the Bowl. He had an extra ticket...to Jamie Cullum with the Count Basie Orchestra!

A few hours later - there I was at the Hollywood Bowl: transported by that Hollywood Bowl shuttle ExperienceLA.com always talks about, and with plenty of food in hand - french dipped sandwiches (not exactly Phillipes, but delicious ones from The Dip at Hollywood/Highland), cream puffs from Beard Papa's, and not to mention, the handsome guy by my side (that one's for you, Darryl!).

The show opened with a set by the lovely Elizabeth Shepherd (vocals, piano) with Scott Kemp (bass) and Colin Kingsmore (drums). A Christian McBride Situation followed with their organically created improv sound. This was a great lead-into a few numbers by the everso awesome Count Basie Orchestra. This all definitely got the crowd more than ready for Jamie Cullum to bring out his musical talents to add to the evening's sound.

And did he ever.

With a mix of his own songs, his covers of famous songs (see the video below with his medley of Singin' in the Rain with Rhianna's Umbrella), and the wild presence and fun he has on stage, what's not to love?



And here's another dose of fate for you: It was Jamie Cullum's birthday...on the same day as the "birth date" of my time at the Hollywood Bowl (and Count Basie's birthday is today actually!). While my "birth date" present was an evening of great music, food, and friendship, his birthday present was playing with "the greatest big band in the world at the greatest venue in the world". The "life math" works out comparatively speaking...

Okay, so perhaps I'm trying to pidgeonhole my fabulous time at the Bowl to this idea of fate, but if there is such thing as fate, then I'll just take a line from Shakespeare: "If music be the food of love, play on..."

-Charity Tran, ExperienceLA.com Web Coordinator

For more great Hollywood Bowl events, visit ExperienceLA.com.