lmillegan's blog

I'm trying an experiment this afternoon. At the invitation of the Modesto Symphony Orchestra, I'll be live tweeting from the dress rehearsal for the Premiere Percussion: Beethoven 4 concert. This concert is different in that it features a piece that combines art and music. Check out my tweets starting at 3:30 p.m. today by visiting www.twitter.com/lisamillegan. - Bee arts writer Lisa Millegan

Former "Monty Python" cast member John Cleese started off his very funny performance at the Gallo Center for the Arts tonight by poking fun at Modesto. He said he knew the sold-out crowd at the 1,200-seat Rogers Theater must be wondering why such a great star as he was in town. "Did he make a wrong turn?" he said audience members must be thinking. "Is he looking for a secret place to commit suicide?" It's none of the above, Cleese said. "Frankly, I need the money." The 70-year-old star said he has been reduced to "amusing almond farmers" because of his recent third divorce. He's calling his stand-up appearances around the country the "Alimony Tour." Dressed casually in jeans and a sport coat, Cleese spent the rest of the 2-and-a-half hour show talking about his life, from his youth in what he described as a dull seaside English town through his Broadway debut in the 1960s, appearances in "Monty Python" and "Fawlty Towers" to his 1988 movie "A Fish Called Wanda."

1990s rockers Everclear ("I Will Buy You A New Life," "Father of Mine") headline B92.9FM's Extreme Halloween party Oct. 30 at Modesto Centre Plaza. Those in costume can compete for a $1,000 prize! Tickets are $17 in advance; www.ticketalternative.com. My interview with lead singer Art Alexakis will be in 10/30 Scene.

Hey everyone- I'm going to live tweet from the Modesto Area Music Awards tonight at the State Theatre. Follow my reports on www.twitter.com/lisamillegan and post your comments. The awards start at 7 p.m. - Bee arts writer Lisa Millegan

Loggins and Messina have been off the charts for more than 30 years but their fans are still in love with their songs. The people who attended Kenny Loggins and Jim Messina's concert tonight at the Gallo Center for the Arts' Rogers Theater went crazy over the 61-year-olds, giving them multiple standing ovations. The show kicked off with the duo's most famous hit "Danny's Song." Loggins just began it and then let the crowd sing the chorus - "Even though we ain't got money, I'm still in love with you honey..." The duo then played for an impressive two-and-a-half hours, duplicating their 1970s country-rock sound with their six-member band. More than a few times, they played extended 10-minute jams of some songs showing off their musical skills. By the end of the night, the entire crowd was on their feet dancing to their encore of "Your Mama Don't Dance," the duo's other famous hit.

You can't accuse Neil Berg of not having diverse tastes. His highly entertaining musical revue "Neil Berg's 101 Years of Broadway," which ran at the Gallo Center for the Arts tonight, hit show tunes from every era. His five-member cast of skilled Broadway veterans sang music from every era, starting with vintage Judy Garland tunes ("Trolley Song") on through the Gershwins ("Someone to Watch Over Me"), Rodgers and Hammerstein ("South Pacific"), Andrew Lloyd Webber ("Cats, "Phantom of the Opera") and recent hit "Jersey Boys." Some of the more exciting tunes performed by the cast were "Aqaurius" from "Hair," "Unchained Melody" from soon-to-be musical "Ghost" and "Fever" from "Ain't Nothin' But the Blues." Three cheers to amazing cast members Carter Calvert, Rita Harvey, Grant Norman, Robert DuSold and Lawrence Clayton!

Hey everyone-

In the spirit of embracing new technology, my blog will be hosting a national online conference that you can participate in! I'm live-streaming the first National Summit on Arts Journalism this Friday Oct. 2 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. The conference takes place at the University of Southern California but people around the country will be participating through chat, Twitter, etc.

The conference features 10 projects in arts journalism from around America, and each has something to say about the future of how journalists cover the arts. Watch and participate in the conference below.

Thanks-

Lisa Millegan
Bee arts/entertainment writer

Watch it here: