A perfect song, filled with optimism. (Grace, there can be more than one perfect song.) 😊
When it comes on the radio or spins up on my iTunes shuffle, I always smile.
Hey there, Mr. Blue
We're so pleased to be with you
Look around, see what you do
Everybody smiles at you
Off the tremendous double album, Out of the Blue, closely following the amazing New World Record, The Electric Light Orchestra (later becoming more widely known as ELO) was and remains one of the pillars in my song library. I have been fortunate to have seen Jeff Lyne’s ELO (the name of the band after Lynne split from the other group members some time ago) three times over the past decade. An amazing show from the classical overtones to the light show. Lynne, obviously much older, still sounded good because his voice was never the focal point of the band.
I have this poster hanging on the wall of my office. Check out the line up and more fascinating, look at the ticket price! You quite literally could not purchase a beer at the venue that replaced the stadium for $11 now.
We had numerous World Series of Rock concerts in Cleveland in the 70’s, with legendary (now) acts filling the bills. I am so very happy to have grown up in the generation that I did. The birth of Rock and Roll, no social media and cell phones, real human to human interaction. I was fortunate to never have had to be drafted and sent to war and am grateful to those before me that sacrificed so much for our freedoms. Freedoms the current generations (okay grandpa, I’ll get off your lawn) have no clue about, no appreciation for. Our generation and those prior were about us, now it’s about me. Look at me… Yeah, I know, I do that with my blog and socials, but I see it as a service to our community, to dispel the loneliness, to demonstrate what is possible.
Funny little story. I met and talked with quite a few times the guy who made all these posters in the Cleveland area, as rock began to emerge, this one and many, many more into this century. His name is Bear. He had a store at one time with all these hanging all over, my definition of nirvana (the blissful paradise, not the fabulous band). I have two superpowers. One, dressing myself. The other is that I can spot a typo across the room with my eyes practically closed. Many times, I have opened a menu at a restaurant and within 10 seconds saw all the typos. Anyway, there was a World Series of Rock featuring, among others Bob Welch, formerly of Fleetwood Mac and the creator of some of my favorite late 70’s tunes. The poster read “Bob Welsh”. I pointed it out to Bear (he has only spoken with Kandi BTW), and he deadpanned “Do you know how high we were then we did those?” ‘Nuff said!
February 14, 2026, Valentine’s Day, Ohio is For Lovers Wedding Show 2026, the second such show, the second time I was asked to walk the show. Blue Sky indeed! You have seen the gown on fitting day by now, so let’s talk about this glorious day! I was fortunate to walk the show again with Sher, making it all the better (and me a smaller postscript in the actual show as she always overshadows yours truly). I am but a cog in the machine…
Quite the day! Report to the show at 8:30AM for a 2:00PM walk. Ended up being wonderful as that is a very long time to cool your heels. I spent well over an hour having my makeup done by a delightful woman and an artist. I then spent some time writing and doing a bit of work. That was followed by about half an hour having my hair done. By that time, most of the show was set up and I walked around greeting vendors and just having fun.
The love I felt was glorious. Yeah, I know, a place where it would be expected you would be accepted. But you know what, it gets back to being smart. As mentioned above, my co-model, one BFF, was there as well, making the experience all the better. It is difficult to explain here many of the conversations I had (plus my memory is not what it used to be) with so many people. One love experience after another. My face hurt from all the smiling.
Here are the highlights of my “pregame” celebration!
More to come…
5 Responses
If I ever met someone who said they didn’t like “Mr. Blue Sky”, I’m certain we could never become friends. That said, it’s overplayed – but fortunately I’ve not grown tired of it. Always uplifting. I do love the version by Weezer and listen to it more than the ELO original though, because of its overplayed status. I only recently discovered ELO’s “Twilight”, which I consider the perfect flip-side and companion song to Mr. Blue Sky.
Ah yes, those old concerts of the 70’s. Aerosmith, Kiss, ELO all in their heydays. On the west coast it was “Day on the Green” each summer in Oakland Coliseum. Little Grace Palmer never got high though – because she was always a good girl and didn’t inhale.
Loved the Bob Welch anecdote. “Hypnotized” by Fleetwood Mac is one of my all-time faves.
“Two friends having coffee together, when something flys by their window…”
Your complexion in the pics is perfect. I so want to visit the Rock & Roll museum. Hopefully some day I will. Keep up the good work.
Yours Terri
I use to have a couple of ELO albums on 8 track in high school, yes I’m that old lol.
You look so beautiful in both outfits and what a lovely time you had
Kandi, I love ELO one of my favorite bands growing up. I agree with everything you said about growing up in the late sixties and seventies. The music was so good, and still is.
I love that wedding gown, and you look stunning wearing it. It would be such a dream come true to wear something like that. Such cute outfit, girl love your style. You look so pretty in all those pictures.
Love Julie
😘