Annual Bowl Pilgrimage

So every year I've lived in LA, I've gone to the Hollywood Bowl once a year. The once a year thing is coincidental but now it's kind of turned into a tradition. The first year, right after moving here, it was Rufus Wainwright re-enacting Judy Garland's Hollywood Bowl performance (a few entries down). I believed that was the gayest thing I'd ever done. Last year it was seeing Donna Summer (pretty gay, but not necessarily any gayer than Rufus/Judy, and kind of a disappointing concert, although it's the Bowl so you get into it no matter what). Most recently it was Liza Minnelli which obviously takes the gay cake to a whole new level.

Not that it matters, but she wasn't terrible. She got tired easily and the notes weren't all there, but that wasn't all that important was it? The show was largely exported from her Liza's at the Palace...! except that she performed alone at the Bowl.

I don't know how I've managed to live my life without knowing the Charles Aznavour song, "What Makes A Man A Man"? Liza sang it at the Bowl and I thought it was great. Here she is performing it at the GLAAD awards.



The wildfires were raging pretty hard the night of the concert and the sky over the mountains behind the stage glowed orange from time to time. It was eerie. I tried to photograph it but never got a good shot. All in all, it was a memorable night. A few months after the show, I saw that the posters from the season were for sale. I loved the Kii Arens designed Liza poster. Not a great image of it below, but you get the idea. You shouldn't be able to nab a good photo of it anyway. Buy the poster. I did. Love that her shoulder is created by the acoustic shell.

Anyway, it was a great experience. This summer we might go see the production of Rent that Neil Patrick Harris is directing. At this point it would be wrong not to try to find the gayest thing to do. Sound of Music sing-along anyone?