About last night...my performance with Downbeat 720...

[niecierocks]

Last night I was invited to perform as the FEATURED ARTIST @DOWNBEAT 720
"LA's premier open stage for high school performers" www.myspace.com/downbeat720
It was held at the Santa Monica Miles Playhouse (beautiful theatre...loved the vibe there & I felt right at home as I studied & performed in many theatres in New York City). Joe Hernandez Kolski is normally the host, but he is currently out of town doing theatre himself! Although Joe was out of town, he organized everything gracefully...everything went beyond smooth without a hitch from start to finish which makes the experience a wonderful one for everyone involved...ahhh, pure joy to work with such a professional, not to mention the fact that he is where he is because of his talent, personality & being! The downbeat crew welcomed everyone with warmth and kindness...sooooo refreshing...Beatboxer Joshua Silverstein opened the night backed by DJ Jedi...I had a nice flashback to my childhood being in the "Boogie Down Bronx" hanging on the stoop, listening to the beatboxers challenge eachother, while the breakdances ripped up cardboard boxes, which they used to cover the concrete, so they could dance away....then began the open mic for the highschool performers...WOW!!! I was completely blown away, but not surprised by their intelligence, talent, perceptions & awareness of life, politics, and much more, which they put to their poetry/spoken word, rap, songs...these young adults give me a great deal of HOPE for our future!!! I was asked as the featured artist to perform a few of my songs & talk about my career. The highschoolers embraced my music with open arms, taking in my lyrics, which means the world to me as a songwriter, they asked what my songs were about...especially "Pipe Dream". Sharing my music, my art, my being is why I do what I do! Last night was a beautiful reminder!!! Very inspiring indeed!
Peace, Love, Rock & Soul
Denise Vasquez

[phase1]

Denise,
It is excellent that you had a good time. Those are the kind of events that make it all worth it. It is good to see that there are young adults that are concerned about the world in which we live. The media tends to only focus on the negative aspects and ignore the good.

Bob Hughes