So please tell me how you pronounce your name!

Your’is Vorn.

How long have you been a DJ?

I have been a DJ for about fourteen years now.

When did you decide that you wanted to pursue a career in music?

In 2003 I had a chance to survive making and playing music instead of working at my day job as an architectural designer. From there it was over. I was meant to be a DJ.

Where do you get inspiration for a new track?

Form anything; could be a sample, could be a synth sound, my mood, a movie clip…

Where are you originally from?

I am from Moergestel, which is a small village in the Dutch coutryside.

If you could live anywhere in the world where would you go?

I like Amsterdam; where I’m now, but I’d love to try out New York, Tokyo or Hong Kong for a while.

What is the biggest crowd you have ever performed for?

That must have been Sensation. It was held in Amsterdam in a football arena for 40,000 people or so.

The smallest?

I’ve done some home parties for a few people when I just started playing, which was just as much fun as playing for thousands of people now.

Are you excited about Electric Zoo coming up this September?

Of course, I heard many good things about it, and as I said, “I LOVE NEW YORK!”

Do you play a lot of festivals like that?

Very many, especially during summer, countless actually.

I really like your MySpace design. Who did that?

Thanks! My brother Christoph designed it, with a little bit of my help. It brought him a career as MySpace designer. (Laughs)

What are your thoughts on MySpace?

It’s over its peak. Facebook is much nicer and more personal.

Are you on Twitter?

My Facebook page is linked to Twitter; that’s all.

If you could be any cartoon character which one would you be and why?

Dexter (not the killer but the scientist).

Has your music really been featured in all of those films listed on your website?

I wish. Where does it say my music is listed in those films?

What is the best concert you have ever been to?

I have to dig deeeep into my memory for that, but to keep it simple I saw Prince in France and that was deffinately something very special.

Tell me a little bit about Balance.

My second mix DJ mix CD, a cross boundary a musical adventure that represents everything I love about music.

So you are a producer as well. Do you like production more than performing?

I love both, but making music is where my heart lies most. Very amazing is to play my own productions for the first time and see how the crowd reacts. I couldnt be a DJ without playing my own tracks also.

How many stamps do you currently have on your passport?

I have a business passport with double amount of pages from December 2006 and it’s almost full!

What is your favorite city to visit?

Tokyo or Hong Kong.

Describe your genre in one word.

Crossgenreelectronicmusic.

What does a typical Friday night look like for you?

Normally flying to my destination, having dinner if there’s time and then sweating the night away in a dark club behind the mixer.

You seem like a pretty stylish guy. Where do you buy most of your clothes?

Same three cities; New York, Tokyo and Hong Kong. Although Paris is good for shopping too, and Amsterdam’s not bad either.

Tell me about working with Ultimate DJ Gear.

My Ultimate DJ Gear is Traktor DJ software from Native Instruments.

So if someone has never seen you perform before, what can he or she expect from a live show?

A great amount of groovy high quality dance music that doesn’t stick to one sound.

What was the last movie you saw?

L’été Meurtrier, a freaky French thriller from 1983.

Did you like it?

I loved it!

What are you drinking up there on stage?

Champagne is my drink of coice. Not too much beer, as the bathroom is usually too far away to take a break in the middle of a set.

Does it ever get lonely on stage?

I like having people around on stage making a party. Sometimes you can be very lonely playing on a huge stage for a huge crowd that’s too far away.

What would you be doing if you were not performing?

Answering interview questions like this!

What is the most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to you on stage?

I’ve had many sound issues with my laptop last year, hard to describe the feeling when the music stops and everyone is looking at you and you don’t know what went wrong.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

Hopefully still coming to New York once in a while, maybe even for Electric Zoo!

What do you want to be remembered for when this is all said and done?

By someone who made one or two unforgettable pieces of music, that would be nice.

I always let the artist get the last word. Go.

It’s hot here in my studio, and I think I need to take a break… See you at the Zoo!

What is it like being considered one of the biggest and best DJs on the planet?

(Laughs) What is it like? Pretty normal actually. I think the best part about it is that you are famous for only five minutes. Then you go home and everything is normal. It’s just a dose of fame when you first walk into the club or festival. You are quickly brought back down when you get back home and step off the plane.

Do you like living in London?

I really like it here. The weather is nice today. We don’t get too many decent summers and this summer has been really great. It makes a mass of difference when the weather is nice. London is such a cultural hub.

The name Above & Beyond came from a poster you had hanging on the wall if I am not mistaken. Do you still have that poster?

That’s right. I don’t. I don’t know what happened to it. It’s a part of history now I guess. It’s probably sitting in some closet somewhere or something. I don’t know; wish I still had it.

What is the largest crowd you have ever played for?

In 2007 on New Year’s Eve we played to a million in Brazil. I think that is the biggest gig we have done. You don’t really realize how many people you are paying to. It was a big crowd going down the beach. It didn’t feel that much bigger than any other gig really. We just did EDC in LA. I don’t know the numbers but I think the event had over 100,000 estimated to appear and in the main stadium (where we played) I think there were 50-60 thousand.

You guys looking forward to Electric Zoo this September?

Definitely. To be honest, all the gigs we do in North America are always fantastic. Things like satellite radio help our scene. Dance stations are always being played and people are really starting to get educated about this stuff. The scene is bigger in other places like London and Amsterdam, but America has a great scene thanks to the satellite radio. The radio has actually gone less dance over here than anything. It is good for the scene here, as it has made it more underground.

At the same tine, the gigs where we play to 100 people on a Monday are really important to us. If you can do that it is important to make use of those nights. I would much rather be doing a gig than sitting in a hotel room. Those gigs don’t make us a lot of money, but they are a great way to spread the Above and Beyond name. We are just playing to more people that way. We are giving people a chance who wouldn’t normally get to see it on a Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday night. We save the weekends for bigger cities. Like I said, we would much rather be working.

Tell me a little bit about your new disc.

I think it’s more progressive than some of the other ones. It’s reflective of some more of the music we are getting into at the moment. Perhaps a little bit more groove laden and with a little more classic trance. We have some mixes on the disc that are more techno and funk. It covers the middle of that range I guess. I hope it’s a journey for some people.

You guys are also known as Rollerball and Tongue of God. Any reason behind those other names?

You are digging deep there. Years ago producers would work under different names so they could put our more material. The scene has changed and now it makes DJs put everything out under one name. These different names would produce slightly different sounds. Above and Beyond was for the lyrical stuff. The Ocean Lab stuff was specific to tracks and what not. Some of them were for even instrumental tracks.

What advice do you give someone thinking about a career as a DJ?

I think to learn off other people and copy other sounds. Learn the craft of producing. Listen and learn and then copy it. The most important thing is to always make sure there is an original edge to a track. We get sent stuff that sounds like Deadmous5, even though its good, it’s still a direct copy of that sound. Try to be original. You don’t have to be 100% original, use idea from other tracks, but if you copy a complete track and do everything the same, it will sound just like everything else. Take a bit of the Deadmous5 sound, then a bit of trace, then some house, then you have something original. There isn’t anything truly original, and it is all relative to something. This year we have had a guy called Archie, from Russia; he has done just that. He has taken some classic trance and has mixed it and it s a new sound that hasn’t been heard before.

You are good friends with Armin van Buuren. What’s he like?

(Laughs) We have known each other for ten years. We had dinner with him a few times but have never worked together. He is really professional at what he does. He knows exactly what he wants. He knows how to bring the scene together and sort of bridges all the genres of trace together. He is a very good leader.

Where are you originally from?

I am from the southwest of England. But I now live in London.

How do you usually prepare for a show?

It used to be a case of vodka and tonic. These days I hardly drink at gigs. I do sometimes, but in terms of the music we do a lot of preparation. We want to have an idea of which tracks we are playing. We know which of the big tracks we want to use. We leave some room to play what we want, but we try to prepare this stuff in the studio before hand. Some of the tracks might go on too long or we have even added drums to track when it didn’t sound right in the club. We add some more percussion to beef it up, we can do bootlegs, and we just make it fit the club and make those adjustments. We have even done stuff by remote desktop. Say we are in New York, get to the hotel, and go, “Oh god, the bass isn’t right.” The changes are something small, a little tweak here or there, and we will remote home, login and rebounce it.

Tell me why there are three of you.

It was just something we decided on; we just ended up working together. With any kind of band, unless you are missing a member of the band, you need a drummer in a there. What happened was I was working at university on my degree, and that is how we all met. Meanwhile Tony’s brother got in with him and introduced us. I used to work for Yamaha, and I made a sample CD that wasn’t too readily available. His brother bought the CD and we got talking and he gave it to Tony who was working at a record label at the time. He was at Warner Music. We ended up going out to listen to the music all together and they asked us to do a remix. We did a remix and Tony got offered a remix from Warner and that was the first we did together. That is how we started. It wasn’t a coincidence; it was just made sense. It makes us a bit different as opposed to what you are used to. Normally it’s always ones or two DJs. That gives us an edge in the studio as well.

Do you have a favorite club you like to perform in more than another?

It’s about the crowd. That said it is more than the club. Overall it’s about the crowd. One really club is Government in Toronto. The crowd is what makes it incredible. I like Decision in Chicago. Most of the gigs we do in the states are fantastic these days. Going back to the point about satellite radio, they hear it, know the songs, and are hyped up when they come. You don’t get that too much where they don’t have radio. In Poland and Russia you get that. They have a lot of radio support as well. With the Internet and radio, you will have a good night.

You have remixed tracks for Madonna, Britney Spears, Dido, and more. Do you get to meet these artists when working on their music?

Generally no, we don’t get to meet the artists. You get sent a link online, all the vocals are there, and then you put the remix together. They say yes or no, change this, and so forth. Can you just change this, or change that, and it is a very interesting musical cycle. Then finally its finished. They do make some really good changes to some things. The artist maybe you pump into them at an industry party. But not usually. It depends on the artist, really. If a small artist the chances are better.

Where do you see yourselves in five years?

In five years (laughs). Funny, I will probably be doing fewer gigs and do less work in the studio but to be honest I will be doing just that in five years. I want to take more time with the music and develop the stuff more. You find that you are very tired when you return from a tour. It takes sometime to get back into it.

What do you want to be remembered for when this is all said and done?

I am not sure if there is one thing. I will be happy being remembered for the fact that some people used our tracks at weddings. A few people have gotten married to Skies Fall Down. That I find touching. It doesn’t seem like the obvious choice for a wedding. It is nice to get into that area for people’s lives. Fans that send us letters are also really sweet. There was one guy who I met in Australia and he was having some medical treatments. He said that our music helped him recover from cancer. What can you say to something like that? You can just stay humble music helped him stay positive in more than one-way. You are not thinking about these when you are making these tracks. To have these tracks have that effect is kind of freaky, amazing, and all sorts of emotions are spent.

I always let the artist get the last word. Go.

Thank you for supporting our music. We try to think about the fans in the things that we do, as a company as Anjunabeats and as a band and I hope you continue to enjoy what we are doing and if not, I hope that you enjoy what we are doing!

Birdy’s is actually known for playing host to a ton of great local and Midwest bands. But there have been a fair share of regional and national acts as well. On this very stage I have seen the likes of Daughtry, The Fray, Mat Kearney, the Detroit Cobras, and many more. But on Saturday, July 24^th, 2010, there were four bands taking the stage. For one low price—only $8—you could get your face melted by Kramus, Alter Ego, Glass Halo, and Fred Shafer. The bill promised to rock the house. When we got there, maybe fifteen minutes after the doors had opened, there were already about fifteen or twenty people sitting around just chatting. We grabbed a table and got ready to have a great night of music.

Kramus Kicks Things Off

It was just after 9:00 when Kramus took the stage. These guys have been playing the Indianapolis scene for quite some time and have made some major changes over the last few years. Sadly, their former lead singer passed away early in 2008, but they have managed to come back from that and in all honesty, are better than ever. Their old sound was too close to Breaking Benjamin to impress. But now, they are on a whole new level. These guys play with heart, emotion, and are a true rock band. They played first, which surprised me, as they had double booked the night. I disagree with bands playing more than one or two shows a month in Indianapolis (or the surrounding area), let alone on the same night. But they were there. They rocked the stage and managed to get me to hum along for a few minutes.

Fred Shafer Brings the Noise

Fred Shafer, who I felt should have been the headliner for the evening, actually took the stage second. Fred, a guy that travels all over the world playing his songs for anyone ready to listen, has so much heart and passion in his voice and his stage presence. His disc, Resistor, is nothing like what you see on stage. And there is a reason for that. You will like the disc, that’s not the issue. He wants you to like, even love, the album, and then see him perform those tunes live. He wants to take you to the next level. And I have seen him play for ten people before, and it’s the same show as when he plays for 10,000.

Fred is actually a good buddy of mine, and I have been following his work for quite some time. It is neat following his tour schedule and seeing all the places that he plays. It makes shows like this, in smaller and more intimate venues, that much better. You can feel the music here, and he will shake every hand in the venue if he has to. Fred is just a nice guy.

He kicked things off and before the first song is over, he is dripping in sweat. But you see past that almost immediately. Driving all the way from Nashville, Tennessee, he played to a room with about fifty to sixty people in it. But that didn’t stop him from playing like it was the last show he would ever play. His songs are rock, that’s for sure. But he adds, in some of the tunes, an almost country feel. He is wearing flannel (I am not sure I have ever seen him in anything else) and he wears cowboy boots well, but he still throws the hard rock front at you. Regardless, listening to tunes from his album, new songs he has never played before, and some older tunes that you can find floating around the Internet, we got a huge taste of who Fred Shafer really is. He is coming back to Birdy’s Bar & Grill in October, so if you have not seen him, or even if you have, come see him perform this fall.

Alter Ego Rocks the House

I was first introduced to the band Alter Ego by one of their band members. Myles Berry, on bass, asked me to take a listen to his new band. They have been tearing up Facebook and Twitter and are on their way to something big. They all still hold day jobs, but they are playing all over the Midwest and getting their names in front of people. Here in town you can catch a show every few weeks, and getting the chance to share the stage with Fred Shafer is an honor. Myles and Fred have been friends for a long time, and this was a neat show to see live.

I had not seen Alter Ego play live before. But as soon as they started singing, the dance floor filled up. Girls (some intoxicated, of course) began dancing and singing along to the lyrics. It was tough keeping up, though. I was not sure if they did that many originals. They did a handful of covers, some from Godsmack and other popular rock bands, offering a mixture for the fans. It was nice hearing some tunes that I was used to, especially since I had not seen these guys before. And I have to admit, they did pretty good covering Godsmack.

The guys in Alter Ego fit the rock band persona perfectly. They were all wearing black shirts, tight jeans, and boots. They had tattoos and wrist bands and were just playing good old fashioned rock music. I loved watching Myles play. He has so much energy and his facial expressions crack me up. He is not only having fun up there, he knows deep inside that is where he is supposed to be. The lead singer didn’t play an instrument, which I enjoy seeing. There are too many bands out there that focus too much on the instruments rather than the vocals. Alter Ego, however, put a ton of emphasis into their vocals. Their lyrics are just as good, and they match the vocals well. Regardless, I am glad I got to see them perform and they are a true Indianapolis rock band.

Glass Halo Sends Us Home

I have not seen these guys either, and came to this show excited to watch them play. These guys, fresh off of a Battle of Birdy’s win last year, they are $10,000 richer and ready to make something of themselves. They are a complete package too. They have merchandise, professional photography complements of Melissa Brewer Photography, and even a laptop allowing fans to sign up for their mailing list. But when you see their equipment, the way the guys all have that rock band (almost an adult alternative rock band) look about them, you start to see why they are so good.

They play a ton around the city, but they are also playing a lot around the Midwest. As a matter of fact, they recently just played a show with Fred Shafer at the Elbow Room up in Chicago. After winning the Battle of Birdy’s they have an excuse to get out and play more shows.

From the first song I was in love. The vocals are polished, and remind me of a harder Killers matched with a dash of Wilco. Their drummer, who is fairly new to the band, doesn’t get too into the songs, but doesn’t need to. His style, his ability to be heard yet not over the top, is just what this bands needs. No offense to the drummer, but the three guys up front are what we came to see. The lead guitar player was a blast to watch, too. He was dancing around, shaking his shaggy hair, and just having a blast on stage. And the bass player, sporting a similar and familiar faux hawk, was throwing vocals into the mic and just making himself welcome on stage. They were all comfortable up there, and it just makes sense they perform together.

Going on this late it is hard to keep a crowd in the room, but they did a good job of entertaining the crowd they had. I had no expectations coming into this, so I was curious to see what they could pull off. I was impressed, and had the chance to actually meet some of the guys throughout the night. The lead singer graduated from Rose Hulman. The guitar player I was talking about earlier has a degree in public relations. But yet they know how to make good rock music. (They gave me a copy of their latest disc, and I am excited to listen to that to say the least.) I can’t wait to know all the words to their songs.

This is just another night of great music in the books here at Birdy’s. This show was well put together, thanks to the likes of Myles Berry, and kept me entertained from the moment I walked in. if you have not seen these bands perform, at least do yourself a favor and listen to them on MySpace or on their official websites. Regardless, you will be treated with some original, raw, and healthy rock music. Throw those devil horns up and start rocking already!

Where did this all start? Not the wine or social media stuff, I mean you. Where did the personality of Gary Vaynerchuk come from?

I would say if you look way back, I am no different now than I was when I was at baseball card shows at fourteen years old. I have always had confidence and some brashness. I always felt I was capable. There was no shot I wouldn’t do it. No shot I couldn’t do it. It was what I did well. I very much feel like all that is going on now is a replication of my DNA. This is what I am good at. This is what I do. It has been a journey of my DNA. Any new genre, the Internet, ecommerce, wine library; it has always been the same game.

I am going through the HubSpot Inbound Marketing University. You are one of the instructors in this webinar series. Do you suggest it and have you been certified yourself?

I do suggest, of course. But no, I have not been certified with HubSpot. It is great though. I love it any time I get the chance to educate. For someone who was such a terrible student it is amazing how much I enjoy teaching. That has been a lot of fun. Getting asked to be a part of the Inbound Marketing University was a great experience.

Tell me about your obsession with the New York Jets.

It’s one of the first things I remember about America. It holds a deeper meaning because of that. It means more to me than you could ever know. I have watched every game since. It’s pretty intense. I am a BIG fan. (Laughs) It’s what I want to accomplish professionally. I want to own them. It’s something I think about and I absolutely focus on.

Have you seen the trailer for The Social Network?

Yes, I have seen them all. I don’t go to a lot of movies, but I will go see that. It’s our world.

If someone were only going to use one tool, only one social network, which one would you recommend?

I would say Facebook. A Facebook fan page (business page) is the most important place to be.

If you could only drink one wine for the rest of your life, which one would you choose?

Probably Salon Champagne. It is great stuff.

It has been said that you are notorious for returning every email you get. Is that true?

Yes I do. Although I am very behind on them right now, but I try to return them all. I am flying to Utah soon and I am excited to answer a couple hundred emails.

Do you fly first class when you fly or are you okay sitting in coach?

When I fly,  I do both. I end up traveling a lot of times with business so much is taken care of with the people I am doing the business with. It is funny; I almost never wanted to sit first class. I didn’t want to seem like a sell out. Just take care of yourself when you travel. I don’t think one way or the other is good or bad.

When should we expect the new book?

The next book is coming out in February. It is called The Thank You Economy. It talks about the return on investment (ROI) of social media and manners in marketing.

Please tell me you are carrying an iPhone 4.

No, not yet. It was crazy busy when it came out, and with the antenna thing happened I wanted to wait to see how it flushes out. I hate AT&T already with the number of issues they have. I didn’t need another one!

How cool is it being a New York Times best selling author with your first book?

Pretty intense. It is so humbling and awesome. I was a terrible English student and I could just laugh at thinking what my teachers think about it now!

You have been on a ton of television shows. Does any one appearance mean more than another?

I would say the first Conan appearance. It was my coming out party.

Is there such a thing as a social media expert?

I think it’s abused and that’s terrible. Every subject matter has people that are more knowledge about it than others. I do think superlatives are being thrown around too much. Things like expert, life changer, stuff like that. The truth is undefeated. I think anyone who is getting paid that doesn’t deserve to get paid will ultimately not get paid. The ones that suck and are cheesy will chance the next trend, and I think the people who have chops will work around the new marketplace.

What do I have to do to get a guest spot on Wine Library TV? If not a guest spot, at least a follow Friday on Twitter or something!

I stopped doing guests. I am going back to basics. I want it to just be the bottles, the camera and me. You have to patient first and foremost. Secondly, I think you are in the running. I appreciate your patience for this interview. You have been beyond gracious, that alone give you a shot!

Do you play golf?

Never. I want to. It’s so funny you brought that up. I better start learning now. Most people learned much younger, so if I don’t start soon I won’t be very good. I might never do it if I don’t start soon.

Explain a typical Friday night for you.

Spending time with Lizzie. You will find us doing things like seeing a movie or having dinner, that kind if stuff. It’s all about family time now. It has been that way for the last eighteen months. Prior to that it was heavy email work.

Not all press that you receive is positive. How do you handle the folks that have negative things to say about you and what you are trying to do?

I think by ratio it has been more positive than negative. That is good! But I would say I respect it and that I listen to it. Then I try to figure out why people feel that way. I understand I am over the top, high energy, and I respect their opinions. More than anything else actually. I try to wrap my head around why people feel that way. I hope I get the chance to meet them again and make them realize who I really am. I hope that if I get my head down and work I will win. Anyone that thinks I don’t have depth will be wrong, and if I don’t, then I won’t win. It’s not too difficult . You are good, or you are bad. You win or lose. I don’t spend my time trying to convince people I am winning player, I go out and let the chips fall.

What was it like being on College Humor with Jake and Amir.

I love those guys. They are crazy talented. I am a big fan of their work

Why do you always say, “sniffy sniff” when you smell a glass of wine?

Not really even sure. You know what, I have no idea how it started. I just started saying it one day. I think that is why it works. It came from a natural place. It wasn’t researched or anything, I just did it.

Do you ever go back to your hometown and visit?

No, because it is really a mess of a place. It still has a dictator. It doesn’t allow me to go back and experience it. I was three when I came to the USA and I have not been back since.

What is the Vook platform all about?

Vook is awesome. It is like having a Kindle or an iPad, but with videos thrown in through out. It is really cool. I am a big fan of it.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

I don’t. I don’t think about it that way. I am not very focused on that short term. I think about being happy along the way and I think about buying the New York Jets, and that is kind of where that ends.

What do you want to be remembered for when this is all said and done?

That nobody wanted to work harder and to do better and to care more than I did. I want to be known for all of my crazy DNA. That I was a good guy. I always say that there are two ways to be the biggest building. One is to tear down the other buildings. Or two, just build the biggest building. I just want to build the biggest building. I want every other building to be big, just slightly smaller than mine.

I always let the artist get the last word. Go.

Love your family because no matter what you accomplish financially, nothing tastes better than having love from your family. When you are 90 years old that is the thing you will wish you did more of.

Never having seen a magic act before, I was a little nervous to attend the Mind Tripping Show. I had no idea what to expect and was curious if it was really a magic show, or more of a psychological thriller type of show. Either way, a good friend of mine had introduced me to it, and his brother was actually one of the main performers. Mind Tripping is brought to you by Christian Painter and Katalina Absolon.

Before I get into the show itself, let me tell you a little bit about the relationship I have with not only Christian and Katalina, but also his brother, Harrison Painter. I first met Harrison on Twitter. After coming to a handful of tweetups we became friends. Then I showed him to my blog and the rest is history. Harrison was actually the one that started telling me about his brother’s venture with magic. So I took immediate interest and started doing my own research.

Christian and Katalina actually met back in 1994. They were both soldiers in the United States Army and it seemed like love at first sight. Katalina was a captain in the military. Her focus was on intelligence, and after seeing the Mind Tripping show, you will see why. Christian, however, was a platoon sergeant. Because of his position in the military, there was a lot of yelling involved. That too is obvious during the show.

The two have been married now for fifteen years. During the show itself you can see how well they play off of each other. They tell jokes, they banter back and forth, and they just look like a couple that is meant to be together. They love each other off stage, and you can just see the love they have together on stage.

Part of what makes the show so enjoyable is their passion for the art. Christian studied psychology in college and became obsessed with the way people think. He also learned to watch people, to pay attention to small details, and to be able to spot someone who was telling the truth versus someone who was lying. He claims that the mind, and the way people think, has been a passion of his since his youth. This adds one more level of validity to this Mind Tripping show.

Katalina, while not having studied psychology in school, comes from a long line of Hungarian mystics. Based on her upbringing and her desire to follow her heritage, she has learned to be very smart, witty, and sharp. That, matched with Christian’s abilities to practically read minds and to understand the way people think, make these two a perfect match for a show of this magnitude.

The show itself has toured all over the world. They have played in living rooms and exhibit halls, and also play a lot of resorts and cruise ships. During our meal at 120 West Market Fresh Grill, I had the chance to chat with Christian about their résumé of shows. He says they like being on a cruise ship and staying at resorts, but miss being home. They live here in Indianapolis, Indiana, and travel more than they are home. But they are back, for at least six weeks anyway, and will be performing two shows every Friday and Saturday night at the Hilton Indianapolis Hotel and Suites.

Speaking of 120 West Market Fresh Grill, if you are going to the show, make sure you stop in for dinner. As a part of your ticket, you get a buy one get one free entrée in the restaurant. Sheryl and I decided to go to the later show, starting at 8:30, so that we could grab dinner after work. It was perfect timing making our dinner reservations for 6:30 and managing to sneak in a couple of filets before the show. You can also get discounted parking with your ticket purchase.

After dinner we headed upstairs, to the sixteenth floor, for the show. Seating only forty people or so, it provides for a very intimate experience. We sat in the back, hoping to not get involved in any of the action. Apparently this show includes a lot of audience interaction. Could that possibly be why all of these tricks work? Was it the audience interaction that does it? Who knows? But there was indeed a ton of audience interaction.

The show got started a little late. It was actually their very first showing, and they were still getting rid of some of the kinks. In the process of getting started, Christian started talking and telling jokes and keeping the crowd entertained. He told us where they had been the last few months, about their residency at the Hilton, and how we could all expect for our minds to actually be tripped that evening. About ten or fifteen minutes later it was time to get started.

When the show began, they did some introductions and told us all a little bit about where they came from. Then it was time for some magic. And while I won’t tell you every magic trick they did that night, I wanted to touch on a few of the ones I felt were the better tricks.

One of the first acts they did was basically reading minds. It started slowly, but eventually worked into the audience for some more detailed mind reading. Katalina put on a blindfold, walked to the front of the stage, and began answering questions thrown out by Christian. He walks over to an unsuspecting audience member and asked for his cell phone. Christian asked, “What do I have in my hand?”

“A cell phone,” Katalina claims.

“Yes, correct. What color is this cell phone?” asked Christian.

“I am getting a darker color, grey is the color of the cell phone.” Katalina sounded positive in her declaration.

“Yes, the cell phone is grey.” Christian was proud of his wife. The crowd clapped, the owner of the cell phone was impressed, and they went on to the next trick.

The evening went on like this with one trick leading to another. My favorite was either the guessing game or the numerous card tricks. I have always been impressed with card tricks, but for some reason, Christian had a way with cards. Sheryl and I were actually asked to stick around after the show for some personal card tricks, right in front of our faces. I was impressed through and through, and can honestly say that my mind was tripped during the show.

Another thing that excites me about these folks is their branding. With the help of Harrison on their side, they are all over Facebook, Twitter, and more. Even gaining ad space on sites like NUVO and Metromix and getting radio spots doing interviews and commercials. If you live in the Circle City, you need to see this show. If you live within driving distance of downtown, I highly suggest checking this out. You can buy tickets online, at the door, or just contact them directly for a true VIP experience. They have sold out every show since opening night, so make sure you pick a date and get your seats. You won’t be sorry.

How long have you been playing golf?

I have been playing golf for about twenty years.

What is your first memory of the game?

The first birdie I ever made.  It was on the first hole of a par 3 golf course with my father and I played a lot while growing up.  I hit a shot that barely made it off the ground but rolled 140 yards or so to the edge of the green.  There, I was able to roll in a putt of 75 feet or so. Pretty cool stuff!  After that I was hooked!

What is your current handicap?

I am currently playing to zero (scratch).  I have been trying to compete in as many events that my schedule allows me to but with the knee injury and the demands of teaching the game I am not quite where I need to be in order to compete full time.  The short-term goal is to get to a plus 1 or 2 by the end of the fall.

Did you play any other sports growing up?

I was involved with a lot sports while growing up including basketball, soccer, and baseball.  Golf was something I did with my father to spend time together.  It did not take long to fall in love with the game, abandon all other sports, and begin my travels on a road to professional golf.

Tell me about the “Think Tank” that you are associated with.

The “Think Tank” is my personal home teaching studio.  With the help, and permission, of my wife Meredith I was able to transform our garage into a home teaching studio. Being from the northeast it is somewhat difficult to keep my game in shape during the off-season.  My studio allows me to not only give lessons during the winter but to also work on my game and keep my tools sharp too!

Do you like working at the Aspetuck Valley Country Club of Weston?

I love it!  The Aspetuck Valley Country Club of Weston gave me my first official start into the golf business and I owe a lot to many individuals who have come and gone through the years.  The AVCC family is a big part of my life and I will always hold a special place in my heart for their kindness, generosity and most importantly their friendship.

You give a lot of lessons. I miss a lot of putts on the low side of the cup. Can you provide me, and the other readers out there who suffer the same things, any advice for making more putts?

We have all heard that putting is more than 50% of the game.  This is a proven fact.  I feel that golfers who miss putts on the low side are not hitting the ball hard enough.  100% of all putts that are short never go in.  Practice your speed by looking at the hole while putting.  Take the emphasis off of the line and practice by “feeling” a good solid stroke.  Players who concentrate on the line too much usually leave the ball short or miss on the low side of the cup.  A great drill that you can do is to place a tee in the back-side of the cup.  Hit a lot of straight five footers while looking at the tee.  Resist the temptation of watching the ball while you make your stroke.  Putting is all about feel!  Feel what it is like to make a stroke and you will be well on your way to holing more putts.

Have you ever had a hole in one?

No holes-in-one but I have had a double-eagle. (Note that a double-eagle is a two on a part five.) Some say this is more rare than hole-in-one.  It was kind of cool!  Foggy day, downhill 5-par…driver, 5-wood nothing but net baby!

What is the lowest round you have ever shot?

67…Don’t really remember it too much, I just remember having a lot of fun doing it!  Hopefully there are a lot of low rounds left in my golfing career…maybe even one that starts with a 5?

The highest?

110…in my first big event as an amateur.  Counted every stroke and posted my score.  That’s the way it should be done.  These guys who no-card or withdraw from an event because they are embarrassed with their score should be shot!  If you tee it up you post your score!  No excuses!

Thanks to you I am now reading Global Golf Post almost everyday. What is your affiliation with them?

The Global Golf Post is one of the most informative pieces of golf news that I know of…it is free and it is web-based which means no more piles of magazines cluttering up my home!  Everything you need, as far as golf news is concerned, can be found by accessing your inbox.  Global Golf Post will email you a link to the latest issue on a weekly basis, usually first thing Monday mornings after the completion of most major touring events.  Simple, clean, quick info at the click of a mouse, how easy is that?

Speaking of affiliations, whom else are you working with right now?

Callaway, Eyeline Golf, PGA of America, US Kids Golf, Titleist Performance Institute, Sport & Orthopedic Physical Therapy to name a few.

I’m not sure we can be friends anymore. You are a Boston Red Sox fan.

Yankee fan Ricky?  See you in the playoffs baby!

But then again, you also use Apple products.

Best technology on the planet in my opinion!  iMac, Macbook, iPhone…come on dude!  How can you go wrong!

What’s in your golf bag?

• Callaway 10.5 Degree FT-iZ I-Mix Driver
• Callaway Diablo 4-Wood
• Callaway Diablo 3-Hybrid
• Callaway Diablo Forged Irons 4-PW
• Callaway Jaws Wedge System 52,56,60 Degree
• Taylor-Made Monza Spider Putter

What is your passion when it comes to your fashion? What sort of statement are you trying to make?

I love color, plain and simple!  People, from time to time, comment on the outfits that I wear.  I sometimes hear “boy I wish I could pull that outfit off” or “Wow, are you trying to blind someone with those colors?”  Why should I dress like everyone else?  I am who I am and there is no changing that…I know what I like and I will never let anyone else determine what I do, say, or wear!

You have an insane playing schedule this year. How do you find time to play that much, practice to stay on the top of your game, and still work?

Playing and practicing has been a struggle thus far.  I have been concentrating on getting healthy since March and I still have a long way to go.  The tournament schedule that I put together in the beginning of the 2010 season was a best-case scenario.  Unfortunately, my game has slipped a little due to my injuries and a somewhat over-loaded work schedule.  I have been in the process of putting together a winter playing schedule.  This should give me ample time to prepare for some events in the West Palm Beach area of Florida during the winter months.

What is the one golf course that you have always wanted to play but never had the chance to get on?

St. Andrew’s; the home of golf.  Need I say more?  But someday my friend, someday!

You play a lot on the east coast. Ever make it to the west coast to play?

Not yet, although I am planning on making a trip out there really soon.  Maybe with my wife, maybe with the fellas.  I am not quite sure when and where but I know that I will get there soon!

Do you prefer to walk or ride when playing casually?

I love to walk when I play whether it be in a tournament or during a casual round.  Unfortunately, due to the two surgical procedures that I had done to my left knee over the past few years , it has been difficult to do so.  I am trying to get back into shape and build some strength back into my legs.  Hopefully with the help of my friend and physical therapist, Paddy Jarit, I will be able to walk the links on a full time basis really soon.

You put a lot of focus on goal setting in your teaching. What are some current goals of your own?

Becoming the best person and player I can possibly be, plain and simple.

What is the Branded Academy?

In November of 2009 I partnered with Interactive Frontiers, makers of the #1 rated Digital Coaching Software in the country.  Together, we developed a branded golf academy tailored specifically for my students and gman-golf.com.  I feel that video feedback is imperative in the development of any player and the GMan-Golf Branded Academy provides an online storage “locker” for my students to access their own video lessons from any computer or smart phone in the world.

Tell me about your experience at Methodist University.

What a place!  What an experience!  Methodist University allowed me to grow as a person as well as a golfer.  Best five years, yes five, of my life!  When not in class I played golf four-five days per week, mostly in the neighboring hills of Pinehurst, North Carolina.  Tough life huh?  The Professional Golf Management (PGM) Program at Methodist was, and still is, on of the best training grounds for young people who are interested in pursuing a membership into the PGA of America.

So on a typical Sunday afternoon where can I find you?

You can find me teaching at the Aspetuck Valley Country Club in Weston, Connecticut.

What do you drink out on the course to stay hydrated?

Lots of water mixed with Amino Vital.  This product really helps me to stay focused and energized during a round of golf.  I have been using this product for about two years and I have definitely seen a difference in my play, especially coming down the stretch of the back nine.

How important is a golfer’s fitness in today’s game?

Well, since golf is one of the worst sports for your body I would have to say that fitness is extremely important for any caliber of golfer.  From touring professional to the weekend player, it is a proven fact that having a sound golf-specific regimen will allow you to play longer in life with less potential for injury.  A fit golfer will have a better chance to shoot lower scores…what are you waiting for?  Seek out a local fitness professional, preferably TPI Certified, and have them develop a program that is in line with your golfing goals.

Explain your typical workout routine.

Cardiovascular, abdominal work, golf-specific stretching followed by weight training.  Stretching is the key, stretch as much as possible to keep your muscles loose and limber.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

Playing the best golf of my life.  I will let you figure out the details.

What do you want to be remembered for when this is all said and done?

As a person who put his best foot forward in order to accomplish his goals.

I always let the bands that I interview get the last word. Why not you? Go.

Protect your dreams!

Being overweight has its perks. Besides the fact that I can eat just about anything I want, I get to indulge every now and again. That is what I did when I visited Arni’s Restaurant. My date and I had reservations for 7:00 PM but we arrived a little early. We had been out running errands and figured we would just head on over. Before we walked in, while sitting in the parking lot, I grabbed my phone to check in on the popular social networking site foursquare. Before I could get to my location, I noticed they had free Wi-Fi. I hadn’t even stepped foot inside the restaurant and they were already off on the right track.

Speaking of the free Wi-Fi, I would later learn that Arni’s is now doing online ordering. So not only can you go in for lunch or dinner and enjoy your meal in their restaurant, you can just hop online and order your pizza, subs, sandwiches, and more. It is nice to be able to have that option. It saves time, money, and allows me to order on my schedule. I wish that more places would start using online ordering. Consider Arni’s to be a thought leader in that regard.

Before I get into the food, let’s chat a bit about the history of the place. Arni’s was actually started a long time ago by a man named Arni Cohen. The first Arni’s Restaurant opened way back in 1965 and they have been growing ever since. As a matter of fact, when the first location opened, it could seat one hundred and twenty guests. Now, after several expansions on the property, the same restaurant can seat five hundred.

Later, after seeing so much success from the restaurant, Arni felt that he was spending too much money on food costs. So he developed Linarco Distributing as a way to have a little more control over the ingredients he used and the distribution of those ingredients. Since this venture began many years ago, they have begun shipping and servicing many Arni’s locations as well as other local stores and restaurants.

Back in 1992, Arni’s son joined the team. His job was to increase sales for the restaurant, and to begin opening more locations. Since then, nine Arni’s Restaurants have opened in and around the city of Indianapolis, with eight of those locations still open to this day. Arni was able to see his business grow, and while I am sad to say that he passed away back in 2002, his legacy still lives on and I am excited to be able to share my experience with you here today.

When you first walk in to the restaurant, two or three happy and smiling hostesses will greet you. It is a warm welcome that makes you feel right at home. You might notice, when looking at the Arni’s logo on the building and the menu, that it says, Meet you at Arni’s. From the atmosphere inside to the staff on duty, you truly do feel that you could just call up some friends and meet for a drink, an appetizer, or a full meal.

We were taken, even though we were early, to our table in the bar. We had a booth that could seat up to six people, but the table would soon be filled with food so it would be all right. Josh, the witty and talented bartender for the evening, was actually our server as well. He was nice, created a lot of conversation throughout the evening, and was quick to ask if everything was okay if we seemed sluggish.

As a matter of fact, Josh began the evening, after grabbing us a couple of waters, by asking us if we were allergic to any certain foods. He said that the menu for the evening was already planned out, but he wanted to make sure that we could enjoy everything that we would later consume. It was a nice touch, and one that I had never experienced before while dining out.

Our dinner reservations were on a Saturday night, and by the time we got there a little before 7:00 PM the place was pretty busy. You could see plenty of servers hustling around the restaurant and coming in and out of the kitchen carrying plates. It actually made me think of when I used to be a server. It didn’t matter which restaurant I worked at, all of the managers would always say, “Make sure you are full hands in, full hands out.” That means that you have your hands full when you walk into the kitchen, and when you leave. It didn’t matter if you were bussing tables or carrying ice to the server stations, your hands always needed to be full.

I said before that there are now eight locations in the state of Indiana. We visited the location on 96^th Street, just before you get to Scotty’s Brewhouse going west. When you are going west on 96^th, on your way to Arni’s, make sure you turn before you get to the restaurant, because if you miss it you are going to have to make a u-turn at the next light. There is no direct entrance to the restaurant headed west. I learned that the hard way.

After we sat down, our server then began to explain the evening to us. He said that we would be getting a lot of food sent out and that he would do his best to match each and every item with something from the bar. He claimed he was a master at making martinis, and he said we were in for a treat. I was ready to get this show on the road. (I had been to Arni’s in the past, and was never disappointed. I knew it was going to be good!)

Kicking Things Off

The first thing to hit the table was their Magnificent Mushrooms. These little guys are huge, and come in a bowl served with a spoon for your convenience. These are fresh mushroom caps stuffed with a cream cheese, sausage, onion, and spices blend and then baked. And when I say baked, I mean baked to perfection. These little guys smelled good and tasted even better. They were sprinkled with even more spice and hit the table steaming hot. And I would much rather eat these hot because it keeps all of the flavors together nicely. After a few bites, I began to get more mushroom flavor than anything else. The stuffing is great, don’t get me wrong, but I wanted more of it and less mushroom. The caps were huge, but a lot of the flavor was boring. You better like mushrooms if you order these. They are good, and I would even consider this one of their signature appetizers.

To drink, we were served two different martinis. The first was a homemade Savannah Peach Martini. This, like most of the drinks we would later consume, were created by Josh. He claims to have been the creator of over one hundred different martinis and has studied drink recipes for years. His résumé proves it. I asked him how many restaurants he has worked at and he said the list of places he has not worked at would be shorter.

The drink, when it first hit the table, looked thick and almost like a smoothie rather than a martini. And it was, in fact, quite thick upon tasting it. The drink calls for heavy cream and it shows when it hits your lips. But it is so good. The flavors in this drink reminded me of an orange popsicle or something similar. It made me feel like summer, sitting outside with my pinky in the air drinking my adult beverage every so delicately. And you might not think so, but the peach flavors went quite well with the mushroom caps.

The next drink I did not like as much. It was called the Blue Raspberry Martini and tasted almost rushed. Not that it wasn’t enjoyable – it was, but it was boring compared to the first one. This drink was indeed blue, and you could taste that it had more alcohol in it. It almost reminded me of Kool-Aid for a moment. It drinks very smooth as well, even through that heavy alcohol taste, and surprisingly went well with the mushroom caps too. I would not order one, but am glad I got to try more than one martini from this master of drinks.

Trying to Eat Healthy

Now it was time for a salad to try. Out came the Arni’s Famous Jr. Salad. And yes, it is famous. And yes, it is delicious. This salad, after you have eaten it once, will give you cravings late at night for another bite. Not to mention the five dressings that are all made in-house that you can order with it. But really, this salad is incredible. It is so good that I wish we had just been served this and a gallon of dressing.

The salad is served with lettuce, turkey, ham, and mozzarella cheese and garnished with green onions, croutons, and radishes. You even get a thick slice of garlic bread on the side of the bowl to help you scoop up the last bite. And out of everything on this salad, the only thing I picked off was the radishes. Never been a fan of these, and probably never will. But when you see this salad, you just want to hang out with it for a minute. It’s that pretty and it tastes so much better than it looks.

The dressings made their way to the table next. First we had the bleu cheese, then the thousand island, the herb vinaigrette (think balsamic), celery seed (does not taste like celery at all) and the sweet and tangy French. This dressing alone could be a meal. I am telling you people, the French dressing on the Arni’s Famous Jr. Salad will be my last meal. Epic would be the only word you could use to describe this salad. All right, enough about the salad. (If you want to get a slightly larger salad, for just a couple of bucks more you can order an Arni’s Famous Senior Salad. This is the same great salad, just served in a larger bowl.)

With our salads we were served a couple of glasses of wine. First was the house cabernet. Next came the house Pinot Grigio. Nothing special here, a house wine is a house wine. However, after taking a few sniffy sniffs (you can thank Gary Vaynerchuk for that one), I was intrigued. The wines, from the nose to the finish, were much deeper than a typical house wine. A lot more body in the cabernet and a crisp, almost pepper after taste with the Pinot made me want another glass! Considering these are around $5 a glass, they make for a nice choice before your meal, after your meal, and even during.

Time for the Good Stuff

It was now time for the entrees! This is my favorite part of any meal. The first thing to hit the table was their famous (they have a lot of famous menu items it seems) pizza. Remember I talked about how much I liked pizza? This is why I came – this right here! It was even my favorite, a supreme. The more toppings you can pile on top the better. I love the meats, the cheeses, and the veggies just the same.

The pizza was their seven inch version (also served in ten and fourteen inch pies), which is perfect for lunch if you are in a hurry, or even for dinner with a side Jr. salad. We were also served two sandwiches. The first was the hot Sicilian served with sweet potato fries. The other was their Havana stack with onion straws. As Sheryl and I sat there staring at all this food, already starting to get full from the appetizers, salad, and drinks, we crossed our fingers and dug in.

I started with the pizza. I have to tell you, the pizza is not typical. The crust is thin (which I usually hate) and it gives you a familiar taste that you wouldn’t associate with pizza necessarily. Do you remember the little pizzas you used to get growing up that came in the red box and took maybe five minutes in the microwave and ten in the oven? If you don’t know what I am talking about, never mind. But if you do, then this is what you are reminded of. I don’t care what you say, those pizzas are good. And this one not only tastes like that childhood memory, it takes it to a whole new level. Oh so good.

By the time I had eaten half of the pizza, I had almost forgotten there were two huge sandwiches waiting for me. I started by grabbing a handful of the sweet potato fries. Wow is about all I can say about those. Just wow. They are truly that good. I have heard good things about the sweet potato fries at Scotty’s Lakehouse, but I don’t know if they can stack up to these suckers.

The sandwich was good but it was almost too much. This sandwich had ham, salami, pepperoni, onions, banana peppers, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, lettuce, tomato, and was topped with a good helping of sun-dried tomato dressing. By the time you take a bite you are confused to what you are even eating. But in my first bite, I got a ton of banana pepper and an over load of ham and pepperoni. But the second bite gave me a hint of the dressing and a more subtle, bread-heavy flavor. Each bite tasted different and was based on where you are in the sandwich. It was good, but I’m not sure I would order it. Maybe just an order of the sweet potato fries!

The other sandwich was about the same in terms of enjoyment. This is Arni’s version of a Cuban sandwich and is a pile of pulled pork, sliced ham, provolone cheese, yellow mustard, mayonnaise, and pickles. But what made this sandwich unique was the mustard. This is not your momma’s mustard. This stuff is fire in your mouth. Holy crap is this stuff hot. And oh so good. It is stone ground, and tastes like there is a heaping pile of peppers in every bite. My eyes were watering after the first, second, and third bite and all I wanted was more of that mustard. I have heard warnings about their signature mustard, and I must say, it is true. It’s hot and I like it.

Leave Room for the Sweet Stuff

I am out of room by this time. I can’t eat another bite. Oh yeah, we have dessert coming. Like I have room for ice cream. Well, I guess there is always room for ice cream. But we didn’t start there, we started behind the bar. First up was a drink titled The Toffee. It was a hot beverage, which I dislike right off the bat, and was said to taste like toffee. Go figure, hence the name. It’s not coffee…it’s toffee. And it was good, after it cooled down, but not something I would ever order. It fits more into the hands of a female if you ask me.

Being the martini master that he is, next came a Cappuccino Martini. There are two versions of this, one made with Godiva Light and the other made with Godiva Dark. This one was made with Godiva White. The drink was a lot prettier than it tasted. It was terrible. And I am not trying to degrade his ability to make a martini, but this tasted more like water than it did a martini. It was boring, bland, and quite frankly weak on every accord. I had Sheryl taste it, and she said the same. We drank half, and left it for the birds.

Out came the desserts. First was the apple pie ala mode. See, I told you there would be ice cream. Next to that was a huge slice of red velvet cake. He sat down two spoons and we were off. I started with the red velvet cake and about threw up when I took my first bite. I took a second just to see if there was something wrong with the first one, but no, the cake was just bad. I pushed it to the side for Sheryl to try. She takes one bite, and was in love. She finished the whole thing up. But she, at the same time I pushed the red velvet to the side, tossed the apple pie to the side. So I took a stab at that. Now that is what dessert is supposed to taste like. The ice cream matched with the apples and the pie crust was a perfect way to end my meal. And it was a good thing it was over, I was stuffed. There wasn’t room for another bite.

Arni’s might not be the best restaurant in Indianapolis, but it is one of my favorites. They take simple things, like a slice of pizza or a piece of pie, and make it their own. You have a ton of talent behind the bar, years of experience in the kitchen, and an undying passion from every server walking the floor. In speaking with the general manager after our meal, it became evident that this is not a job for these people. It is fun, enjoyable through and through, and something that everyone working there looks forward to.

I could not have been happier when I left there. We waddled our way to the car and headed home for a night lounging and relaxation. Arni’s is a great place for a lunch meeting, a dinner date, or just a beer after work. I have been to Arni’s before, and I will definitely go again. It was too good not to. I need more of that French dressing and that Jr. salad! Thank you to everyone at Arni’s Restaurant, it was a pleasure working with such a fine establishment like yours. I look forward to seeing you all at Arni’s soon.

Have you been to Arni’s? What did you order? Did you have a good experience?

So how do you pronounce your last name?

It is pronounced, “Floor-een.”

How long have you been performing?

I have been a performer for the last thirteen years, starting when I was only ten years old.  I began as an actor, and picked up music along the way.  I have been performing my music professionally for the past four years.

Tell me your first memory of the guitar.

I remember the first time I got blisters on my fingers, and wondering what the heck I was doing wrong.  I was playing on a cheap acoustic I had bought off a friend for $80, and the action on it was ridiculously high.  I had no idea what I was doing, so figured all guitars were like this.  It ended up being a great tool, however, because then when I played on a quality guitar, I was able to appreciate it a lot more.

Do you have a job outside of music?

I am an actor as well as a musician, so I flip back and forth between the two to make money.  Currently, I am living in Iowa City, working with the Riverside Shakespeare Festival on the shows, Love’s Labour’s Lost and Romeo and Juliet.

Where are you originally from?

I am from Palatine, Illinois.

So are you a Cubs fan or a White Sox fan?

I am a Sox fan.

Do you have a favorite venue?

Goose Island in Chicago has been one of my favorites lately; coincidentally, the city is tearing it down and building a strip mall in place of it.  Way to go Chicago!

What is the biggest crowd you have ever played for?

4,500 in WCA conference in Dusseldorf, Germany.

The smallest?

(Laughs) Definitely have played to an empty house, unless you want to count bar tenders.

Tell me about the Illinois Shakespeare Festival.

I played for the Illinois Shakespeare Festival two years ago after writing some music for a Shakespeare play I was in.  The first gig with them was a troubadour job, walking around the festival yard playing Shakespeare songs that I wrote to a folk/pop/rock style.  I really enjoyed my time at the festival, so the next year I auditioned for them, and ended up landing an acting job with them.  I am playing there again this year, doing my own show of Shakespeare music on July 18^th.

You toured in eight countries over seas. Tell me about that experience.

Europe was a trip, to say the least.  The traveling was not intended to be a tour, but I ended up playing everywhere I went.  I did a lot of busking, and played in some coffeehouses, bars, even at an Irish birthday party.  It was a real adventure, and I plan on heading over again within the next year.

What is your favorite city to visit?

In the states, I love Table Rock Lake, Missouri in the Ozarks.  This is my favorite city to visit, aside from touring.  Overseas, I really enjoyed Palermo, Italy.  It is the most beautiful city I have ever been to.

If you could live anywhere else in the world where would you go?

This answer changes every day, but right now I would love to go stay in Ireland for a period of time.

I see you played a show with a good friend of mine, Fred Shafer. What was that like? And how sick is he live?

Fred is a wonderful soul.  We met five years ago at a campsite in Indiana; he was on tour at the time, and I was out to see Dave Matthews with my girlfriend at the time, and her family.  We hung out the next night after his show, and we played together around the fire.  So intimate, but a wonderful experience; he has a great heart, and it shows in every note his sings.

Since that time, I’ve only been able to meet up with Fred a handful of times; life as an artist is very touch and go, and so even though he will always be a brother, we do not see each other often.  He is actually a huge influence for me in my music, and really helped me to initially get off the ground, and on the road.

Do you have a band or is it just you?

I have musicians in Chicago and Bloomington, Illinois that play my music, but I wouldn’t say that I have a band.  I am a bit of a loner, and don’t think I’m ready to give up my solo touring just yet.  Eventually, I will have a stabilized band, but for this upcoming tour I will be solo, using my loopers and multi-instrument show to create a full sound.

So I see you are on Facebook. Are you also on Twitter?

I am. Are you going to follow me?

You play a lot in Wisconsin and Illinois. What do I have to do to get you to Indianapolis?

I actually have played in Indianapolis a few times, at a few coffeehouses, Rock Lobster, and Birdy’s Bar & Grill.  I am still searching for my ideal venue…Any ideas?

How did you react to the passing of Michael Jackson?

I was upset when I heard Michael died; he is certainly the biggest influence on the pop scene during my generation, and really inspired me with his sense of grandeur.  He knew how to dream, and how to make his dreams a reality, which is very inspiring.

Do you write all of your own lyrics?

I do write my own lyrics.

Where do you get inspiration for a new song?

Inspiration comes from all over, as long as I keep my eyes open.  Relationships and nature seem to be the biggest influences.

That’s a pretty cool picture on your MySpace page. Where was that taken?

Thanks so much!  It was taken at a CNGM fundraiser; CNGM is a film company that used my single, Romina, in one of their feature films, and I played for them at their annual celebration.

Describe your genre in one word.

Evolving.

Why do you play so many college gigs?

I love colleges because the students are the best audience for my music.  They listen so well, which is essential for my songs because I lace the verses with slam poetry.  What’s more, I feel college students are some of the most active and malleable, with the biggest potential to change the world.  This is the audience I want to play for, because this is the audience I want to inspire.

What are you drinking on stage?

Depends on the show, but usually lots and lots of water.  I turn into a fish on stage…literally!  Come check out a show!

Looks like you got a hair cut recently. What prompted that?

(Laughs) My hair is not my own anymore.  Depending on what shows I am doing (acting wise), I am under contract with my hair.  Many shows lately have had me growing it out, as it makes me look younger (or so I am told).  When I finish a show, I like to cut it because the long hair is so hard to manage.

What advice would you give to someone considering a career in music?

The same advice I would give anyone interested in doing any form of art for a profession: you have to need this.  This road is not for the weak of heart, because; it requires everything.  That being said, if one is willing to sacrifice it all, one simply needs to believe in him/herself, and all the world will open up..

How cool was it hearing our music on the radio for the first time?

I actually am yet to hear my music in my car, as I don’t listen to radio while I’m driving.  This would be a pretty cool sensation, I would imagine.  I have heard my music online before, and have come across it in random places, which is always a bit sublime.  I feel honored and blessed every time I do.

Tell me a little bit more about your new EP.

This EP is a precursor to the full length I am working on now.  The songs all have so much of my heart in them, and I am very proud of how the project turned out.  This being said, I am excited to see how the LP ends up, coming from a slightly different perspective and writing style.

Who are some of your biggest influences?

Currently, I am listening to a lot of Ray LaMontagne, Jackson 5, and Sleeping at Last.  A weird combination, but I love the soul of Ray, the energy of the Jackson’s, and the lyrics and drive of Sleeping at Last.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

I can’t picture myself three months from now, let alone five years.  I am learning peace in presence, and so I am trying to take one day at a time, one breath in every step.

What do you want to be remembered for when this is all said and done?

I want to be remembered for the love I put into the world.

I always let the artist get the last word. Go.

Life is meant to be an adventure; if you are bored it is time for a change.  Keep breathing!

There are so many great hotels out there. You have the big, expensive hotels like the Bellagio, and then more affordable hotels like Circus Circus Hotel & Casino. I have stayed in both of these hotels, and when you are in Vegas, as long as there is a bed for you to fall asleep in and a shower to refresh yourself, that is all you need.

One thing that you might not know about Las Vegas hotels and casinos is that hotel management groups own them. For instance, Harrah’s Entertainment owns some of the most well known hotels out there. Below, I’ll introduce you to all of the hotels in Las Vegas that are owned by the Harrah’s Entertainment group. You might be surprised what you find.

Bally’s Las Vegas

The first time I was in Las Vegas we stayed at Bally’s. It is located right next door to Paris Las Vegas, and is a very nice hotel. The entrance to the hotel is cool, and the rooms are quite nice. You get a good view of the strip as well. A lot of bigger hotels, the affordable ones at least, are nowhere near the strip.

There are over 2,800 rooms in this hotel. That might seem like a lot, but some of the hotels I talk about here today will have almost twice that number. One thing I like about this hotel is that not only do they give you a place to stay, but they also operate the Rio Secca Golf Club and Cascata golf courses. They also have the largest tennis complex on the strip. The golf courses are not on the property, but the tennis complex is.

I enjoyed my stay here, and I will stay there again in the future I am sure. The location is just so hard to beat. Too bad I don’t play tennis!

Caesars Palace

Remember when I said that some of these hotels would have more rooms? This is one of them. This hotel has over 4,000 rooms and is located in the heart of Las Vegas. I say that loosely, as it is just down the street from Bally’s. But this hotel is known for more than just awesome rooms and incredible view. This hotel also has a variety of world-renowned spas and salons, and some of the best nightclubs in Las Vegas.

I have never stayed here, mainly because of how much rooms cost per night, but I have visited this hotel more than once. There are some great clubs and some really nice shopping here. The views from the entrance to the hotel are also nice, and you might just see a celebrity walking around somewhere if you are lucky. I hear Lindsey Lohan likes to stay here.

Flamingo Las Vegas

This hotel is old, rustic, and exactly what you expect to find on the Las Vegas strip. I like this place because of the history it has in Las Vegas, and also because it is close to O’Sheas’s, one of my favorite casinos in Las Vegas.

This hotel has over 3,600 rooms and has been in business since 1946. It sits in the center of the Las Vegas strip and is known as one of the original four Las Vegas casinos. There are tons of bars in this hotel, and you can actually get lost walking around the casino. I sometimes like to play poker here if I can find a spot at a table. It is always packed. And you can’t walk in and not smell the smoke. The ventilation is terrible. But that’s okay, you are in Vegas; you expect that.

Harrah’s Las Vegas

That makes sense, huh? Harrah’s Entertainment owns Harrah’s Las Vegas . Located, again, right in the middle of the strip, is Harrah’s. They have 2,500 rooms, and while that is not the most of the bunch, they are all basically brand new. They just went through a huge renovation a few years ago. If you stay here, you can swim in one of their pools, grab a drink in one of their many bars, or just use it as a place to crash after a long night on the strip.

I have never stayed here, but I have walked through it a time or two. The hotel is nice, don’t get me wrong, but based on the list of hotels they own, it is not the most scenic. Nothing really special here, if you ask me, and based on what they charge for a room, I would rather stay somewhere else.

Imperial Palace

This hotel has over 2,500 rooms as well and has all of the things you need to experience Las Vegas in one shot. Attractions include a shopping mall, nightclubs, tons of restaurants, and a few spas. There is also an antique car collection here, with over $100 million in automobiles on display or visitors and guests.

I almost stayed here on my last trip to Las Vegas, but ended up getting a room elsewhere. This place is nice, but again, nothing too fancy. I have had dinner in one of their restaurants before as well. But the highlight of this place is the car collection. There are some pretty cool looking rides here. And if you ask around on the strip, I am sure you can get some comped passes to the gallery.

Paris Las Vegas

This is my far my favorite hotel in Las Vegas. I have only stayed here once, but the atmosphere, the replica to scale Eifel Tower out front, and the decorations this place has inside make it a perfect fit for me. I love the city of Paris, and to be able to stay in Paris, yet not leave the United States, is okay with me.

This hotel has almost 3,000 rooms and is always booked. It sits next to Bally’s and gives you a great view of the outside. One of my favorite places to eat in Las Vegas is here as well, and you can sit outside enjoying the weather and the people watching while having a meal.

This hotel also has two pools on the top of the building. They are called roof-top pools (go figure) and they are open to guests staying in the hotel. They are pretty cool, and if you have never taken a dive in a rooftop pool before, you need to; it is an epic feeling to swim on the top of a building. Especially Paris in Las Vegas.

Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino

This place is cool for a couple of reasons. First, they have some pretty solid nightclubs and some incredible spas on property. But the coolest thing about this place is the lagoon.

The hotel also has over 2,500 rooms and on the 60^th floor you can take in the views from VooDoo Lounge. This is a fun place to go, but with $9 bottles of beer, you won’t be staying long. It is worth it, though, to grab a drink and stare out at the night life happening in Las Vegas, Nevada.

With these seven hotels under their belt, some of them being the nicest places to stay in Vegas, Harrah’s are doing all right for themselves. Considering that these hotels are pretty much booked every night of the week all year round, someone is raking in the dough. The next time you are in Las Vegas, grab a room at one of the Harrah’s Entertainment group hotels. You wont regret it. (If I were you, I would stay at Paris Las Vegas. But that’s just me!)

When Lady Gaga headed out on the road this tour, she grabbed some fairly unknown names to go with her. I’m not sure whom she should take really; her sound is just so unique. But after taking just one listen to Semi Precious Weapons, you’ll understand why she picked them. If I was the one choosing whom she toured with, I would pick Adam Lambert, but that’s just me. I would love to see the two of them on the same bill. And speaking of Adam Lambert, he is actually coming to town soon. He will be in Indianapolis on Tuesday, August 31st. He will be performing at Clowes Memorial Hall on the Butler University campus. This tour is said to be his most intimate and will include a lot of new material as well as some of his hits from his first studio album, For Your Entertainment. But if you don’t already have your ticket, that’s too bad. The show is sold out.

Let’s get back to Lady Gaga for a second. She has been making waves lately, having become the most watched artist on YouTube. Not long ago she hit a billion views on the popular video sharing site. She also has been collecting followers on Twitter and has appeared on nearly every talk show you can think of. She has turned her music into a brand that is selling out arenas all across the country. It seems like every song she releases is a hit.

When she got into town on Thursday morning, Dave Smiley from WZPL grabbed her for an interview. She was not in the studio; she had just landed from another show, but took a few minutes with Dave and company on the phone. He asked her about traveling, performing for thousands of screaming fans every night, and her plans for an after party after the show.

That is where I stated to get excited. You see Lady Gaga was given a budget for each show. That budget has to cover the travel, food, and accommodations for everyone on the tour. However, she likes to spend money. She has consistently been spending more than she was given on nearly every show. When asked about it, she said that all she was doing was guaranteeing her fans have a great night, and an unforgettable experience. But that money she is spending, well, they have to make up for it somewhere. So to combat that, every city she plays in she does an after party. They charge $10-$15 to get in, a few acts spin records all night, and she comes out and does an entire set for these small crowds.

One of the bars having an after party was The Pub. Granted, it’s the closest bar to Conseco Fieldhouse, where the concert took place, but is not very big and just doesn’t seem like a place she would hang out. Of course, this particular after party was titled Show Me Your Teeth, which I am sure packed a few crazies in. Another downtown bar, Blu, was having an after party as well. Blu is a somewhat fitting scene for her to appear, but it’s almost too obvious. It’s nice, but when a bar charges $6 for a PBR, they can lose business fast. At least my business.

There was an after party going on at Metro Nightclub, a gay bar located downtown. There was one going on at Ten Bar, another downtown gay bar. Metro Nightclub is more known for appealing to men while Ten Bar is more known for appealing to women.  But with all the rumors floating around, Sheryl and I decided to go to the only official after party, being held at Talbott Street. Talbott is actually known as one of the best clubs in Indianapolis (my favorite dance club for sure) and has the capacity to hold an after party like this.

Tickets to this event were $15, the highest of any after party being advertised. Plus, all of the acts opening for Lady Gaga were appearing for a DJ set. And after a little digging on Google and Twitter, it made sense that she would be there. As a matter of fact, one of the opening acts, Lady Starlight, tweeted the night before, from Cleveland, about them being together at the after party. So we figured, if nothing else, we’d get to see a handful of solid entertainment.

On the morning of the show, and after Dave Smiley made mention to Talbott Street more than once during their interview, Facebook and Twitter began to light up with questions about the after party. However, tickets had to be purchased through the Talbott Street box office, and doors didn’t open until 8:00 PM that night. So in an effort to miss the crowd, we got to Talbott around 8:15. We missed the crowd, that’s for sure. When we walked in, there were only a handful of people sitting down. There were more bartenders than there were people! Through the night the crowd picked up, but I am not sure it was ever sold out. The one good thing about getting somewhere like this early is you get prime seating!

One of the reasons why Sheryl and I like going to places like Talbott Street is because they always have drink specials. Sure, the club is not located in the heart of the city, within walking distance of Conseco, but that makes it even better. Places off the beaten path, places with a solid reputation for great dance music, they just make more sense. Where else can you get a $5 Ketel One or a $3.50 domestic beer on a Thursday night?

As the dance floor was starting to get full, the DJ started spinning a ton of Lady Gaga songs and that got me thinking. The fact there were tons of staff walking around, and a few cops parked outside made it even more clear to me Gaga might be coming. By the time it got to be around 11:00 more folks started pouring in. Of course, SPW did not even start until 12:30 or so. But again, this is the official after party. Why wouldn’t she come to the official after party? If she wasn’t coming here, she wasn’t going anywhere.

Around 11:00, Lady Starlight took the stage. At first, I was excited to see her perform. But one 80′s song turned to another and they never stopped. After a handful of tracks I felt I was at the Vogue Theater on a Wednesday night for Retro Rewind. It was maybe the worst set I have ever seen. It almost felt like they were filling space and killing time. If this is the set she played opening for Gaga, I hope she was booed off the stage.

By the time Semi Precious Weapons came on, I was almost ready to go. I was so bored with Lady Starlight I could cry. And Isha Drake, a friend of ours who joined us later in the evening, thought she might! But I was ready for SPW.

I have been a fan of theirs for a long time. They are what I like to call, “over the top”. They are loud, extremely flamboyant, and just a hoot to watch perform. They truly are a great fit for Gaga. But as bad as Lady Starlight was (note that I have never seen her work) there was no way it could be any worse. And while they weren’t worse, they started off with rap. Their first track was a hit from Jay Z. It just didn’t make sense. I get it they are a rock band, but their original music is so much better than covers. They did end up playing a couple of their original tracks, but it was mainly cover songs. They were more popular tracks than what Lady Starlight played, but still. I wanted to hear their original music.

After hearing them spin for an hour or so, we were ready to go. I headed to the bar to close my tab. And when I closed my tab I was happy to see that all the drinks I ordered were on special. I had ordered a couple bottles of Blue Moon and a few Coors Light and the tab was under $20. As a matter of fact, it was $20 after tip. That would be only a couple of drinks at any of the other spots that had a Gaga after party.

I guess my biggest issue with the event is it was not what I had expected. It is not what Sheryl expected either. I don’t blame Talbott Street; I just wish I had known it was just going to be treated like any other night. I figured an “official” after party would be a little more organized. Also, there is no moving air in this place. It gets very hot in there. It’s a good thing the people-watching was enough to keep us entertained. Half shirts and feathered vests, that’s all I’ll say.

It was around 2:30 when we took off. I had already closed my tab, and we were sweating our butts off. That, and there was no sign of Lady Gaga anywhere. She claims that every city she visits has one. And she even claims to perform at one in nearly every city she visits. And sure, we were at an after party. The official after party at that. Yet we saw no Gaga. All night, we checked Twitter to see where she was, and nothing. Of course, we have to remember that this is Indiana. We are not New York or LA. Lady Gaga has played three times here in the last year, but still. As good as Sheryl and I are about always finding random celebrities, even when we plan it, still nothing.

But again, this has nothing to do with Talbott Street what so ever. I love the club, I go there two or three times a month, and have always been impressed with their service and their sound system. I will go back, no question there. I will just treat this as a lesson not to plan meeting celebrities. If you have not seen a show here, I suggest coming in sometime soon. If not for the live music, you can catch the drag show with the Ladies of Legends. They are a real treat and with names like Rubi Santana and Asia La Bouche you know you are in for a treat. As they say, Talbott Street is where culture and diversity meet.