More Cannes

Transformers had a pretty cool life-sized Bumblebee outside the Carlton Hotel.

Cannes

More Cannes

This year we're doing a couple of yacht parties. Sound glamorous? Okay. We went yesterday to a site visit at the dock and on the boat. Unfortunately I don't have any pics/vids from the tour to share.... but the ride on the tender was still pretty cool. The tender picked us up from Port Pierre Canto and took us out to the yacht. Takes about 10 minutes, depending on where the boat's sitting (floating?). The weather is MUCH nicer this year - high 70s and sunny compared to last year's low 70s and drizzle - and it's absolutely gorgeous outside. This was an amazing chance to escape the lobby and get some fresh air.

Who wants to see some Cannes?

From Boston (4 days) to Miami (5 days), then to Cannes. All in all, not a bad trip. The east coast start knocked a few hours off the flight, so from MIA-LHR was about 8.5 hours. Then LHR-NCE was another 2 hours. I hadn't gotten more than 5 hours of sleep a night for the last couple weeks, so I took advantage of the downtime and slept for most of both flights. Unfortunately, by the time we landed, my cold was kickin' and I was not doing well. Congestion + air pressure = misery. I somehow got through the descent (thank you jack daniels!), found my bags, stumbled through customs (really just an exit - I don't even think it was manned) and caught a car into Cannes.

This year we are at the Residence All Suites Hotel. It's a perfect location - a block and a half off the Croisette (the main drag) keeps us close to the action, but not quite squashed in the crowds. The hotel itself is relatively new, so I hear. And true to Cannes-form, the lobby and pool are pretty sharp, in order to impress the passerbys. The rooms aren't too bad. They're modern in an American hotel chain way, like a Sheraton, which is to say that they are totally fine and clean, but don't have any personality. Lobby has wireless, but it won't reach to the room. Ugh. They also seem to hate electrical outlets. I had to buy an extension cord and a power strip to power the Airport Express, MacBook, phone, blackberry, iPod, Garmin.... (and that doesn't include the USB-powered gizmos). But check out my view!!

Gaga

Easily the best performance so far... Lady Gaga!!! In between putting out fires, I managed to catch a couple songs in the best seat in the house - balcony house right, in videoland (where our video guys were set up). Unfortunately my little Flip video camera doesn't do bass very well. Or at all. Turn off your speakers. You'll thank me.

T-Mobile

Had great fun on the first 4 stops. LA and San Fran flew by pretty quickly, then Boston and Miami. All had amazing performances, but there were definite stand-outs - Lady Gaga, N.E.R.D., Natasha Bedingfield & Wyclef. Now looking forward to Estelle & LL Cool J on May 28th in NYC!

Here are a few pics from the shows...

1 - Pharrell signed this square on the meet and greet wall... don't know if you can quite see it, but it reads, "N.E.R.D. should win a...." with an arrow pointing to the Grammy.

2 - N.E.R.D. on stage.

3 - San Francisco stage.

4 - LA stage.

GRAMMY/T-Mobile Concert Tour

Wow it's been a while... oops. Lots going on, but my focus is on the GRAMMY Celebration Concert Tour, Sponsored by T-Mobile. It's a 5-city concert series. Here's the link to the official site.

Los Angeles - Hollywood Palladium - Thursday, April 9, 2009

• Gavin Rossdale
• Leona Lewis

San Francisco - The Warfield - Tuesday, April 14, 2009

• N.E.R.D.
• Natasha Bedingfield

Boston - House of Blues - Monday, May 4, 2009

• TBD
• TBD

Miami - Fillmore - Wednesday, May 13, 2009

• Katy Perry
• TBD

NYC - Terminal 5 - Thursday, May 28, 2009

• LL Cool J
• TBD