Solos and Song: Theo’s show

The quiet stage before the show began

Last night was an evening full of song and emotions. Hearing Theo Bleckmann’s voice always strikes a very specific chord in my heart, but last night was made doubly special because I had a chance to be part of it by designing the environment for the entire show. It was a busy day with a lot to set up and small details to get right, but the minute Theo set foot on the stage and began, I forgot all about that and just became entranced with the music and his voice. I wasn’t alone. As I looked out at the sold out crowd in Roulette, I could see people reacting with joy, understanding and many times laughter (Theo tells some great jokes).

He played a diverse amount of songs from his discography, ranging from his newest record Schumann's Favored Bar Songs  (out today from Winter and Winter) to his first record ever released. For his encore, he even played a German version of the famous Beatles song, I Want to Hold Your Hand, with the audience clapping along.

Lighting was the biggest component for décor of the set. Ira Levy helped me design the lighting for the night. As Theo played from song to song, we coordinated the lights to change colors from purple to green to blue and so on. A major part of this was a large canopy I created out of fiber optic strands that twinkled above the stage.  Theo’s next performance will be in Munich, Germany in January. If you’re interested in attending one of his shows, check out his tour page for more information.

Tonight: Theo Bleckmann’s Solo Show

Today’s a busy day; Theo is performing tonight. (The show is sold out!) I am so fortunate that my partner is a world-renowned jazz performer. I’ve always wanted to create a set for one of his performances and today I finally get the chance.

Theo will be performing an intimate one man show at Roulette in Soho and it’s sure to be an amazing experience (if I do say so myself). All the sets and the entire environment are created by me, and I really hope everyone enjoys them. We’re setting up the stage right now. I’ll try to get some before and after pictures to post for you all to see.

More About The Trip & Why I Loved Hong Kong

When I sit here and think about everything I want to share with you about Hong Kong, one thing stands out in my mind: the people there were amazing (and so elegantly dressed too). Being in the service business, I just have to say that I was in complete awe at the level of attention and service I encountered throughout my entire trip. I was touched by the many subtleties that combine together to differentiate between a “good” experience and a “great” experience.

One example of this is when I arrived at the Hong Kong International airport. When we walked up to the Asiana airlines counter, all the attendants stood up and addressed us—even those who had no obligation to attend to us. It’s definitely different (actually, let’s say completely opposite) of what you would normally encounter at JFK International Airport in New York city (you know what I’m talking about New Yorkers).

Another thing I loved: the shopping (check out the picture of me in action). Hong Kong is known as a shopping mecca and it certainly stands up to this reputation. I took the chance to deck myself out on this trip and visit many of the stores Hong Kong had to offer. I also enjoyed the food so much! One great meal was a family style traditional Chinese dinner at Peking Garden. The freshness and originality of the Chinese food was unlike anything I’ve tried here.

Overall, it was a fabulous trip and I can’t wait to go back.

Back From Hong Kong

Got back from Hong Kong late last night and there was much to catch up on today. For those of you who follow my twitter you may have already seen this, but let me just say one thing about Hong Kong: the food is delicious. I absolutely came back five pounds heavier. But let’s talk more about the trip...

I was in Hong Kong to install several different pieces in the Atrium at the Landmark in Central, Hong Kong. The picture above is one piece of the installation—enormous chandeliers hanging all across the ceiling. The chandeliers hung over a calming fountain which I also decorated with beautiful bouquets of hydrangeas.

The audience reaction was a wonderful experience. Everyone craned their necks up to look at the chandeliers, taking pictures and talking to their friends. We’ll talk more about the trip tomorrow, mainly more about the places my crew and I visited and some new things we discovered.