Vandana Bali: Journal

Thanks to my fellow singer and friend, Andrew (in town on a visit from London) for inviting me out to sing some songs tonight. BTW, Andrew is a fantastic singer! Joseph (pianist), as usual, is super!! It was a fun night.

Hi folks,

I had the urge to sneak out to some local piano bars during the last few weeks of December.

Thanks to Jim and John for coming out and listening to me perform classic show tunes and soon-to-be-classic power ballads. Many thanks, also, to all of the new folks who joined my email list!

I'm gearing up for new performances in 2008 so check back for details.

Take care,
Vandana

Hi folks,

I'm truly exited to let you know that my first show in 2007 (at Martuni's on February 17th) was SRO = standing room only! We sadly had to turn several people away due to a lack of space.

It was my ultimate joy to perform this show as a gift for my parents 43rd wedding anniversary! Talk about love! :-) They, along with my super talented sister, had a wonderful time at the show.

SET LIST

1.With You (Stephen Schwartz from ‘Pippin’)
2.God Bless the Child (Billie Holiday)
3.Greatest Love (original country song by Austin Castillo)
4.On My Own (Claude-Michel Schonberg, Herbert Kretzmer, John Cairo, Trevor Nunn from ‘Les Miserables’)
5.Love Changes Everything (Andrew Lloyd Webber from ‘Aspects of Love’)
6.An Ordinary Day (original cabaret song by Dennis Livingston)
7.Someone to Watch Over Me (Gershwin)
8.As If We Never Said Goodbye (Andrew Lloyd Webber from “Sunset Boulevard’)
9.The Nearness of You (Hoagy Carmichael)
10.Almost Over You (pop song)
11.Not While I’m Around (Stephen Sondheim from ‘Sweeney Todd’)
12.Then You Look At Me (power ballad)
13.Unexpected Song (Andrew Lloyd Webber from ‘Song and Dance’)
14.The Power of Love (power ballad)

I'm taking a short break while I put together my new show and as I plan songs for my 3rd CD which I will record in LA later this year.

See you at the next show!

Take care,
Vandana

Hi,

What a nice article! I'm featured on an entire page in the latest edition of the India Abroad Weekly magazine! It even included two color photos!!! It's only available by subscription and at newstands (read: Indian stores) this week. I'm in the same edition as Gandhi! Nice!

There's an excerpt in the press section on my site.

I hope to see you at my next show on Saturday, February 17th at 6:30PM at Martuni's. Details and tickets are available at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/9583

See you soon!

Take care,
Vandana

Hi folks,

Well, I'm excited to share the latest news with you. There's a feature article about me (along with a color photo!) in the January 2007 edition of The Northside, a local paper serving all of the northern neighborhoods in San Francisco, including Pacific Heights, Nob Hill, Russian Hill, the Marina and Presidio Heights. What a great way to kick-off 2007!

I'm also featured in another paper this month: The India Abroad Weekly which will hit stands in North America next week.

I hope you are able to pick up a copy of one of these papers and, more importantly, I hope you can come to my next show here in the City on Saturday, February 17th at Martuni's Lounge (my favorite place to sing and drink really excellent martini's). More details about that show are in the calendar section.

Thank you very much for your continued support!!

Take care,
Vandana

Hi!

I am so excited to let you know that I'm performing my first show in 2007 on Saturday, February 17th at 6:30PM at Martuni's. My parents will be in town and I wanted give them the gift of song for their 43RD wedding anniversary. I'd love to see you all there with friends and family for a fun hour of songs about love and celebrating life.

I hope to see you at a show soon and I thank you very much for your continued support.

Take care,
Vandana

Wow! What an amazing year-end gift!!

I was SOOOOOO excited to learn that I had been named in the Bay Times Top 10 of 2006 for my debut, cabaret show at the Plush Room in San Francisco on October 1, 2006! It is an absolute honor to be listed along side such exceptional performers: Jane Oliver, Paula West, Maude Maggart, Linda Kosut and ME!

I am heading back to the Plush Room in 2007. Stay tuned for details.

I'll also have more SF shows in 2007 as well as shows in LA, NYC, London and maybe even Paris.

Thank you for your continued support!!

Take care,
Vandana

Hi folks,

First off, *thank you* to everyone who braved the torrential downpour this Saturday night to share my final SF performance of my "The Power of Love" show. We had a great crowd, lots of drenched folks and stiff martuni's to go along with 75 minutes of non-stop music and fun.

Thanks to Bruce Phillips for playing the role of MC and for helping me kick off the show with a duet from Little Shop of Horrors! He sounded great!!!

Thanks to all of the new faces in the crowd for coming out - it's nice to see so many new new folks coming out to hear me. I hope to get to know you all by name someday!! Of course, I really love all of you regulars too!

SET LIST

1. Suddenly Seymour
2. Love Changes Everything
3. The Power of Love
4. God Bless the Child
5. An Ordinary Day
6. Being Alive
7. Someone to Watch Over Me
8. When He Shines
9. Unexpected Song
10. Summertime (a cappella)
11. With You
12. Meadowlark
13. Not While I'm Around

ENCORE
14. Then You Look At Me

I'm taking this show on the road now (as time permits with my full time yet super cool day job).

See you at a show really soon!

Thank you for your support.

Take care,
Vandana

Hi!

Thanks to everyone who attended my debut show at the Plush Room on Sunday, October 1st! What a great crowd!! I have dreamed of singing in this room and I have to say that it was well worth the wait.

If you missed the show, you can catch me on December 9th at Martuni's and back at the Plush Room for two nights early next year.

Thanks, also, for all of you who bought so many CD's!

There were so many special moments last night. I started the show by asking people what "cabaret" meant to them. I walked out into the audience and interviewed people in an effort to bring a better, collective understanding of what cabaret means. It was a great way to start an interactive conversation and engage the audience and draw them into the show. It was a lot of fun :-)

My good friends Lesli and Mark are getting married later this month and I dedicated the show to them because I think that "The Power of Love" and marriage go hand in hand. And, their new last name is going to be "Powers" so, of course, I had to mention that as I dedicated "The Nearness of You" to both of them.

My good friend Austin Castillo let me sing one of his songs last night. I brought him up on stage and he told the audience that he wrote the song, "Greatest Love," with his parents in mind. His parents were in the audience and they have been married for more than fifty years. The Power of Love.

I also sang a lovely song by cabaret composer Dennis Livingston called "An Ordinary Day."

Reviews from TalkingBroadway.com and the San Franicsco Bay Times will be out this week.

I had a truly wonderful time and felt so lucky to have had so many people there to share in a fun evening of song and story.

Rory and Robert - I'm glad that you were able to attend and thank you so much for your wonderful comments after the show!

SET LIST
Love Changes Everything
The Power of Love
The Nearness of You
God Bless the Child
Greatest Love
Someone to Watch Over Me
As If We Never Said Goodbye
An Ordinary Day
When He Shines
Summertime
Being Alive
Not While I'm Around
Meadowlark
With You

ENCORE
Then You Look At Me

See you on December 9th at Martuni's!

Take care,
Vandana

Hi folks,

Catch me on TV (or live on the web) this week as I promote my SUNDAY, OCTOBER 1st show
at the Plush Room...

On THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 28th at 3PM PACIFIC TIME, I'd like to invite you to watch me
live on ABC's afternoon talk show "The View From the Bay" (KGO Channel 7 in the San
Francisco Bay Area.) You can also watch the show ONLINE at 3PM PACIFIC TIME on
September 28th by clicking this link
http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=viewfrombay&id=4280971
(just click the "Watch Live!" icon on the upper left hand side.)

Folks in Pacifica can also see a segment about me and my upcoming show on Pacifica Community Television (Cable Channel 26) on TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26th at 7PM. This will be a pre-taped segment with short, live clips from my July 9, 2006 "The Power
of Love" show in New York City. This show will air several times next week.

CALENDAR LISTING:
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 1st, 2006 at 7PM
Vandana Bali live at THE PLUSH ROOM
The Power of Love: An Evening of Standards, Broadway and Power Ballads
940 Sutter Street (between Hyde and Leavenworth)
San Franciso, CA 94109
415-885-6800
Price: $20 - $25
2 drink minimum, 21 and over only. Doors open at 6pm
Musical Director: Victoria Theodore http://www.vtmusicworks.com

BUY TICKETS ONLINE AT:
http://www.ticketweb.com/t3/sale/SaleEventDetail?dispatch=loadSelectionData&pl=&eventId=60542
or call Ticketweb at 1-866-468-3399 to buy tickets.

I hope to see many of you at my October 1st show at the Plush Room.

Thank you for your support!

Take care,
Vandana

Hi,

I met some wonderful people at Keith's friend Lori's birthday party here in the city on Friday night. It was a fun, semi-formal attire-type party with yummy finger foods and drinks.

I was asked to sing several songs and I had the pleasure of jamming with Lori's dad, Larry, on a great version of "God Bless the Child." The 25 or so partygoers wanted to hear a sample of songs that I plan to sing at my October 1st Plush Room debut show so I sang "Love Changes Everything," "The Power of Love," and ended with "With You."

Keith was a darling to hand out postcards for my show. I'm looking forward to seeing several people from the party at my Plush Room show. Should be a lot of fun!

Take care,
Vandana

Hi folks,

I'm really gearing up for my October 1st show at the Plush Room :-) Tonight, my shiny, new guy Keith and I headed over to Martuni's. As always, Katy Stephan was fab on the piano and she has such a beautiful voice! I was having too much fun with Keith but I did manage to pry myself away long enough to sing three songs:
--Love Changes Everything (a softer, slower version than the one on my CD)
--Then You Look At Me (faster than usual)
--With You (just soaring!)

I'll be out and about singing a few more times before the big day!

I would truly appreciate your support and look forward to seeing many of you at the October 1st show. Tickets are on sale now!

Take care,
Vandana

Hi friends,

Today has been an incredible day! I started the day off with a 5 hour musical journey with 14-year old child prodigy Sahara Sunday Spain and her mom Elisabeth. I had met Sahara at a Blue Bear School of Music Donor benefit in June 2006. She had been taking private lessons with Bay Area composer guru Bonnie Hayes at Blue Bear. At the benefit, Sahara had performed songs she had composed. She also accompanied herself on piano AND this was her first public performance! At 14 years of age, she blew everyone away. I was speaking with her mother after the peformance (and, for the record, all of the kids were super) and said "my god! I wish she would write songs for me!" Her mom said I should just ask her. So, I did and, today, I had the pleasure and honor of meeting with Sahara and listening to nearly a dozen original songs! I loved each and every one of them and walked away with three beautiful songs. Sahara wrote one just for me, Too Young to Be Old. I cannot wait to share these songs with all of you later this fall.

Of course, you know me. I HAD to sing after such an amazing afternoon so I headed of to my favorite piano bar around 10pm, Martuni's. Jeff rocked the piano and I had the pleasure of meeting so many wonderful people including Shane, Logan, Antoinette, David, Laura and Leslie. I sang
--Then You Look At Me
--Love Changes Everything
--God Bless the Child
--The Power of Love

I had a blast, and a scotch, and promoted my October 1st show by handing out plenty of colorful postcards.

What a great day!!

Take care and I hope to see you at a show soon!

Vandana

Hi,

I can FINALLY sing again! It's been such a quiet month. I didn't rush into anything - just two songs (Love Changes Everything and Then You Look at Me) at the Octavia Lounge's bi-monthly open mike hosted by the ever-sooooo-talented Bill Cooper and Barry Lloyd. You must, must, must see these men in action. It really doesn't get better than MC Bill and Barry on piano. So, come on out to the next one on September 10th from 7pm - 10:30pm. Better yet, bring sheet music in your key and get up on stage and sing as well! It's always a fun time!

Take care,
Vandana

Hi folks,

I have been sick with a really bad cough for most of August so I've had a lot of time to reflect this month. Singing provides an outlet for self-expression for me so I've been out of sorts a bit from not being able to sing. I've taken this time to learn a few new songs. I'm looking forward to sharing the new songs with you all soon!

Take care,
Vandana

Hi,

My number #1 male fan showed up tonight at Martuni's and cheered me on as I sang several songs (The Nearness of You, Love Changes Everything, As if We Never Said Goodbye).

I was worried about how I would sound given that I just got over a nasty bout of laryngitis but he said that my voice sounded warm, rich and personable. :-)

As always, the super-talented Houston Allred entertained everyone with his piano playing and catchy interpretations of every song you could imagine. You have to check him out if you haven't seen him yet.

I also announced my Plush Room show and handed out a gazzilion flyers. I want a SOLD-OUT HOUSE for my Plush Room debut show on Sunday, October 1st at 7pm so please help me spread the word and please join me and my outrageoulsy talented musical director, Victoria Theodore (currently playing for Teatro Zinzanni here in San Francisco).

Thanks!
Vandana

Hi!

I am so excited and so very thankful to Stu Hamstra of Cabarethotlineonline.com for his lovely review of my "The Power of Love" cabaret show in New York City on Sunday, July 9, 2006.

You can check it out in the Press section and on the homepage. Woo hoo! So cool! Thank you very, very much Stu!!

Thanks!
Vandana

Hi!

NEW YORK CITY SHOW UPDATE

Wow! I wanted to let you all know that I had a wonderful show last Sunday, July 9th at Don?t Tell Mama in New York City. Thanks to all of you enthusiastic folks who showed up on that hot, humid evening and cheered me on during my one hour show. I had the show videotaped (thanks Jim Vern!) and hope to have short clips up soon. Thanks, also, to those of you who bought CD's :-) I'll plan to head back East to do more shows this fall.

Thanks to Kavita, Aparna, Todd, Chris, Rakesh, Sydney, Bill, Dred, Randy, Adam, Jeff, Jann, Jason, Terese, Jim, Nivi, Mom, Dad, Sylvia, Mike StJ, Anke and Mike O for all of your help - I could not have made this happen without your creative ideas and support.

Set list:
1. Love Changes Everything
2. Being Alive
3. Someone to Watch Over Me
4. God Bless the Child
5. Meadowlark
6. The Nearness of You
7. The Power of Love
8. Summertime
9. When He Shines
10. With You
11. As If We Never Said Goodbye
12. (Encore) Then You Look at Me

THE EMPIRE PLUSH ROOM: TICKET PURCHASE LINK

I am very excited to announce my debut show at
--The Empire Plush Room in San Francisco (at the York Hotel)
--SUNDAY, OCTOBER 1st at 7pm
--"The Power of Love: An Evening of Standards, Broadway and Power Ballads"

Tickets are available now (for all of your early-bird planners like me) for $20 at http://tinyurl.com/p66xw ($25 at the door).

Please help me spread the word about this show by forwarding the ticket link to your friends, colleagues and family throughout the Bay Area. Victoria Theodore will once again rock the keys for me on piano, http://vtmusicworks.com/.

Thank you!
Vandana

OK,

So, I apparently really needed to sing A LOT tonight - eight songs!

I started off ever so innocently at the Octavia Lounge around 7pm. I have to say that Bill Cooper and Barry Lloyd totally ROCK! If you like talent, then you need to come out to the next open mike they'll host on Sunday, July 2nd. I'll be there and will be singing songs to get ready for my debut show in New York City on July 9th at 7pm at "Don't Tell Mama" - 343 W 46th Street - 212-757-0788 (reservations).

I sang five songs throughout the course of the night:
-On My Own
-When He Shines
-Love Changes Everything
-Then You Look At Me
-The Power of Love

Barry Lloyd was simply amazing both as a performer and as a pianist for all of us singers! I LOVED his accompaniement on all the songs I sang but his interpretation on "Love Changes Everything" and "The Power of Love" so moved me that I felt like piano and voice perfectly melded together. Thank you, Barry!

It was wonderful to see Ellen, Valerie, Marilyn, Maria, Bob and Bruce and very nice to meet Linda!

Thanks, also, to my new friend Dennis for showing up and then heading over to Martuni's with me where Katy rocked the keys! This lady can sing and play!

At Martuni's, I sang
-God Bless the Child
-Saving All My Love for You (a Whitney Housoton song requested by that nice guy sitting at the piano. I had never sung this song before but I had a lot of fun!)
-I Will Say Goodbye

What a fun night!

Take care,
Vandana

Hi,

Back at Martuni's last night with my friend John to work on a few new songs before the July NYC show and also sang a few favorites. As always, this place is a lot of fun on any night of the week.

Take care,
Vandana