Andy Labis, Author at Entertainment Ave!

One of My Favorite Photos: Five Moons in The Bay

By:

The Dude on the Right
At first I considered blogging about my attempt, today, to get on the "Wheel of
Fortune," but I’m not really up for some sad story-telling tonight (as you can
guess my audition slip didn’t get pulled from the big, gold drum, but an older
lady, barely able to walk, with an accent heavier than a ton of bricks, well,
her slip did get pulled, and if that makes me sound bitter, well, yea, I am), so
I thought I would blog about something that every time I see it, it just brings
a smile to my face.

What could do something like that? Well, of the
thousands of pictures I have taken over the years, between the concert photos,
the candid photos, the sports photos, there has always been one that is in my
top ten of the most memorable photos I have taken but for years it was sort of
lost. Then, a few days ago, as I have been diligently digitizing my
negatives, I finally came across it, and as my scanner finally did its job I
yelled, "There it is, ‘Five Moons in The Bay!’"

It was over ten years ago, in
1997, on a trip to Long Beach Island, NJ, where a whole slew of my friends
decided that spending a 4th of July weekend in New Jersey had more potential for
fun rather than hanging out in Chicago, and it was fun. But as my luck
would have it, on a lovely New Jersey night, with the moon aligned just right,
and the reflections coming off of the bay, I was able to snap a masterpiece with
my trusty camera. Was it my ultimate masterpiece? Well, I don’t
know, only time will tell, and when I die, like all great artists, we will be
able to see how it stacks up with the likes of the great photographers, but as
photographs are sometimes supposed to make you smile, this might be my "Pièce de
résistance."

Without further ado, I give you, if you scroll down a bit, …

Five Moons in The Bay

Five Moons Over the Bay, www.entertainmentavenue.com

That’s it for this one!
I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!

What’s New? A CD Review of “Exile on Mainstream” from Matchbox Twenty.

The Dude on the Right has one memory he tries to treasure, and that was interviewing Matchbox Twenty when they were matchbox 20, before they hit it big, and finally got a tour bus. But who in the hell gives a crap about that, what about their new CD, “Exile on Mainstream.” The Dude loved the fact that most of the boys got together to write and record the new songs and gives the fan six new songs, at probably the best ratio of “new songs” to “greatest hits” songs ever on a “Greatest Hits” compilation. Now he just hopes for a tour and a chance to interview them again, some 10+ years later, and wonders if Rob Thomas ever got the boys to go to an off-ramp to record some songs.

What’s New? A Podcast of: Apple Releases a Leopard, Here Comes Halloween, and Teases from “The Bachelor.”

The Dude on the Right is flying solo for this Thursday podcast, and advises anyones who listens to replace the word “Wallow” with the word “Rejoice.” He admits he was confused, but he was happy to rejoice in the dismissal of Hillary on “The Bachelor,” even if it is mean. He also talks about his review, or rather just discusses, the release of Apple’s Mac OS X Leopard, wondering if its release might impact his iPhone. The Dude also talks about Drew Carey hosting “The Price is Right,” hopes Paris Hilton’s latest setback doesn’t send her on the road to partying, and he’s paranoid about Halloween. Okay, maybe not paranoid, but he hates being stuck with so much candy.

Apple Releases a Leopard, Here Comes Halloween, and Teases from “The Bachelor.”

By:

The Dude on the Right
First off, for this podcast, as you listen and I say “Wallow in misery,” or
something like that, please replace the word “Wallow” with “Rejoice.” Sure, it’s
mean, because it’s making fun of Hillary totally losing it on “The Bachelor,”
but her dismissal is why I watch the show.

But this podcast isn’t all about TV shows probably no one watches, I also do
my review, or rather a discussion, about Apple’s release of Mac OS X, called
Leopard. Since I don’t have an Apple computer, although I always think of
getting one, it really doesn’t mean much to me, but I do have an iPhone and hope
it might add some new stuff, although one of the new stuff I would like is for
the iPhone calendar to easily synch with the Google calendar, and since that has
nothing to do with an operating system I guess I’m dreaming.

I also am starting to stress about Halloween coming next week, and give you
some quick stories about Drew Carey hosting “The Price is Right” and how I hope
Paris Hilton’s latest setback doesn’t put her back on the road to partying.

Here’s to your partying, and Paris’ not!

Thanks for listening.

That’s it for this one! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!

Download and Listen

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November 2007 Might Get Me Back to Concerts.

By:

The Dude on the Right
Maybe it was my excitement of getting a ticket to see

Garth Brooks at my local movie theater, or maybe it’s just because I need to
finally get out of my "not reviewing concerts" funk, or maybe I just need to get
the fuck out the dude-pad and quit watching TV, or maybe I need to get back with
the concert going people, but as look back with regret at all of the concerts
I’ve missed for the year, the end of October and most of November finally might
get me off of my ass to review some concerts in Chicagoland. There are a
ton of shows I would like to see, oddly most not legendary (Neil Young and

John Fogerty aside), but shows I know have the potential for something great
like

Kid Rock at the Aragon Brawlroom, I mean Aragon Ballroom, or

Sammy Hagar at the "way-to-nice-although-George
Thorogood-played there too" Rialto Square Theatre in Joliet, IL. If I
can pull it off quick enough I would like to see "Augustana" at the House of
Blues to close October, and as much as I love Marc Cohn, I’ve never seen Kelly
Clarkson and always wanted to, and she’s at the Chicago Theater next week.
A Saturday tosses a decision of shooting for radio dude

Jonathon Brandmeier in a crazy Sundance Saloon v. Red Jumpsuit Apparatus at
a not so crazy Vic Theatre, and then, if I can’t get a chance to see Garth
Brooks live and in the flesh early in his 9 show stint in Kansas City, I’m sure
Stu Gotz would like to see

Tori Amos wiggling on her piano stool at the Auditorium Theatre.

And
that’s only half of November.

Continuing, as much as I would like to see Gary
Allan opening up for Keith Urban at the Allstate Arena, I’m thinking I’ll like
the
Shaw/Blades (that’s Tommy Shaw from

Styx and other bands, and Jack Blades from Night Ranger and other bands)
show at Joe’s on Weed Street a hell of a lot better if I can get there early
enough to get a spot at the front of the stage for photo purposes. Then
there is Vanessa Carlton at the perfect Park West, and even though she has a new
album out I would like to see her play "White Houses" (even though Steve Dahl in
Chicago at WCKG couldn’t seem to get a line in the song right when it came out),
but the Thanksgiving holiday might throw a monkey wrench into my seeing "The
Swell Season," the group of musicians from the movie "Once"
whom I’ve come to love lately.

As October comes to a close I’m guessing I’ll
miss "Hall
& Oates" at The Vic due to a reunion weekend, but as December hits, on the
1st, a new dilemma comes: Shoot for

Billy Joel at the Sears Center in Hoffman Estates or stake my spot at the
reunion dinner.

The end of October, all of November, and the beginning of
December have so many choices. I suppose I just better get off of my ass
and make some, choices that is. And quit watching so much damn TV.

That’s it for this one!
I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!

What’s New? A Podcast of: Stu & The Dude’s Weekend Wrap-Up! The Dude does Movies, Stu does Jewel, The Dude Walks, and Stu MySims.

For this podcast of “Stu & The Dude’s Weekend Wrap-Up!”, don’t believe the title about Stu Gotz doing Jewel, he only went to see Jewel in concert thanks to Mama Gotz. Stu, also, didn’t enjoy the lovely weekend weather in Chicagoland, instead he forgot “Sweetest Day” and walkthrough’d his MySims game. The Dude on the Right, though, got out of his mourning the loss of the Cleveland Indians and into his afternoon by talking about the Chicago Bears win. The Dude also tells Stu about some movies he saw, and dreams of being on “Wheel of Fortune.” The Dude’s dreams don’t reach that high sometimes.

Stu & The Dude’s Weekend Wrap-Up! The Dude does Movies, Stu does Jewel, The Dude Walks, and Stu MySims.

By:

The Dude on the Right
The fall weather
finally seems to be upon us here in Chicagoland today, but the weekend was
anything like fall. I’m surprised Stu Gotz was able to make it, but here we
both are for our

Weekend Wrap-Up Podcast! Me, I did catch a couple of movies, namely “The
Comebacks” and “Rendition,”
so I give Stu my take on them, while Mama Gotz took Stu to see Jewel who
still

hasn’t sent Stu some of her underwear. We also talk some sports
especially since the loss by the Cleveland Indians left me in mourning,
but talking with Stu about the Chicago Bears win got me to afternoon.

As far as the enjoying the weather
part I at least got out to enjoy it with a couple of walks, while Stu missed it
although he did walkthrough his MySims game.

I also tell Stu about my dream to be
on "Wheel of Fortune," and since they are having auditions in Chicago
this weekend, I’m thinking of giving it my shot as the "Wheelmobile"
visits nearby for an upcoming Chicago taping. Sure, the website says over
a million people tried out with only 600 getting on the show last year, leaving
my chances at actually making it all the way to the show at something like a
whopping .06%, but hey, what else would I have to do on a Saturday afternoon
other than see "Saw IV?"

Thanks for listening.

That’s it for this one! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!

Download and Listen

Subscribe Here

I’ve Got a Ticket for Garth Brooks!

By:

The Dude on the Right
I can’t believe it! After all of these years I am going to see him in
concert again! No, it’s not Bruce Springsteen (he wanted almost a hundred
bucks for his concert tickets), nor

Rick Springfield. No, it’s not

Neil Diamond, nor is it

Wayne Newton (thankfully he’s finally off "Dancing With the Stars.")
And no, it’s not even

Roger Waters.

I’m going to see the one and only

Garth Brooks, in concert, at the Kerasotes ShowPlace 16, in Naperville,
IL. And StubHub be damned, it’s only costing me eleven bucks (damn
Fandango fee)!

Yup, there it was, Friday morning, and as I was getting ready
to see "The
Comebacks" I remembered tickets for Garth were going on sale that morning.
So I fired up my computer, headed to the Garth Brooks website, clicked on the
link to buy tickets, and they kept sending me to the Fathom Events’ site which
was obviously overloaded, and it was just like trying to get home opener tickets
for the Chicago Cubs – I kept getting denied any access. Then it occurred
to me, and I headed to the Fandango website, and sure enough, with minutes I had
it: My receipt that I would have a ticket to see the man, the myth, the
legend, the dude who won’t tour until his kids are grown – Garth Brooks.

And
it only cost me eleven bucks (ten bucks for the ticket, one buck for the
Fandango folks)!

Okay, sure, I’ll be in Naperville, IL., during a concert that
is actually taking place in Kansas City, MO., but the ten dollar cost actually
got my investigative interest up, namely what will it be like to attend a
"concert" at my local gigaplex? I know they don’t serve beer at my local
movie theater so I’m guessing there won’t be an issue of the dude behind me
dumping his beer down the back of my shirt. I know you can’t smoke, but I
also wonder if the smell of some wacky-weed might permeate the air at times?
Will people be using their cell phones as "lighters" during some of the
reflective songs? Will I be able to use my iPhone to take a picture of the
screen?

The other thing that I really wonder is if there is a "secondary"
demand for tickets to see Garth Brooks at a movie theater. After I figured
out the Fandango option, and got my single ticket, I wondered if I should have
bought the maximum allowed, maybe even "invested" money across these United
States, to buy as many tickets for a Garth Brooks concert at a movie theater,
and then simply tried to double my money. Could I have used Craigslist,
eBay, StubHub, or any other of the many places to post tickets for sale, and
then made a little more money on the handling part of the "shipping and
handling" of the transaction? But no, I was too lazy, hell, I didn’t even
ask any of my friends who are Garth Brooks fans if they wanted to go, so if I
can get my ass out the door, on November 14th, I’m going to see Garth Brooks on
my movie screen.

And now all I can really think is "Can Garth Brooks actually
put on a concert to excite a group of people watching him at a movie theater?"
If he can Garth might go down as the best entertainer, ever, otherwise I’ll just
be kind of pissed that I didn’t stay at home and watch "Bionic Woman."

Now all I’ve got to do is figure out how to see him live, in Kansas City, MO.

That’s it for this one!
I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!

What’s New? A Movie Review of “Rendition.”

For this movie review of “Rendition“ by The Dude on the Right, he thought there was actually a really good movie buried in between too many story-lines trying to be forced together. And, oh yea, he also didn’t like the “twist” at the end showing you that one of the story-lines wasn’t in the same chronological order as the other things going on. The Dude also would have preferred Reese Witherspoon not being pregnant, with most of the movie concentrated on her in Washington D.C. fighting politicians, but if you go and see “Rendition” be prepared to be told how all of the pieces fit together.

What’s New? A Movie Review of “The Comebacks.”

Movie reviews, like this one for “The Comebacks,” always have The Dude on the Right fearing he will lose any ounce of credibility as a reviewer, and not because the review sucks, but because he liked a movie that most reviewers will think sucks. He suggests you watch the trailer for the film because it tells you exactly what to expect. The movie is rated PG-13 so Brooke Nevin keeps her clothes on, but she does have a nice cure for “the dropsies.”