Doo Wop under the Moonlight

When I heard that the Doo Wop Project was coming back to the Moonlight Amphitheatre, it was a no-brainer that I would attend. Other than the venue, I had never really explored Vista. My friend Mona picked urbn (yes, that’s who it’s spelled) pizza for dinner (which also has a location near my house). The mashed potato pizza must be tried to be believed. Afters, cooler temperatures be damned as we got desert at Handel’s ice cream.



Yes, in southern California, we bundle up when it dips below 60 degrees.



The Moonlight Amphitheatre was decked out for the holidays, which paired with the cooler (!) temperatures helped make us all feel festive.



Yup, blankets. I’m sure you east coast readers feel sorry for us.



Once those Doo Wop Project harmonies began, everyone warmed up.



The Fab Five:



Charl before:



And after, as the spirit of Rudolph and the other reindeer took over:



It is so much fun to watch the joyous interactions that these guys exude every time they perform together.



Afterwards, I got to visit with them as they had to swat off the other audience members who were clamoring for autographs. I predict amazing things for Dwayne in the New Year!



The post will end with a little clip from one of my favorite numbers, “Shop Around.”



I need to find out where these guys shop! See more Doo Wop Project photos at my main website.

2020: A Year in Review, Pt. 1

2020 is a year that will go down in history as…well, yet to be determined how it will be classified, but for many it was not a year for good memories. I have been very fortunate in that the pandemic allowed me more time with Willis, continued employment, and the ability to travel via automobile. My number one goal was to improve my health, which meant better eating and a regular exercise regimen. I also made it a goal to get back to the canvas and start painting, which I did, too. This post is a quick summary of the highlights, which started with the virgin trip to Joshua Tree State Park. I was in the Palm Springs area for the wedding of my very good friends Kamy and Amanda. It was definitely one of the most beautiful and touching ceremonies I have been invited to. The Parker Hotel in Palm Springs was the perfect backdrop.

The ready-made family of Amanda, Famous the dog, and Kamy:

The one (and only) plane trip of the year was to Austin, Texas to visit my brother and his family.

I allowed myself one night at the South Congress Hotel, so that I could get some shots of an area I hadn’t really explored before.

The hotel was an excellent choice; hip, clean, and the perfect location.

Neon was in abundance on Congress Avenue:

Back in California, I had the honor of doing the “farewell” shoot of the Dearly Departed Museum in Hollywood before everything was packed up and put in storage.

I was able to get up close and personal with the Jayne Mansfield death car:

The Shirley Temple that Shirley Temple refused!

My one and only “live” concert for 2020 was to hear The Doo Wop Project when they performed in Palm Springs:

It’s always a treat to hear these guys in concert.

2020 marked my first trip to the Anzo Borrego desert:

The pandemic allowed me to capture these shots of an empty Balboa Park at sunset:

There were still reasons to celebrate in 2020; I was hired to do a graduation shoot at San Diego State University:

SO many firsts for me in 2020, including lunch at the Rainbow Oaks Restaurant in Fallbrook:

…and my first trip on the Angels Flight Railway:

While in Laguna Beach for a photo shoot, I captured this. Yes, the anger that was building in this nation was palpable.

A photo shot took me back to Long Beach, which is so close to where I live but a place I rarely spend time in.

I dined twice at the Bali Hai Restaurant on Shelter Island:

I decided to wear a vintage Hawaiian shirt that belonged to my dad. I had worn it frequently during my college years, and it still fit!

I joined Eric Lynxwiler (neon aficionado and LA history/Knott’s Berry Farm expert) and Darin for the first dining experience at Bali Hai:

…and with the group of guys I have been doing my outdoor workouts with. We definitely had earned our dinner (and drinks)!

Stay tuned for Part 2 on Monday! See more Daveland photos at my main website.

Doo Wop in the Desert

The other night I had the opportunity to see The Doo Wop Project in concert at the McCallum Theatre in Palm Desert. This is the fourth time I’ve seen them; does that make me a groupie?

We took a few shots before the concert. I can’t give enough praise for this talented quintet who are just about the nicest group of guys you could meet. Each one is uniquely gifted and together they create pure magic on stage.

There’s Charl:



Russell:



Dwayne:



and the two Doms:



Two Doms make it right!



The music will put a smile on your face and you’ll be singing it for days afterwards. Probably not as good they do, but you’ll still be singing.



Check out their tour schedule and get your tickets now!

See more McCallum Theatre photos at my main website.

Jersey Girl, Pt. 4

Today’s post is dedicated to just one evening’s activity: driving all the way out to BFE to the Moonlight Theatre in Vista to see The Doo Wop Project. It takes a lot to get me to Vista. Even though the group was minus the two Doms (Dominic Nolfi and Dominic Scaglione), it was a fantastic night of music and fun. How could you not be entertained with Dwayne Cooper’s singing, dancing, and flirting with the audience...



...and Tony Award nominee Charl Brown’s smooth moves and grooves:



Get Dwayne and Charl together and you can’t go wrong:



Nemo’s got nothing on Dwayne:



Five guys singing Doo Wop...it really must be heard (and seen) to be believed; especially when they “Doo-Woop-afy” the modern tunes, like Michael Jackson’s “The Way You Make Me Feel.” One of my favorites of the evening.



A change of costume:





Don’t try this at home, folks. You’ll throw your back out!



After the show we went backstage and got to meet Charl’s family. Just as nice as could be.



With Dwayne and Charl:



Melissa shows off yet another cute outfit:



This little video clip I shot on my crappy cellphone doesn’t begin to capture the evening, but I’m including it anyway. Charl making “Tears of a Clown” his very own:



Check out the Doo Wop Project’s tour schedule and make sure you catch them when they come to your area!

ONE more installment! Stay tuned!

See more Daveland photos at my main website.