News & Project Updates

• Pacific Mambo, Kotoja, Headline a Global Music Feast

10/11/2018

- San Francisco's Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park is one of the world's largest natural history museums, housing over 26 million specimens from around the world, in what is as well California's oldest museum. And on a recent memorable night, the venerable collection had a live soundtrack and private celebration well-befitting of its place and stature.

Guests to this private event had the after-hours of the museum to themselves, and once inside, the host wanted to take all on an exotic journey. Music led the way.

While exploring the Renzo Piano designed rebuild and its inhabitants, guests were serenaded by renown world music DJ HARRY DUNCAN, who set the mood with a vibrant global-soul mix that pulsed throughout the building's sound system. Once the special tours and presentations from astronauts, painters, and science experts were over, the crowd gathered in the expansive main piazza next to the 4-story rain forest and started moving to the afro-funk beats of African music stalwarts KOTOJA, as the 10-piece band laid down an irresistible, feel-good set. Then, Fiji's
RAKO PASEFIKA took everyone to islands far away with their native songs & dance.

With Duncan's mixes expertly connecting the dots between live sets, the Grammy award-winning PACIFIC MAMBO ORCHESTRA took the stage 13 members strong and brought the crowd to its dancing best. The Latin big band ignited the room with with its high energy blend of 40s - 60s golden era sounds of mambo, salsa, cha-cha, and Latin jazz. Feet and faces alike were smiling wide from the power of the PMO.

It was a sensory, mental and physical escape for all the guests of the host, a social justice organization involved in environmental, educational and immigration issues. All under an intoxicating blend of world music sounds from Africa, Latin America, Pacific Islands,
and all points in-between.

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Music curation and booking by BROKEN ARROW. Event production by e2k events.

• New Album and Tour from Shirley Grimes

9/20/2018

- Longtime Broken Arrow artist SHIRLEY GRIMES has announced a new album release and corresponding tour.

Hold on... is the Irish singer/songwriter's 8th album, and it releases worldwide on October 19. On November 2, Shirley and band set out on a 24-date tour starting with a sold-out show in Munchenbuchsee, Switzerland. A second Munchenbuchsee show has just been announced for Nov. 3.

The Hold On... tour follows the incredibly successful Lovesongs tour, which ran from 2015 - 2016. Lovesongs covered 72 shows, 24 of which were sellouts, and included three Bob Dylan tribute shows and three shows with the Biel Solothurn Symphony Orchestra. On the road as she was in the studio, Shirley will be accompanied on mandocello and bass by Wolfgang Zwiauer and by
Tom Etter on acoustic guitars.

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Music marketing, promotion, worldwide digital distribution by BROKEN ARROW

• Jam-Packed Night Sends Guests on a Global Musical Journey

6/22/2018

Yismari with Candela

Jeffrey Iqbal

- On a beautiful evening in the hills above San Francisco bay, world music and dance graced an elegant yet very lively annual celebration and party...

Musically, the night began in the mountains of western Bolivia and ended in the streets of Mumbai, India. In between, the lucky guests had an entertainment tour throughout Latin America, Europe and far-flung spots along the Caribbean.

Upon arrival guests were serenaded by the incredible MARIO and JOSE ORETEA, flamenco guitar virtuosos playing traditionals from their Bolivian homeland as well as from their mentors from France, the Gypsy Kings. The Latin jazz trio LaTiDo then took over during the catered dinner and played a wonderful set that hinted of musical journeys to come.

Bossa nova music created a sexy segue into the dance portion of the evening, which featured the RUEDA con RITMO dance group performing the "wheel" style of Cuban street dance to the music of Los Van Van. Then a solo dance performance by YISMARI to Camila Cabello's current mega-hit "Havana" was a show-stopper. Increasing the energy, the CANDELA salsa orchestra immediately lit into their fiery set and guests quickly jammed the dance floor, and stayed there. Guests only thought they were danced-out after Candela's last song... but once led inside, JEFFREY IQBAL hit them with big, India/Bollywood-style pop hits, and more dancing and fun were unavoidable.

In all, the exquisite setting and event were truly graced by an entire evening of fantastic live music and dance performances from around the world.

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Music Curation, Booking and Contracting by BROKEN ARROW. Event production by e2k and Taste Catering.

• Mehling, Samuels Light Spigit's Ignite 2018 Conference

5/23/2018

- Ideators came together for two days and nights in San Francisco recently for the annual Ignite conference by Spigit. Spigit is an industry leading ideation management platform, with offices in San Francisco, London and Sydney. Ignite 2018 landed at the stately Battery building in downtown SF and featured an A-list group of speakers and of course, entertainers.

Elevating the opening reception was the exquisite guitar stylings of PAUL MEHLING, the godfather of American gypsy jazz, and leader of the Hot Club of San Francisco. Following up at the closing party was the equally-exquisite jazz guitar of JORDAN SAMUELS, who regularly performs with the Electric Squeezebox Orchestra and other top ensembles, as well as his own trio.

Both artists brought a large amount of talent, creativity and distinction...and a lot of fun, to the social nights of Ignite 18. Well done to all.

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Music curation and booking by BROKEN ARROW. Event production by ANNA MARIE EVENTS

• Calico the Band Returns to Stagecoach

4/30/2018

- Coachchella's ever-popular and ever-growing sister festival Stagecoach took over the Empire Polo Club grounds in Indio, CA, this weekend for their annual country music festival, and
CALICO THE BAND was there gracing the grounds & stage for the second time in their brief history on Sunday. Produced by Goldenvoice, the day was headlined by Garth Brooks, with Keith Urban and Florida Georgia Line headlining the festival on Saturday and Friday nights.

Calico the Band distinctly features the dual lead-singers Manda Mosher and BROKEN ARROW artist KIRSTEN PROFFIT, and the stop was part of their tour supporting their wonderful sophomore release Under Blue Skies.

Well done, Ladies of the Canyon!

See & hear more of Kirsten here

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• Joe Perry Headlines "The Sound of Rock" Concert at CES

1/19/2018

- The Sound of Rock pervaded Las Vegas and the mammoth Consumer Electronics tradeshow with an all-star private concert headlined by famed AEROSMITH guitarist-extraordinaire JOE PERRY.

Joining Perry at the Brooklyn Bowl were ROBIN ZANDER of CHEAP TRICK, GARY CHERONE of EXTREME & VAN HALEN, and the DeLEO BROTHERS of the STONE TEMPLE PILOTS. The band blazed through a 17-song set including Aerosmith classics "Toys in the Attic" and "Walk This Way". The band also hit "Aye, Aye, Aye", the Zander-sung lead single to Perry's new solo release Sweetzerland Manifesto.

CES attracted over 184,000 attendees, but only a couple thousand received the special invitation to the private show, which promoted Perry's new line of products with Monster, Inc. The concert quickly became the talk of the convention and the exposure it brought to the product introduction was priceless. It was a home run for the band, the corporate hosts, and most of all, the fans!

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Music booking and contracting by BROKEN ARROW. Event production by BROOKLYN BOWL.

• 350 People, from 40 Countries, Join Together for 1 Song... The One River Voices Project

11/7/2017

Celebrating Diversity Through Music

- The song “One River” is a special collaboration between BROKEN ARROW singer/songwriter SHIRLEY GRIMES and cellist and conductor CLIODHNA NI AODAIN, two Irish artists residing in Switzerland, who offer a magical response to the recent political developments around the globe. The release is the culmination of the One River Voices project, which brought people from around the world to join together to participate in the recording of “One River”.

The purpose of the recording was to celebrate our ethnic and religious diversity, and to send a message of unity, respect, tolerance and love to a world where walls and discrimination are causing separation,fear and helplessness.

The positive message is a remake of the song “River” off of Grimes’ album Lovesongs, and features over 350 guest vocalists representing 40 different countries. Brought together from an open-to-all invitation on Grimes’ website, the participants joined together for one day in Bern, Switzerland, where they met and socialized, learned and rehearsed the song, and then participated in the recording session, all as the newly christened One River Voices. Grimes, her band, a string quartet, and the public choir were directed by Ní Aodáin, and the day brought untold joy, laughter and a few tears among the new friends. A video of the day was shot and was first publicly screened in Schloss Koniz in Bern. As well a music video for the song has also just been released.

Further encouraging connection through the joy of music, the score, multi-tracks and other tools are available online so that people around the world can do their own version of the song and share with us, and others.

One River – Millions of Voices

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• Kalli Releases New Video + Calico Releases New Album

10/20/2017

- Icelandic singer/songwriter KALLI has released a stunning new video for the title track of his new album Escape Artist. The video is the first full-length from the new album, which is Kalli's third solo record and first album release in almost six years. His last album Last Train Home was nominated for Album of the Year at the Icelandic Music Awards. Also from the new album is a
lyric video for the first single My Bird.

The video features a montage of incredible outdoor footage shot primarily in pre-dawn light throughout northern Iceland by Norwegian film director Darri Thorsteinsson. Kalli celebrates the new album release & video with a live appearance at the upcoming Iceland Airwaves Festival,
in Reykjavik, Nov. 4.
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- Southern California's Calico the Band featuring BROKEN ARROW artist KIRSTEN PROFFIT, has released their second album Under Blue Skies. The album features the song Break Your Heart (a Proffit composition), which has already been featured as the opening song in the new Tom Sizemore film Calico Skies.

Calico is currently on tour with a recent appearance in Nashville at the Americana Music Awards.

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• India.Arie Graces 2017 National Geographic Awards

9/5/2017

- For over 100 years, the National Geographic Society has annually honored the years’ greatest exploration and scientific achievements. When you have past honorees such as Charles Lindbergh, John Glenn, Louis and Mary Leakey and Neil Armstrong, you know that this is no ordinary awards show...

For 2017, the National Geographic Awards night culminated their “Celebration of Exploration” week in Washington, D.C., which featured many singular events throughout. Held at the Lisner Auditorium, itself a national landmark at George Washington University, National Geographic awarded the Hubbard Medal (their highest honor) to NEIL deGRASSE TYSON, and BERTRAND PICCARD and ANDRÉ BORSCHBERG, co-founders & pilots of the Solar Impulse – the first around-the-world solar flight – were awarded the prestigious Further Award.

For such a special year for the awards, National Geographic wanted to introduce a live musical element that would distinguish the event from years’ past. For that, and in harmony with the company’s worldwide appeal and respect, Broken Arrow brought in multiple Grammy-award winner INDIA.ARIE to headline and perform the opening and closing numbers. Her exquisite performances gave the year’s greatest global achievements the perfect soundtrack, and elevated the evening into anotherfar-reaching and resplendent Geographic photograph.

Hosting the evening was CBS Sunday Morning mainstay MO ROCCA, and SAM HARRIS of X AMBASSADORS also performed. Presenters included JAMES CAMERON and JASON SILVA.

Congratulations to all, and thank you for taking us Further.

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Music curation, booking & contracting by BROKEN ARROW; Event production e2k events

• Calico the Band Songs Open, Close Calico Skies

8/16/2017

- Calico Skies, starring Tom Sizemore, becomes available today on iTunes. The Valerio Esposito film opens with Calico the Band's "Break Your Heart" and closes with the beautiful
"Never Really Gone", both from Calico's debut album Rancho California.

Calico the Band features BROKEN ARROW artist KIRSTEN PROFFIT, who has had a number of songs and compositions in film and TV during her solo career, most notably the theme song to Jiminy Glick in Lalawood (Martin Short) and songs in TV's Nashville, Rizzoli & Isles, Friday Night Lights, Dawson's Creek and many others.

The film also stars Christina Bennett Lind, Malcolm Barrett and Vincent Pastore.

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• Kalli Releases New Album Escape Artist Today

8/8/2017

- BROKEN ARROW MUSIC and KALLI the former lead singer and songwriter for Reykjavik’s Without Gravity, will release Escape Artist, his first new album in over six years, on August 8. The 6-song EP is a return to the lush, atmospheric soundscapes reminiscent of his Icelandic homeland, from his last release’s exquisite sojourn into Nashville’s Americana stylings.

Kalli’s previous album Last Train Home (Broken Arrow / Smekkleysa) took the unexpected creative path from Reykjavik to Nashville, where he teamed with some of the town’s best musicians to release an album to widespread acclaim, culminating in a nomination for “Album of the Year” at the Icelandic Music Awards (eventual winner was Sigur Rós front man Jónsi’s solo release Go). The album had the distinct feel one might musically expect when influences from northern Iceland meet America’s front porch.

But Escape Artist fully returns Kalli to his homeland, and to working with longtime collaborator/producer Arnar G. (Leaves). The duo’s magic was first realized on Without Gravity’s recordings, then solidified with Kalli’s debut solo album While the City Sleeps.

As with all of Kalli’s releases, Escape Artist showcases his beautiful vocals and mystical sonic imageries which distinguish and elevate his songs beyond the norm. But here these elements are well moved forward.

The title track and “Head in the Clouds” are grand, muscular music beds juxtaposed beneath Kalli’s intimate vocals. “The River Wild” wonderfully follows its namesake’s natural transitions from peaceful movements to tumbling currents, and back again, throughout the journey.

“Stars in my Pocket” and the lead single “My Bird” showcase Kalli’s continued mastering of the hushed beauty first heard in Without Gravity: sparse, quiet reflections within mesmerizing, musical atmospheres. These are the tracks that give the listener Kalli’s best. Showing the strength of his arrangements, “My Bird” further shines as an instrumental: The album’s coda is a good example of why Kalli’s talents have also been utilized in over 14 films and television shows, including Emmy Award-winning Criminal Minds, City State, and French César Award-winner
The Grocer’s Son.

Escape Artist shows Kalli in a warmly-welcomed return home to Iceland, and yet another push against his own boundaries. It is music to the eyes and ears.

Available: Apple Music / Spotify / Amazon / Deezer

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• Matt Jaffe Elevates College Track's Annual Fundraiser

7/10/2017

- On a beautiful afternoon on the equally beautiful campus of Pixar Animation Studios,
MATT JAFFE & THE DISTRACTIONS brought the electricity to a food truck-ringed outdoor festival, as the young power-pop trio rocked College Track’s annual
benefit of 2017.

College Track is a nonprofit public benefit corporation whose mission is to “empower students from underserved communities to graduate from college”. The comprehensive ten-year program founded by Laurene Powell Jobs and Carlos Watson, works with students from before high school through college graduation, providing academic support, leadership training, financial advising and scholarships. Among their many supporters are will.i.am, Mariah Carey, Kevin Hart, Tim Cook and Jamie Fox.

The Distractions, fittingly enough in the same age group as the students of College Track, are fast becoming known in their own right, sharing stages so far with the likes of Wilco, Mavis Staples and Chuck Prophet. But tonight, they were the headliner, along with the great accomplishments from the kids of College Track.

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Music curation, booking & contracting by BROKEN ARROW. Event production by e2k events.

• Kalli Releases New Single "My Bird"

6/6/2017

- KALLI's first single from the forthcoming album Escape Artist was released worldwide today. "My Bird" is Kalli's first new release since "Road Trip" hit back in February of 2013.

"My Bird" is vintage Kalli. Lush vocals over an atmospheric sonic template that takes one on a journey around and within the aural peaks of his homeland of Iceland. The songs quiet opening steadily leads into a stronger flow and continues, gaining strength long after the vocals have stopped, reminding of the river Kalli so often sings about and reassuringly revisits here.

Kalli's new EP Escape Artist will be released this summer, and will be his first release since the highly acclaimed
Last Train Home, which among other accolades was nominated for Album of the Year at the Icelandic Music Awards.

iTunes
Deezer
Spotify
Amazon
YouTube

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• Emerson Collective Launches New Environmental Programs

5/9/2017

- Leading into Earth Day, Emerson Collective, a social impact organization headed by Laurene Powell Jobs, brought together a few hundred special guests, including former Secretary of State John Kerry, to celebrate the launch of their new environmental philanthropy and advocacy arm and a new partnership with a clean energy incubator.

Highlighting the evening was the appointment of their first fellow, Dr. Ernest J. Moniz, former Secretary of Energy under President Obama, who will work with Emerson on community issues created by moving to a low carbon energy future.

To distinctively transition the opening reception into the main event - a fireside chat between Dr. Moniz and Andy Karsner, Managing Partner of Emerson and former climate negotiator and policymaker - BROKEN ARROW brought in the singular talents of Hang master KEVIN KIHARA. Kihara exhibited the cultural and community elements evident within Emerson’s objectives, and the exotic sounds of the Hang - an inverted steel resonator - gave the crowd a perfect Earth Day audio trip into nature that undoubtedly had been unheard by most.

Kihara performed solo and was then joined by Hawaii Poet Laureate KEALOHA for a unique collaboration of spoken word and hang. In all, a great beginning to a wonderful cause.

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Music curation & booking by BROKEN ARROW. Event production by EMERSON COLLECTIVE

• Kalli Readies New Single; Calico Hits the U.K.

4/11/2017

- Icelandic singer-songwriter KALLI will be releasing a new single in early June. Following on the heels of his highly successful album Last Train Home ("Album of the Year" nomination for the Icelandic Music Awards), the single "My Bird" will precede a new EP release Escape Artist this summer.

- California Country artists and Ladies of the Canyon CALICO THE BAND venture across the pond in April for their first tour in the U.K. The double-bill with TED RUSSELL KAMP hits London, Newcastle, York, Brighten and points in-between. The ladies will also be releasing a new album Under Blue Skies this summer. Tour info and full dates here.

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• Mat Callahan Unlocks "SF Sound" Origins in New Book

1/16/2017

- As the golden anniversary of the "Summer of Love" blooms before us, BROKEN ARROW artist
MAT CALLAHAN illuminates an engrossing history to this cultural phenomenon and its origins, in his new book The Explosion of Deferred Dreams - Musical Renaissance and Social Revolution in San Francisco, 1965 - 1975 (PM Press).

The book provides a fascinating and educational reexamination of a period which shaped San Francisco’s global reputation over the subsequent fifty years, exploring dynamic music and political links between the Black Panther Party and Sly and the Family Stone, the United Farm Workers and Santana, the Indian Occupation of Alcatraz and the San Francisco Mime Troupe, and the New Left and the Counterculture. Callahan reframes the political and social contexts for the San Francisco Sound, and the vibrant subcultural uprisings with which it is associated.

A must-read for anyone who "was there", or longed to have been! Explosion invites us to rethink an era that assumes a mythical role in contemporary American culture. Callahan will be doing a promotional tour for the book in Spring, 2017, and be sure to check out his wonderful album
A Wild Bouquet featuring Les Claypool (Primus), Brain (Tom Waits) and Joe Gore (PJ Harvey).

"In this landmark work, Mat Callahan painstakingly braids disparate threads of the rich tapestry of San Francisco - music, politics, race, culture. In this vast, panoramic portrait, Callahan digs out social/political undercurrents that have never been more thoroughly explored."
- Joel Selvin, longtime chief music critic of the San Francisco Chronicle, and
author of Summer of Love: The Inside Story of LSD, Rock & Roll, Free Love and
High Times in the Wild West;

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• 20 Years of Difference Making for Pachamama Alliance

11/29/2016

- Broken Arrow was honored to be involved with Events for Change for Pachamama Alliances’ big 20th Anniversary celebration at Fort Mason Pavilion in San Francisco. Pachamama ("mother Earth") nonprofit is a global community protecting and preserving indigenous peoples & lands with roots in the deep Amazon rainforest and the Achuar people.
A wonderful cause that has made a difference.

Highlights of the evening included a dinner from Taste Catering, talks from some of the leaders of the Achuar people, a showcase of accomplishments, and a big blowout dance-concert by
EDGARDO CAMBON and CANDELA. Led by the Uruguayan Cambon, Candela was the ideal choice for the evening, as they beautifully delivered Cumbia, Bachata, Candombe, Salsa, Samba and other Latin music styles, perfectly soundtracking the full South American heritage of Pachamama.

Congratulations to Pachamama and continued success for the next 20 years.

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Music curation & booking by BROKEN ARROW. Event production by Events for Change

• End of the Road for Shirley Grimes' Lovesongs Tour

10/28/2016

Shirley with Kaspar Zehnder, Conductor Biel Solothurn Symphony

- After 72 shows over 20 months, SHIRLEY GRIMES' Lovesongs tour is nearing the end.

Starting in February, 2015, with the release of her 7th album, Lovesongs took Shirley and band on an adventure that was hard to stop. But stop it will on November 27, in Bern, Switzerland, after an amazing run.

Highlights were many, but standing out were 3 shows with the Biel Solothurn Symphony Orchestra, which Shirley said was a "dream come true". Also mixed into the tour Shirley headlined three "A Tribute to Bob Dylan" shows which all sold out. Both the album and the tour have been unprecedented successes: In all, 24 shows (so far) were confirmed sell outs with the band returning to some markets for additional shows throughout the run.

What's next for Shirley? Hopefully another album with more gorgeous songs, and just perhaps, another tour??

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• Rob Garza of Thievery Corp. Elevates Singularity Summit

9/28/2016

- Singularity University aims big, to say the least.

As a Silicon Valley-based think tank/incubator/educational benefit (B) corp., it focuses on utilizing cutting-edge technologies to find global solutions to humanity's critical issues. It was founded in 2008 by noted futurist Ray Kurzweil and X Prize founder & VC Peter Diamandis at the NASA Research Park in order to grow a community of global change makers to take on the task...

So when they decided to host their first global summit, it had to be extraordinary. The exclamation point was to be a nighttime celebration and party designed to take the summit to the next level.

And that it did. Broken Arrow brought in ROB GARZA of THIEVERY CORPORATION to headline a special night for the conference guests at an industrial offsite location. The critically and universally popular DJ tandem was in the midst of their own worldwide 20th Anniversary Tour when Rob broke away to lay down an ultra-delicious groove-heavy mix in front of a 70-foot video wall for the futurists, many of which were huge fans of Thievery.

Guests also enjoyed a silent disco mix competition between 3 other local DJs in a downstairs lounge, and perhaps best of all, no speeches! Just fun, dancing, eating and chilling to celebrate the success of this unique difference maker. Beautifully produced by e2k with great audio/video support from Madrone Studios.

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• Calico Debuts New Album at McCabe's

8/3/2016

- Calico The Band will debut their new album Under Blue Skies with many special guests at the venerable McCabe's in Santa Monica on Aug. 5.

Coming off the heels of their award winning debut Rancho California, which featured songs heard in TV shows such as ABC's "Nashville" and NBC's "The Night Shift", and fueled their concerts such as their appearance at the Stagecoach Festival with members of the Foo Fighters, these ladies of the canyon, featuring Broken Arrow artist & client KIRSTEN PROFFIT, take some time from their current Lasso the Sun Tour to host a special night for their fans. Many stellar musicians will be joining Calico in the intimate setting, and no doubt will try to do the hall justice. All attending & purchasing advance tickets will receive a free copy of the new album upon release, which features 11 new originals and a wonderful version of Joni Mitchell's classic "Ladies of the Canyon."

Find a great musician and chances are they've played at McCabe's at some point during its 58 year run. From Etta James to John Lee Hooker to Linda Ronstadt, if the stage could talk it wouldn't know what to say... it'd simply point at the past concert list and smile.

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