Well started 2014 with a well deserved trip to our home in Florida seeking out sun and fun.   Here for 3 weeks we have only had 2 days of sun and fun.  It's been the coldest January Florida has seen in years, BUT, it's still better than the frigid cold and snow of what has been happening up north.

We did get to Sanibel/Captiva Island for 1 beach day and also had 2 brunch Sundays at the Key Lime Bistro.  This Captiva restaurant features a great guitar player so brunch here is very very nice.

The highlight of this trip was our sunset cruise out of Ft. Myers beach with FantaSea Cruises.  Our Capt, Paul West was the perfect host and with only the 2 of us on this 3 hour sailboat cruise, the night was AMAZING!  Will do this trip over and over again.  It's a must do!

Having less than 48 hours left in Cape Coral, I am looking forward to getting back into the swing of what 2014 has waiting for me with work.  It should be another great year and I'm looking forward to the challenges.

The negative of looking ahead is that in May my son and daughter-in-law will end their time in Scranton, PA and return to southern California.  Staff Sgt. Matthew Pagano will end his recruiting duty and return to the fleet with his new job at Camp Pendleton.  It been great having him near me although we did not see each other as often as I had hoped due to all of our schedules.  I will miss them very much BUT I do see a few trips to California....  

So, 2014 lets get started!

Well, the Jingle Ball Tour has come to an end and if I say so myself, it was a huge success.  I wish I had good gossip to report, but there were no news making events.   Just a GREAT tour!  Looks as though next year will be bigger and better.

To end the year, I have been selected to direct the new mayor of NYC's inauguration.  Cindy and I will spend New Years Eve in NYC as I have setup and rehearsals that day and we will attend a private hotel event for the new year.  Should be a fun time!

We are heading down to our home in Florida right after that for a much needed rest.....  HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Sitting in my Chicago hotel on our 2nd leg of our east coast tour watching the snow fall and wondering if tomorrows show will be affected.

Our show in Philadelphia was sold out and OUTSTANDING!  All our acts:  Robin Thicke, Pitbull, Paramore, Avril Levigne and Flo Rida were fantastic.

We will have basically the same acts on our 7 city tour with Miley Cyrus popping in and out with us.....   SOLD OUT in most of our cites is pretty exciting and they are now talking about adding more cities next year.   I'm there.....


When your on the road it is very exciting to say the least, but I do miss my family!  When you have a marriage such as mine, you want to spend all of it together....  The good thing is Cindy will join me in NYC next week for our Madison Square Garden show so at least we spend a little time together and maybe we can go see the XMAS tree at 10 Rock.

Once the tour is over I get home on the 21st and looking forward to my son and daughter-in-law spending a few days with us......and in January back to Florida for some rest and fun!


I would like to wish everyone involved in my life a VERY HAPPY and SAFE HOLIDAY season........  See you in 2014! 


LOVE YOU ALL!

First of all the Michael J Fox event was amazing!   

Now, in my last blog I stated " a few more gigs"?   Well that sure was premature....

I have been booked on the Jingle Ball 2013 I-Heart radio holiday tour for December.  We start out in Philly to Chicago, Atlanta, DC, NYC, Tampa and Miami.     There are 2 tours.  East and West so this is going to be a massive event for the holidays.  Not too mention that the New York show will be recorded for the CW network.

Who's performing do you ask?  Miley Cyrus, Robin Thicke, Selena Gomez just to name a few.  December has turned into a monster of a month, but would not have it any other way.......      ROCK ON!

Well fall is here and we are in awards show heaven.   Just to update as to what is upcoming.

Princess Grace Awards (Scott Mauro - producer) is an amazing yearly event.  It celebrates the arts and has some of the most amazing celebs in the industry.   This year we honor Cicely Tyson.  

Next is Michael J. Fox (Dan Parisi - Producer).  This yearly event is not only star studded but my 9th year working with Michael.  Although having  parkinson's, he looks better than ever and I think we will have him around for a LONG TIME!

November is International Emmy Awards month.   This show always tapes the Monday before Thanksgiving and being my 5th year as the director I'm totally syc'd for this year.  Just wish it would air in the US.  Europe, South America and Asia get to see it.... OH WELL

Also this month we have a Robin Hood event and in December there is Unicef and Peter Gabriel's "Witness" foundation.

A few gigs in between and we have another exciting fall...........   

AFP

I was invited to Harrisburg, PA today to witness my son's promotion to Staff Sergeant.  When I arrived and met up with he and his bride, he told me that I along with his wife, were going to pin him with his new rank.

What an HONOR for any father to have that opportunity.   I just want to say "THANK YOU MATTHEW".   

It's one of those moments that make life worth living!

As I have mentioned in earlier posts, I have been in this business over 30 years and during my career it's been a real rush to do what I do, BUT, in those years I have never lost site of what was the most important thing in my life and if you have not guessed it yet, it's FAMILY.

I have told colleagues over the years, that I would give it all up for my family and I'm proud to say I have never drifted from that statement.

Recently my son, who has been in the Marine Corp short of 12 years and has spent 5 tours of duty in Iraq with 3 of them in heavy combat. He is currently on recruiter duty in Scranton, PA and has been awarded the top recruiter in PA for the past year and a half.  Well he called me a few weeks back to tell me he has been promoted to Staff Sergeant on October 1, 2013 and would like me to attend his ceremony in Harrisburg, PA.

I received a call from a friend who wanted me to take a HUGE gig at an International Food event which would  have taken me away from my sons very important day.  It did not take me long to make the decision not to accept this gig as I have never gone back on a promise i have made to either of my sons.

Now, I'm not bragging about the kind of father I am, but I want to make a point here.  Our careers, especially in this business are special, but as we sometimes say, "It's Just Television".  Don't ever lose site of what is really important and what is ego........  Family in my mind is everything and when you finally say "RAP" to your career, no matter how successful it may be, the only thing you have to turn to is "YOUR FAMILY".

Just saying!

AFP

Well as the summer of 2013 has come and gone, we move on to another year of ENTERTAINMENT.

September usually starts my year and July is it's closing.  This year we start with a trip to Washington DC for 4 days with Worldstage and Greenwich, CT to end the month.

October usually starts slow this point in time but picks up big time as September moves on.   We have a trip to Omaha with "Play" with my years Breast Cancer Research Foundation and Princess Grace Awards not too mention Peter Gabriels "Witness" event which every year is always a great night.   

So with that said I look forward to fall and the rest of 2013 (happy that the Myans were wrong) and to a great 2014.

BUT, lets not forget about fun-time, January is usually a Florida month for my wife and I with the highlight being NEW YEARS EVE in Cape Coral, Florida.

Enjoy your year

Talk soon!
AFP

Well before heading down to the sunshine state, thought I would check in with some mid-year observations.

The first half of 2013 was and still is a great year so far but as I look forward to my 2nd half, I am looking forward to new challenges.  It's funny that in this industry you loose some and win some.   We (an entire tech and production team) lost a major event in September which really puts a damper on your financial projections, but all is not lost.   There are other opportunities that will come along and make up for not only the money lost, but will be added opportunities down the road.  My second half of the year is always exciting with upcoming events such as:  The International Emmy Awards, Michael J. Fox, Princess Grace Foundation, Peter Gabriel's "Witness" gala, etc.  These are all very high end projects and again, I feel blessed to be a part of this community known as "ENTERTAINMENT".

So enjoy the rest of your summer as we all move on and forward to NEW EXCITING TIMES!

What do Major League Baseball, the NY Philharmonic and Mariah Carey have in common?

A CONCERT IN CENTRAL PARK, NY on the eve of Major League Baseballs All-Star game at Citi Field.

Putting these 3 elements together made for a great evening of entertainment.  Having the opportunity to direct this show on July 13, 2013 was interesting and an honor to say the least.   These 3 parts of the puzzle are about as opposite to one another as you can be, but when you combine them, not only does it work,  it rolled as one and being in Central Park, NY just added to the excitement.

Our reviews were excellent!  The evening started out with the NY Philharmonic on-stage as they brought up  the legendary Joe Torre to read "Casey At The Bat", closing out the the first half of the evening with Mariah Carey.

After a short intermission, again, the NY Philharmonic and conductor Al Gilbert set the tone of NY.  Mariah Carey once again to closed the show, But, in NY fashion that was not enough as to end this evening of collaboration, a fireworks display filled the air that gave the evening that NYC signature.

For me, it was a hot, humid and challenging 2 day event that was not without Murphy's Law, But in the end?  Well, lets use a baseball term.  "WE KNOCKED IT OUT OF THE PARK".

Another one for the record books!!!