It's Showtime...

...at the Apollo!  Whoo baby.  I am just knocking things off my "New York list" right and left.  Last week, I went with some awesome work friends to Harlem where we rode the trains, navigated the streets, haggled with non-taxi-private-car-drivers, feasted on chicken and waffles at the world famous Melba's Restaurant, and saw Amateur Night at the Apollo Theater.  It was crazy fun.  I haven't had a girls night in WAY too long.  Hopefully this will become a thing we do (not going to the Apollo per say, but having a girls night adventure in the city...).

What is Amateur Night at the Apollo, you ask?  Well, it's like the original Gong Show where people cheer or boo a performer off the stage.  It used to come on TV on weekends, but I don't think it airs any longer.  The Apollo Theater is one of the oldest and most famous music halls in the US, so seeing something here was pretty magical, especially Amateur Night!  So many famous people got their start here; like Ella Fitzgerald, the Jackson Five, Mariah Carey, Billie Holiday, Lauryn Hill, James Brown, Jimi Hendrix... the list goes on and on.  It really is a place "where stars are born and legends are made." 

We had so much fun cheering on some of our favorite contestants and booing a few, too.  My favorite performer of the night was this ancient harmonica player named "The Professor."  Oh man.  He was incredible.  (There is a picture of him in the collage above - he has the hat on.)  We also really enjoyed this adorable boy band (bass guitarist pictured above) that sang a few Beatles songs.  Too cute.  The little red-haired girl however (also pictured) gave me nightmares.  She won the kid contest, but she had the voice of a 40 year-old vibrato woman.  It was creepy and awe-inspiring.  Just writing about it is giving me the shivers... whoo!  Anyway, there were all kinds of different types of performers, from piano players to comedians to vocalists.  It was a wide range of talent, for sure. 

This night was so much fun!  I'd totally go again.  Here are more pictures from our adventure...

Us at Melba's (Francesca, Jen, Me, and Erin)

Wall of Fame...