Pasadena Pops Orchestra

This organization and these events are excellent especially when held outdoors under the stars and moon at the LA Arboretum.
Thanks to #PamperedByPaul– worlds finest gentleman and date-​planner– I was able to accompany him to two events this season at the Arboretum. One was a tribute to Sinatra. The other was a tribute to Ella Fitzgerald and Nat King Cole.
The people at our tables at both events were lovely.
The music was grand, moving, beautifully done and impressive. Michael Feinstein is an amazing conductor and singer. He teaches while he performs and engages the audience. He’s funny and entertaining.
The parking is a real pain unless you plan ahead and buy the paid parking.
You have an option to buy a catered meal that you can pick up before the concert starts. They have some (limited) food trucks with things like sandwiches, salads, hamburgers etc.
They have a bar available but it’s a little pricey.
And you’re welcome to also pack a picnic and bring your own libations.
You can get tickets where you bring your own lawn chairs and sit on the lawn all the way up to front row rounds where people wait on you.
Paul and I decided we would pack a picnic for this second event last Saturday and bring our own food to our table. People at our table were generous and shared as well. We discussed food and cooking, wine and travel all before the show started.
It was such a beautiful day and evening. It brings tears to my eyes to reminisce.
I’ll never forget my experiences here this summer. Thank you, Pasadena pops, Michael Feinstein, and of course, #pamperedByPaul.

Amazing evening at the MGM Classics night! Great entertainment, amazing location! Brilliant conductor! Already got tickets for the Gershwins!

The June 29^th concert was awesome. The first half — which consisted of some of my favorite show tunes –was conducted by Larry Blank. As usual, he did a great job.
The second half of the show starred none other than Bernadette Peters! How they ever got her to come to Pasadena/​Arcadia I’ll never know. She has an incredible voice and is an amazing entertainer. She did many of the Sondheim tunes for which she is famous.
We also learned that she does a lot of work for shelter animals through Broadway Barks and other organizations — which makes me an even BIGGER FAN (if that were even possible.)
Keep it up, Pasadena Pops. You’re on a roll.

Great!

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. They play show tunes, without words. So instead of Rogers and Hammerstein, you just get Rogers. It’s what you would hear as a prologue or during intermission. They played a tribute to Satchmo, with violins. Would a jazz band play classical, of course not. Why don’t they play classical instrumentals? Instead they turn great music into elevator music.