My Lamppost

So, check this out. There are a million companies out there selling T-shirts online but I’ve never seen any company sell T-shirts that light up. Flashion Statement also sells other pieces of clothing that light up also: light up fiber optic hats, light up sweatshirts, and light up tanks.

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Casablanca Express is a promotional and wholesale travel incentives services company who, for 30 years, has traveled over 2 million people to and from their favorite destinations on behalf of companies worldwide.

Companies rely on Casablanca Express’ fun, creative, resourceful and efficient promotional travel programs to expand their customer base, increase sales and to reward customers and clients.

Whether you’re a Fortune 500 company or sole proprietor, CBE places emphasis on your ROI ensuring that every dollar you spend on advertising goes further and lasts longer. Watch response rates double or even triple!

The Benefits to companies that participate in CBE’s promotional travel programs are:

• Promote customer loyalty
• Increase your company’s average purchase amount
• Provide same-day closing incentives
• Increase lead generation
• Referral program rewards

• Boost Advertising and Marketing Response
  • Low cost
  • High retail value
  • 2x advertising response

How to Incorporate CBE’s Travel Incentives into Your Business Marketing Plan

• Test drive incentives
• Credit application incentives
• Real estate incentives (open house)
• Rental incentives (apartments, furniture, appliances, car sales, etc.)
• Purchase incentives
• Payment incentives
• Seminars & Lectures Door Prizes
• Restaurant Incentives
• Call-to-action responses
• And many more

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Intro

Have you ever heard of, or visited, the little village of Brighton in Utah? If not, you are missing something.  Brighton is located just 30 minutes from Salt Lake City at the top of Big Cottonwood Canyon.  The name itself says so much.  The picturesque mountain village will make you feel as though you have stepped back in time to a peaceful, more laid back place.

Brighton’s History

In the early 1870s William Stuart Brighton, an immigrant from Scotland, claimed 80 acres at the top of Big Cottonwood Canyon, located just east of the Salt Lake Valley. Brighton, with his wife Catherine Bow and their children, lived in a tent over the first few summers. Then William built a small cabin.  Mining in the area began to boom in the late 1800s.  Miners traveled over the mountain passes between the mining camp of Alta, to the south, and the larger mining town of Park City. The Brightons’ cabin was conveniently located at the halfway point and served as a good place to rest and eat. Catherine cooked fresh trout caught in Silver Lake. William entertained guests with his adventurous stories of hunting in the nearby mountains. After several years of providing a depot for traveling miners, the Brighton’s opened a hotel for summer guests visiting from the Salt Lake Valley.  The original Brighton Hotel, built in 1874, was a two-story wooden structure with seven small bedrooms, a dining/sitting room, and a small kitchen.

Almost 20 years later, in 1893, a three-story wooden hotel was constructed to meet the demands of an ever increasing number of guests visiting Brighton.  An 1895 brochure advertising the resort described the hotel as having “fifty rooms available for $2.00 a day”. Visitors to Brighton either took the seven hour stage ride from downtown Salt Lake City or the five hour ride on the Utah Central Railroad to Park City and then jumped on the Kimball’s Stage Line to Brighton. Today, Brighton is just 40 minutes by car from downtown Salt Lake and Salt Lake City International Airport.

By the late 1890s the Brighton area was dotted with summer cabins.  The burgeoning village had a store that stocked supplies, a post office, and a telephone.  Brighton Ski Resort, founded in 1936, was the first ski resort in Utah, and in fact, was one of the first resorts in the United States. Today, Brighton is proud of being a ‘no-frills’ resort whose primary business is to provide skiers and snowboarders with exceptional trails and grooming. The time warped Brighton Ski Resort is where my mother learned to ski, and I learned to ski and my kids learned to ski.  I hope the tradition will live on long after I am gone.

Today

Brighton today is a small town where the locals still know and care about each other.  The water is pure, the air is clean, and life is simple.  The seasons are remarkably different in temperament with hues ranging from stark white to vibrant gold.  Winters bring 600 inches of snowfall per season and lasts from early November to the end of May. With the dry air found at 8,700 to 10,000 feet, the snow is light and fluffy.  It can make the most clumsy skier or boarder dance with perfection on the snow.  Temperatures range from 10-30 F for most of the season except for April, when you can find skiers in shorts and t-shirts.  The population of Brighton grows from 56 locals to 6,000 skiers with one big snowfall!

When locals are tired of shoveling snow and bundling in boots and coats, the weather turns to spring, which always feels slow in coming. All that snow must melt before the ground can be seen.  Many locals will plan trips away eagerly looking forward to a respite from the hard work of winter.

Spring, with all its mountain flowers and fresh warm air lasts from the middle of June to late August when muted colors of browns and green’s arrive.

Fall in all its glory comes anytime in September to November, with incredible yellow gold aspen leaves and bright orange oak and maple but lasts only until the first or second dusting of snow which can be as early as October.  Fall is when the light is different.  It feels clearer and crisper for some reason.

All of the seasons are beautiful in their own way.  Each is much celebrated and always appreciated.  Residents of Brighton feel part of the land as they watch the growth cycles of the wildlife and landscape.   Even today, there are no fences or walls in Brighton.  One neighbor’s property line harmoniously blends in with its neighbors.  It doesn’t seem to matter who owns exactly which rock or wild flower patch.  Perhaps everyone feels that a fence would only detract from the beauty and create unnecessary separation.

For those wishing to strut down the street in their finest attire, Brighton is not the place to go.  It caters to down home family tradition, affordable lift tickets, and knee high powder.  At an 8700’ base elevation, the snow is dry and plentiful.  One of the best kept secrets about the ski resorts in Big Cottonwood canyon, Brighton Ski Resort and Solitude Ski Resort, is that there is never a lift line longer than 5 minutes.  Never!  Not even over Christmas. Most of the time you can ski right onto the lifts.  Why? When the parking lot is full (Brighton’s parking lot holds 900 cars on a good day) the resorts turn skiers away.  The benefit for guests staying in our Utah ski vacation properties is that they are within walking distance to the slopes and it doesn’t matter if they decide to have an extra long cup of coffee or a dip in the hot tub before their day of skiing begins.

Even today Brighton has not lost its old flavor. Unlike the crowded streets of Park City, Utah and Deer Valley Resort, this Utah vacation wonderland has not been adulterated with shopping malls, movie theatres, and gas stations.  Its main attraction besides endless trails for hiking, mountain biking, and skiing, is the Brighton Village Store. In my mother’s days, this was the Brighton Bowery where they would meet for dancing during the summer weekends and was the only place you could get a good cup of coffee.

Adrienne

I grew up in Brighton, and spent summers exploring the nooks and crannies of the surrounding ski bowl.  In early summer, my sisters and I would watch the tadpoles in Silver Lake turn into baby frogs and then into huge toads.  I have fond memories of eating piles of flap jacks before heading out the door for a day of adventure. We would pretend that we were explorers digging up pieces of bottles and remains from the pioneer settlers that came before us. While fueling up for a day of adventure, my mother would regale us with her Brighton horseback adventures.  Those days are gone as the canyon was deemed a watershed in the 1940’s and no longer allows domestic animals within its boundaries.  Today, I enjoy the trails while running. The fresh air, incredibly beautiful scenery, and solitude energize me – I lose track of time. One of my favorite routes is to run over Twin Lakes Pass into Grizzly Gulch to the town of Alta, Utah, then up over Catherine’s Pass and back into Brighton.  Just like the miners at the turn of the century.  On this great run or hike I pass two villages and five lakes. Oh, and the wild flowers are breathtaking.  I feel like a kid again.

I knew I wanted to raise my family in Brighton. So, with two babies in tow, I eked out a living by renting our basement apartment during the winter months.  The “Wasatch Studio” was a ski in/out Utah vacation rental home for riders wanting first chair.  This was the humble beginning of Mount Majestic Properties. A few years back when it got too much for me to handle on my own, I coaxed Carole McCalla, another local who loves good hard work, to join me in sharing my love of Brighton.  I had had my eye on her for some time thinking we would work well together. I was right. We think alike and have the same values but different strengths. Today, sixteen years later, we have over twenty properties we proudly represent and Mount Majestic Properties is the largest property management company serving Big Cottonwood Canyon.

Carole

I moved to Utah 15 years ago from Tennessee to attend college at the University of Utah.  I never realized how captivating the Wasatch Mountains and Utah would become for me.  I chose Utah as the state I wanted to attend college in because there were so many wonderful areas in the state to rock climb (my biggest passion back then), ski, canoe/kayak, and explore both the desert and the mountains.  Now I love it so much, I hardly feel the need to leave for a vacation.  I was drawn to Big Cottonwood Canyon and Brighton Ski Resort when I first arrived because it was less crowded and had soul.  While in college, I spent every available second skiing and snowboarding at Brighton Ski Resort.  During the summer I would camp in Big Cottonwood Canyon to escape the heat of the valley and enjoy hiking and climbing.  The canyon is only 17 miles long, but there are so many places to explore and enjoy.  Eventually, after finishing college, I moved to Brighton.  Now my children ride the bus down to school and every afternoon when they get home I send them off into the woods to play and explore, or to the resort to ski – it’s everything I could have wished for my children to have growing up.  When Adrienne approached me to partner with her, I was elated.  Living, working, and playing all in Brighton sounded like a dream come true!

Our Philosophy

Mount Majestic Properties’ business philosophy is a little different than other companies.  It works because it sits well with us, fits with our finicky environment and only benefits our customers.  We are not out to make a fortune and spread ourselves too thin. We want to offer the best product we can in our own backyard and put Brighton’s unique touch on everything we do.  We care too much about quality product to be peddling homes we have never stepped in, or worse, were not cleaned to our standard. With a two man show (or rather two woman show), this limits our geographical reach in order to ensure our standards, so we choose to service Big Cottonwood Canyon and specifically, Brighton and Solitude Ski and summer resorts.

You may notice that we don’t have online reservations. This is not because we are behind the times, but when booking a home, we want to make sure guests are offered the right place for their group size, their needs and desires, and even more important today, that we offer a vacation rental home that fits within their budget. We know our homes intimately and can describe every nuance.  We know our guest’s money is hard earned and should be well spent. We work hard to keep costs down while ensuring a high quality experience for each guest. We have no hidden fees, such as booking fees, transaction fees, or service fees.  We want to continue the tradition of personal care and down-home hospitality. We want to know each guest by their face, not just by their billing address. We want to keep our inventory of properties small enough to be able to keep them in good condition and have a beat on how they are functioning. We greet each guest upon arrival and we are there to see them off the day they leave.  We are in the area daily emptying trash cans, checking hot tubs, giving you a weather report, a ski report, or a traffic report.  We pay attention to every detail to ensure guests have a wonderful stay and we offer services such as daily or weekly catering, snow cat rides, guides for snow shoeing, and in-house babysitting.

While this limits the area in which we can supply Utah vacation rental homes, we feel this effort pays off.  Approximately 60% of our customer base each year are repeat customers.  Our Utah vacation homes have loyal followers who make their reservations early so they can enjoy the home of their choice. Each home has its own magic and flavor. Whether you want a ski in and out luxury vacation home or a quaint cabin in the woods, Mount Majestic Properties has the property that will meet your specific ski vacation needs. We can even send you a picture of real time activities in the days prior to your arrival.

We feel a strong loyalty to our home owners, as well.  After all, they are our neighbors and they have put their prized jewel in our care.  We expect from home owners an inventory (home) that is well cared for and well appointed at the beginning of the season and in return they are assured of receiving the home in the same order upon returning at the end of the season.  We expect our guests and our homes to be treated well.  We make sure of it.

While we are busy with customer care and providing a quality product, Mother Nature is providing abundant, light and fluffy snow. With an 8700 foot base elevation, the snow arrives like clockwork.  And we are on it clearing driveways and paths so you can get to the slopes safely.

Conclusion

Come experience the unique atmosphere of Brighton, Utah. We guarantee it will be one of your most memorable vacations ever! And in planning for your visit to Brighton, Utah, consider Mount Majestic Properties for your next ski vacation home. There is no better experience on earth!

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Hydroponics is a method/process of growing plants but without the need for soil. The growth process includes mineral nutrients and water, instead. Hydroponics was more or less discovered in the 18th century when it was found that plants could absorb mineral nutrients in water and not soil. It was found that soil acted as a mineral nutrient repository but, in and of itself, was not required for a plant to grow. So, as it’s turned out, almost any terrestrial plant can grow with hydroponics.

If it’s just too cold in your area of the country to continue to grow plants outdoors and you’re tired of lugging heavy nutrient soil bags into your home, think about hydroponics. One company that excels in hydroponics is Pac Sun Hydro.

Pac Sun Hydro is sells only the top-rated hydroponics equipment with the finest components which ensures that you don’t have to keep re-purchasing them year after year. They also provide 5-year warranties on all of their products. Their best sellers include hydroponic ballasts, bulbs, C02 controllers and fluorescent lighting.

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One of my favorite wallet designers is actively giving discounts through Twitter. I’ll try to stay on top of the deals and the discount code to use. This weekend, coupon code TW311 on Twitter saves 25% on all men’s and women’s wallets. These wallets are designed by Jim Dimataris in California. His company, WalletBe, has been a fixture on QVC for 10 years and I think at this point, his site says that 1 in every 300 Americans owns one of his wallets. The quality is amazing. I’ve had my Front Pocket Wallet for years and I just keep buying them as replacements for the future or as gifts for friends and friends. He buys his leather in the US and has it tanned by real Italian artisans in the Tuscan mountains. And the price point is ridiculous. I paid $21 for mine.

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Meesun Boice: With the help of my long time friend Craig Paddock, his father-Fred, and writer/director/producer Steve Zeoli, I finally embarked on a journey and a project that is very close to my heart….We created a YouTube video which we will post on YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, Yelp – and Oprah’s website, in hopes that maybe through the various internet channels, it may reach Oprah and she will heed my plea to put on a meaningful show that will finally give: “Voice for Orphans: Foster, Adopted and Homeless Children” around the world. (Read More)

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Cake Video
Car Dash Mat Holds Cake In Place – weirdly funny
Take a short car trip with the WalletBe Car Dash Mat and laugh as it gets used to hold our morning breakfast in place.

Car Dash Mat Holds Cell Phone and Sunglasses In Place As Car Makes Sudden Turns

Car Dash Mat Holds Cell Phone – Pen – Lighter In Place As Car Makes Sudden Turns

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We spent a good amount of time thinking about what makes a good stocking stuffer gift. We felt that, to make our 2010 list – a stocking stuffer should be something useful – which eliminates about 50% of stocking stuffer ideas – and small – it does have to fit in a red stocking after all – and light enough so that the stocking doesn’t fall from the mantel above the fireplace.

You may see many stocking stuffers offered from the same company. Out intention is to offer the best and most unique stocking stuffers as opposed to being democratic about the selection process. A good stocking stuffer is a good stocking stuffer and if you can find a handful of them in one online store, then you’ve saved even more time.

So, here goes… our List of the Best Stocking Stuffers of 2010.

Best Stocking Stuffers for Men

• iTunes Gift Card – found at grocery stores, Target
• Compact Front Pocket Wallets
• Car Dash Mats
• Shoe Wallet
• Apolis Ergo Cell Phone Wallet
• Skins for your Cell Phone or Bluetooth
• USB flash drive cuff links
• Threadless – Cool and Unique T-shirts
• The Jimi Wallet
• iPlunge Phone Stand
• Guitar Hero 2 Hand Held Game

Best Stocking Stuffers for Women

Croco Accordion Cell Phone Wallet

• Leather KeyFOBs
• Leather Cell Phone Accordion Wallet
• Vanity Fair subscription – only $12 per year
• Designer Headbands
• Lottery tickets
• Lip gloss
• Nail polish
• Hair salon gift certificate
• Happy socks
• Croco Cell Phone Accordion Wallet
• iKaroake for iPod
• Tea Stick Infuser

Best Stocking Stuffers for Travelers

Car Dash Mats

• Car Dash Mats
• Write N’ Roll Flexible Keyboard
• The iPhone Seat Buddy
• Passport Wallets
• Corso Como “Festive” Ballet Flats
• Brookstone Wireless Key Finder
• Gorillatorch Flexible Tripod Flashlight
• Kodak PlaySport HD Waterproof Pocket Video Camera
• L.L.Bean MotoMug II
• Laptop Sleeves

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Back in 2008, we talked about a topic that is part of everyone’s everyday life, yet it’s something that no one knows about. The title of that post was Powder Coating Can Save Homeowners $1,000’s. Today, not many more people kow what powder coating is and it’s a shame. it is one of the best kept secrets out there yet the process of powder coating can truly save homeowners, construction companies and other commercial interests thousands if not millions of dollars.

It is the goal of My Lamppost to spread the word and have powder coating become as ubiquitous a term as refinishing or restoration. Well, it’s not just our goal. Shivie Dhillon is managing partner of Sundial Powder Coatings in Sun Valley, CA – a suburb of Los Angeles. It’s his goal, as well and we are banding together to popularize powder coating and to market the many benefits of it. We want the term to roll of everyone’s tongue like Xerox or Coke and we want to help the many powder coaters across the country gain recognition and business for the great service they provide.

What is Powder Coating?

Well, it’s not a sexy name. That’s for sure which might be one reason no one knows about it. It was coined mostly to appeal to the commercial community of construction companies, architects and city engineers. Basically, powder coating is a unique and quality type of electrically-charged paint used to protect, decorate, refinish and restore a metal, steel, chrome or aluminum manufactured product – even MDR wood. It is truly inexpensive (cheap comes to mind but in no way should the process itself be considered cheap) yet is the most durable way to protect, refinish and restore a product – bar none.

Commercial Powder Coating

On the commercial side, it’s used on steel construction beams, large wrought iron fences, steel roofing, railings, light fixtures, and so forth. This is all product that looks painted but we never know that it’s painted differently. If you know a car enthusiast who restores cars, you’ve probably heard of powder coating. In fact, if a consumer has headrd of powder coating, all they know it’s some refinishing method that can be performed on old cars.

Powder Coating Uses for the Household

On the consumer side, the uses for powder coating are endless…

• patio tables
• patio chairs
• mailboxes
• barbecue grills
• aluminum doors
• office furniture
• swingsets
• toolboxes
• bikes
• toys
• stuff in the garage like snowmobiles, lawnmowers, shovels, picks, etc.
• steel beams used to construct your home
• the fence around your yard
• your car, motorcycle and your child’s Radio Flyer Wagon

Can’t I Just Spray Paint It?

Heard of Krylon paint? Of course you have. You and everyone you know (us included) has used it for decades to fancy up and protect everything possible around the house. And how long does the Krylon paint coat last? If you’re lucky, about 2-3 months before it chips, fades and breaks off. Most of the time, it’s chipped off in 10-14 days (our experience). And it’s bad for the environment. Heard of VOC’s? They’re volatile organic compounds that are toxic to people and to the environment. Yes, they’re found in spray paint. Spray paint aerosol cans are not cheap, either, running about $7-$8 per can. Your refinishing project requires alot more than one can. So, not only is it NOT CHEAP, spray paint is toxic and peels in no time. Yet, we still buy it because it’s marketed well and seems like the only alternative to refinishing and restoring.

In a nutshell, this is what got us to change our ways:

Spray painting not only DOESN’T WORK but it’s CARCINOGENIC and just plain IRRESPONSIBLE to use.

Prior to meeting Shivie a few years ago, we knew nothing about powder coating. Because of our friendship with him and Sundial Powder Coatings, we are converts to the power and benefits of powder coating and want to help him spread the word, across the United States and beyond.

Powder coating will save consumers $1,000′s and will restore the original quality luster and color of your patio furniture, car, grill, fence and any other manufactured product you own.

What We’re Doing to Spread the Powder Coating Word

We founded a company called Powder Coating Zone and it’s goals are simple:

1. to make “powder coating” as popular a term as Xerox or Coke;
2. to connect consumers (and commercial interests) across the United States with powder coaters in their area in an easy, efficient and stress-free way.

Find a steel, metal, aluminum or chrome product in your home or garage today and get it powder coated. We’ll help you. Visit Powder Coating Zone, complete the “Get Free Price Quote” Form and let us find you 3 or 4 powder coaters to offer you a quote.

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Bill Silva Presents David Gray - Los Angeles

David Gray Playlist and Song List – The Orpheum, Los Angeles (partial)

• Sail Away
• First Chance
• Babylon (acoustic)
• The One I Love (unforgettable alto peaks)
• Be Mine
• This Years Love
• You’re The World To Me (World To Me)
• Alibi
• Shine
• Flame Turns Blue
• Destroyer
• Kathleen
• Nemesis
• Ain’t No Love
• Other Side
• Jackdaw (think so)
• Draw The Line (think so)
• Fugitive (think so)

David Gray Live at The Orpheum Theater, Los Angeles, 11-09-09

David Gray @ The Orpheum Los Angeles – One of the Best Ever

I always come away from a concert I like thinking that perhaps it may have been the best concert I’ve ever been witness to. After a few hours of discerning sobriety (not from alcohol but from the plateau to which I inevitably ascend while listening to good live music), I realize that that performer or group, while good in concert and certainly an experience to remember, does not belong on the “best that I’ve ever seen” mantel. Snow Patrol at The Wiltern in October was excellent but they were better a couple of years ago when they played The Hollywood Bowl. But, if you attend enough live concert events, you get a feel for what is average and enjoyable versus superior and unforgettable. David Gray in Concert at The Orpheum Theater in Los Angeles on November 9th, therefore, can be described as one of the best all-around concerts I’ve ever seen.

David Gray came on stage at about 9pm dressed in an off-gray, European straight cut suit. He was accompanied by 4 band members: guitarist/vocals, electric pianist, bassist and drummer. He appeared shy as well as driven to perform the music ahead of him – meaning there was a quick “Hello Los Angeles” and then he went right at it. There were the perfunctory “thank yous” upon the conclusion of most songs and that was it until the last song in the encore when he let loose a bit and began engaging the crowd to keep beat to the song. I believe the concert may have been recorded. The subtle communication with the crowd did not jeopardize his rapport with them. In fact, it kept them wanting. He would smile here and there, engage his band members in a smile or quick discussion. As he played, he clearly enjoyed his songs – whether he was on his acoustic guitar or trusting piano – as was often jumping or keeping an emphatic beat with his left leg. He seemed just like a perfectionist intent on delivering the best music he was capable of producing. He did.

There are a number of reasons to support my feeling that David Gray at The Orpheum Theater was one of the best concerts I’ve seen:

• Every song was authentically similar to the song versions on his CDs – and then some
  David Gray sounded like David Gray. Even his alto solos reached pitches that should only be reserved for 20-something’s. He would extend songs or deliver subtle nuances to the harmony or chord structures just so that you could tell it apart from a recorded version. He wasted no time in between songs.
• His musicianship is superior
  Listen to the sound emanating from his acoustic guitar as his fingers smoothly and quickly assume positions not even the best “Twister” player can assume. David Gray is a true master guitar player as well as singer/songwriter and to understand this you must see and hear him live in concert.
• His band
  The band was professional, dressed in suits to begin the evening. Their sound was tight, perfectly in sync with each beat and note to create the most superior sound
• The acoustics of The Orpheum Theater
  The acoustics of the Colosseum at Caesars Palace is superior. The acoustics at the Hollywood Bowl are superior for an outdoor venue. The acoustics at The Orpheum in Los Angeles are just a notch below superior which means they were quite enjoyable. And considering that The Orpheum opened in 1926, one would have to rate the acoustics superb The Colosseum at Caesars Palace opened in 2003. While the upper mezzanine at The Orpheum still has the old seats of the 20′s, the orchestra has been fitted with stadium seats. I was fortunate to sit in the orchestra 10 rows from the stage.
• The adoring crowd
  One of the first things I remember about the night when I arrived was that thsoe purchasing their tickets from DavidGray.com must have been issued the 10th row. The venue was packed, sold out. The only row with vacancies was our row. The second thing I remember is that the crowd was really into David Gray. But, it was mroe than that. They seemed to know him, to follow him, to adore him. This was not akin to the fanaticism associated with a Mick Jagger or Bono. It was deeper, more knowing and definitely more civil. Our crowd gave David Gray 6 standing ovations throughout the night.

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