Seth MacFarlane @ Club Nokia

When I first saw that Seth MacFarlane was performing here in Los Angeles, I figured it was something Family Guy related or a stand-up show of some sort. I was surprised to find that it was a concert in which he'd be backed by a 39-piece big band and performing songs from mostly the '40s and '50s. Upon further research, I discovered that he is a huge fan of this music and has gone as far as recording with Frank Sinatra's own microphone. I suppose I shouldn't be all that surprised - anyone who's watched a fair amount of Family Guy knows he has a penchant for big musical numbers on the show. I just had no idea that it went this far!

I was hesitant to purchase tickets... I was definitely intrigued by the idea and I do love music from that time period, but I was a bit low on funds at the moment and really watching what I was spending money on. I was thrilled to learn that I had won tickets from Oscar at The Scenestar and was going to get to see the show after all!

We arrived in time to see the opener, Elizaveta, who entered the stage in quite the elaborate outfit; a cross between Lady Gaga and the Chiquita Banana girl. She proved to be much more talented than both though. Elizaveta touts herself as a "singer-songwriter, pianist, poet and opera diva-in-training" and she delivered on all counts. Her songs were beautiful - the lyrics sweet and sassy and had you tapping your foot along. They're the perfect songs for a romantic comedy.

After a brief opening set from her, Michael Feinstein, famed singer of The Great American Songbook, came out and introduced Seth MacFarlane.

We were treated to a wide array of songs throughout the night, none of which you'd expect given the theme of the night, which I appreciated. You'd expect the usual Sinatra hits in there, but he pulled out obscure songs and often explained why the song was so dear to him or just used it as an opportunity to crack a joke about what the song was really about. The night was definitely not short on laughs in the midst of the music, but I have a feeling a lot of it will be edited out later for the final cut of the show (which was being filmed). Singer Sara Bareilles joined MacFarlane on stage for a few songs, including "Two Sleepy People" and "Love Won't Let You Get Away" and the chemistry between the two was infectious.

Overall, the concert was really enjoyable and it was nice, for me personally, to enjoy something different for once. The only downside with watching something that's being filmed is the re-dos. We had to listen to some songs a few times over because something got messed up the first time.

Later this year, Seth MacFarlane releases his album Music Is Better Than Words, which reflects the same style of music as the concert did. I suspect the release of this show on video will coincide with the album release...

Photos: