Music Weekend

Last night, I was privileged to hear the husband of a friend play bluegrass with his band at a local open mic spot in town. They were good, in spite of some missed cues because they just haven't played as a unit very long and the fact that they are 100% amateurs (all have day jobs), though some have actually played in 'real' bands in the past. If you know "Orange Blosson Special" though, you'd've enjoyed 'em a lot!

Sparky is spending the weekend with a friend in the GINORMOUS city to the east. They are at a concert tonight--he told me it was an "old group," but I don't think he realized he will be listening to light opera. hee hee

Tonight is the across-the-treeline-neighbor's 4th of July concert in the yard about 100 yards away from our front porch, behind a house and line of trees. They are doing Wild Cherry's "Play That Funky Music" right now. We've had Neil Young, Rolling Stones, Stevie Ray Vaughn, and Mellencamp covers.

They do this every year around the 4th. The band is good--not perfect, but certainly rehearsed and (the hardest part) playing the same rhythm.

I'm typing this on aforementioned porch, enjoying a drink and what feels like our own personal concert, removed from the drunken morons in the yard with the band--the drunken DEAF morons!! Really, the volume level for me is perfect.

Now switching the "Brick House." Not good, but recognizable. They are really a rock band, not a disco/soul band.

It's been a nice day. I spent three hours at work (6 to 9 a.m.) at work finishing yesterday's projects. Then I went shopping with Amy and we gossiped our brains out. The good personal news is the fact that I think between us we spent WELL under $100. Plus lunch. Thanks, Ames. Got home around 5 to find Beast mulching the gardens and the concert already started.

OK, good, now we've moved on to "I Saw Her Standing There."

Since then, I've been sitting on the porch, typing up and polishing the Session minutes from last week's meeting, watching Beast do some more mulching, and enjoying the music. Also the scratchy throat, the running nose and the tickly nose. Cuz, yeah, the music is good, the temperature couldn't be more perfect...and I'm allergic to everything alive.

The next Big Decision: when/what/where to eat.

I don't know this song. It's either really current, or really non-Top 40. But that's ok: they just segued into "Ain't That a Shame" (Cheap Trick). Hello, all you friends of mine from Teh Hometown of that band. ;-)

I need to go get some (more) wine. Cheers.

(by the time I returned to the porch, they were into "I Want You to Want Me")

Addendum: at 9:15, they lit off 20 minutes of fireworks. Big. Loud. Ground-Shaking Ones. The kind that sound like bombs. F.U.C.K.T.A.R.D.S. They are flouting all the notices everyone in town has received the past two weeks reminding us about the illegality of these kinds of things. This is the worst, the loudest and boomiest it has EVER been.