brewing up some fun

As I mentioned in my last post we went away last weekend to attend a concert in the mountains with our cousins at a Pisgah Beer Brewery.

OMG! Did we have fun!! And did I mention there was beer?

More than a bit worried that we drove five hours in the rain and would end up being rained out but we ended up being very lucky. When we arrived at Black Mountain NC and it was clear and dry and surprisingly warm for the end so September.  My cousin Colleen her friend Jim, our cousin Hans and his wife Amy met Bill Matthew and I at a local cafe for a quick bite to eat before checking in to our hotel.  Shortly after that we all headed out to the brewery..

Where is that brewery???
I have an idea! Pull out your smart phones, lets see who can find it first!!

my cousins, jim and matthew 

And the winner is Matthew in the red hoodie!!

As I mentioned the concert was at a brewery so there was beer, lots of beer. The event was called Shamboozle. There were vendors with food and local crafts, artist  besides the music. People of all ages showed up to enjoy the three bands who were playing on the outdoor stage. There was an indoor stage as well but that was for the after show and we didn't go to that.

local artist was showing some of his very colorful art by some concert goers

The first band which was playing when we arrived was called The Kidney Stones and although I've never heard of them I enjoyed them very much. What a great sound, I would categorize it has happy music. We didn't get there at the beginning of the set but we heard four or five songs one just as good as the other. Very enjoyable sound.

The second band was called Carbon Leaf which is actually a Richmond band which was a group my son was very familiar with.There sound is very influenced by Irish music, anyone just listening to them could tell.  Matthew had several of their albums on his I-pod. Carbon Leaf is an alternative country Celtic folk infused if you understand what that means.

You parents of little ones might be familiar with this band since they did a bunch of songs for Curious George ll (life less ordinary, the friendship song, heart of the day,let your troubles roll by,walk in the sun &California sun.)  I have to tell you because of my Irish roots Celtic music just makes my toes tap and my blood race a bit faster. And the bagpipes! They have to be my favorite instrument in the entire world. Their sound can be so achingly sad when played at a funeral but when played like tonight with such joy and in an outside space is a beautiful thing.

Carbon Leaf

The headliner band was called Gaelic Storm. My cousins had seen them many times and they were very familiar with their music. The band was a mix of Irish, English and Canadian men and one woman who played the fiddle. The music had a more traditional Irish sound but the music was much more modern and all theirs. They were very funny and interacted with the audience a lot. Clearly many of the audience were fans and followers. They had some pretty funny songs which if you know anything about Irish songs they can be like a soap opera set to music. One particular song that had me just about peeing in my pants (sorry for that visual) The song was about when the head singer  punched Russell Crow (the actor) in the head while working in a bar because Mr Crow refused to put out his cigarette. So he wrote a song about it; hilarious!

In the video he fist explains what happened between him and Russell Crow, then they sing the song! It's long but it's very funny.
Enjoy!

in the sand and water

I do not have a single memory that does not include the beach; always the beach. Two days ago my sister-in -law and brother called to tell me a huge professional surfing contest was being held on the beach where I grew up. And here I was hundreds of miles away wishing I was feeling the familiar breeze  and the warm sand of the beach an wishing I was there so I could go.

Boy was I bummed, I missed the surfing stars the bands playing all types of music the people from near and far getting together to enjoy the waves and each other. I missed chance to see the people I grew up with I missed the chance catch up to laugh and of course to hang out with my family.

 And I miss this beach.....

I just love this picture of my niece and my godson jumping in the surf; don't you? I actually was able to catch Alex while she was in the air, I always liked that about this picture.

I can't tell you how many life guards that sat on that very life guard stand that I had terrible crushes on when I was a  girl. Every summer they were just cuter and cuter, boys working lifeguard jobs way to wise to do anything but be nice and steal a few kisses with this girl; can anyone say.... *jail bait*.

When I was pregnant I used to come to the beach and dig a hole in the sand so that I could lay on my stomach, it was the only time I could I was soooo big. To my surprise when Matthew was born he didn't like the beach very much- he hated the sand! Hard to believe! Now he loves it just like me. Here we are walking together onto the first beach he ever went to, long before he was born.

And although Dr Evil wasn't staying with us that summer at our rented beach house, he did stop by even if in spirit to pose us for a picture! I know we're lame.

Wet and sun drenched sandy and hot four cousins digging in the sand, the love of the beach runs in the family I think.

My mom may be getting older but she's still up for jumping...well maybe not jumping but if we get a house at the beach, she's in.

And our favorite people to go to the beach with is my brother his wife and the kids, we swim, we listen to music, we play in the sand. We drink beer and wine and my brother and I cook in the kitchen while my husband mans the grill. And we play games do puzzles, bad words have been spewed and tears have been shed over games of Pictionary not to mention that puzzle piece nobody can place! 

Now this is the guy I really like to spend my time with at the beach! Even though he sunburns thru his clothes; my husband Bill!  It will be Barbados for two in November, I can't wait!

Every day on the beach is a magic moment. An opportunity for memories for pictures shared with my blog friends like Shell at things i can't say. Thank for thinking of this fabulous idea. I'm happy to link up with you and others today.            

         Capture those... Magic Moments.

music and memories

My I-Pod is filled with all sorts of music, pretty much everything except rap       ( well one rap song ) I love all music. Different music from different times in my life, my youth, my teen years, high school, songs I like currently; these songs are a musical memory for me.  We don't get to go to concerts very often; to see a band or an artist that you like or admire in person can't be beat.

Amos Lee

The other night my husband and I met our son up in Richmond to go to a concert at The National; its a beautiful venue- a theater of old that fits about 1,500 concert goers per show. One of our favorite's was doing a show there; have you heard of Amos Lee? He does a great show, plays a great guitar- actually he plays many different guitars during the show. If you haven't ever listened to his music I would suggest you give it a try. He has a wonderful voice, kind of bluesy very soulful, and he can at times be very spiritual with his lyrics.

The National- Richmond

Of course my first concert was my most memorable-  I thought I was the coolest. My best friend from grammar school's mother dropped us off at the Nassau Colosseum to see Alice Cooper, I think we were all of 13 years old at the time. Oh my gosh!! He was so gross and he threw dolls with their heads ripped off ( remember the song Dead Babies? ) he sang it with a snake wrapped around his neck. Two young girls out to a concert and we just didn't have a clue. Apparently neither did our parents or we would have not been allowed to go in the first place.

But somehow I remember feeling so grown up  being allowed to go without someone older to watch over us. Then there was the smoking and it wasn't on cigarettes being smoked if you get my drift. Our first taste of freedom even if it was completely tasteless- cool and memorable but tasteless.

Things have changed at concerts now a days- no smoking of any kind- but there are bars for beers and cocktails. It seems much more civilized and maybe that's just because I'm seeing it thru my over fifty eyes.

In any case, I've seen a few decent bands. Surely not as many as my brother Gerard- but he's a freak; I know he's seen Amos Lee at least five times.  I did fit in a few concerts before I got married, and have gotten to go to a few with my husband or my son.

In no particular order here are some of the shows I've seen; the best and most memorable clearly was Paul McCartney; that I did with my older brother Paul before he moved to Hawaii.  Here are the ones I remember- Alice Cooper,The Beach Boys, Paul McCartney & Wings, Black Sabbath, The Steve Miller Band, The Moody Blues, Robert Palmer, Linda Ronstadt, Loggins & Messina and Alice in Chains. There are more I think alas as I am writing this post the memory fails.

What was your first concert when you were a kid? Did you have a favorite band  or artist you like to go see? Or do you now? If so do share...