I love rock and roll (and rock and roll concerts)

The title of this post should clue you in that I saw Joan Jett and the Blackhearts perform today.  They were playing at the Lane County Fair.  For the price of  admission, I got to see a very famous performer sing and play her heart out. 

The stage was set up in a corner by the food booths, and it was standing room only.  No seating at all.  I arrived about a half hour before the start of the show to claim a spot.  Of course, I’m so short that there’s really no good spot to be in to see everything.  The half hour went by fairly quickly and Joan and her band came on promptly at 4.

What was the show like?  Well, it rocked!  Joan played all the hits, even Runaways stuff.  She’s not afraid to give the crowd what they want to hear.  I was feeling the music, singing along, shouting, everything.  I had an awesome time, and Joan puts on a great show.  I could only see the top of her head, though.  I couldn’t see most of the other musicians at all.  But, oh, I could hear them!  I snapped some shots with my cell phone camera, the only camera I had available and working.  They didn’t turn out the best, but you can kind of see Joan.

Other than that, I walked around, took more photos with my camera, and ate stuff.  I haven’t been to the fair for a very long time.  I might go back if they get someone like Joan Jett to play again.

Here are some photos:

More on my Flickr photostream.

Concert Review: BeauSoleil 10/1/09

It's getting harder to review these BeauSoleil shows.  Each show is great, and the band always does a wonderful job.  Here, they always play at The Shedd.  It would be interesting to see them in a different venue, but I'm OK with seeing them at the Shedd if that's the venue they prefer. 

Once again, the Greatest Cajun Band In The World gave me a night full of fun and joy.  They started with "Reel Cadiens," which I've rarely heard them play.  I'm not even sure which album has it.  It was a great way to start the show.  Next was the wonderful traditional waltz "Jolie Blonde."  It was flawlessly played.  Another highlight from early in the show was the sad "Pa Janvier."  That was my highlight of the night.  Sometimes the band can play so intensely that it takes you breath away, and that happened with "Pa Janvier."  It was amazing. 

They played quite a few numbers from their new album Alligator Purse - "Les Oignons," "Little Darlin'," "Theogene Creole" and a smokin' version of "Carriere Zydeco."  The fiddling on that last song was incredible, with Mitch and Michael both sawing away.  I didn't want it to end, and I wish I could hear and see it again. 

The band also pulled out some songs I've not heard them play live much, if at all.  "Macacque Sur Mon Dos," "Chanson De Cinquante Sous" and "L'Amour Ou La Folie" were just some of the gems we got to hear.  Fan favorites like "Bye Bye Boozoo" and "Varise" were also played.

I had a great time watching BeauSoleil again tonight.  I was very pleased with the song selection, and I thought they all played and sung very well.  Now I'm listening to my new live album they released earlier this year and enjoying them all over again.  It's a good night for Cajun music.

Allons Danser!

Tonight I go to see BeauSoleil in concert for the fourth time.  They're always a great band to see, and I hope they have some good times for us tonight.  It's always exciting to see what songs they'll play and how they'll arrange them.  I know they'll play songs from their latest studio album, Alligator Purse, but I don't know what else they might do.  "Zydeco Gris-Gris" is likely, but maybe they'll change it up this time.

After I get home from the concert, I'll get to listen to my brand new copy of BeauSoleil's new live album Make The Veiller.  There are some previously-not-live-recorded songs on there that I'm excited about.  Also, it comes with a DVD!  Many of the songs on the DVD are not repeats from the CD.  I can't wait to experience it all.  I bought the album/DVD yesterday, but I thought it would be fun to listen to it right after tonight's show when I'm still pumped up about seeing the band.

Let the good times roll!  Laissez les bon temps rouler!

Concert Report: Robert Randolph and the Family Band

When I heard that Robert Randolph and the Family Band were playing a free show at the McDonald Theatre on November 28, I was thrilled. I knew I wanted to go and would do just about anything to do so. I ordered my free ticket on their website, and received it a couple weeks ago. I was looking forward to this night for a while, and today it finally came. I just got back from the show.

It was a mixed experience. I can't say it was the greatest show I've ever attended, but I'm glad I went.

I got there around ten to 6:00 PM. The doors opened at 7, and the show started at 8. My timing was perfect, because I was fourth in line! I wanted to grab a good seat in the balcony so I could have easy access to the bathroom and a seat to sit in. When I got in line, we could hear the sound check going on. I couldn't hear it very clearly, but on occasion you could hear Robert Randolph's guitar crying out.

The doors opened a bit after 7, and I scored a great seat in the second row of the balcony, next to the aisle. I could see very well from where I was sitting. After taking my seat, the waiting game began. I hit the bathroom about fifteen minutes before the show, and played around with my iPod until it was time to start.

Unfortunately, we were graced with an opening act. Not just any opening act - a boring DJ! He started by playing beats over Barack Obama's election-night speech. I enjoyed hearing that part. The rest of it was a boring sound collage that seemed to never end. It finally did end just after 9. I was getting restless and bored, and I wanted to hear the Family Band! That's who I came to see, after all. After the DJ left, we had to wait another 50 minutes or so until the Family Band finally came out to play. It was nearly 10 PM by that time. I was in a sour mood because of all the waiting, but Robert's guitar soothed my troubles.

They started with a couple mid-tempo instrumentals. They weren't really cookin' yet, but they were just getting started. The band setup was different - two steel guitars, drums and bass as usual, rhythm guitar, and no organ player. Robert's sister came along to sing backup vocals. The drummer didn't seem to be Marcus Randolph. I may have been far away from the stage, but I'm pretty sure Marcus is a fairly dark guy, and this drummer seemed lighter-skinned. I didn't catch the name of the second steel guitarist, but I did hear Robert say the guy is a pastor.

Interestingly enough, the Band only played two songs from their studio albums - "I Need More Love" and "Deliver Me." Thinking back, there are so many great songs I wish they would have played! But that's the thing with this group - they'll surprise you. Of course, they played "Shake Your Hips," and of course a bunch of women got on stage to dance. One of them was quite frisky, getting all over Robert while he was trying to play. I don't know what Robert thought about that, if it annoyed him or not, but he seemed a good sport. Ahh, the life of a star, eh?

Robert played quite a bit of electric guitar. It was hard at times to tell who was playing what, but he seems to be just as good on regular guitar. He played the square guitar for a smokin' rendition of "Bo Diddley." The main set ended with a fairly long version of "The March," which was just as good as always.

I only stayed for a bit of the encore. Robert played an instrumental version of "Don't Worry, Be Happy" - that was interesting. Then, the Band started playing another jam, with Robert back on electric guitar, and at that point I figured it was about time to get home. I don't know how long the show lasted, but I got my fill.

Aside from the lateness, I also thought the sound quality wasn't very good. It was LOUD, and I guess I'm not used to loud shows. I think the bass was too high, and Danyel's microphone was also too high. When he sang on the chorus of "Deliver Me," it was almost painful. The guitars sounded pretty good, though. You could clearly hear the talent of Robert on the pedal steel. The guitar playing made the night worth all the trouble.

In summary, this wasn't the perfect show. It wasn't quite the show I anticipated, but I'm not going to let that spoil anything. I'm certainly not going to judge the band by tonight's show. They played pretty well, and I am lucky to have seen them. Until the next time I'm able to do so, I'll keep listening to the albums and enjoying the good times they bring.

Top Five On Friday - 11/28/08

Have some top five with your leftover turkey:

Top 5 musical things on your Christmas Wish List.

I don't have much on my list, but here's what there is that's musical:

1) Time On Earth by Crowded House
2) Island Angel by Altan
3) Live in Gdansk by David Gilmour

I'm hoping that, by putting fewer CDs on my list, I'll get what I actually desire.

In other news, tonight I attend the Robert Randolph concert. Expect a report sometime tomorrow. I'm sure it will be off the hook!

Concert Report - Natalie MacMaster 10/14/08

I've seen Natalie MacMaster (Don't know her? She's a Canadian fiddler) more times than any other musician or band. Tonight was my fourth time seeing her perform. I have to say, she always puts on a good show. She plays from the heart and gives it her all. It's very hard to resist her charm.

She started strong with "Welcome To The Trossachs," and kicked everything into gear from the very beginning. She has a reconfigured band - cello, pipes/whistle/banjo, piano, drums and bass. Guitar player Brad Davidge is no longer in her band. I'm sure he probably wanted to move on to other things. He'll probably make it big, because he's just that good. It was quite different hearing her band without a guitar player. There was a stronger connection between piano and fiddle, as well as a larger emphasis on the rhythm section. New drummer J.D. Blair seems to have a jazzy style, and compliments Natalie well. Her cello player, Nathaniel Smith, is only 14 years old! What a lucky teenager.

Natalie played a good mix of tunes from her last three albums (minus the Live album). She left some long-time concert favorites, such as "Tullochgorum" and "Blue Bonnets Over The Border" behind. I'm not complaining - I like to see different setlists and arrangements. There was more piping this time, and more dancing. A lot more dancing, in spite of the fact that Natalie is once again pregnant! No taking it easy for this lady. Her band members each took a solo near the end of the show, and piano player Mac Morin did a solo piece earlier in the show. He was amazing! Natalie herself played piano for one segment while Mac got up to step dance. He was amazing at that, too. Matt MacIsaac got his usual bagpipe solo spot after the intermission.

The sound was the low part of the night. I thought Natalie's fiddle should have been louder in the mix. I could still hear it, but I thought it should have been more dominant. I also had trouble understanding her when she was talking. The sound out of the speakers was a bit distorted. I could make out some of what she was saying, but not all. I missed out on some of the jokes! It may have been our seat location, because we were in the balcony on the left side of the room.

Enough about that - here's the best part of the night. The Shedd (where the concert was held) almost always holds a meet-and-greet following the show. Now that Natalie is a mother to small children, such events are always an if and a maybe. My grandparents and I waited in the reception room, along with other fans, for a good ten minutes. Finally, Natalie made her appearance! When it was my turn in line, I told her she did a great show. She signed a small promo flyer with her image on it, and . . .

Well, here's a thousand words:



Thanks, Natalie! You were awesome.

Natalie, again

Tomorrow night, I'm attending my fourth Natalie MacMaster concert. She's always worth it. I could have skipped her and attended the Ralph Stanley concert on Friday, but I think I'll have more fun seeing Natalie.

If I don't forget, I'll bring one of my cameras and get a picture with her if she's meeting fans after the show. I won't be able to get pictures of the show itself, however.

Here's an older clip of Natalie, when she was younger and had bigger hair:

Concert Report: Los Lobos and Los Lonely Boys

I saw Los Lobos play live in 2006, and instantly became a fan. I was already a fan of Los Lonely Boys in 2007 before I saw them play live, and admired their abilities even more after doing so. When I heard that Los Lobos and Los Lonely Boys would both come back to Eugene and play the same concert, I said to myself "That is going to be one great concert!"

Well, I just got back from said great concert. Was it great? Yes, but not in the way I expected.

There was no opening band. At 7 PM, Los Lobos came out right on time and began playing. They opened with "Dream In Blue," as usual. They played a few songs that I know (including their most famous), but quite a few I'm not familiar with. To be honest, I thought their 2006 concert was a little better than their set today. They seemed to have some sound issues with one of the guitars off and on. Also, they didn't play as many of their R&B-style songs. They did play a good handful of songs in Spanish, and I do enjoy those. Their set was pretty solid, but not quite as groovin' as before. I'm not complaining, though - I love this band!

Los Lobos ended their set with special guest Henry Garza of Los Lonely Boys (and the other two brothers eventually). They all played "Oye Como Va," which I think was the best song of the night. Another interesting choice earlier in the Los Lobos set was a cover of "Cinnamon Girl" by Neil Young.

A little while after Los Lobos left the stage, Los Lonely Boys came back and played their set. They played a good mix of old hits, new hits, and fan favorites. They didn't have any cool, unexpected moments such as long solos or a long version of "Onda." They just played their songs and played them well. Tonight's version of "Heaven" was especially great.

No, the evening didn't offer any "you HAD to be there" moments, with the exception of Henry Garza guesting with the Wolves of East Los Angeles. Both bands proved that they are very consistent and play live very, very well. If I had to choose, I'd give Los Lonely Boys the MVP award of the night. They really are great live, much more than in the studio. You have to see them perform to really appreciate them.

This is probably the only concert I'll attend this summer. It was a good one, and I'll never forget it. I even bought a CD at the merchandise table (Los Lonely Boys' Live at the Fillmore). I don't really need more CDs, but I wanted a souvenir of the night.

I can't wait to see what next summer brings to our concert scene!

Busy busy

Here's the scoop on what's going on for me in the next few days:

• Tonight I'm going to see Los Lonely Boys and Los Lobos live in concert, together! I've seen them before, separately. Seeing them at the same time will be all kinds of awesome. I'll give a report when I return back, or some time tomorrow.

• I'll probably save the Random Ten until tomorrow to reflect what I hear at the concert.

• Tomorrow, I'm probably going to see The Dark Knight. That's the plan, anyway. I may or may not review it. Maybe I'll review it on LJ.

Eugene Scottish Festival report

Yesterday, I went to the Eugene Scottish Festival, held at a church very near my house. It was interesting and a good way to spend the afternoon. Let me tell you all about it.

I paid my $1 and three cans of food and entered the Festival grounds. The first thing I did was check out the food booths. There wasn't much to be had, and very little that was Scottish. There was shaved ice, iced tea, apple dumplings, bangers (sausages), hot dogs and drinks.

After checking that out, I made the rounds at the booths, located around the perimeter of the lawn.



Some of the booths were selling things, but most were informational booths about different Clans. I wasn't too interested in that, but I did enjoy seeing some of the items on display:



After seeing all the booths, I checked out what was going on in the 'kirk' itself. Inside the church was a little Scottish museum - cardboard displays of all things Scottish. I thought it was interesting. In another room, there was a gift shop selling teapots, glassware, and tartan everything. Outside of that, there was a children's area and the 'Ask a Scot' area:



Now that I had seen everything, it was time to see some entertainment! I watched some of the sword demonstration:



and later watched Tonn Nua. They are a local Celtic band, and I timed my visit to the Festival so that I could see them.



I thought they were very good. They were heavy on the percussive strings - guitar, banjo, octave mandolin, etc. - and played your typical Irish and Scottish reels and dance tunes. They are all young people, and don't seem to be particularly Irish or Scottish, which makes their musicianship all the more impressive.

After that, I wandered around a bit more, then grabbed a watermelon shaved ice before the bagpipe band came roaring in. I knew I wanted to stay to see some of that, and so I did:



The Sir James McDonald Pipe Band consists of young people from all over Oregon, boys and (as you see above) girls. I shot some photos of the band, took a bathroom break, and went home. I enjoyed my time at the Festival, and I'm sure I'll be back again some day.

I leave you with this:



You can see more pictures here, of course.

Concert Report - BeauSoleil at The Shedd, 1/22/08

I'm back from the BeauSoleil concert, and I wish I could watch it all over again! The band was really hot tonight, really on top of their game.

BeauSoleil played a two-hour set with an intermission. Michael Doucet was very talkative, telling stories and jokes all night in between the songs. They started with "Chez Denouse McGee," and also played:

Malinda
Le Soleil Brille
La Valse de BeauSoleil
Lena Mae
Le Jig Francais
La Chanson de Mardis Gras
Newz Reel/Zydeco Gris-Gris
Le Reel de Nez Pique
Peux Pas Me Refuser
La Terre de mon Grandpere
Les Blues de Creve de Faim
Bon Temps Rouler
Les Fleurs Fleurissent
Baby Please Don't Go
La Danse de la Vie
Bye Bye Boozoo
Bunk's Blues
Reel de Dennis McGee

*update - added a couple more that I remembered.*

That's all I can remember. I may be missing a couple, but not many. They played quite a few songs!

Here's a cool little story. About ten minutes before show time, I got up to use the restroom. The restroom on the balcony level is a small one that probably isn't used much - there are bigger restrooms downstairs. I was waiting for the person in the upstairs restroom to finish, and who should come out but the band's accordion player! I didn't say anything to him, because I made a fool of myself the last time he was in town by calling him the wrong name. Luckily, he didn't seem to recognize me.

The last thing I will say about the concert, other than it rocked a thousand different ways, is that David Doucet is a really amazing guitar player. He isn't flashy, and he mostly plays rhythm (which you can't really hear over the other instruments), but his solos are really spectacular! He picks those strings like nobody else. Michael gets all the attention, but I think David should get some props for his amazing skills.

I had a really great time! I can't wait to see them again, and I'm sure I'll get the chance again.

Concert Report : Jonny Lang and Los Lonely Boys

Well, I'm finally back from the Jonny Lang/Los Lonely Boys show. It was awesome! We were treated to nearly three hours of entertainment, not counting the opening act. The opener was a local guy and his band, and they were decent but not as good as Los Lonely Boys. I pity the guy, because opening for two great acts is a no-win situation except for exposure.

Only twenty minutes after the opening act's last song, Jonny Lang and his band came out and started playing like they meant business. This is the second time I've seen Jonny in concert, and the first I've seen him play the electric guitar. He played it well, taking a few long solos. His singing was spot-on as well. He was backed by a full band, including a rhythm guitar player, organ/piano guy, drummer, bassist, and a singer from Nashville. Nearly everyone got a solo sometime in the set.

Jonny played a few songs from his new album, and some of his older stuff as well, including "Red Light," "Wander This World," "A Quitter Never Wins" and "I Am." He really brought the house down with some of his solos! I think he sang stronger in the last concert, but he wasn't taking a night off either. His band was really good too, playing very well together. The drummer was very good, but Ringo Garza was the best drummer of the night by far. The sound setup was excellent, with bass you could feel right in your chest.

Jonny played from 7:40 until nearly 9:00. Then, after a half-hour break to set things up, Los Lonely Boys took the stage. They rocked the place! Most of the songs they played were from their latest album, Sacred, and they chose the best songs from that album to perform. They opened with "Oye Mamacita," a fairly good choice, but I would have started with something a little faster and harder. They continued with "Roses" and "Never Met A Woman," with a couple bluesy numbers in between for variety. They also played "Nobody Else" from their debut. Their harmonies were dazzling and their musicianship was absolutely stunning.

After all these great songs, the Boys put it all on the table and played a 30-minute version of "Onda." It began with a few minutes of guitar soloing by Henry, who is a really amazing guitar player! He showed off his skills for the enjoyment of everyone, and then was joined by his brothers in a little jam. This made me realize what was missing from their latest album - a good instrumental jam to show how well they can play together.

The basic structure of "Onda" was there, but the Boys improvised quite a bit. My favorite part was a call-and-response between Henry and Jojo on bass, first, and then Henry and Ringo on drums. It was really cool to see the brothers play like that together. A little more jamming, a bass solo by Jojo, more jamming, and then a nearly ten-minute drum solo by Ringo, helped out by Jojo! I think the drum solo went on a little too long, but it was awesome nonetheless. Then the Boys finally drove the song home and made the crowd beg for mercy.

Just when you thought it couldn't get any better, the Boys announced a very special guest - their own father, Enrique! Ok, he probably follows them around when they tour, but it was still cool to have them bring him out. He joined them on the one song I thought they wouldn't play in concert - "Outlaws." They just cut out Willie Nelson's verse to make the song work.

After that, they announced that there would be one more song. Which song? "Heaven," of course! It was a very lengthy version, with plenty of amazing guitar work by Henry. I knew they'd play it at some time during the night, and they proved me right.

Los Lonely Boys really made the night sweet for me. They all played amazingly well and rocked the house. I wish they had played a few more songs off their debut album, or played "Diamonds" from their new album, but still I loved the concert as it was.

I am very lucky to have seen two great rock acts in the same show, and it's a show I'll not soon forget. Regardless of what you think of their studio work, go see Los Lonely Boys when they come to your town, especially if you love guitar. That was the big theme of the night - awesome guitar playing and lots of it.

Concert Report: Natalie MacMaster, October 23 2006

I just got back from my third Natalie MacMaster concert. Natalie, for those who don't know, is a fantastic fiddle player from Cape Breton, Canada. Cape Breton has a long tradition of Scottish-style music, especially fiddling. Natalie starts with that, but ends up at a crossroads of the modern and the old with her rock-and-roll band.

As I mentioned above, I've seen her play three times now. I'd have to say that this was the very best of all three concerts. Natalie put an atomic bomb's worth of energy into her performance tonight. She was dancing around on the stage all night (even with a broken toe!), interacting with her fellow musicians and generally having a great time. Very few of the tunes were slow; most of them were fast-paced sets of strathspeys and reels, stuff that gets the crowd worked up.

She played a handful of songs from her new album, Yours Truly, including "David's Jig," "Flea As A Bird," "Danny Boy" (with guitarist Brad D. on vocals) and "Volcanic Jig," which I believe she actually played twice. That doesn't matter, because it's such a great tune that I could listen to it again and again. Seeing her play it live made me appreciate it even more. She also played "Jig Party" from her Blueprint album, and of course there cannot be a Natalie MacMaster concert without the beautiful "Blue Bonnets Over The Border." That is probably her signature tune over the years. She even managed to squeeze in "Tullochgorum," going straight into it with no slower intro.

She was very friendly with the crowd, telling us news about her life and cracking many jokes. She's quite the adorable woman, I must say. She may look like a rock star but you can't take the Cape Breton out of the girl. Even with a broken toe, Natalie pleased the crowd by performing a solo stepdance routine. It didn't seem to do her toe any good, but she did it anyway and I really appreciate that.

As usual, the finale and encore were just awesome. She and the band played a long, wild medley of reels and other things. Everyone put in some hard work and Natalie played her wildest on the fiddle. The crowd wanted more and the energy was so thick you could cut it, what with everyone standing and clapping and yelling and stomping their feet for an encore. Natalie and the band came out and performed "Matt and Nat's," beginning with a killer electric guitar performance by Brad. The fiddle and pipes finally kicked along with the rest of the band, and Natalie showed the crowd that she can, indeed, rock and roll.

Unfortunately, I didn't get to meet her after the show. I brought my camera but I didn't take any pictures because of the angle of my seat, and out of respect for Natalie. The next time she comes around here, I'll try my best to meet her and get a picture taken with her. Until then, I'll have great memories of tonight's concert.

I'm back from the Buddy Guy concert! It was a great time for all, watching a living legend do his thing and please the crowd. Shemekia Copeland opened for him, and she's quite awesome herself. I've heard her before, so I was excited to see her before watching Buddy. She got the crowd going before the main show and performed very well. Her vocal style mixes blues, soul and even gospel. She's a woman with a lot of energy and passion, for sure.

A little while after Shemekia left the stage, Buddy Guy and his band came on to set things on fire. Buddy was on spot the entire night, virtually attacking his guitar and singing very, very well. Buddy, you see, is as good a singer as he is a guitar player. He may be one of the best blues singers of all time, I think. Most of the songs were extended jams featuring alternating blistering solos, passionate vocals and slower, quieter times. A good showman always knows how to make the crowd listen.

At one point, Buddy even went out into the audience to play! At least that's what I think he did, because I couldn't see that part of the ampitheater from where we sat. He did that for probably ten minutes before returning to the stage. He talked to us quite a bit, saying it had been a long time (since the 1960s) since he had been to Eugene and that he was glad to be back and ready for us to show him some love. We showed him the love!

Near the end of the night, he started giving us a little blues history lesson, playing parts of "Boom Boom" by John Lee Hooker and "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)" by Jimi Hendrix. He really showed off during that part. He also played a little of "What'd I Say?" by Ray Charles.

Unfortunately, I think the end of the concert was a little weak. Buddy ended with a little acoustic number instead of a rip-roaring guitar jam like I wanted. There was no encore, but the man deserves a break because he's now seventy. And he didn't play "Mary Had A Little Lamb"! But I don't care about any of that because I got to see him and see him do what he does best - play the blues like no one else!

I've had quite the bundle of excitement lately.

Last night, my parents and I went to the Cuthbert Ampitheater to see the band Los Lobos (you know, the guys the remade "La Bamba"). The opening band, Minus 5, was just strange. The lead singer's voice didn't really do it for me. Their lyrics didn't make a lot of sense, and their sound was country-rock, I think. A few of the songs near the end of their set sounded a little like punk rock. They had a really great drummer, though.

About forty minutes later, Los Lobos came out and played. They played straight til ten o'clock, and they rocked! Most of their songs were upbeat, with a boogie-rock sound. Some of the songs were sung in Spanish and featured accordion. A couple of the songs were slower and blues-based. I was really impressed with their stuff! They brought a ton of energy and made the crowd dance all night. I was even nodding my head and tapping my toes while sitting in my seat.

No, they did not play "La Bamba" but I hardly care because their original songs are so much better.

Ok, that was Thursday night. Today, after I got off work, my grandmother picked me up and we went to the Junction City Scandinavian Festival. I go every year, and I wasn't about to miss this year's festival. It was a perfect day to go! The weather was sunny but not too hot, there wasn't a huge crowd, and the food was very delicious. I had a piece of lefse to start with (which my grandmother and I both agree is not as good as her lefse), followed by lingonberry ice cream and, later, a Swedish pancake with lingonberries. Yummy!

I took quite a few pictures. I'm keeping over sixty of them. Most of the pictures feature the teenage and child dancers we saw at both stages. I tried my best to get some good action shots, and some of them are fairly good! I also took pictures of the various Scandinavian touches found around downtown Junction City for the Festival. Of course, these will all be posted on Flickr over the next week.

The action doesn't end there! Tonight my parents and I are going back to the Cuthbert to see blues legend Buddy Guy! I'm so excited for that. Buddy will be the first Rock and Roll Hall of Famer I've seen in person. Details about that concert will be posted later tonight.

After tonight, I'm just going to spend the weekend relaxing! I really need a break after all these events. But, still, I'm enjoying them a lot!

Jeff at Imagine Echoes asks - What band most surprised you in concert with their talent?

To answer this question, I first (finally!) made a list of all the concerts I've paid to see. I think I've remembered them all, but I'm not sure. I don't remember going to a concert in 2001, but that was so long ago that I really don't remember.

I think the first group that really surprised me with their talent is Nickel Creek. I saw them perform first in April of 2004 and had only heard their debut album at that point. I knew I liked the band, but I wasn't at all prepared for how well they play and how much they can entertain a crowd. I left the concert with a huge smile on my face.

The second act that impressed me is Andrew Bird, whom I saw open for Nickel Creek the second time I saw them last December. The man is a one-person band! My friend Beth had told me about him before, and I had heard a few of his songs, but I was surprised how good he is even as an opening act. His voice is haunting and his instrumental skills are excellent.

I saw Keri Noble open for Jonny Lang last March, and she completely surprised me because I had never heard her before. I'm a huge fan now, for sure!

Everyone else I've seen did not surprise me, because I knew how good they were when I bought the tickets.

I went to see the Savoy-Doucet Cajun Band last night, and it was great! I went with my mom and my buddy Mike who both enjoyed the concert too. The concert venue (a former church) was maybe half full. The lower level appeared to be fairly full, or at least 3/4 full. The balcony was only 1/4 full. That's where we sat, front row! There was a railing blocking part of my view, but not bad overall.

The band played a lot of dance music. A few waltzes, many two steps, even a few blues numbers. The lineup was Michael Doucet on fiddle, Marc Savoy on Acadian accordion, and Ann Savoy on rhythm guitar and most vocals. A couple of the numbers featured Michael on fiddle and Ann on triangle. Michael got to sing a few songs, and some verses in other songs. That was a real treat because he's such a great singer. I'm not a huge fan of Ann's recorded voice, but in a live setting it really works better than you'd think. She has a very special personality and brings a lot of energy to her singing and playing. She also did most of the talking through the night, with Marc telling a few jokes and Michael saying a few things too. Michael really seems to enjoy his role in the band. He doesn't have to be the frontman like he is in BeauSoleil, and that must be a welcome relief for him.

I don't know all the titles of the songs they played, and I don't think it matters anyway. What does matter is that all the songs were enjoyed. I recognized a few of the songs from BeauSoleil albums. Michael even played a fiddle-and-triangle version of "Me and Dennis McGee." I loved hearing that because it was very different from the full band version I'm familiar with, and because BeauSoleil didn't play it when I saw them last year.

They played for just over an hour and a half, and after the show much of the crowd went to the "living room" area of the building for drinks, merchandise-purchasing and talking with the band. I got to briefly speak with Michael and even got my picture taken with him! That's the second time I've met him. I'm always intimidated meeting these folks. I almost feel like I'm taking up their time by talking to them. I really shouldn't feel like that because they're just regular people like me, but I suppose it's because I have so much respect for them.

The evening was just awesome and I really enjoyed myself. Michael played his fiddle so well! It's amazing the number of sounds and styles he can bring out of it. He doesn't just play, he puts his personality and mood and feelings into it, and what he puts into it comes out as music. Hopefully this won't be the last time I see him perform. I'll keep checking the schedule and see if he comes back with BeauSoleil soon!

Random thoughts on a Wednesday afternoon:

- One of my cats is at the veterinarian right now. He's got an oozing owie on his left arm, so we took him in. Hopefully they can fix him up and get it healed. Thankfully, it doesn't seem to hurt him too much because he's acting like nothing's wrong.

- This weekend I might be going to the annual Friends of the Eugene Library Used Book Sale. Thousands of books for a dollar each! You can't beat that.

- This Monday I'm going to see the Savoy-Doucet Cajun Band with my moms and possibly a friend too. Michael Doucet, leader of BeauSoleil, is one of the band members. Maybe I'll get to meet him again?! Maybe I'll get a photo with him?! We'll see what happens.

- Today I tried out Trillian, the all-in-one messenger service. I'm not impressed, because it treats Yahoo! screennames as seperate accounts. I have different people talking to me on different names, so that kind of behavior is not good. *sigh* I guess I'll just stick to seperate messengers for now. Also, while viewing the help forums for Trillian, I've noticed that a lot of people have problems using Yahoo! through Trillian, so maybe this is not a good idea.

- My birthday is in less than three weeks. I'm getting a digital camera for sure (I asked my mom, and it has arrived) so now I have to get a memory card, battery charger and some spare batteries if I can afford them. I'm still trying to decide whether to print photos out with my own printer (which has TINY ink cartridges) or get prints at Wal-Mart or wherever. I do think you can bring in a CD-ROM or something and get them printed out from that. What do you think? Which would cost less?

That's all for now. I might not post tomorrow, by the way, but I'll be back with memes and possibly more on Friday.

New record news!

According to Natalie MacMaster's website, she has a new album ready to go called "Yours Truly." I think it drops in April. It doesn't seem like a very long time since she released "Blueprint," but if memory serves me correctly that was out in 2003. I don't know how she found time to record between her constant touring and her new baby, but I'm glad she did!

Also on the horizon is a new Audioslave album, according to this VH1.com article. Tom Morello describes it as an "ass-kicker"! Their last album was incredibly good (see my review from last week), so I'm drooling at the thought of how good their next one will be.

In other music news, I'm going to see the Savoy-Doucet Cajun Band on April 10. The band is Marc Savoy, master accordion player and maker, his wife Ann on guitar and vocals, and BeauSoleil's Michael Doucet on violin. It's not BeauSoleil, but it's close enough for me! I'll see if I can get my old camera in there in case I get to meet Michael again. I haven't been to a show since December, so this will be quite refreshing and exciting.

That's all for now. Looks like I'll be busy buying new music this year. That's always a good thing!

I'm home from the Nickel Creek concert, and it was awesome as expected! They're definitely one of the best groups I've seen live, and I've seen a lot of great live bands.

My buddy Mike and I got there about fifteen minutes before the show officially started. We got seats up in the balcony, slightly obstructed but nothing truly complaint-worthy. Andrew Bird opened the show, and he was definitely interesting. He was almost (minus drums and piano) a one-man show. He mostly played the violin, either by plucking or bowing. He also played a little xylophone and some electric guitar as well. He used some sort of effect pedal that put certain sections of playing on a loop so that he could play around them with a live melody. His voice was very haunting and emotional, and his songs were mid-tempo and certainly like nothing I've ever heard. The standard for good opening acts is the question "Would I pay to see this person again as the main act?" and I think my answer to that would be yes.

About a half hour after Andrew finished, Nickel Creek started playing. Their first songs were "When In Rome," "Scotch And Chocolate," "This Side," "Reasons Why" and "Stumptown." The highlights of that group were "When In Rome," "Scotch And Chocolate" and "Stumptown." They do very well on instrumentals, and tonight was no exception. The other songs they performed were:

Somebody More Like You
Jealous Of The Moon
House Of Tom Bombadil (with "Short People" by Randy Newman played in the middle)
Anthony
Best Of Luck
When You Come Back Down
Smoothie Song
An extended version of The Lighthouse's Tale
First And Last Waltz/Helena

They also performed a VERY funny cover of Britney Spears' "Toxic." Chris handled the falsetto vocals well, and the group as a whole proved that the song is good even out of the pop genre. Their last songs before the encore were The Lighthouse's Tale, First And Last Waltz and Helena. After a thunderous applause by the almost-satisfied crowd, the group came out for an encore. They played the funny song about cocaine that they always seem to peform, The Fox, and Why Should The Fire Die? Another surprise came when they broke out into "The Weight" by The Band in the middle of The Fox. The entire audience sang along. Chris sang it very well and put the right amount of emotion into it. I really enjoyed hearing that! They also had their bass player (and Chris for a few moments) stepdancing during the last part of The Fox.

Once again, Nickel Creek proved to be a worthwhile group to see in concert. They really got going after the first few songs, and things just kept getting better from there. The audience seemed to fuel their energy and they responded by telling funny stories and breaking out into unexpected covers. Interestingly, their bluegrass side came out more in the encore than the rest of the concert. They started out in bluegrass, and damned if they aren't excellent at it still.

If Nickel Creek comes to your town, don't hesitate to pick up some tickets and get ready for the time of your life!