Happy Saint Patrick's Day *we celebrated early

 

And I am as hung over as if there were adult beverages involved, although there weren't. I don't see midnight very often, but my pedometer reset on the way home. Left the venue with 10400 some odd steps, got home with 0. However, it was worth every rain-swept, wind-ravaged mile of the round trip ride.

I first experienced the High Kings thanks to Ralph. I was sitting in the dining room on the old computer bitd, avoiding television as I always do. He called me, "You gotta come see this!"

 They were on PBS playing Marie's Wedding.

I was stunned. I spent Lord knows how long standing in front of the dreaded tube enthralled. Before the night was over I bought Marie's Wedding for my playlist on whatever ancient device I was using then, along with a whole bunch of other new favorites (Whiskey in the Jar anyone?).

Their music was soon featured heavily on my personal "Barn List". We took turns blasting the CD player in the barn during the twice daily milking of the cows. The kids had somewhat more rock and country based stuff, but I loved the band from that first night, and whenever they produced an album I added it.

Fast forward a bit. We started going to their concerts whenever they played locally, two or three at The Egg, one in Syracuse, last year at Troy City Music Hall.

Then a couple of months ago the girls cooked up a trip to the Academy of Music in Northampton Massachusetts. Liz would drive. Long night drives are not much fun for us fogeys. Tickets were purchased, in the balcony, but there isn't a bad seat in the house when they are playing.

Yesterday Liz let me know that she had been watching the ticket sales and had found an open seat in the second row so she bought it. She might have taken it herself, but she gave it to me.

What a gift! I don't have words. It was a great show. What an enthusiastic crowd! 

Sometimes when you hear a favorite musician the people mixing the sound don't get it quite right. You can't hear the words, or one band member is muted and you can't hear them right. Last night was perfect. Sitting in front I could feel the music as well as hear it at its finest. I am glad I faithfully pursue my walking goals so I have the stamina to join the fun.

They played old favorites, including Men of Aran, and an as yet unreleased instant hit called 77A. (Yes, go listen, you know you want to...)

I always knew Darren Holden had a magnificent voice, but his rendition of The Town I Loved So Well gave me cold chills last night. If they play near you, grab some tickets (I recommend getting the best you can find) and prepare to be blown away. if you can't go, they are available to stream on most services. I have a ton of their songs on my 3C Walking List on Amazon Music, which helps propel me through my 10000 steps a day routine.

It was the best concert I have ever experienced.

Mad props to Liz for driving in the horrible storm that hit right after we got inside the theater, and heartfelt thanks for that ticket. Thanks to the rest of the family for sitting in the balcony without complaint while I sat all the way up front between prefect strangers...nice fellows, not rude at all, although they did enjoy those adult beverages...

It was a long night and I sure hope the coffee kicks in soon, but I don't regret one second of lost sleep.

***Oh, and there were bagpipes....

...And another talented guy, Zack Telander, opened for them. This song will be going on my list as well....or maybe not. It doesn't appear to be on Amazon.

I woke up this morning with Chasing Rainbows playing on the jukebox in my brain. Just can't stop winning...

Flashback

If you want to embiggen these, you can right click, open in a new tab, and make that tab big.... 
The details are.....different....lol
 Some of them are all mine
but most are committee efforts. Somebody would draw something...someone else would add a bit
Someone else would vandalize a little. Sure was fun.

I won't bore you with the long story of the boss's TV-over-the-Internet not working and setting up a house call from the cable company and the Godawful mess that our house usually always is.

instead let's fast forward to me finding a Pioneer seed advertising tote bag under the green desk while clearing a path to the modem and router.

'What the heck is this?' I thought.

Oh, my. It's the bag that the state police investigator gleaned from our poor wrecked car when the boss had his terrible accident. The insurance company never even let us see it again......Those were bad times and the bag just got stuffed away without anyone ever looking through it.

Broken binoculars. Little bits of a small box of tackle Alan kept in the car so we could fish if we happened upon a good spot.

Odds. Ends. Maps, which I just stashed in the current car for our upcoming trip. (The B**ch in the Box doesn't always work after all. Sometimes there's no signal.)

And an inch high stack of CDs. I almost pitched them. They were pretty battered and tired looking.

Then I noticed the label on one. Barn Music.

Barn Music 2. OMG, the CD's we used to play in the barn when we were milking cows. We built them to suit everyone. Two songs for this person. Two songs for that one.

From Todd Fritsch to Jimmy Buffet to Trent Tomlinson and everything Emerson Drive had recorded up to that time. The Roosters. Chris LeDoux. Garth. The Grateful Dead, Craig Morgan,. Hours and hours worth.

Barn Music 2 is playing right now and every third song gives me cold chills and takes me back to the crazy fun we had milking back in the day. The barn blackboards where we strove to outdo each other with crazy drawings. Singing along. Some better than others.

The flashbacks just keep coming. Liz is having the same experience. It's like being in the barn again. With the cows and the kids all there. Those days are gone forever, and I try not to ever look back because....well....just because.

I sure am enjoying these CDs though.

Bittersweet. 

Beautiful.

Heartbreaking and wonderful all at the same time.