We love our daughter dearly, but every once and a while mommy and daddy need to take a little time for themselves to get away and have some fun.
So Thursday afternoon we bid goodbye to MCC (thanks for babysitting, Nana!) and headed up to Madison to see one of my favorite bands, Great Big Sea. They played the historic Majestic Theatre
in downtown Madison, Wisconsin. Sometimes people will use the word "Bandbox" to describe a small space; this fit that description perfectly. It was general admission and doors opened at seven.
We had dinner at a nice restaurant adjacent to the theatre (the chicken pesto rigatoni is highly recommended, but not if you're going to be dancing and clapping and singing for several hours thereafter) and got in line about 6:30 or so and were given our "tickets". The tickets were
off a roll purchased at Office Depot like you'd get after dropping a buck or a two for a raffle at the local school.
We were standing right below the marquee:
Sadly, we weren't sticking around to see String Cheese Incident on Friday night, but I'm sure the concern would have had a wee different vibe than the one that we went to. There were lots of different people to talk to in line who had traveled from different places to see them; Milwaukee, Eau Claire, Chicago...some folks were even going to see them Friday night in Minneapolis or were planning to see them tonight playing Celtic Fest in Grant Park.
The doors opened promptly at 7:00 and we walked in and were front and center, two feet from the stage. Wow. Once you've seen a band like them up close, there's no point in seeing them in a larger barn. They fill places across Canada like the Molson and Air Canada Centres (think United Center for Chicagoans) and while I'm sure the energy from the audience is palpable, there's no substitute for being that close. I love them for the high energy up-tempo music that's a mix of influeces from old Irish standards and sea chanties from their native St. John's, Newfoundland.
They took the stage promptly at 8:00 and played two sets of twelve plus songs each. As great as they are with their instruments, they do some amazing a capella work as well; which given my history as a barbershopper with the New Tradition chorus probably jades my ear a little bit and makes me more critical of a group's sound.
The below photos were shot with my iPhone; cameras were allowed and when we next see them (and I'm only going to see them in small barns), I'll be sure to pack a camera rig.
There was quite the big hair and groupies in the front row; I'll give them credit because they knew all the lyrics to all the music, including the stuff off their newest release, Fortune's Favor.
It really was a great time. The folks seeing them today at Celtic Fest are probably getting drenched and I don't know if they'll be able to appreciate them the way we did after the show, but I hope that if you happen to catch them touring through your town that you can see them; they're well, well, WELL worth the time.
So Thursday afternoon we bid goodbye to MCC (thanks for babysitting, Nana!) and headed up to Madison to see one of my favorite bands, Great Big Sea. They played the historic Majestic Theatre
in downtown Madison, Wisconsin. Sometimes people will use the word "Bandbox" to describe a small space; this fit that description perfectly. It was general admission and doors opened at seven.
We had dinner at a nice restaurant adjacent to the theatre (the chicken pesto rigatoni is highly recommended, but not if you're going to be dancing and clapping and singing for several hours thereafter) and got in line about 6:30 or so and were given our "tickets". The tickets were
off a roll purchased at Office Depot like you'd get after dropping a buck or a two for a raffle at the local school.
We were standing right below the marquee:
Sadly, we weren't sticking around to see String Cheese Incident on Friday night, but I'm sure the concern would have had a wee different vibe than the one that we went to. There were lots of different people to talk to in line who had traveled from different places to see them; Milwaukee, Eau Claire, Chicago...some folks were even going to see them Friday night in Minneapolis or were planning to see them tonight playing Celtic Fest in Grant Park.
The doors opened promptly at 7:00 and we walked in and were front and center, two feet from the stage. Wow. Once you've seen a band like them up close, there's no point in seeing them in a larger barn. They fill places across Canada like the Molson and Air Canada Centres (think United Center for Chicagoans) and while I'm sure the energy from the audience is palpable, there's no substitute for being that close. I love them for the high energy up-tempo music that's a mix of influeces from old Irish standards and sea chanties from their native St. John's, Newfoundland.
They took the stage promptly at 8:00 and played two sets of twelve plus songs each. As great as they are with their instruments, they do some amazing a capella work as well; which given my history as a barbershopper with the New Tradition chorus probably jades my ear a little bit and makes me more critical of a group's sound.
The below photos were shot with my iPhone; cameras were allowed and when we next see them (and I'm only going to see them in small barns), I'll be sure to pack a camera rig.
There was quite the big hair and groupies in the front row; I'll give them credit because they knew all the lyrics to all the music, including the stuff off their newest release, Fortune's Favor.
It really was a great time. The folks seeing them today at Celtic Fest are probably getting drenched and I don't know if they'll be able to appreciate them the way we did after the show, but I hope that if you happen to catch them touring through your town that you can see them; they're well, well, WELL worth the time.
2 comments:
Yes, the concert was great and the band did an awesome job, but the real treat was a night out, just the two of us. That's what really matters. We are so fortunate!
One of the reasons you two are such fabulous parents is that you take time for each other. Sweet Pea is sooooo lucky to have you as mom and dad. Glad you had so much fun!!
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