So I’ve been working on a few ideas for posts. They’ll be coming real soon now. They are in the cooker and I’m letting out a bit of steam on them first.

But right now, I’d like to let everyone know that Maryjo and I attended the Swell Season concert in Raleigh this evening and it was amazing. One of the best shows I have seen in a long time. The music was so very beautiful, uplifting, sometimes sad, and powerful. Their voices were like angels. And the band was tight. And Glen Hansard is a funny and charming irish fellow who can belt out a tune like his life depended on it. And the sound, in the Meymandi Concert Hall, is so clear and perfect. Those who know me know that I can be cynical and sarcastic nearly 100% of the time. But I am seldom so with music. Hear me now and believe me later, it was a damn good show. And they gave the spotlight to Marketa Irglova for several songs. They let the violinist do an instrumental number from his new CD. The bass player got the spotlight and sang a song (score!). Jeez, even the tour manager came out and sang a Steve Earle cover. It was a bit like being in their living room watching them sing a few numbers, I should think.

Yeah, it was a good time. I should have been a musician…I mean a real, gigging musician. I think I would do much better now touring around a countryside than when I was in my twenties. I’m laid back enough, and can tolerate the constant presence of others, enough that I think I could truly enjoy it now. Ahh, if only there were no bills to pay.

Two other things. The first - they did a Pixies cover, just the two of them plus an acoustic guitar, and rocked it. I cannot tell you which song because I am not a huge pixies fan. But, uh, maybe it’s about freaking time I listened to every single track from every single Pixies album before I once again say I don’t care for the Pixies. Because I seem to be the only one who ever says that.

Second. Is it not the most depressing thing to come right out of a concert that has inspired and spiritually uplifited you, only to be thrown into a maelstrom of concert-goers all trying to be the first to reach their cars? And then braving intense traffic, near collisions, and rude-ass people while trying to get out of the parking lot. It’s just such a jarring transition. It always ruins the magic for me a little bit. I hate driving. That will be a subject of a future post, currently in the cooker.

Out.