Saturday is...

... concert day! :)

Or at least it was this last weekend.

Two really good ones, too. And verrrrrry different.

First up was an afternoon show at Benson Great Hall on the Bethel campus, of a 60+ voice audition-only male chorus, the Great Northern Union. Holy moly, were they good!




The material was a mix of folk songs (sea shanties, Irish & Sottish tunes), glee club and barbershop, sacred music and gospel, and some pop tunes. Their dynamic range was astounding and they had several smaller ensembles and quartets that also sang. Great, great, stuff. We'll definitely be going back again to more next year.

Next up was a very different group at a very different venue. Calexico at The Fine Line! We had seats at a table on the main floor, and now and then had to ask "standers" to move out of the table area and onto the main floor, but otherwise it was worth the extra cost.



Interesting arrangement. You pay $30 a person above your ticket to sit at a table, but then the $30 becomes a pre-paid food and bar tab you draw down during the evening. So, you just plan to eat out and a have a couple of drinks and you're good. Nice deal. The food was excellent, and large portions, so next time maybe we'll stick with appetizers or split an entree. :)



The opener was a Canadian band called The Acorn. Not bad. Nothing unique, but nothing disappointing, either.



But the headliner! Oh, were they good. Calexico's material is reminiscent of Blood, Sweat & Tears, plus the Tiajuana Brass, plus the Doobie Brothers, kind of that 70s brass/rock sound.

Then mix in the style of music that you hear on the soundtracks of Clint Eastwood and late 50's spaghetti westerns - a lonesome trail sound mixed with a Latin tinge, where the bad guys are saying "head for the border, we'll meet up in Ogales tonight and divide the loot" as they head out across the empty desert and sagebrush...

Plus you add the airy, breathy singing of Iron & Wine and the eerie feel of the Twin Peaks soundtrack, and ... it's infectious and irresistable! :) It's easy to sit and listen to, but you also want to move to it. (or at least several women did near our table. It was a bit distracting. Pleasant, yes, but... not what you came for, you know?)

Going to a couple of good concerts was nice relaxation after working hard to finish my Exegetical paper for BT501 before the deadline, and wrapping up my sermon notes for Sunday morning as well.

And today... vacation! Yay! I love taking off Thanksgiving week.

It worked out nicely that the batch of limoncello I had going downstairs (infusing lemon zest into Everclear and sugar syrup) was ready to strain and bottle today. Just in time to take to Grandma & Grandpa's on Wednesday night. :)

Didn't it turn out pretty??

It is soooo good. Mmmm.

And so good FOR you. :P