I've got a smile on my face and I've got four walls around me.
Just got home from one of the best weekends I've had in a while. Ray and I went to Maine because we had tickets last night to the Great Big Sea show in Portland. I figure that this fetus/embryo or whatever it is (I know, I'm a nurse, I should know these things, but I'm Catholic and I'm only supposed to know that life begins at conception ;-)) is already nine weeks old and it's never too early to introduce him/her to some good music and culture. It is 1/8 Newfie, after all (and 100% Canuck-American since both Ray's relatives and mine came from the Great White North -his from Quebec and mine from the Maritimes). Crap. I just realized that I'm destined to be a hockey mom. Better go buy some lipstick...Anyway, the show was absolutely fantastic - it could only have been better if they did "Rant and Roar" and "Captain Kidd" which are two of my favorites. But since most of their songs are pretty much my favorites, it didn't matter. Besides, they did those two on the Cape last year. This show was WAY better than the Cape. Our seats were great, and there was much more sort of conversation and talking to each other and the audience in that endearing, self-deprecating Canadian tone. They started off the second set with only bouzouki and button accordion playing "Planxty Irwin" (a traditional instrumental that isn't on any of their albums as far as I know) and added instruments as they moved from song to song. Each of the guys in the band easily plays two or three instruments, and they all sing. In fact, some of their best stuff is a capella. I'm not sure if it's because it was their second-to-last night, but they did like three encores, including Alan Doyle doing a beautiful solo "Boston and St. John's". I never get sick of their music. Top the whole night off with fish and chips at Bull Feeney's and it was pretty much a perfect date. The fish and chips would have gone great with beer, though!