Day trip to Calistoga California

Had a day trip with my youngest child.

We had lunch in downtown Calistoga at the All Season's Grill, went to the Petrified Forest and saw Old Faithful Geyser (all in reverse order mentioned and pictured)!

Bob Dylan

I saw him last night in concert.

I had a VIP entrance ticket and got to the venue 20 minutes before doors opened and was able to get in a line of 30 vs 2000 (around the block) to enter.

I went up to the stage and parked myself for the evening (on the rail of the stage slightly to the right). I made friends with my fellow stage holding pals and the security guys (one gave me ear plugs).

The opening act was, uh, not great.

Bob was great but too loud (ear plugs, ear plugs, body buzzing loud).

I was about 15 feet from him during the performance and it was great seeing his every little motion/nuance. He played keyboards, harmonica, guitar. He was the icon is just is. IYKWIM. OMG.

Set list for the show:
Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat
This Wheel's On Fire
Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again
Just Like A Woman
Rollin' And Tumblin'
Simple Twist Of Fate
Beyond Here Lies Nothin'
Visions Of Johanna
Cold Irons Bound
Masters Of War
Highway 61 Revisited
When The Deal Goes Down
Thunder On The Mountain
Ballad Of A Thin Man
Jolene
Like A Rolling Stone

My musical find for today

Is this guitarist and his pal, the beatboxer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_kOAq7vBek

Saw them at the Freight tonight and they were spectacular.

Great America

Went to the theme park on Friday (two days ago) with

Ben

Julian

Nicole

Mystic

Aidan

We had a good time.

Rides

Food

Walking a lot

Beautiful sunny day

I had a House Concert!

Last night I had some pro musicians give a concert in my house.

It was amazing. OMG. It was a transcending experience.

I had met Maurice Tani at a local venue and chit chatting with him thought what a nice guy.
Seeing him play I immediately knew he was a great musician. I spoke with him about a House Concert and he was game to try giving one with a newbie.

He brought a couple other musicians and the trio set up their gear (a mic, some amps to use as minimal PA for an acoustic set) in my dining room and the audience was in the living room.

The acoustics were great. the lighting was great. The musicians were great.

Maurice, the singer/songwriter guitarist, sounded so good and the pianist Randy Craig (an award winning composer and piano player and founder of Pickle Family Circus and other stuff ....gotta google him to figure out what all) and acoustic stand up bass guy Michael Anderson were incredible.

It really sounded like a CD. The balance of sounds and volume perfect. (Who knew it would be so amazing?!)

It was nice having such an intimate show.

Got to mingle during the break and got to purchase CDs and get to know people I didn't know.

The audience enjoyed it so much. One attendee spoke after the show to the group about how moved he was to be at the event. How it was so very superior to a Bob Dylan concert he had gone to with high hopes. He encouraged the crowd to seek out more performances like this and thanked me for bringing music to our town. (He was not exagerating, it WAS spectacular in every way).

Wish I had video or audio of it. Oh well.If you ever get a chance to go to a house concert...GO!