Okay, I am so happy to give a review of what I did last night! Don't worry, I won't give ALL the details, come on...my kids read this! So our evening started earlier than usual, you might think I'm so old that I'd go to the Early Bird special but PPPLLEEEEase! WE did leave for Ann Arbor at 2:30 but our movie/theatre group had the hour drive up and then had an awesome late lunch at Zingerman's Roadhouse. LOVE! We met up with six other friends of our friends and had a wonderful liquor/food festival. By the time we finished it was 6:30 and we were off the the 34th Ann Arbor Folk Festival at the Hill Auditorium.
What a treat! I've only been there once before and that was to see my favorite Rickie Lee Jones and after the second song they pulled her off the stage because she was sorta...no really ripped! ( I cried all the way... for the record)
To be honest here, I really only wanted to see the last act. The Swell Season has been on my ipod since I saw the movie Once and I was hooked. They actually have the 3rd most played song on my ipod count. So, not knowing how this was going to go, I was filled with a bit of apprehension. Once again, I was WRONG! I can only tell you that it was so so so good. The Emcee was charming, funny, wonderful singer, and her name is... SUSAN WERNER. I've already downloaded 2 of her songs... think Diana Krall with humor and sarcasm. LOVE. Download I Cant Be New. You'll love it!
Susan would come out and talk and play a song and introduce the next act and they'd come out and play 5 songs and it moved on like that all night. Newfound Road - bluegrass, which I wouldn't say was my favorite, were WONDERFUL. I will not say that anymore. Eilen Jewell, funky rockability...I don't know if that's a word but that's what I'd call it. The Doyle and Debbie Show - laughed my bum off . Red Horse was George's favorite. Now comes the big names - Judy Collins - again, I'd say not a fan, but she's 71 and was so lovely. Mavis Staples is all soul/gospel and was amazing!
By now I'm so perculating to see The Swell Season that I'm like a four year old that has to go the bathroom! They come out and I can not breathe. I immediately start crying. What is wrong with me? Seriously tears are rolling down my face and he hasn't strummed a single note. George pats me on the back and whispers that it's going to be okay...you'll be fine. They start to play and I feel like I'm floating up to the stage. I want to touch them. Their songs are full of softness and sadness and anger and happiness and love and I am sure that they are both singing to me and at one time Glen sets his guitar down and she leaves the stage and he sings an Irish wake song a cappella. He then asks everyone to sing with him...I was sure he was only talking to me. I was singing at the top of my lungs, crying like a river and I didn't care who knew it! The event was over at 11:30 and we stumbled to a small, wonderfully quaint bistro for more drinks and a nite bite. Once we were inside I realized that I had been here before with my mother, more than one time and I felt so happy. I'm sure she was smiling that we went there. So I make my way down to the restroom, relieve myself and then look in the mirror... no one wanted to tell me that the false eyelash on my right eye had unglued itself and then re-glued it self vertically. NICE! Oh well... still it was such an awesome evening! We didn't get home until 2:55am and then we ... oh nevermind. : )
Wish you could have been there!
Peace to you my fellow listeners!
ps- If you think you don't know any of The Swell Season's music...their song Falling Slowly won an Academy Award for Best Song three years ago. You HAVE to listen to it...better yet, rent the movie!
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