Last night was my Christmas present - a concert with my Goldberry in St. Paul. For the second time I saw the Wailin’ Jennies live show, and it was quite wonderful. But I think most of what made it quite wonderful was the audience, specifically the person next to me that I love and will marry in a few months, and the general audience of over-fifty short-haired women in sweaters who are very good at sitting still and not coughing or having their cell phones ring during the quiet moments of musical bliss.
It reminded me of the few concerts I’ve gone to in the last few years - Sara Watkins last fall, Kris Kristoferson last spring, and almost two years ago when I saw the Jennies play at the Aladdin in Portland. I’m not much for concerts - the social experience isn’t something I search for in musical enjoyment. But the best music can overcome my anxieties. And last night was some of the best music I’ve been around in a long time.
But I broke the tenth commandment. I wanted - the instruments on stage - an accordion, an open-back banjo, an upright bass, a bodhrin… everything they had I definitely want someday. And the wonderful thing (not about breaking a commandment) was that my darling love wants some of those very same things, and she could do a better job with them than me anyways.
She did have a very nice night planned for us - we ate the best Chinese I’ve had for sure since college, maybe ever. St. Paul isn’t a bad town, except the streets are in terrible shape.
I don’t know if I really had something other than this to tell you… I’m going to go read a Melville short story, eat a bagel and drink some “coffee”… and wait for the rest of the day to take its course.