Concerts - Indigo Girls and U2-Joshua Tree

Saw the Indigo Girls for the third time with my sister.  This time Amy Stevens joined us.  We had a BLAST!  It was the best show yet. I don't ever want to see them indoors again.  The outdoor venue was the perfect place to see them.  And we SAAAAANG!

First, we got pretty lit on Mojitos at El Patron

The best!

Round two!  U2 toured for the 30 year anniversary of Joshua Tree.  I don't know if I would have gone to see them normally, I'm not a big fan of post 1992 U2, but JOSHUA TREE.  Bono is pushing 50, so his voice isn't what it was, but it was still a great show.

Our feelings on $16 drinks....

The spacing is terrible on these next few videos, but I can't seem to fix it.  So, for my 2 readers out there, I apologize...

PLUS, we got to see Beck open, and he played Lost Cause. I'm going to sound so old, but holy shit, this show was a WHOLE NEW level of loud.


More Lost Cause....





One of the greatest lines in music ever...

Andrew Bird at the Midland

We missed this guy's first choir concert because I bought tickets to see Andrew Bird last NOVEMBER.  Oh, the mom guilt!  I really felt terrible, I thought about it all night.  But Grandma and Grandpa swooped in and saved the day (again) and I don't even thing Charlie really even cared- which makes me happy but not feel any less guilt....

Matt being a dork staring at the amazing Midland Theater ceiling.  

Andrew Bird is my favorite....my FAVORITE. He never comes to Kansas City, so even though I knew I'd be super prego, I bought tickets. Matt was a good sport.  He 'appreciates the guys talent, he's like a savant' but doesn't get into him quite as much as I do....he mostly made fun of me being so excited the whole time. 

He played a great mix of his old stuff and his new stuff (which is amazing)

I coughed up the bucks to get good seats.  If I'm going to get my old butt out of the house on a school night to go to a concert, we're getting good seats.  We had 4th row.

Encore.  At this point, I had been sitting in a padded folded chair, 30 weeks pregnant, for about 3 hours.  My ankles and hands were swollen as heck.  It was time to go.  It was s great show, he even gave a little shout out to Prince (I was REALLY banking on him doing a cover, but oh well)

Played a full encore of about 5 songs and covered Young's Promise of a Man - it was AMAZING

Indigo Girls

My sister and I have listened to the Indigo Girls since the late 80's.  Say what you will about them, there is NO better music to sing to on a road trip.  The last time I saw them I was a junior in high school!  I visited my sister at Iowa State and we went together.  Can you BELIEVE that I still have the ticket?  Me, the girl who throws absolutely everything away.

Us trying to take a picture together....

Much better when the waiter did it

IG Filter!  We went out for Mojitos and Mexican before the show.  The food was amazing and the mojitos about knocked us on our ass- watch out for those at El Patron!

They are doing a symphony tour, it was sold out except the choral section behind them, which was fine by me!  It's the smaller of the two halls at our new Kauffman Center, which is amazing by the way, so not a bad seat in the house.

No pictures or video allowed, no drinks, no this, no that.  Not the way I'm used to seeing concerts.  I can't remember the last time I saw a show where you could sit on the toilet seat with no fear....Even the Indigo Girls were making fun of the stuffiness.  But you're playing with the symphony, I guess we have to follow their rules.

shhhh....last song I snuck in a couple pictures.  It was a really reserved crowd but everyone got up and sang and danced for the last song, it was AWESOME.

They are so humble, so gracious, SO amazing.  I definitely don't want to wait another 20 years before seeing them again.  (oh, and see that girl in the front pointing?  She was like that the whole show,  Melinda and I were dying.  She was so into them, her dream must have come true being in the front row....)

I need this on repeat in my head

I've listened to this probably 15 times. I love you Andrew Bird...

Old Concert Tickets

I was really bad at keeping concert tickets, this would be so much more fun if I had all the concerts that I ever went to, but here is a hand full that are disintegrating, so I thought this would be a good place to preserve them

For some reason, the First Ave tickets are in rock star condition (no pun intended) I'm pretty sure this was my first 'real' concerts.  I would have been 14.  I went with my bestest friend in the whole world at the time, Chelsea.  She and I were full of teen angst and loved alternative music.  Flannels, converse, pearl jam and the like....
I'm trying to remember, but I'm pretty sure I met my first little boyfriend Toby at the 7th Street Entry at this concert. I think the Hang-Ups were playing there. (First Ave is connected to a smaller venue, The 7th Street Entry)  He looked like Chris Robinson from the Black Crowes and I was IN LURV (as much as you can be in lurv when you are 14)  And we felt sooo adult going downtown to First Ave.  I ended up seeing TMBG many times including Day on the Hill at KU

Another concert I went with Chelsea.   Oh, the begging and pleading I had to do to get my dad to agree to go to these concerts on school nights.

I remember I went to this show with Roger Schrader.  My dad only agreed to let me go if I was home by 11.  They didn't even take the stage until 10:30 and I had to call him from a pay phone begging him to let me stay.  He extended my curfew, but we still had to leave in the middle of the concert.  I had such a little crush on Roger too, I felt awful.

This was at Stephen Auditorium on the Iowa State Campus.  I went with my sister and we just saaaang and saaang and saaang.  They are the greatest live performers, they love it when everyone sings along to their songs.  It drives me nuts when singers/songwriters are mad when you sing along at their concert, shouldn't you be flattered?? (I'm looking at you James Taylor)

This one is in the worst shape, but this was the Rolling Stones.  I begged my dad saying 'but dad, this may be the last time they tour!!' Ugh, should have stayed home.  The opening band was Spin Doctors and if you remember from here, I hate them with a passion.  I remember there were two women in front of us that stood up and sang and danced to the damn Spin Doctors and then sat down for the entire Stones performance.  I went with a group of people including Megan Hoffman and Andraya Huldeen, but other than that, I can't remember who else was there.  Wished I could have seen them in 1972.  Seeing them in 1996?  eh, I could have passed.  (Ha! As I'm typing this, a Rolling Stones song just came on Pandora, I've never had them play a Stones song, it's a sign....)

Radiohead- right after OK Computer was released .  And as previously mentioned here and here, I pretty much worship this band.  This, to this day, was the best concert I have ever been to and I'll never get to recreate it again.  It was in a the Historic State Theatre, which is pretty small, they never play venues that small any more.  It was a once in a life time show and I'll never forget it.  Went with Marcie Fitch- poor girl had never even heard of Radiohead and I dragged her down there with me.

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young.  Again, eh, seeing these old bands is really hit or miss,  this was pretty miss, plus it was in the old Kemper Arena which was like the worst place ever to see a concert

Other concerts I wish I had my stubs on (not including the tons of local lawrence bands that were amazing- Lawrence had a great music scene ie, Sugar Daddies, Band that Saved the World, BR549, Split Lip etc.

Willie Nelson and the Lied Center in Lawrence, KS - with Missy the night of a HUGE ice storm.  Took us 2 hours to get there from her mom's house in KC, then we spent the night in the dark, frozen house and woke up to a tree on my little Hyundai ghetto-mobile

DMX at Kemper in KC- not a big rap fan but my friend Natalie dragged me, it ended up being super fun.  I was totally out of my element but I danced my butt off that night

Eric Bachman (or was he with Crooked Fingers?) at the Bottleneck.  Devotchka opened for him and BLEW ME AWAY- completely outshined the headliner.  It was the night I discovered Devotchka, which is one of my favorite bands (again, playing on Pandora right now, but they are on there all the time, but still, weird...) Went with Missy and bunch of other people, but I only remember Missy.

Modest Mouse at the Replay Lounge in Lawrence- this is a venue that fits less than 100 people, this was way before they were popular, would have been right after The Lonesome Crowded West  was released. Well, I guess I wouldn't have a stub from that, but was a GREAT concert.

Modest Mouse, De la Soul, Cake & Flaming Lips- River Market, KC.  This was AWESOME.  Cake was the headliner, but let Flaming Lips headline because they had this huge elaborate show (if you've ever seen them, you know) fun, fun, fun night.  Again, with Missy and a bunch of others, all of who I can't think of right now

Wow, what a fun trip down memory lane!!!  Ahh, to be young, I can't even handle live shows barely anymore, too old for that crap

The Jewelry Box

This is, behind my wedding ring, my most prized possession. This is my jewelry box from my mother. It used to sit on her large dresser, the kind with a mirror on it that I could reach.

My dad was in the Navy from '61-'65 and he bought this in a market in Japan. He brought it back for his his sister Mary Alice who thought it was hideous. My mother ended up taking it.

I was obsessed with it when I was little. I would just sit and listen to the ting ting of the music box and watch the elegant lady on the rickshaw go up and down. My mother got a beautiful jewelry box not long before she passed away that was to be mine, but I let my sister have it if I could have this one. She had noooo problem with that.

For a long time, this was put away while I was in high school etc, and the music box had stop working. My dad took it, put a drop of oil in the wind and it immediately worked. I lost it, I couldn't believe he had fixed it. My dad, the hero. I cried when I heard that ting-a-ling song, it had been so long since I had heard it, and the lights even still worked. Speaking of the lights, I have no idea what I'm going to do when they burn out- they are light bulbs from Vietnam 50 some odd years ago. I will be sad if I can't replace them.

Charlie has already gotten the spark. I open the box for him and he just sits there mesmerized, just like I was when I was little. It is chipping horribly, the veneer on the little feet are completely gone. I have to handle it very gingerly. Any time it is moved, it is moved in my lap. So, for when it does finally stop working, I've documented the ting tong little song for all time here for my enjoyment. I'm sure no one else cares to watch a music box. But for when Charlie is older and looks back at that jewelry box, he'll know what it used to sound like and what the lights looked like and how much it meant to me. (And even if I'm dead, he'll know he better not toss it!)

I'm going to give this to my future daughter-in-law some day and she's going be like, 'greeeeat...thanks. Where can I hide this ugly thing?'





You can see where it's chiping on the top and the bare feet

I love the pink fabric inside and the little tassle pulls on the middle box

The back is mirrors, hence you can see the camera. You can see the yellowy pink silk flowers and the lady with her umbrella. It's so kitschy it's fabulous

New Piano



I wanted to wait to post about this until it was all tuned and set up, but that's going to be a while, so I'll go ahead and post this now.  A co-worker was giving this away and thank goodness, Matt's mother piped up that claimed it for us!  I didn't have high hopes with a free piano, we were just happy to get one, but it is beautiful.  I can't believe how well we made out.  It's has been very well taken care of, only needs a good tuning




Matt tuning it





Charlie kept banging on the keys, so Matt got him out of the way





This was yesterday, Matt is using the old keyboard to help tune the piano



To the beat!

I know this video is sideways.  I don't know why I keep filming that way knowing I'm not smart enough to figure how to edit video.  I watch That 70's Show on Netflix instant streaming sometimes when we are on the floor playing and Charlie loves the theme song.  He's not interested in TV.  When it comes on and he hears the sound, he'll watch for a few seconds and then goes on playing.  But if there is music or well... this theme song, he starts dancing.  This one cracked me up because it seemed almost choreographed, especially at the end. (PS You can hear my new mixer going in the kitchen!)

Bridgette & Our Little Beethoven

Selling the CDs

Today is a very sad post. All of my music has been put on the computer, I don't use CDs anymore- at all. They have been sitting up in the attic for a year and it's time to sell them while they still have any value left. I spent about 3 hours last night putting them together. I had to put the covers back in the cases and swap out bad cases for better ones. I grew so nostalgic looking through these CDs.  Each CD puts my back to a very particular time in my life. Some of these CDs I've had for over 15 years! There were some I just couldn't part with, I don't care if they are about as useful as a VHS tape, I can't bring myself to get rid of them.

Some of the CDs I just could not part With:

U2/Joshua Tree - everyone needs a hard copy of the Joshua Tree right?

Fugees/The Score- if you you were 18 in 1996, you understand

Pixies/Doolittle - life changing album (for me anyway)

Devotchka/How it Ends- bought the CD at the show at the Bottleneck in Lawrence, can't part with it

Bjork/Debut- Summer gym, Ruby Chakrabarti....such good memories

They Might Be Giants/Flood - 'nuff said

Beastie Boys/Check your Head - reminds me of endless days over at the Bausch's and includes the song that reminds me most of my sister- plus, it's a fantastic album.  I opened it and saw the inside art and knew it had to be saved

Portishead/Dummy - this CD should be dead for as many times as I listened to it

Radiohead/OK Computer - In my opinion - THE best album of all time.  Summer after freshman year- my first apartment with Julie- good times

Grateful Dead/Mason's Children - still has the 'Import/ Down in the Valley' sticker on it- this CD has been my prized possession of my collection for all time

Grateful Dead/One from the Vault - this album IS freshman year in college to me -'Please welcome, Miss Donna Jean Godchaux!" I was obsessed.

Grateful Dead/100 year Hall - The hours upon hours upon hours I listened to this album up in my room avoiding my parents (HA! I was sooo oppressed in my nice house with good food and nice parents)


I know that I just listed off 3 Dead albums, but I had TWENTY SIX Dead albums that have gone with me everywhere. I'm a closet dead head.....I'm proud I'm getting rid of as many as I am, I'd like to keep them all. In fact, Reckoning is in the sell pile and I seriously pondered pulling it out as I laid in bed last night. I don't think I can part with it. That album was Joanna Simer & my album- we lost her in 1997. I know it's stupid if it's going to sit in the attic, but I'm not a hoarder, I get rid of everything, I don't feel guilty saving these little 5x5 discs. At least that is what I'm trying to convince my self of.

Also, as I was pulling the CDs out, old concert tickets were falling out. I used to put the tickets with the CDs when I saw them in concert. I know most of them have been lost, but I couldn't believe the one's I still had.

Rolling Stones- Senior year in high school at the Target Center, ticket is almost completely unreadable. Weak concert for an even weaker album - Bridges to Babylon. I remember telling my dad - 'but dad. they may NEVER tour again, you HAVE to let me go!' They've toured I think twice since this. I can't even remember who I went with, I remember sitting next to Megan Hoffman, that's about it. Oh, and sitting through the opening band, that horrible band that sang "Three Princes" - Spin Doctors (thank you Wikipedia) and watching 2 middle age women in front of me rock out to them and then sit through the entire Stones set. Ridiculous.

Radiohead- BEST concert I've ever seen, to this day. It was in a really intimate setting- The State Theatre in Minneapolis. I went with Marcie Fitch, who had never heard of the band. If you've ever seen them in concert, no explanation is necessary, they are just plain amazing.

10,000 Maniacs- went to see them with Chelsea Bausch at the Orpheum. My most dearest friend from my teen angst years. I get so sad that we aren't friends anymore. I remember this being a pretty decent concert- they were touring Noah's Dove. An album I still enjoy today, but the original is in the sell pile. Loved the 10,000 Maniacs, wasn't too huge on when Natalie Merchant went solo.

They Might Be Giants- at First Ave, one of the first concerts I ever went to. Loved it, loved them, loved First Ave. First Ave is pretty much the coolest thing ever when you are 15, I can't believe my parent's ever let me go down there! I don't know if I'd let my 16 year old step-daughter Bridgette go downtown Minneapolis. I'm glad they did, I had some great times at First Ave. Again, I went with Chelsea.

Pavement- at First Ave again This one is a funny story. I was so weird about boys in high school, I was pretty much terrified of them. Roger Schrader asked me to go to the concert- it was a Sunday night and my dad did NOT want me to go. I told him I'd be home by 11 pm, and of course, it was like 11 pm and they were just hitting the stage and we were downtown- a good 30-40 min drive back to Wayzata. So, dad let me stay out until midnight, but we had to leave in the middle of the show. Roger took my home and when he dropped me off I was all 'thanks! See ya!' and bolted from the car. I had no idea he thought it was a date, and proceeded to tell the whole school that I peaced out on him and how I made him leave in the middle of the show.

Indigo Girls- went and saw them with my sister at Stephens Auditorium in Ames in 1995.  They are great in concert, very crowd oriented.  I know, I know the Indigo Girls- insert joke here, but I love them (Rites of Passage was one of the CDs I couldn't part with)

Last, and the very least was Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young- saw them with some people at Kemper in 2000.  They were bad, it was a waste of money, Kemper is a horrible place to see a concert.

But where are the other tickets- I would just die to have my DMX ticket - take a wild guess who I went to that concert with (Natalie) or my Phish ticket.  Went with Brian, Welsh, Heath, it rained, it was like woodstock- so...much...mud-covered....fun

Charlie meets Shanna & Crosby

 Charlie meeting Shanna- my old college roomie.  Her babies aren't babies anymore so she had to come get her baby fix

 Crosby was so good with Eliza!  She was scared to hold Charlie- too big!  Eliza was much more her size.  She's such a good little girl

 Little Eliza

 Robbie playing for Charlie- He loved it



Listening to Daddy Play

wish you couldn't see my baby-wrecked house in the back

A few details from my wedding

Well, I didn't think I'd be on here until after the long weekend, but it is pouring out and well, here I am. I don't put much actual details from our wedding planning on this site, so I thought I'd take the time to post some stuff. This is where we are having the reception- not ideal, but nice. Plus it has an open alcohol and catering policy and you get the place pretty much the whole weekend- done.


This is the "Allegro" (middle movement) from Mozart's "Organ Fantasie in F" K. 594 pulled from Bob Swift's December 8, 1991 concert commemorating the composer's death of December 5, 1791. We will be using this as our recessional music changing the last chord to major though.




This is the song we are going to have Matt's sister Sheila sing as people are getting seated. She is a high saprano, so this song is perfect. This particular video is so wierd, but you get to hear the song. I heard this song when I was probably in high school and thought to myself "I want that in my wedding" and it will be!




Now we just need to find a song to play for the processional, I'm struggling with it....