Sheared Bliss

This past weekend was the Colorado Irish Festival.  On Friday night CodeMonkey and I headed across town for a night of music under the stars.  I was super psyched because Gaelic Storm was headlining.  They’re one of the best live shows I’ve ever seen and it had been entirely too long since I’d seen them last. 

We arrived early to look around at the booths.  CodeMonkey got a new tipper for his bodhran then we found a spot on the grass, and settled down to enjoy the opening band (Brother), the summer evening, and the random guy trance dancing next to the stage.

Aussies in leather kilts rockin' out with a didgeridoo and bagpipes - what's not to like? Plus I'm pretty sure the cords on the lead singer's bagpipes were hand knit.

Between bands I knit and chatted with the people sitting next to us.  They were quite impressed with my knitting ability (“Wow, you must be sober!”) and my general knowledge of Celtic culture.

My Drunk Buddy: So, in Ireland would those colors on that kilt mean something?

Me: Um, in Scotland they would.  Tartan’s Scottish.  It indicates which clan you belong to.

Buddy: Wooowww . . . ok, so where is it traditional for men to wear a kilt?

Me: Um, Scotland again.  It’s not actually traditional for women to wear a kilt.  That woman over there is just wearing one for the fun of it.

Buddy: Huh . . . and is it true that they . . . (much guffawing) . . . you know . . . (more snickering) . . . go commando?

Me: Um, yeah, it’s called “regimental.”

They were pretty funny.

Yup, Poison Dart Frog Socks still. Note the fan-girl t-shirt. Yes, I am that big a dork.

As the setup and sound check progressed on stage, the weather also progressed.  Within about half an hour the absolutely beautiful evening had been replaced by ominous clouds.  Just in time for Gaelic Storm to take the stage, the thunder started rumbling.

And then Patrick Murphy thought it would be a good idea to mock God.  He made some witty quip about God being their special effects man and at pretty much that exact moment the heavens opened and the flood commenced.  It was possibly the worst storm that I have ever been out in and I’ve lived through four hurricane seasons in Florida.  It was raining so hard I could hardly see, we were all soaked to the bone within minutes, and it was lightning and thundering like crazy.  The band was under cover so they gamely played for about a song and a half before the wind got so strong that it blew enough rain on stage to short out all of the sound equipment.  The band went running for cover and the audience decided that standing in a field was probably not the smartest place to be right then.  CodeMonkey and I made a dash for the bathroom  – the only building nearby – and took shelter under the roof overhang.  It seemed slightly safer than the tents (i.e. giant lightning rods) which were our only other option.  We passed the time by wringing out our clothes until the rain let up enough for us to get to our car.

It's hard to tell from this picture, but we truly could not have been more wet if we had showered fully clothed.

Luckily Gaelic Storm was scheduled for one more show on Saturday.  CodeMonkey and I headed back across town, this time with NurseK in tow.  Patrick Murphy was properly contrite this time (he had clearly learned not to mock God, at least where Colorado weather is concerned).  He also threatened to name a song after the experience on their next album – something like “Deluge in Denver” or “The night I drowned at 87,000 feet” or “The night we pissed off God and he smote us.”  The weather held this time and the show was outstanding as always.  We sang, we danced, we did some mad jazz hands during “Me and the Moon.”  A great time was had by all.

What other band can rock out on not only guitar and drums, but also fiddle, tin whistle, accordion, bagpipes, bongos, bodhran, uilleann pipes, and spoons?

After Gaelic Storm finished, Leahy closed out the night.  It was a nice low-key way to end the evening.  We lay on the grass and enjoyed the music until it was time to go home.

They're like the Osmonds, but Canadian and way cooler!