Sunday, September 30, 2012

30 September 2012 down home Saturday nights




Gloria's cousin  Sonia is booked  at "The Down Home", taking the stage at 2100.    We always try to attend her shows.  
It has been rainy all day; intermittent periods of mist broken  by frank downpours

We left the house to drive into Johnson City at 1730, intending to eat at a new cheese steak place.  We missed the sign, and wound up driving into downtown JC before doubling back and finding it.  The  order turn-around was quick and the food was suitable.  Then back down town, find a reasonably  close parking spot on a formerly major street now showing a veneer of neglect and decay, common to many urban streets in crumbling center cities; where the traffic flow exceeds posted legal by 20 mph.
The venue began filling up about 2000, as the mostly female audience arrived and was seated and served. Many of the crowd know each other from previous events,and other places.  The gender split seems a bit more even tonight than on previous nights when we've seen Sonia play here.
"The Down Home" is a great venue for acoustic musicians.  We' heard David Gans and Doc Watson perform there.  We've also heard one of the  worst local groups I have ever seen on stage, “the Squash Blossoms.”  Other than pointing out their lack of instrumental and vocal skill, and the mind-numbing sameness of every piece they attempt to perform, I will simply hope never to see them again at any venue. 

            Gloria had a great evening.  My enjoyment was hampered by my inability to separate the vocals from the instrumentals; and both of those  from the background. This seems to confirm the impressions I’ve formed at other events that feature music. 

            The drive home required a lot of care as there was heavy fog under a full moon. 
            I’ve taken advantage of the drier weather, today, to move pool items into the shed and bring out the winter gear so that the pool company can use it Thursday. 
            Since we left at 1730 and returned at 0024, Loki was thrilled to see us.  Despite the common impression that dogs have no awareness of time flow, Loki seems to have an acutely developed, time-oriented routine that she follows.


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