Cumberland Blues, Acoustic 1970 (Fillmore East)

Can I embed something from Wolfgang's Vault in a blog post?

Listen to more Grateful Dead at Wolfgang's Vault.

I guess I can!

Mary Gauthier at Me and Thee

Mary Gauthier was fantastic at the Me and Thee coffeehouse Friday night (2/11). She would have been great herself, but she was accompanied by Tania Elizabeth (of the Duhks), who is just incredible. Not only was her fiddle playing surreal, she sang in unison (and sometimes in harmony) with Mary, matching her inflection for inflection. We got there late, but the front row was empty and so we slipped in and were just feet away from this amazing pair of musicians. Makes the long slog from West Concord after work seem like nothing, especially whenwe got to have dinner at a spot we've discovered in Salem (Gulu-Gulu).

Here's a video (Tania had dark hair last night) that captures the magic:

... and here's one (bad quality) with a touch of the harmony ...

... but really it was incredible how the two of them sang together like angels.

Jason Myles Goss opened with some tasty licks and some very good songs.

Shakers and Smither

After a long Christmas break from going out to see music, we went out to see music again! On Friday, February 4 we went to Johnny D's to see the Sacred Shakers. Eilen Jewell had a touch of laryngitis but was as stellar as ever. Daniel Fram really impressed us with his musicality ... but the really significant thing about this 8-piece, off the cuff bar band was Jason Beek on drums and Johnny Sciascia on bass holding it all together. Great musicianship and lots of fun. The guitarist from the rock band that was to follow them came in and was so taken he was out on the floor dancing as soon as he put his stuff away.

The next night (Feb. 5) we went out the the Bull Run to see Chris Smither. We sat at a table with friends (one of whom was having a birthday) but he sat on a chair by himself. Too bad for us it wasn't a high stool because we could barely see anything but his face from the back of the room. Anyway, he's just a force of nature with a guitar in his hand and boots on his stomping feet. His rhythm is so infectious, and we realized part of it was him syncopating what notes he would bend. Always good to hear the original Love Me Like a Man too!

Exotic Guests

Picked up S and J at Logan on Friday.

Great time on Saturday at the Harvard Museum of Natural History, the Peabody, touring H Square, then going to a late lunch with A at S&S.

L drove down and was waiting at our house after we detoured for a trip to Ocean State Job Lots.

Watched the Arsenal match Sunday morning and then went for a walk in the woods:

... and BJs afterwards.

A came over and we watched the Australian Open final on tape delay, then had a nice dinner of chicken and root vegetables.

Monday morning went skiing at Waterville Valley. Here's S & J following their instructor (he was very impressed with how much they learned in one day) and then L:

The storm started Tuesday but the hosts went to work while S & J bravely drove to Nashua and back.

Flights were cancelled and everybody stayed home and shoveled on Wednesday. Here are some stills:

Things were running again (barely) on Thursday and the guests flew away!