Recent Kayak Trips

Gone for lots of kayak trips lately on the very low local rivers and ponds:

• another wonderful Ipswich River paddle where I had to portage around three beaver dams and saw a huge turtle swim under the kayak
• got Marnie out for an paddle on the Concord on a beautiful early Fall afternoon
• met up with Brian for a trip around Lake Cochituate
• trip yesterday after work, downstream from 225 with no one else on one of the most beautiful spots of the river
• and several others

Erin McKeown at the Me & Thee

They've got a great lineup at the Me & Thee in Marblehead this year, and we were eager to see Erin McKeown.  Both times we'd seen her before had been on a crowded, distant stage and we were looking forward to seeing her up close.

Had a great dinner at Gulu-Gulu after a long slog to Salem and then mosied on over to Marblehead for the concert, snagging front row right.  Barnaby Bright opened and impressed with their songs and their vocals.

Erin came on and did not disappoint, playing a few songs from her upcoming record, a few songs from her repertoire, and one shocker from her anti-Holiday record, Santa Is An Asshole, which is really quite a perceptive sentiment.  They had their wonderful-sounding grand piano out and Erin tickled the ivories for a couple of tunes, which delighted us since we were right next to it.

She closed her set with her "hit," We Are More ... which I really like ... and then encored with another new song.  I picked up the anti-Holiday record, which is aptly titled "Fuck That!"  It's quite atmospheric, especially "Visions I have Had While High."

We're looking forward to a good number more Friday trips to the Me and Thee this season, including for Hot Club of Cowtown and Tim O'Brien!