A Sea of Asses

Well, kids, last night there were Big Doings for this homebody. My sister and I went to Courtenay to attend the Vancouver Island Music Festival, an annual event held outdoors - three days and nights of incredible music, lots of interesting alternative-type  booths, where we each scored a warm wrap right from the Himalayas, to put round our shoulders as the heat of the day gave way to the cool of the evening. Sold to us by a lovely man who said he was born in the Himalayas. Sigh.

We wandered the booths, ordered a WICKED thick halibut burger for supper, that will be long remembered, then settled into our chairs - far at the back of the venue, behind a sea of bobbing humanity - to pay attention to the fabulous music.

It was a love-and-freak-fest when my fave singer, k.d.lang, appeared, late in the evening. She opened with: “I'm pretty sure there are a lot of freaks in this audience." [Roars of happy agreement.] "Some of you are men who’ll say “my wife dragged me to this k.d.lang concert”......and you may be feeling a little nervous. Well, fellas, in your place, I’d feel a little nervous too.....” Hee hee. She so rocks.

BUT! Our lovely festival, which last year was a manageable couple of thousand or less, everyone stretched out nicely and politely on the grass, this year QUADRUPLED in size, making it rather awful for everyone. You COULD NOT MOVE, it took forever to get anywhere, and God help you if you needed to pee. 

We sat so far at the back that, had the people in front of us  not STOOD through the performance (a Sea of Asses), I could occasionally have caught a glimpse of her head bobbing energetically all over the stage. This was easier when she took off her jacket and showed her red shirt, then I knew where  to look. 

Oh, but her voice – incredible. I could hardly believe I was hearing her in person.  As long as one sat tight, and didnt have to enter that sea of humanity, it was all good. And, trust me, I did not want to enter that sea. I sat tight. AND she sang Halleluia, which made my night. Sigh. What a range she has. 

It was pure heaven. And the moon! It was nearly full,  and outrageously  orange. Spectacular. 

She sang for two hours. We started leaving during what we thought was her encore, but she sang half a dozen songs after that, including Helpless. By then it was midnight and we had a ninety minute ride home. Tonight we go back for Emmy Lou Harris. Yes, little me, out after dark. I think I'm having a Near-Life Experience, hee hee.