the pattyo

***11:30 PM – Tonight
Jameson sang in a choir that backed up Clay Aiken. That’s sort of cool, you know? What would have been even more cool would have been if I could have taken the gig, but I had opera tonight so I had to turn it down. (I was asked to play a while back; Jameson only found out a few days ago that he could sing if he wanted.)

***1:42 AM – Home!

Well that was one loooong day! It was great to hear Estetica sing, although they didn’t win anything at this particular contest. Such is life! They still did quite well, but I think the team that won first did do a great job (a jazz group from Danville that was all seniors and one junior; clearly very strong and very much into the “show” of music). After we sat around listening (and shivering in the cold) to all the high school choirs we heard the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir (first the youth and then the adult choir, actually). They were astounding, but the sound was cranked so high most of us had to stuff wadded up kleenex in our ears. I was a bit annoyed; haven’t these sound people heard about hearing loss? It was the loudest show I’ve ever experienced.

After dinner, we all went to hear Tuck & Patti. What an incredible duo! The kids were so tired before the show began, but hearing Patti sing and hearing Tuck’s absolutely amazing guitar playing seemed to wake them up. I would go hear them again in an instant … they are simply the best!

And now we are home. And very, very tired. I teach at 10:00 this morning. I have opera tonight. I’d better get to bed! Yawn.
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