Authenticity Resonates Well

The Swell Season just played at the Paramount this evening. My insides are still spinning. This is the second concert I have seen this week and this one, hands down, blew the other one out of the water, and I love the other band, I’ve seen them at the Triple Door three years in a row! There was something so Authentic about these two. Glen told stories that gave context to many of his songs. They had us sing along. They met a girl singing on the streets of Seattle today and asked her to play at their concert tonight… so she did!!!  He honored the Clancy Brothers, The Frames (his band before the Swell Season), a woman in an elevator with a blue coat, the woman up in the third tier who “opened up” to him and the entire audience, and he honored us, his audience… each with a song. He played one of his songs as he stepped away from all the mics… and the place was silent, you could have heard a pin drop. The Van Morrison song he played, made me nearly float, it was so amazing. The man can play a guitar!!! He broke strings on 3 guitars before the song was over!!! He told stories of real people in a way that you knew he valued them, not just the story he was telling about them. All of that was bonus… because then, they played their sweet music…. and all was well within me. …and did I mention the 6-song encore???? There is something so nice about seeing someone be who they are instead of putting on a show.

Deep Beauty

The Cathedral was beautiful last night. A beauty that sang, spoke and confirmed things deep within me that are coming to the surface.

The Compline Choir

St. Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral in Seattle, has beauty all over it. I am new to the Seattle area and I have much to still see and explore. I have been hearing about this event on Sunday nights at St. Mark’s. Well, I finally went on the adventure, last Sunday night and it was well worth it.

There is a group of monks who sing the compline service at the end of the day every Sunday night from 9:30 to 10:00pm. Apparently, it is a Seattle tradition for many people of all faiths to go and observe this service.

There are about 15 men who chant the liturgy and sing the songs. It was such an amazing and worshipful time of solace. I was fully captured by the purity of the music and the silence of the cathedral. It is also a beautiful thing to see the droves of people who turn out to listen… All kinds of people. They sit on blankets, huddled in corners, in the pews, lay down on the floor by the altar, there are no rules as to where you “need” to be. It is a beautiful thing to see so many people connecting in some way with God. The music is worshipful in an ancient sense.

There was also an exibit right now of Artist, Betty LaDuke’s paintings of her impressions from trips with Heifer International. They are well worth the visit to see and experience a bit of Betty’s view of the amazing work that Heifer is about.

Lastly, there is an amazing Altarpiece on display right now for only a short time. It was supposed to be gone this Sunday, but it will be around for a few more Sundays they said. If you have not seen it, it is worth the trip! It is called the Keiskamma Altarpiece …  Quoted on the site:  “The Altarpiece was created by 130 women and a few men who reside in the coastal town of Hamburg, South Africa. The Massive (13 feet by 22 feet) Altarpiece is constructed of intricate embroidery, applique, beadwork, and photograpy, and took more than six months to complete. The altarpiece opens like a cupboard to reveal inner panels providing three separate views of the people and their environment moving from a somber outer panel to bursts of color, photographs, and intricate beadwork. The Altarpiece conveys a vibrant message of hope for people who are contending with the devastation that AIDS has wrought in their lives. The message also resonates with all people dealing with the adversity with hope for a brighter future.“

They will be having another talk about the Altarpiece this Sunday night after the Compline Service. It was a beauty to behold!!!

Seattle is a great place, I am beginning to see…

David Crowder Band

 

Sweeeet!! I just went to the David Crowder Band Concert the other night, at the Moore Theater. It was great. I had never seen them in concert and I’m glad I went. The two bands that opened for them definitely held their own as well: The Myriad, and Phil Wickham. Phil has this voice that sounds like 5 people singing. It had a fullness about it that was captivating!! Nice.

Charlie Chaplin and Trader Joes, two of my favorite things

So I was in Trader Joes the other day, one of my favorite places. And I saw a cutout of Charlie Chaplin, one of my favorite actors. Then I saw a hat to put in your info for a drawing. Apparently Trader Joes is doing a silent movie triple play series of Charlie Chaplin’s films at the Paramount Theater in Seattle. That sounded fun to me, so I entered the drawing. I had this super feeling that I was going to win, and even told myself so! I even wrote on the paper… “Pick me, pick me.”

When I got home, I told my sister the story and that I was going to win. Well, we were driving to some friend’s for dinner, last night, and my phone rings. I didn’t recognize the number,  but I answered it anyway. “Hello, this is so-n-so from Trader Joes,” she said. With a huge smile on my face I greeted her and pleasantly received her super news that I won two tickets to see Charlie Chaplin at the Paramount Theater!! “Woo Hoo”, I told her!! “I just knew I was going to win.” She laughed, congratulated me and told me the scoop.

It’s tomorrow night at 7pm! I invited a friend and it should be a hoot!!