Seven months without seeing our girl....and she hasn't been to SLC in two year. She's been a busy girl with work and working on her Master's degree, and just got back from a vacation to Texas, Argentina and Uruguay.
We knew what would draw her here: 
Her favorite group was playing here!
By catching an afternoon flight the following Friday, she could get here just in time to catch the show.Big Bad VooDoo Daddy! A group she has listened to since high school, and yet never seen in person.
(We are huge fans now too...this was the second time we have seen their show in person.)
Here's a link to one of their songs: Old Man on the Mountain.
Trust me...if you ever watched cartoons as a kid you know this song.
Nine men, pushing out the Swing sound into the night.
What a party!
People were swing dancing in the aisle, and in front of the stage too.
(Don't you just love those shoes???)
The next morning, Saturday, we were all still singing "The Old Man and the Mountain" and other memorable tunes.
What oh what else could we do for fun on Saturday?
How about a day in Scotland?
Laura and her grandmother and I had taken a trip to Scotland together a few years back. We loved Scotland!
The next best thing to actually flying to Scotland was driving just 30 minutes down the road from us to...
How fun is that??
We really didn't know exactly what we would be seeing.
Sword fighting?
How interesting to see the US Army taking notes on Highland Sword fighting.
What little boy wouldn't want to play sword fight with a great wood sword?
And in a kilt no less?
Adorable!
Start 'em right, start 'em young.
Dancing is apparently part of Highland Games. Contests were judged by age, and groups size. These girls were terrific!
Then it was on to "men tossing heavy things up in the air" contests.
The burlap covered something or another was stuck with a pitch fork...
Then thrown up into the air over a bar. The guys came from all over the Western USA, and were ranked.
As one would get their "sheep" over the bar, the bar would get raised for the next guy.
Other guys tossed iron balls over bars.
It was pretty interesting how quickly we became to view kilts as regular guys clothes, even with athletic shoes and modern sunglasses and tee shirts.
Some guys "twirled" (they were wearing bike shorts beneath their kilts) while others just grunted the heavy object up.
What a great sport!
I
Lunch time...Not haggis...
We got the BEST barbequed lamb ribs EVER!
Served with herbed lemonade: Fresh squeezed lemonade with fresh mint and fresh dill.
I had never though of adding dill to lemonade; now I am hooked on that add in.
Laura saw the sign "Wicked Tinkers" and went Shut UP!!!
She had heard the group in San Diego and had actually chatted/flitted with the guys before knowing they were the musicans of Wicked Tinkers.
I would have never imagined Celtic music with Australian diggerydoo music included.
When CJ blew into a diggerydoo, the reverberation inside my chest was amazing.
The whole show was amazing.
And they played for one hour every other hour, performance included in the admission to the Festival.
Bernie and Laura share McIntyre blood.
The love of Scottish music comes naturally to them.
(Isn't is just too cool to see a guy in a kilt pushing a baby stroller? While his friend goes about with a giant sword strapped to his back?)
Playing the alternating hours: Molly's Revenge.
They were more traditional folk sounding, with a ton of energy added. Listen HERE.
Found out they where all from Santa Cruz California.
Laura had heard them play in San Diego as well.
We loved both groups!
(The Wicked Tinkers really were a whole lot wilder in San Diego according to Laura. Since this festival was being held at Thanksgiving Point, which is a huge venue owned by a Mormon family, there was no alcohol allowed at the games.)
This guy could rock a diggerydoo, rock a kilt, rock ANYTHING.
Catch a bit of Wicked Tinkers on Youtube HERE
To understand why there is a stuffed cat on stage, click HERE
Between sets there was a Public Service announcement about some lost parents. The guy is wearing a utility kilt. Love it!
Lots of vendors, and booths for various highlander families. We did eventually find the McIntyres too.
We got Bernie to try on a utility kilt.
(Please weigh in via a comment whether you think Bernie should or shouldn't get a utility kilt.
I get 5 votes as his wife: Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!)
He said they were really comfortable...didn't buy one.
Maybe he will some other day? If enough ladies say he should?
Just in case you want to catch the fun in your own area, here's one band's tour venues and dates.
Three hours of Scottish music, an hour of Scottish food, an hour of Scottish games...we were ready to go, totally exhausted from all the fun.
It would be way to much work to go home and cook dinner so, naturally....
We went out for Indian food and an Indian movie.
(The local restaurant Star of India has a wide screen set up so you can watch Bollywood while you eat. Really fun, and GREAT food!)
Whew! So that was just Friday night and Saturday.
Laura flies back to San Diego this afternoon (Monday), I'll post the rest of our adventures tomorrow!
And special HAPPY BIRTHDAY greeting to my wonderful Mom!
And what a great place to go to see the show. Sandy Amplitheater on a pleasant night...it was perfect.
11 comments:
Whew! I'm tired just reading about it all. It really looks like a load of fun. I'm glad you got to spend good times with your girl...
What a weekend! We enjoyed sharing it through your blog, Jill. Not all the pictures came through on my computer, but could visualize just by reading the captions. Bernie looks great in Kilts! Happy birthday to your mom too. Can't waite to here Laura's own telling of her weekend with you and B. Lots of love, mom S.
Never a dull moment over there! Have fun while she's home...sleep later.
I'm glad Bernie opted against the kilt...utilitarian or not. I'm just saying.
Sounds like a great weekend! Personally, I think Bernie should buy (and wear) one of those kilts. There's not a drop of Scot in my blood, but I do like seeing men in kilts. :)
I'm going to have to revisit this post later. For some reason, most of the photos aren't loading.
Well shoot! I missed all of Scotland because the pictures wouldn't open. I do think your hubby looks great in a kilt. Seems as if he really should have one, too.
How wonderful it must have been to have your daughter home for the weekend after seven long months. You all gotta do better than that! ☺
I see you're getting mixed messages about the kilt. (Don't listen to Judy.)
Now that looks like a very fun weekend. What a lot of fun.
I love kilts myself. I can't quite imagine my menfolk wearing them but I do like them. I wouldn't think B should go down town in his utilitarian kilt but working in the backyard with it on for your enjoyment seems good.
The music was great too. ..thanks for the links. I'm so glad Laura got a bit of time in SLC. .with the bonus of taking in some great events.
Hey - those are our kind of celebrations. every summer we have the Highland Games here in our community. And my 2nd boy played the drums in a Highland Pipe band - he was mighty cute in a kilt - so I vote yes for Bernie!!
Pictures came through and we loved the big smiles Bernie and Laura were wearing. Love you. mom S.
Wow that was a big weekend. So glad you had so much fun with your daughter. My husband would probably wear the kilt. He is a Scotsman through and through with a name like Rutherford. He loves the music and has even participated in his younger days in some of the games.
What a day! You've got me considering a trip to Vista in a couple of weeks...we shall see.
Now I need to go back and click all the links you gave us....
I say yes to the kilt. I like camouflage better than black though....and even better a real one in the correct plaid!!
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