Awesome August!!

Concerts, Family, Vacation... woo hoo. Bob and I kicked off the month with a trip to the Gorge for a concert. The next day we had a lovely time at Glen & Diane's and enjoyed visiting with all the extended Rice family. We enjoyed having mom and Bill up for the month of August so had a fun day with the Ross Family. They spent one week at a nice hotel with a pool. The kids and I went there every day to visit and swim. Amanda got a new hair cut to start off her 8th grade year and then it was off to Seaside Oregon for a fun family vacation!! We attended friend's Karrie and Eric's beautiful wedding at the Victorian Manor in Snohomish. Alyson took the kids for a day of fun at the Everett Imagine Children's Museum. And, of course, the cats were their cute selves as usual!!

An Evening with Stevie Wonder

Bob and I went to the Stevie Wonder concert on Friday at the White River Amphitheater in Auburn, WA. We had wonderful seats and perfect weather. At first, it seemed so surreal that we were watching this music legend live. He put on a 2+ hour show and he sounded phenomenal.

I captured some amazing shots and a few video snippets. I would have had more, however... my batteries were confiscated from me by one of the security folks. Apparently, you can take photos but no video. Had I known that, I would have been much more discreet, such as the other folks around me.

Take a look at the photo album, which tells the story of our night at the show (well... half of the show). The other half of the show will live on as a great memory!!! Here is the playlist from the show if you'd like to groove along as you view my virtual show (minus a few that I couldn't find in the online music library).

Stay tuned for our next concert adventures... Ringo Starr on July 19 and James Taylor on July 22 (both at the Château St. Michelle Winery). We are looking forward to seeing these amazing artists at this fantastic venue. I'll be sure to be more discreet when capturing video snippets.

An Evening with Stevie Wonder

Click the photo or the link below to view the virtual show: http://picasaweb.google.com/JulzNW/AnEveningWithStevieWonder
Enjoy!!





Below is a review of the show from a local reporter:
Stevie Wonder is a living legend and his greatness was on display. Friday night when he delivered a hit-laden set infused with his trademark blend of jazz, funk and soul at White River Amphitheatre.
From "Masterblaster (Jammin')" to "My Cherie Amour" just about every one of Wonder's pop gems made an appearance during his two-hour show. He even managed to make room on the set list of more than 24 songs for a new song, titled "Keep Fooling Yourself Baby Girl." Like the lighter fare in Wonder's back catalog, the track is sure to be a hit on adult contemporary radio stations when it reaches airwaves.
While some of Wonder's music may have made its way into easy listening territory that didn't mean the show was a sit back and relax type of experience. In fact, Wonder made sure it was exactly the opposite. The charismatic singer engaged the crowd with jokes, encouraged multiple sing alongs and had the crowd boogying down to "Higher Ground," which was the first of many songs that got the crowd dancing.
Escorted to the stage by his daughter Aisha, who was one of Wonder's three backup singers, Wonder started the show by dedicating the performance to Quincy Jones. He later sang "Isn't She Lovely" to her, in one of the show's more endearing moments.
The show's closing four songs not only showcased Wonder's musical genius but also cemented his status as a legend. The combo of "Signed, Sealed Delivered, I'm Yours," "Sir Duke," "I Wish" and "Superstitious" were showstoppers. During the latter former "American Idol" contestant Sanjaya Malakar joined Wonder on stage. His voice has improved during his post-Idol days. His hair, not so much.