a pleasant surprise...
our two youngest nieces have been visiting this week, as they usually do toward the end of the summer when Mrs. SOG is done with summer school. She usually takes them to someplace special while they're here, last year they went to Wild West City. This year she got tickets at the old Tweeter Center, now the Susquehanna Bank Center, on the waterfront in Camden, NJ, to see The Jonas Brothers... She had purchased four tickets with the idea that our youngest daughter, Cait, would go with them to help keep thing sane, but she moved to Florida to begin her tattoo apprenticeship and couldn't get back for the show. Since the Mrs. couldn't find anyone else to go, I stepped, grudgingly, up to the plate and volunteered my services. For the past few weeks I was dreading the experience, however, I have to say that it really was one of the better shows I've seen in a few years. The two opening acts left a bit to be desired, especially a young lady named Demi Lovato who, whilst quite energetic, obviously must give most of the credit for her fame to her sound guy in the studio, real nails on the chalkboard stuff there. Not to mention she seemed to run out of steam halfway through her set. The first act was a duo of young ladies from Australia who go by the name The Veronicas. Accents to kill for, cute as anything and all long legs and such, but definitely not the second coming of Tatu... The Jonas Brothers, however put on one slick production, with all the requisite pyrotechnics, light shows, laser shows, playing to the hearts of the 25,000 screaming and crying pre-pubescent girls in attendance, who were having a really good time, I have to say, singing along to all the songs, hands in the air, swaying back and forth, waving their glow sticks on cue from the band. Musically, well, let's face it, it's formulaic, aimed at the swirling emotions of their fans, but they are really accomplished performers and musicians and rocked on solid for almost two full hours. I have to say, I had a really good time. I doubt they'll make it to my iPod, but it was good, clean fun of the concert kind, which is hard to come by these days. Even all the parents who at the beginning of the night had some pretty dour looks on their faces, ended up dancing and clapping along with everyone else. It was nice to be in the middle of a communal good time. Bast knows, I might even go see them again if the opportunity presents itself, but, knowing how that part of the music industry works, they'll be last weeks news by then, replaced by some new and fresh and interesting heart throbs, which will be a shame. They deserve to go far.
Never a dull moment in my quest for musical experiences - last week, King Crimson. This week, The Jonas Brothers. Next week, who knows.

wander with me...