Got The Blues

No, I'm not depressed. What I mean is I understand the Blues.

Thursday, as some may have gathered from my previous post, Dad and I went to B.B. King's Blues Club in Nashville. In the late afternoon during the week, it's very easy to get a table. We ate cheese fondue, bbq shrimp, ribs, and fries. AMAZING! It was so good. We finished eating around 5:45 and spent the next 2 hours walking around Nashville. (that's another post entirely)

At about 7:26, we found ourselves back at the entrance to the Blue's Club. Now, the music didn't start until 8:30 and we were already tired. Plus, we had to be at the hospital at 7am. We stood outside for about 2 minutes and debated whether or not we were staying. The bouncer (a very large, scary looking man who was very nice actually) informed us that we had 2 minutes to be inside before they started charging a cover charge. So, in we went. I mean, now it was free entertainment.

We sat at a table, drinking decaf coffee, for an hour while the place filled up. There were some interesting looking folks. I'm serious. One girl, I swear to you, had hair like Princess Leah from Star Wars. Another girl had some shiny knee-high black boots, covered in weird buckles and the whole sole was about three inches thick. Dad and I were having a ball staring shamelessly. I mean, these people looked in the mirror before they left home and felt that this was the best they could do. Wow. I won't even start on the dancers. Suffice it to say - Gross!

Finally the band was done setting up and ready to play. There was a drummer, an organist, a bass guitarist, a lead guitarist, a saxaphonist, a trumpet player, and 2 singers. The singers were a heavy-set, bald, white man and a skinny, pretty, black girl. I was not all that impressed. Until they started playing.

I have heard blues on the radio and even in movies. And as you know, I don't like repetitive noise. I was just hoping it wouldn't be annoying. But then the music started and I was captivated. There is something very alive about Blues. The musicians were having such a great time, laughing and "riffing". Before I knew it, I was tapping my fingers and smiling. It was great. Dad was enjoying himself and so was I. For a few moments, all the worry faded and I relaxed.

In a song, Chris Rice wrote about heaven, "I join in and I drink the music, holiness is the air I'm breathing." So, if that's true, blues would be a hot toddy. Warm and relaxing and invigorating.