towsonrev

We still had plenty of time before the show and walked around the neighborhood where we discovered this little restaurant across the street from the Recher. It was owner/operated and was that owner friendly! She just couldn't keep from bubbling over with enthusiasm that we were there. Appropriately, it was a seafood restaurant and we ordered seafoody things. I had delicious clam chowder and fish and chips. Still haven't found a better fish and chips place than MaryJoe's in Glace Bay, Cape Breton. Sunflower had Maryland crab cakes. Have to try them at least once!

! We thought the doors opened at 7 PM, at least that what the sign said on the door, but we stood around till after 8 PM waiting. Sun didn't complain because we struck up a conversation with a guy behind us who was wearing a Cape Breton sweatshirt. We asked him if he was Canadian and the answer was no. He was a local who discovered GBS in Cape Breton, as I had. We really enjoyed our conversation with him and Sunflower ended up getting him agree to buy us drinks inside. Sun also asked him to be her bodyguard at the show. He readily agreed. Shame we didn't think to get a picture of him. LOL! He WAS cute!

When the doors finally opened we discovered a huge fish tank full of tropical fish. Good omen for the opening night of the Sea of No Cares tour. The first thing we noticed was that there was way too much equipment on the stage. So crowded! The Baltimore Mayor's band, O'Malley's March came on first. They were pretty good. The one guy played bagpipes, harp and trombone. I have a new respect for bagpipe players since I now have a practice chanter. Oh my, is that hard to play! They did some trads, some Pogues covers and a couple original tunes. They also played too long

Carbon Leaf only had time to do about 6 songs. That wasn't fair. They were really good! A couple excellent songs in their set. Can't remember any names except the Boxer and Shine. I think Karen is going to like them a lot. The lead singer is full of personality and makes good contact with the audience, like Alan. The lead singer, Barry, also plays bagpipes! The shortest guy in the group played an upright bass in addition to bass guitar. It was as tall as he was or taller! I think his name is Jordan.

When Carbon Leaf was done, there was a swarm of about 10 people trying to clear the stage for GBS. All that equipment had to go! Danny AND Tony were out there cleaning up and setting up. Kris' drum set was allllllllll the way in the back and the stage just looked so bare after the myriad of instruments that had been there an hour earlier. Danny had some trouble setting up Sean's mic and foot pedal. Kept having to play with it.

We stood there wondering what song to expect as the opening one, expecting Excursion, like some of the promo shows. Much to our delighted surprise, the dit dit dit dah dah dah dit dit dit floated over the crowd who roared approval for -

Ordinary Day! - What a joy to hear it first again! The whole Road Rage tour I had very mixed feelings about hearing my favorite GBS song because it meant the end of the show. THIS was more like it! Even MORE of a surprise was what came next -

Process Man - I hope they do this in Philly. It is Chris' favorite song and he'll be there. I love GBS' acapella harmonies. What a treat! And it was Sun's first time hearing it live.
When I'm Up - was next. How I love that fiddle part! Alan talked about how he wanted to say it was great to be back in Baltimore, but they weren't in Baltimore City. But he had been told that Towson is in Baltimore County so he said, "I can say it is great to be back in Baltimore County. He retold the trivia about Baltimore being the only city to win both the Superbowl and the Gray Cup. Someone in the audience said, "Yeah you told us that last summer!" At which point all the b'ys cracked up. "Time to get some new jokes Alan," grinned Sean. "Oh we have hecklers now?" says Alan. "On our maiden show of the US tour to promote our new album, Sea of No Cares."

SONC - It was nice to hear live again. It is best live - you really get a good dose of bouzouki.

Alan: "We are actually in Townsen." Correction from audience on his pronunciation - Tow - Son (Tow as rhymes with the bow you take after you sing). Alan just couldn't hold onto that thought. He got into trouble several times tonight mispronouncing the town name. Alan: "This is one of the few places where the Mayor greets us personally when we pull into town." He called Mayor O'Malley, "His Worship" then he said, "So we'll celebrate tonight in Townsen" Audience yells "Tow Son!" and much giggling from Darrell and Sean. "Well, we are going to hold the biggest Kitchen Party in..................................Baltimore County!"