Okay,but that,s why I said kinda,sort of...
But how about you,re both driving in own vehicles and may bump into each other at the show and you,ll be right home after ???...hope this works.
Or you could bribe Mrs.Z into going too..

Actually, Mrs. Z has a doctor's appt Friday at 4pm, and doesn't want to schlep back to Boulder afterwards. She'd MUCH rather see the new Pirates of the Caribbean movie, it seems. (I wonder if she'll get a date for the movie? If she does, it'll probably be our older son.)

Sparky... what are you doing, trying to get people in trouble?

I just want to hear some good music, and would rather do that with a friend, even though we haven't met in person yet!

... and one of these days, I'd like to meet The Z-woman, too! I need more friends here in CO! (and i'm skipping a chance to see Pirates of the Caribbean, too... I'll see that later, since the Mammals are only in the area for a couple of days!)

LOL now you should know I wouldn,t want to get folk in trouble.
Too bad Lady Z is not going to go too and catch the movie after,not like the mammals will be there for weeks like the movie ..

Different strokes, etc. If my wife went with me, it would be more as a favor to me (and then she'd have a great time enjoying the music anyway). By letting her go do her thing, that's my favor to her.

I've worked out details with Wyld, and the countdown is on. Wheeeee! I hope to post a review this weekend, and I'm sure I won't be the only one.

Have fun at the gig folks!!

I'm getting psyched... got the Mammals "Evolver" on now... will be listening to "Born Live" on the way up to Boulder... gotta get their latest CD tonite!

Wow! I had a great time, first meeting Wyldflower, and then getting treated to one of the most energetic shows I've seen in a long time. It was great!

I arranged to meet Wyld in Boulder, after giving directions to the spot she could find me waiting for her. I'm familiar with the traffic she might encounter, and sure enough it took her an extra 45 minutes to get there, something that didn't bother me, and wouldn't affect our plans. After all, I had already checked out the venue, and found out that the doors wouldn't even open until 9pm.

She parked her car, and we ate at a restaurant half a block away from the venue. We discovered in Blat that we grew up in neighboring towns back in central Long Island, NY, so we had a lot in common to discuss. One of the main things that transplanted NYers discuss is NY food - how we can't get good pizza, bagels or Wise potato chips here in Colorado, and forget about finding a knish.

Dinner started out on the rooftop of this BBQ place I picked out, but it started raining soon after, just heavy enough for us to take it inside. As we ate, the rain kept coming, but as dry as it's been in Colorado, this was a welcome and enjoyable moistening. We enjoyed our meals, and checked the time. 8pm, still an hour 'til we could get in the place. Still, we were anxious to get things going, and with the rain increasing, we really couldn't enjoy a tour of Boulder's Pearl St. Mall area.

Waiting outside the back entrance, we got to hear the Mammals' soundcheck, and I could tell I was in for a treat. As we talked and shared, I discerned that Wyld is a kindhearted and special person, with a big heart and comfortable demeanor. I felt at ease, as if I was talking with someone I'd known for a while. But when you have some things in common, and when you're truly focused on the individual you're sharing time with, it's easy to make the time pass by quickly.

After sound check, several people came in and out of the Trilogy's restaurant back door, and the dance hall entrance right next to it. Even Mammal Mike Merenda came out and talked with us for several minutes, and he and Wyld talked about how she'd seen them at the Church. Mike also let us know that the opening band, Orooni, had not showed up, so they'd do two sets. I was happy I'd get a chance to hear more in the coming hours.

Once inside, Wyldflower and I grabbed a table along the wall to make our stake for the night. There weren't many people there yet, but with an hour to go, I'd hoped the crowd would grow. Only a dozen more people showed up once the band took stage. But before long, people kept showing up, and dancing more and more.

I'd heard about the energy Tao puts into the performance, and that energy is shared by all in the band. While I didn't know many of the songs, I certainly felt the passion these musicians put into their craft, and the zeal they have to give the audience the best music they could provide.

Song after song, the band never seemed to tire, and instead of two sets, they delivered a high-energy three hour set that had the crowd of almost two hundred dancing and singing along with the same fervor they gave.

After the show, Ruth Ungar came back to where the CDs were, where we eagerly picked up their latest release from this year, Departure. Ruth and Wyld talked about her previous chances to see the Mammals, and soon after (now almost 1am), we headed back to Wyld's car.

We talked about the show, and about lots more visits ahead for Wyld, and by the time she dropped me off, it was about 1:45am. I knew she had another hour to go on the road, but she let me know that she let the tunes play loud and the windows open, and made it home okay.

A public thank you is in order from me to you, Wyldflower - thanks for letting me know about the show (okay, you too, sparky), thanks for meeting up with me; thanks for making me feel so comfortable around you; and thanks much for the ride home afterwards (after all the buses stopped running). You're a class act, a sweet spirit and a good friend.

It'll soon be time to start planning our trip to see Arlo in Beaver Creek, not far from Vail, Colorado. I'm sure we'll have met up several more times by then, Wyldflower!

Peace...

Wow, Z... you had a GREAT evening! Wyld and the Mammals all in one night. They ARE great!

I'm thinking about coming up for the Beaver Creek show... then in May there's Taos, Durango, Socorro and Santa Fe! Still waiting to see if ABQ ever makes it onto the schedule. There's still one night open.

Yep, it was a WONDERFUL show! I don't think I could add much to what Z said, but I do have to say that the 'comfort factor' works both ways! I felt very at-ease in a town I'd never been in before... because I was there with a friend! Thanks! I'm glad you had fun, too!

The Mammals' new CD "Departure" really is just that... a departure from their usual style. It's a very mellow album, though there's still quite a bit of topical material. One surprise was the cover of "Come as You Are" - Ruth certainly does justice to Cobain's lyrics!

If you get the chance to see the Mammals, go! ... you won't be disappointed!

Sounds like ya'll had a great time! Maybe ya'll can get together at an Arlo show sometime...

Next time here will be in March, at the Vilar Center at Beaver Creek. I'm already starting to scheme this one.