"With Brandi Carlile"

Wednesday night Kurtis and I had a night on the town! We ate at Blue Willow-- a fun, eclectic, local restaurant on Campbell Avenue-- and then we went to the "Indigo Girls with Brandi Carlile" concert at the Rialto Theatre.


Brandi Carlile's band began the show and they were incredible! A man in the crowd shouted at one point, "You should be headlining, Sweetheart!" and we so agreed! It should have been, "Brandi Carlile with the Indigo Girls," but due to the experience difference, that could have been an awkward conversation. We were there purely for Brandi's music, and not so much for the Indigo Girls because we don't really know their work. They have nice voices, but they just don't have the same effect on us! Kurtis and I swayed to the beat of Brandi Carlile's music in the center of a conglomerate of other fans listening together at the foot of the stage for a quick 45 minutes.

She sang some of our favorites tunes: "The Story," "Have You Ever," (which was recently played to wake up the astronauts at the space station!), and spectacular covers to "Hallelujah," and to Johnny Cash's "Folsom Prison." We also got a sneak peak to a couple of new songs that will be on her next album - can't wait! She has such soul, unique tonality, and amazing crescendos and decrescendos. There's not one song that I've heard that I haven't liked, and that's rare to say that about any artist, I think.

Here's what's on the front of the shirt that I bought at the concert. I think it's very cute and I especially love that it's not obviously from a concert; it's subtle.

I wore it to a barbecue at an Australian family's house, and Mr. Plant said in his charming Aussie accent, "That's a penny farthing on your shirt," which I had to ask him to repeat twice, but came to learn that's a term for the sort of bike it is-- a penny for the large wheel and a farthing for the small wheel!

Anyway, during the concert, I came to the realization that Miss Carlile is not afraid of her gift and I found it inspiring that she has the gumption to follow the advice of one of my favorite quotes:

"Whatever your talent, use it in every way possible... Spend it lavishly like a millionaire intent on going broke." ~Brenden Francis

I think the t-shirt design illustrates how a person's heart leads the way on the ride through life. The heart is the big wheel and it's crucial to keep it moving. Spend those pennies and farthings. Go for broke. Be lavish. Make the most of your ride. You'll see more when peddling. Share those talents. Offer them to the world. After all, your heart is what drives you. You know when your heart beats its fastest.

heartful,

Dawn