Drake White

Is it just me or does May turn in to the craziest month of the year once you have older kids? Recitals, field trips, shows, the work! This week we will be at the ice rink all week for rehearsals, pictures, and the 4 official ice show performances...not to mention that Alyssa has just started with a private coach as well but that's a long story so I'll save it for another post. We also have belt testing for Alex this week and oh so much more.

The point is, I have been at the ice rink for 3 hours this morning and again I brought my computer so that I could start next week's school work but eh, talking to people sounded more fun and now blogging sounds more fun, too.

So let me tell you where we went last night. Remember when we went to the annual Class of concert in January and I had high praise for a new artist named Drake White? Well, I have been tracking him ever since and he was playing at the bar attached to the casino on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, for FREE! I am amazed that someone with this level of talent is playing free bar gigs and he mentioned last night that they play to a lot of empty bars and that it was nice to play to a full house. Insane! I have never seen any live performance that is up to his level. I wonder if it is not translating to radio, because he does a lot of improvisational stuff and I don't think his passion or power come across on record, but seriously, this guy has to make it in the industry. I can't think of a single country artist that has his vocal ability or stage presence, and he offers something outside of the boxed up and recycled country sound. We smiled the whole time and even I sang and danced a bit. If you have been to a concert with me you know that I am usually a silent observer, but his enthusiasm is infectious. He mostly did original songs (all awesome) but at one point he covered What's Up? by 4 Non-Blondes and even came and stood on a chair at our table and we sang along with him, loudly! You know I don't sing, not even in church, but if Drake White comes to your table and tells you to sing along you're not going to not sing. The whole show was fantastic! Last time we saw him it was just him, and this time he had his band (also awesome). He had a totally different energy when he had the whole stage to play with instead of being forced into a corner as he shared the stage with 3 other acts. Both experiences were incredible though!

Anyway, the point of all this rambling is to say...that you have to check this guy out. We bought a CD (no official album yet) and t-shirts and we will just keep spreading the word until everyone is converted. And the other point was to tell you that we got to meet him. Before the show he was just walking around the bar, (mostly unrecognized) and Seth went up to say hi when we first got there. You know I am weird though so I quickly moved him along. I am socially awkward and hate to bug people, so we found a seat. About 30 minutes later, we saw the Deveys come in (one of the couples who went to his last show with us) and Shayna went right up like she knew him and got a picture. I was so jealous, because you know, I have been basically stalking the guy waiting for him to come back to WI. Seth pulled me from my seat and made me go take a picture. Then he got a phone call just as he was about to snap the shot so we had to start over, all as I stood there, arms around each other waiting, and trying to make conversation. I rambled, told him I was shaking, said I was star struck, all kinds of stupid word vomit. It was embarrassing. But he seemed genuinely grateful that we knew who he was and had come back to see him and when he makes it big you will all be jealous that I have this picture.


And here is another fun photo while I am here. My mom and brother, Jeff are at the Kentucky Derby and I just got this shot sent to me.


I am not sure we are Churchill Downs people, but I am loving the thought of them at the Derby and so pleased that they made someone take a picture.