Sunday, April 21, 2013

to jonsi with love

today the fog rolled in, like a blanket, soft and white, it covered the shore, covered our home. so i headed for the hills. taking the longest trail, the one closest to us, a just over ten mile loop. i love it so much, to be up on the mountain, standing in the sun, looking down on the foggy town and ocean below, it's like being in an airplane, above the clouds!


 the weekend began like this:

(my daughter instagramed us at the concert we went to!)













friday night at the santa barbara bowl. we saw the icelandic band sigur ros. SIGUR ROS (capitals = excitement). kimberly, my oldest, and i were in the pit, seven souls from the stage (i counted). jon 'jonsi' birgisson, lead vocalist, man with the angel voice, sang right in front of us. small point and shoot cameras were allowed, a few photos were taken. i felt swept away, enchanted, the music. the visuals were also breathtaking, haunting and beautiful. next morning hannah, my youngest, called 'how was it?' 'it was the best night of my life'. she said, 'mama! what about the night i was born?!' oh absolutely darling, yes, that too.

it was though, the best, in a way, night of my life, babies and wedding aside. this band is at once stunning, mythical, transcendent, sublimely moving and powerful. i cried. at the end of their performance, they came out and thanked us, the audience. another reason why they are exceptional. many of these words are borrowed from reviews, i am mostly without. sigur ros world tour continues, i am dreaming of seeing them again, before it's over, here or here.  a very good review found here (they played at madison square garden last month). have you ever traveled far to see a favorite band?



and the random number generated winner of the knitting project bag giveaway is:

emma
'Oh yes please, I'd love a chance to win one of your yarn along bags.'

thank you emma and congratulations! thank you for all the lovely words, i am so happy to see the project bags liked, wish i could make one for each of you!  have a wonderful week ahead xxx lori


50 comments:

  1. wow! you make me want to see sigur ros too! We all travelled 1000kms from melbourne to sydney in January to see First Aid Kit as a birthday treat for my big 13 year old girl. It was the best concert any of us had ever seen (and the first for my two girls!).

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    1. what a great experience for all of you jo! the road trip as much as the show. i hope you do get a chance to see sigur ros!

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  2. Sigur Ros is amazing! I saw them in Portland several years ago and felt similarly about their performance...i nearly cried. I was really blown away.
    Must have been fun to share that with your daughter!

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    1. portland would be a fantastic place to see them, i think the venue is smaller, like the santa barbara bowl. the feeling of seeing them is still with me and my daughter too!

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  3. My husband and I travelled 20 hours round trip by bus to see the Rolling Stones...that was 25 years ago when we were newlyweds...and we thought we better see the Stones before they got too old and stopped touring...little did we know they would still be going strong 25 years later! Last year we had the privilege of seeing the Avett Brothers locally...it was incredible..and they're coming back here this fall. That hiking trail sounds divine.

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    1. the avett brothers!! they are a huge favorite. they played here a few years ago, at a very small club, my youngest daughter went and met them after, i missed it, still sorry over that!

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  4. my music 'world' is so limited...I'm afraid until now I've never heard of sigur ros. off to you-tube with hopes of catching a tune or two!!!

    congrats to emma!!!! lucky ducky!

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    1. there is a short clip on my previous post, shows them playing in their homeland, iceland. and i received your order, thank you so much!

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  5. Oh a 10 mile bike ride. I would just love to have a nice place to ride. The concert sounds so exciting. Madison Sqr Garden I could be there so fast. I need more warning next time I might miss something epic like this.

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    1. i try to sign up for notifications for favorite bands, to know when and where they play and lots of times are able to buy advance tickets!

      this was a hike, when i was younger i did ride my mountain bike up it. only twice though, once to see if i could do it, and again to see if i really did (i did, but barely). it's so hard, steep with lots of rocks and boulders. we used to trail run the loop, now i only hike!

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  6. Rock on Lori!!!!
    Looks amazing- I bet the experience was magical.
    I SO love the 1st image- is it tilt shift?
    (I want to learn this in the worst way)
    You do a few of these and I think they are so neat.

    You and your daughter are so beautiful- great shot.

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    1. thank you camilla! yes, tilt shift, until i can afford a lens baby!

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  7. What a night to remember! I think it's nice you were permitted to have point and shoot cameras :) I think the farthest I've traveled for a concert was 2 hours? and that was in my youth!!

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    1. i thought so too karen, i guess it's up to the artist, they said no interchangeable lenses. i almost forgot to take photos though, so swept away by the music!

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  8. Lori, I don't know this band but I believe you have mentioned it in the past. So happy you were able to enjoy such a transportive evening — and love the photo of you and your girl!

    xoxo
    Amanda

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  9. you go girl! I'm gonna go listen...

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  10. Thanks my dear friend for all your loving words, I took them to heart.
    Life goes on and so I am holding my head high and getting on with it!

    Love seeing your smiling face with your beautiful girl, it sounds like you had a great time. Hiking ten miles up hill? Sounds fun.

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    1. there is the downhill part, tho that is hard on the knees, but it certainly is beautiful up there and a great workout!

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  11. must look up with group. what an amazing time you had. and can i say i just love that first photo, it looks so surreal.

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  12. Wow! The concert looks and sounds amazing!
    I love your first photo. It looks like an english country lane.
    Hope you get to see Sigor Ros again Lori....
    Saturday night we went to see a band called The Staves. They have voices like angels. Oh how I would love to be able to sing!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CXAY2Dtjk8

    Much love to you Lori

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    1. love the staves trish, they do sound like angels, they are in perfect harmony, that must have been a great show! and thank you!

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  13. we love listening to them! so fun that you were able to see them live :)

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  14. I'll have to check them out, always looking for new music.
    the Bowl is awesome. Haven't been there in about 10 years, though....

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    1. aren't we so lucky to have the bowl, it's changed a bit since you've been there last i'm sure.

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  15. Oh yippy! I won the Yarn Along bag. I'm so very excited. I shall email you my address.
    Glad you enjoyed your concert. I haven't been to one in years and years, I think I'd get freaked out by the crowds now!
    Happy happy me!!

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    1. congratulations emma! crowds make me nervous too, but luckily the santa barbara bowl is a very small venue.

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  16. What a delight to go to a concert with your daughter. I went to Keane with my eldest one two years ago. Such fun! The two of you look great on the photo!

    Happy new week Lori. Enjoy your mountains!

    Madelief x

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    1. thank you madelief! i love that we both go with our girls, it is so much fun!

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  17. Looked like an amazing night. I have heard of them, but not heard their music. I am sure my eldest and her husband like them. They once travelled to Iceland to see Bjork - and took my grandson when he was 9 months old!
    I've never really gone to concerts, other than local ones in the village hall :)
    I love the picture of you and your girl xx

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    1. i would love to see one of your local concerts jacqui, it sounds just like the books you sent me! that is very cool your daughter and husband and baby went to iceland to see bjork!

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  18. Hi Lori! Thanks for the pictures! I was at the rail and didn't want to pull my phone out right in front of them, I only took one. To you question of travel - this is the only band I've traveled for, and travel I have. I saw them this past summer in Seattle, Portland and Hollywood Forever. Completely hooked. So I went to Brussels and Lille two months ago, then Madison Square Garden and Boston. Last week San Francisco before the Bowl show. Imagine my surprise after following the tour all over, to see them post a Bowl show! ;-) I have now booked Bend and Oslo. That will have to wrap it up unless jónsi does another solo tour.

    Did you happen to see the roses we tossed at the bow? Some fans from different parts of the world crochet them while waiting for the show and surprise the band with which shows they turn up at. ;-)

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  19. wow lauren! surprised here too to see them at the bowl! i would LOVED to have seen them at all those places, you have had one year! i wish i had known about the roses, i would have made some too! we have a lot coming up this year, but still really hoping to see them play in dublin. thank you for commenting!

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  20. Dublin would be fun! If you are interested in making some roses, write me at this username at gmail and I will be happy to send you the pattern we've been using and a photo. Also the timing of the toss! I've asked Georg how they felt about it to make sure it's not a problem with their act, you know, they have things somewhat choreographed. But he assured me it was fine, and the girls are very happy with them. ;-)

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  21. Yes, I know just what you mean. Wonderful. :)

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  22. Lori, Yes, I remember concerts :-). It has been a long time. I will have to look these guys up, like many here I have not heard of them, but they sound heavenly. So glad you had the time of your life. We all need more of those.
    Your trail looks heavenly too.
    xoxo

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    1. thank you annie, we are lucky to have so many great trails here and the santa barbara bowl too!

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  23. What a great time you had, Lori! And the idea of the roses is pretty amazing, isn´t it?
    You and your daughter ´s picture, soooo beautiful!!
    I´m happy I came by here, take care!
    xoxo

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    1. i like the roses so much! i wish i had known, but next time! thank you mina for the kind words!

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  24. Yay! I'm so glad you had a great time at the concert (I've heard Sigur Ros is amazing) and as usual, I adore your photos!

    I hope you've been well! ::hugs::

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    1. thank you tracy, if you get the chance to see them, GO. :)

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  25. Lori.thanks for stopping by my blog and taking the time to comment.I'll be back here to look at your African journals!

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  26. It sounds like you had an amazing time!I'm listening to one of their songs on You Tube and their music is beautiful!!
    Thank you:)

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  27. yes, once upon a time i travelled far and often for a favorite band. long time ago :)

    oh Lori, that first photo is so beautiful. Fog is one of the things I miss very most from the coast!

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  28. It sounds like a really wonderful time, Lori! Love all your photos...they capture the atmosphere so well, and loved the sweet one of you and your daughter.
    Wishing you a happy week.
    Helen x

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  29. Wow wow wow, what an incredible and memorable weekend! I must tell you, I played that video in the previous post and listened to the music as I slowly scrolled through your photos and I was entranced and transported by the combination of the two. Magical!

    And congratulations to Emma! Lucky, lucky duck!

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xoxo lori