Hello friends, it’s been quite some time.  Since I managed to get to the Jack Johnson show, our little gaggle has been going non-stop.  There’s been work, girl scouts, y guides, and lots of soccer.  What I desperately needed and have had circled on my calendar for months was a quick trip to Charlotte for a respite.  It is always a great thing when such a trip can be combined with seeing more live music.  Well, wouldn’t ya know it, Michael Franti and Spearhead just happened to have a show scheduled.  I suppose it should be made clear that the only reason I was willing to go to Charlotte in the first place was for the show.  I am not the biggest fan of the State of Charlotte.  A friend who went with us put it best when he said that Charlotte lacks soul.  He’s right, there just doesn’t seem to be any heart in the town.

The boss went down on Thursday for a work thing.  After I got Lucy and Ethel at school on Friday the 8th and dropped them off at my parents, I was on my way.  We made reservations at a hotel where we had previously stayed.  We booked 3 nights at the Hyatt House City Center.  The location is good, right near the Epicenter and a short walk to the restaurants in the area.  The only drawback is the proximity to the main bus terminal.  If I were a solo female traveler, I would not feel entirely safe walking past the depot at night.  The rooms are nice though with a separate sitting area, full sized fridge, and kitchenette.  One can save some money buy stocking the fridge in the room-just sayin.  The breakfast is solid as well though if they would open the bar for mimosas and bloody marys, they could make some additional revenue.  Once I got there, we headed to Fuel Pizza for dinner.  I had been to one of their locations in DC before and found the pizza to be quite good.  We got a couple of pizzas, ate til full, and then took the leftovers back (another benefit of having the kitchenette).  My Hawaiian was tasty as was the boss’s tomato and ricotta.  Also, they have gf beer.  By six pm, I was doing what every parent longs to do.  I was in bed, watching tv, and reading without a care in the world.  At one point, I stood up, looked out the window and thought that in this city, there were lots of folks getting all dressed up to go out and prowl.  Me, I crawled back in bed and pulled the covers up.  I simply did not care.

At some point I fell asleep, it might have been 7 or it could’ve been 9 I really don’t know.  But we got up on Saturday, had some breakfast and then went and looked in the two stores we could find.  I really wanted to buy stuff, but Charlotte doesn’t want my money apparently.  So to Five Guys at the Epicenter!  We got a lovely to-go order and went back to the room to watch, for the first time all season, a UNC football game.  Heck, we even won!  By the end of the game, our friends had arrived and they wanted to go to a movie so we joined them for a showing of Thor. It has been 4 days and I am not sure what happened in that film.  No clue.  From there we tried to find somewhere for dinner and we were marginally successful.  We all ate, but sadly I was glutened (though I wouldn’t realize it until Sunday morning).  We hit a couple of bars and made it safely home.

Ok, Sunday.  I had been looking forward to this concert for months.  There was no way my gluten gut was keeping me away.  I slept a lot on Sunday trying to power through.  By 4:30 I felt reasonably better and was willing to venture out.  We met up with our friends at a bar (water, thanks) and passed some time before dinner.  The boss found a winner in Basil Thai Restaurant.  The food was great and out server was awesome.  I wasn’t 100 percent yet so I didn’t go spicy.  I stuck with their gluten-free chicken fried rice.  The boss had gf pad-thai and bottles of wine were 1/3 off on Sundays.  I am not sure how they made fried rice gluten-free, but it was good and went a long way towards making me feel somewhat human again.  I would definitely return to Basil.  And now, time for the show!

The Fillmore is a great venue to catch a show.  It is not overly large, but it is big enough that there is good energy in the room and good views.  If a band you like is playing there, it is well worth your time.  I love a Michael Franti show.  If you have seen him, you get it.  If not, go.  There is such a positive, fun energy that is hard to describe.  I appreciate the fact that he leaves the stage to perform in and with the crowd.  You truly feel that you are a part of his show, not just a spectator.  I don’t think my friends who went with us were very familiar, but by the end of the night, they were all fans.  Sometimes you leave a concert and feel a bit deflated that something wasn’t quite right.  You will never feel that in a Franti show.  I can’t think of another artist who performs as he does and then when the house lights come up, he stays in the crowd for photos or to chat.  He seems to genuinely appreciate his fans and is living to the fullest.  A good show should inspire us.  If you aren’t familiar with him, check him out.  I’ll just go ahead and say that you are welcome.

I was so inspired that I was willing to do one of the things I hate the most- go bowling.  The crowd wanted to go so we did.  It was fun, especially, the winning part.  This was the kind of weekend that parents need.  I love my kids, but I think we can all agree that sometimes we need a respite.  I think getting away for a time and being me helps me to be a better dad.  There is no better way to breathe than to head out of town and catch a show.  I am also glad that we had some good friends who were willing to take a chance and go with us.  I feel like our batteries have been a bit recharged as we head towards a hectic holiday season, one where I try harder to be present and not let these moments slip away.