there were four of them at the show in Arlington. the oldest was a
girl, maybe 5. the other 3 were all boys, 2,3, and 4 i would say. they
started mid-way through my set, the girl doing twirls in the middle of
the room, the boys runing around and jumping. but then i think they
really started to listen, and there's something in thier unpolluted
minds that just grabs-a-hold of rhythm and sends that back out through
their bodies in the most unexpected ways. it's hard to describe, maybe
because i haven't spent that much time around kids, but it was super
cool to have kids dance to music i was playing. makes me look forward
to being a father and really made for a memorable show.

during Heligoats set i was able to observe more closely. the girl sat
down on the stage directly in front of chris and put her head in her
hands, looking up rather fawningly. then she'd get up and dance a
little before sitting gingerly back down and resuming the same
posture. meanwhile the youngest of the bunch was what can only be
described as strutting around the dance floor all the while waving his
arms in the air as if he was trying to do the breast stroke towards
the ceiling, but all very much to the rhythm of the music. it was
fascinating to watch. at one point all for kids were sitting on the
edge on the stage looking up at chris when somehow they all wound up
in push-up position, no knees on the floor, and were head-banging. not
like a metal band head-banging, but maybe more vigorous rhythmic
nodding. watching children dance is in the same range of fascinated emotion as watching two dogs play. i could watch it all day and be guaranteed a smile on my
face.

the show was at the Mirkwood & Shire Cafe, a great feeling place and
room that sounded good. the show started early as it being a sunday
and they close early, so it needed to be over by 7. we ate great food
on the house, played some sweet tunes to dancing children and headed
on up the road to Bellingham with fond memories of Arlington WA.
Thanks to Amanda PJWA for the good word on that.

being so early, Heligoats put in a call to friends in Bellingham, The
Librarians with whome we would be playing the next night. Low and
behold they were doing their regular thing at a joint called the
Temple Bar that night and we were early enough to be able to play
short sets each, bookend-ended by the Librarians. Librarian sandwhich,
they called it.

since it was the 2nd show of the day and we'd be playing with the same
bands and to perhaps some of the same crowd the next day, i decided to
do mostly covers. Tiger by the Tail, Whispering Hope, Dang Me,
Chemical Fire (the only one of mine i did), and Don't Fence Me In.
Good times, good people. Fantastic.