Concerts Aplenty

When I posted Into the Season the other day, many of you opined that we had been quite the busy, little, festive Canadians. I guess when we present lists like that, we can appear to be busier than we really are. So, when I say that we have now attended three concerts and not just one (plus various other functions), I don't want you to get all concerned about our apparently frenetic pace. We're okay.

I wonder how many years it's been since we attended even one concert? Suddenly, within eight days, we chalked up three events. They were very different, both in presentation and venue. The kids treated us to tickets to see/hear Stuart McLean who told his funny Christmas stories and presented pop-style music at the rather grand National Arts Centre, a grand edifice with those fancy box-balcony seats that some can afford. Then, friends took us to hear an a cappella chorale group at a decent-size church. The building was neither opulent nor shoddy: just a normal church. The chorale was very talented but a little on the snooze-button side of the continuum.

Finally, on Sunday evening, we found ourselves in a small hamlet way outside of the city (Yes well, a hamlet would be small and outside of the city, wouldn't it? C'mon AC, what are you thinkin?) The definitely non-opulent community centre was filled to capacity with only about one hundred onlookers. But it was loads of fun. They played zippy Celtic music and had the audience participate in many carols. I think we all, musicians and audience alike, enjoyed the enthusiastic and cheery spirit of celebration.

During the intermission, they had doors prizes (we won one of the four) and a Share the Wealth draw (we also won one of those four prizes). Share the Wealth wasn't exactly a 50-50 draw but along those lines. They drew four numbers, each getting a twenty dollar prize (which was the admission for two, so it was a good deal). You could buy one ticket for two dollars or an arm length's strip [really!] for five bucks. What a good idea! Nearly everybody went for the arm's length deal, and the organizers, therefore, generated more cash. Very clever! Why wouldn't they all do it this way? Having won the draw, which essentially amounted to free tickets, we ended up getting to three concerts – all free! It's all rather odd because we are not generally lucky types who end up winning lots of things.

I wonder how long it will be before we get to our next concert?