sausagefest 2008

...and that is not a euphemism.

In fact it was a fundraiser for the Catholic church down the street. And I must say it is the most fun that I've had on a parochial school playground since, well, ever. I was not good at recess or kickball or any of that kid stuff. I was too busy wiping my nose on my sleeve and trying to be invisible when I was young.


As it turns out, everything is more fun with Guinness and sausage! And consuming it on the playground feels twice as naughty.

Tammy Lieber and Nora

The sausages were excellent and the beer selection was superb.

Evan Finch and a knackwurst (or maybe it was a cajun sausage, but knackwurst sounds funnier).

The new parish priest scratching his head wondering what the heck he's gotten himself in to.

Tim Brickley and Scott Sanders.

Cara Jean Wahlers and Gary Wasson

I really did have a great time -- and the three mugs of beer only had a little bit to do with that. I ran in to folks that I have not seen since the coffeehouse closed four years ago. I got to catch up with old customers and their kids.

The music was terrific. Tim Brickley is a great singer and songwriter and it was a treat to see him with out the full band. Tim owns Hit City Recording Studio, where I used to have my coffeehouse office. It is strange to go from seeing someone almost every day for seven years to just a couple of times a year.

Cara Jean Wahlers is always a treat to hear, and I swear she just keeps getting better and better. I do have to confess something. I gave Cara the finger (yes, that finger) while she was singing. I was surreptitious about it (I walked to the stage pretending to take a photograph). Why did I do something so rude? On such a beautiful evening? At a church?

She was singing BROWN EYED GIRL!

I have a theory - a puppy dies every time a band plays that song. I have nothing against Van Morrison, in fact I love his music. It is the reaction of the audience that ticks me off. Look around the next time you hear the first few notes of the song. People start cheering and high-five-ing like they've cured cancer or saved a baby from a burning building or donated a kidney or something. I totally understand why a band would cover the song, I'm sure that it gets requested all of the time. But, there are other songs out there people!

Phew! Rant aside, it was a lovely evening. I'll go say the rosary now to make up for my sins.

edit: I realized this was not the first time I've ranted about Brown Eyed Girl. Read it here.