The closest thing to exciting that happened recently is a couple weeks ago, I won tickets to see Sarah Jarosz at Neighborhood Theatre here in Charlotte! She is what I would consider bluegrass...but I guess maybe more progressive bluegrass. Probably a couple years ago, I purchased her first album on iTunes after randomly stumbling across it, so I was kind of familiar with her songs (although she had also put out a new album since then). I happened to see that Creative Loafing was giving away a pair of tickets, so I submitted my email address and won! It was a nice surprise since I think I had forgotten I even entered to win in the first place.
Several things hit me that night: (1) Sarah Jarsoz is far more talented than I realized. (2) Going to see live shows of not-so-well-known musicians is something I should do WAY more often. (3) There is a difference in spending time with your husband on the couch watching tv and actually going out and doing something. (4) Someday, I want to learn how to play the banjo.
Items #1 and 4 are pretty self explanatory. Sarah spent most her time on an octave mandolin, which I had never seen before, but she also switched between it and the banjo. She usually performs alongside a cellist and fiddler, but was sans cellist for this one. Sad face. BUT, fiddler Alex Hargreaves was out of this world.
Number two, Charlotte isn't exactly what I'd call a music scene hotspot, but I think it's improving. Not too long ago, Sara Bareilles played at Neighborhood Theatre. Ross and I have seen a couple good smaller shows at Amos' Southend, too.
As for number three, it really was kind of an "a-ha!" moment. My husband and I both thoroughly enjoy being at home, but we realized that it is fun to actually go out and do things together sometimes. Who would have thought? We eat out a lot, but that doesn't count. And to be honest, seeing a movie doesn't really count either. I mean, those are fun things to do, but we both love music...and it was just something different. Had we paid for the tickets, seeing Sarah Jarosz would've cost us the same as seeing a movie, anyway.
Since we live right down the road, we also need to take more advantage of NoDa, and I suggest you visit if you live near Charlotte...it's almost like a mini-Boone, which I love. I really liked Neighborhood Theatre as a venue, and we tried Revolution Pizza for the first time and enjoyed that as well (side note: I tried Four Friends Queen City Red there and would recommend it).
So those are the recent happenings, and hopefully there will be more similar things to discuss in the future now that we have realized there is a world outside our apartment!
