Led Zeppelin Music and a Powwow

I hope my readers had a good weekend. Travalon and I spent a lot of ours at the Overture Center. On Friday evening we each got a free bag of popcorn at the Union for being members, then we sat eating popcorn and drinking beer and listening to “Jazz at Five,” which didn’t sound all that jazzy. It was a group billing themselves as Madison’s only Hawaiian/French duo, and they did indeed play French cabaret songs and Hawaiian slack key guitar songs. We had a fish fry there in the Ratskeller, then we headed to the Overture Center for their 2017-18 season announcement. It was kind of like watching a bunch of movie previews, and then afterwards there was pie and a salsa band, so we danced a bit. We had a really good time and found out about some shows that sound really great.

Saturday I had my annual gig at the pancake breakfast at the McKenzie Center, and Travalon was a devoted husband and drove me there. Jilly Moose and OK Cap came too, and we went to the little wildlife zoo they have there, then we went to the Thirsty Moose. I spent all my gig money on lunch for Travalon and myself, so that gives you some idea of the big bucks we make in my band. It was a beautiful day, so I took a two-mile walk while Travalon watched Final Four basketball, and then in the evening we went back to Overture for a Led Zeppelin tribute band playing with the symphony orchestra. It was so good! Afterwards we went to Café Coda at the Fountain for a drink. They have gypsy swing jazz every Wednesday, so we will have to give that place another chance. Surely not all the live jazz they have there is the weird free stuff.

Yesterday Travalon and I went to brunch at Mickey’s Dairy Bar with Cecil Markovitch and the Single B-Boy, then we two went to the University’s powwow at the Alliant Energy Center. We thought it would be in the main exposition hall, but they were having a deer and turkey hunting expo there, and the powwow was in a side hall. Travalon noted dryly that Native Americans always get stuck with the lesser places. The powwow was a lot of fun; just as we got there, they had the Grand Entrance with all the drum circles playing, and all the dancers processing in, including the Aztec dancers. Their regalia was so beautiful. I love the women’s jingle dresses. We checked out the various vendors, and Travalon bought a poster that is a map of all the North American tribes. We also got some fry bread and found out about a powwow up near Green Bay in June that we might try to attend. That one is actually on a reservation, and it is held outside. Something to look forward to, anyway.

Famous Hat