Energy and fun.  Those were the operative words Wednesday night at Stir Cove while being entertained by The English Beat and Reel Fish.  What a great ‘getaway’ for a weeknight.

I must not have been the only one who had experienced a tough week and was ready for a chance to pull back and chill; it appeared that about 1,500 others must have had the same itch.

The English Beat has been bringing the fun of ska, reggae and rock to the world for over 30 years.  In return, the crowd was lovin’ every minute of it.  They were dancing in the grass, bouncing in the aisles and smiling ear to ear.  It was nothing shy of pure mirth.  For well over an hour, the crowd swelled around the stage and let the music take them into a blissful haze.  Lots of brass, audience participation and fabulous musical covers made all the workday madness disappear.

Not to be outdone by their intro band, Reel Fish carried things to an even higher cloud.  Twenty years of experience with punk and ska just heightened the excitement and fed the fever.  There were very few filled seats…everyone was a groupie that night and the stage was completed surrounded.  It was just happy music, and made for happy feet…what a bunch of penguins we must have been!  Their set was all about total energy and enthusiasm and nobody was ready for the end.  

I can only imagine the fervor had this concert been on a weekend.  I gotta thank the bands and Stir for giving me a chance to escape into harmony….even if only for awhile.