I’m sitting in front of my computer wondering if I can find enough adjectives to describe the weekend I just had at Stir Cove, and I’m not sure I’m capable of being that profound.  The last two evenings were among the most memorable concert adventures in my life.  How could they not be? Taj Mahal, Bonnie Raitt, Gabe Dixon and Loggins & Messina.  It was musical nirvana at its finest.

The Bontaj tour is a 30 date experience during August and September in which two of the finest blues musicians, Taj Mahal and Bonnie Raitt perform both alone and together, and are raising funds during these dates for various charitable causes.  Both are Grammy winning artists and social and environmental activists.  But they are also two of the most amazing performers in their simplicity and presentation.  It was too good for words, and the crowd loved watching them love their music.

Taj and his Phantom Blues Band exuded soul and blues,but not your mama’s blues. it was such an upbeat positive, toe-tapping, head-bopping, get on your feet, clap your hands kind of set.  The crowd loved it, loved him and begged for more.  He graciously left the stage after an hour of fun, but it wouldn’t be the last we would see of him.

I’ve waited a long time to see the Miss Bonnie Raitt, and it was worth every minute of the wait.  She is the consummate performer….gracious, appreciative, soulful, talented and oh, so very, very good.  Her set was a blissful mix of the old and the new.  We sang along, we dreamed along, we felt her emotion in every guitar pluck and strum.  Her talents are so much more than appreciable.  She is nothing short of amazing.  Her hour long set of blues and rock, backed up by a fantastic set of musicians was outstanding, and the audience showed their appreciation with resounding applause and standing ovations.  

And the encore was magical.  Both musicians on stage along with their bands, and everyone was on their feet, their happy feet.  There were no ‘blues’ about this night, it was an honor to be in their presence.

So…I’m thinking, how could I get this same sated feeling on Saturday? Well, my friends

Remember the 70’s?  Remember your LPs, 8-tracks and cassettes?  Remember thinking your Mama don’t dance and your Daddy don’t rock and roll?  Well they did Saturday night, baby.  Maybe it was mostly from their west-O soccer chairs, but oh yeah, they were dancin’.

Opening for Loggins & Messina was the Gabe Dixon Band.  Gabe is the keyboard player for the headliners, and so you’re thinking, okay.  Nice guys, give the boy a chance, sip your beer, clap politely and count the minutes til the show really begins.  NOT SO MUCH!  Wow what a talent.  Dixon‘s fingers should be insured for millions.  He demonstrated such versatility.  He was a little Billy Joel, a little Michael Buble, and a whole lotta Ben Folds.  So engrossed in his music, I couldn’t wait to buy a CD.  I’ve now listened to it twice and I’m even more intrigued.  I hope this won’t be my only encounter with Mr. D.  The crowd really loved the guy, and it was the perfect appetizer for the entrée we were about to consume.  

Kenny Loggins & Jim Messina were having as much fun as the audience, or so it seemed.  And it seemed so easy.  What talent, what a band, what a night.  They ran the gamut of hits, jams and rock and roll.  You don’t often think of these guys as jam band musicians, but I’m telling you, they put the sugar in the jam, ma’am.  Sweet, sweet style.  And don’t think for one minute that either of these guys is better than the other.  Both are equally talented, equally gracious, equally matched.  Their band featured some of the finest musicians as well.  Ever seen dueling saxophones?  It is spine tingling.  You just don’t want an evening like this to end.  For an hour and a half, everything was so right with the world. When you see a duo like this seemingly enjoying every note, every strum, every lyric, you wonder why they ever parted ways.  They are compatible and blend so well.  

I’m no neophyte to concerts and I’ve seen all the ‘legends’.  I’ve been in the big arenas, small smoke filled bars and been at one with nature in the Rockies, but this last weekend at Stir will live in my musical archives as one of the finest weekends I will ever have.