Sunday, July 31, 2011

Gruene it's pronounced green

       Arriving home from work on Friday was especially rewarding and full of let's.go.out momentum because it marked the end of my first full week of New Job.  I recalled seeing James McMurtry on the schedule for the Gruene Music Hall (pronounced Grewn at this point in the evening) and out we headed...



        We didn't explore much- just headed right to the music hall after saying that we would be back soon.  Such a charming place with restaurants and shops, and teeming with people enjoying themselves.

      Learned at this point that the name of the town is pronounced green, not grewn, grain or grew-un, all possibilities tried out in the car on the way.  Gruene is just outside of New Braunfels, about 30 minutes outside of San Antonio on the way to Austin.

       Shannon McNally was playing when we entered the hall, and she was superb, and great to talk to after her set.  A song that she played reminded me of the dear friends that have gotten married in the past year, made me smile and miss them so:

          
         Then James McMurtry took the stage.  He is the son of Larry McMurtry of Lonesome Dove fame, we learned from Shannon.  I had only a passing familiarity with his music from Pandora, and Luke none at all.  The show was extraordinary.  We danced on the wooden floor of the oldest dance hall in Texas and drank sangria because it was hot inside, and hot outside even at midnight, and grinned at each other in wonderment at how - the chances and the long shots and the outlandishness of it all- we had arrived at this little town, at this concert with this gifted singer-songwriter.  And I was 31 and Luke was 29 and we were in love, and sweaty, and happy.







3 comments:

  1. so fun you two listened to some great live music and sipped cold sangrias to boot! sounds like a blast! thanks for the recap, ju.

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  2. ps - congrats on finishing your first work week! glad you went out and celebrated!

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  3. love this post...glad you two are having fun and taking in some great music!:) and being in love is so great...:)

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