Doheny Blues 2010...

This is seriously one of my favorite adventures of the year.
Dad and I have gone 4 years running now. It all started as a fluke due to he and I being huge Tower of Power fans. We noticed they were playing at something called The Doheny Blues Festival. Sounds fun we thought, local…lets go! It was the day after my brother’s wedding. Tired and hung-over as we were – we headed out. Amazing.
The next year T joined up with us, the 3rd year my bro and his lady joined up with us, and this year we missed T but my friend Tully and Nat joined up with us.
Dad and I are the originals.
I am a huge fan of blues music. I don’t know why, but it gets me. You HAVE to be a brilliant musician to pull of the blues. And what better place to listen to the blues then right next to the beach. This is why I look forward to it every year – I’m never disappointed. Ever. Dad and I have got it down to an art – how we arrive, what we bring, etc. I love it.
So this year:
The headliners were Black Crowe’s and Crosby Stills and Nash – I’ve always wanted to see Black Crowes and Dad and I both had seen Crosby live before – so we opted for Saturday.
I arrived bleary eyed, coffee in hand at my brother’s house a little before 7am. Nat followed suit and the 5 of us piled in Dad Tahoe and headed out. We got there well before 8am, got prime parking and set up our chairs in line – a bit closer then last year! “What time are we let in” Nat asks. “11am” we tell her. She looks confused, but we explain the need for early arrival for good parking and good spot in line – she thanks us later. Out come the newspapers, coffee, snacks, magazines and we camp out. 3 random fellows – 2 with guitars and one with a harmonica start to jam at their car. Our own breakfast set!! They rocked. Sometime around 9:30am we wander up to the line in front to exchange out our tix for wristbands and here is where we find Bob. He now joins our crew. We chat, people watch, become friends with our neighbors in line and all start to move.
The dudes didn’t even look in my backpack…this making me think I can sneak in some food/booze for next year pretty easily. We make the mad dash for a good spot at the mainstage. I’m a little disappointed we’re behind the handicap ramp again, but we make do. We’re here. Event cards are purchased and the 1st band comes on. Lisa Haley and The Zydekats. They were ok. Not great, for sure not bad. Not very bluesy – more folksy. Lisa Hayes sounded like she’d smoked a few too many whenever she’d speak to the crowd. After her set I was starving, so Bob and I got ourselves some amazing bratwurst and some booze. Blackstone Winery was there of course – so that was my frequent stop. I start playing with my fancy camera over booze and food as we laugh and chat and people watch. We notice the family with the zillion kids and crazy kid tent contraptions are in front of us again (3 years in a row now), the drunk dudes with the American flag chairs (2 years in a row) and the crazy lady with the mask (2 years in a row). Too damn funny. Igor Prado fro Brazil with Lynwood Slim start playing on the 2nd stage and Dad and I wander over and watch their whole set. AWESOME. Igor played the guitar fantastically and the bass player never stopped bobbing his head. The harmonica player was decent and they put on a great show. I also found out I have a killer zoom on my camera. Back to the mainstage for The Fabulous Thunderbirds. Kim Wilson – best harmonica player I have ever heard in my life!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He played straight for about 20 minutes!!!! Who has that kind of breathing power!! They rocked. Black Joe and The Honeybears started on the 2nd stage – this was another food/booze run and Bob and I got part of their set – very cool. We also did the free wine tasting with Black Box Winery – a wine I plan to research more. Its boxed wine and it tasted really great! Next on the mainstage was Taj Mahal and The Phantom Blues Band – this was my surprise highlight. I always have one. They were f-ing awesome! Taj Mahal is the epitome blues guy – you blues fans I’m sure know him well. His raspy voice tore it up and they played the blues like their supposed to be played. My favorite of the day. Outstanding musicians, outstanding show, just f-ing outstanding! 2nd stage was Jackin Greene – we listed from mainstage, but he was just alright – didn’t really get bluesy until the last few songs. At this point our friend Nat got quite fried because she refused to put on sunscreen and was our main napper the whole day. Last but so not least – our headliner – Black Crowes. I have never seen them live but always loved their music and they did not disappoint. The took a lot of their hits and funked them out. Took different spins on a few favorites and Chris Robinson was pitch perfect. They had a bit of an annoying light display, but it didn’t distract from the brilliant set they put on.
As we rolled out, I was tired, sunkissed and happy. Another perfect day at Doheny Blues Festival. I can’t wait for next year!

Ouch...

Blindsided again.
Yes I cried. Yes I was hurt. But I'm not going to let it get me depressed, instead I will write a hopefully entertaining bitch blog. So here we go:
I have decided that if you have a penis then I have absolutley no fucking idea what to do with you. I'll admit it - I'm bad at dating. I have no idea what I'm doing. I came out of a very bitter marriage leaving me extremley closed off to the opposite sex. When I finally started actually looking at you boys again, none of you got past my wall. We had fun, then we were done. I did this for quite a while. Then a certain someone shook that up a little. This particular kid (Yes I say kid - your all boys) got under my skin somewhat and we had a really odd off and on whatever you want to call it sort of things. Confused? Join the club. It was never serious - ever - but it was something and of course I didnt know what to do with it. In the interim of course was my usual "have fun then we're done". Then I was set up on a blind date. I of course was mortified. I've never been on a blind date let alone really a date actually...Dude turned out to be alright and in the back of my head is one of my girlfriends screaming "You have to open yourself up!!! Give it a chance!!!" So I went for it. Dude asked to be "exclusive" I guess was the word he used, so I went for it. Sadly we were 2 totally different people. Dude was never an asshole, in fact we're still friends, but we just couldnt work - but hey - I tried for 6 months!!! Record for Miss Jamikat over here. Back to the nothing serious's. I was perfectly fine with this. Then comes along a new one. Feelings. Oh crap. There they are. I actually really like this one. Dammit. So instead of fighting it, I kind of try to see what will happen. Just when I start thinking it may be cool - SMACK - the rug is pulled out from under me - all of a sudden there's a girlfriend. WTF!!! That hurt. So now here I am feeling like a total jackass. And mind you - right back where I started from with you boys - Confused. I dont get it. I dont get you. I dont know how to date. I just dont know. I'm 34 years old. Seriously you think I would have figured something out by now. Nope. Not the case at all. Your all fucking weird and friends wonder why I'm "closed off". Yes yes I know there are successful relationships out there, in fact I think us single people are becoming a minority....but you know what? Those people in relationships - they must know some secret code that I am just not aware of. So you know what I do? I throw my hands up, I walk away shaking my head. I just dont get you fuckers.
Signed
The Future Crazy Cat Lady