Years ago, in that before kids period of life, we used to go to a lot of concerts and live shows.  For years we had tickets to two different series of shows at Merriweather Post.  We were also Associate Members at Wolf Trap, which guaranteed getting good seats as you would get your tickets processed before the general public.  Although not a part of any series, a concert that we traditionally would go to, year after year, was Jimmy Buffett.  We qualified as “Parrot Heads” as we would meet up with friends and cook blackened tuna in the parking lot while mixing margaritas.  Those are fond memories, although we’ve all but lost touch with  the friends whom we shared that experience.  Christmas cards have become the last vestige of that once flourishing friendship.

So, this year it just happened that we purchased pavilion tickets to this year’s Jimmy Buffett performance at

Nissan Pavilion. It was “The Labor Day Weekend Show”.  We decided to take Ray.  He loves Buffett music.  He’s never been to what I’d consider a “real” concert before.  We saw The Blue Man Group at Mason’s Patriot Center, but that was more of a show than a concert for those that understand the nuance of difference I’m trying to express.  As it turned out, friends got last minute tickets as well, so we all sat out under a foldable canopy and enjoyed a rather classic tailgate experience sans the grill.  Nissan says they don’t allow grills, although we saw a number of them scattered about the parking lot.  Even without the blackened tuna, it was a great fare with shrimp and chicken along with typical beverages. We made friends with the couple who parked next door.  It’s funny, these two chance met strangers were so like our old Buffett concert going buddies that it made the experience all that much more eerily familiar.

The show was typical Buffett.  I thoroughly enjoyed it although Don says he thought it was too scripted and predictable.  Maybe it was the predictability that I wanted though.  I wanted to be reminded of the concerts from the past.  The music was as good as ever.  The songs as familiar as ever.  I didn’t want “new”.  I wanted that performance that was comfortable and felt as good as a well worn pair of hush-puppies.  So while Buffett is getting balder and we’re getting older and grayer as well, the show goes on! From the parking lot and it’s cast of characters to the show itself, Ray was enthralled. Wearing his Caribbean print shirt, he was a ready participant to the event. It was all new to him, and watching it all through his eyes brought enough newness to the experience to prevent any chance of feeling disappointed or ho-hum about it.