Wild Dunes, Isle Of Palms, SC

From 24 to 28 August 2013

This was a little family getaway down to the beach for a few days near the end of summer.  Needless to say the days involved going to the beach - as you do when you have a beach front apartment, and then using the pool in the afternoons.  

What is most important is that it was the first time the boys had been to the beach and their reaction to the ocean was priceless.  I honestly thought they were going to explode with excitement the first time we went in the water.   They loved jumping in the waves and wading on the edge.  Was just a delight to see them so excited.

L, Me & B

Amy and I also took them on their first bike ride.  As we hired bikes and rode around Wild Dunes.  While not sure at first, it ended being another successful day that they loved.  Cant wait to bring them back to the beach next year.

BBoy & L ready for their first bike ride.

Carolina Panthers v Chicago Bears at Bank Of America Stadium

A perfect fall day for the first preseason Panthers game of 2013.  I've been fortunate to get a ticket from a friend of Amy's, Mike - whom we will go and see Muse with next month, to see my 2nd NFL game, and 2nd Panthers v Bears game funnily enough.  Mike's dad has season tickets on the 40 yard line, on the Panthers side, 10 rows back.  Phenomenal seats!

The game was a good one, and the Panthers looked good.  Hopefully this will give them a start to a successful season.  Defense was spot on and Cam Newton and the attack looked confident.  The game was not as close as the score indicates.  Panthers had a good lead for a majority of the game, then rested their top players in the last quarter to give some fringe players a chance.  

I had a great afternoon.  Couldn't believe how good the seats were, and the weather could not have been better for watching football.  I am now 2-0 for Panthers games I've been at.  Maybe I need to come all year as a good luck charm.

Carolina Panthers 24 (B.LaFell, K.Barner, J.Norman touchdowns, G.Gano extra point, field goal, M.Lineberry 2 extra points) defeated the Chicago Bears 17 (J.Bostic, M.Ford touchdowns, R.Gould 2 extra points, field goal)

Paid Attendance: 70,700 (This game was considered the 104th straight a sell-out.I don't believe the crowd would have been a two-thirds of this size.)

Melvins & Honky @ Cat's Cradle, Carrboro, NC

Road Trip!  Melvins are playing close by - I must go and see them.  This is my 7th Melvins show, in 7 different venues in 4 different states.  I arrived at the Cat's Cradle after a 2 1/2 hour drive up from Charlotte. This venue has been around forever in this college town and has seen many a good band come through.  I'm assuming that, because of this, people are interested in seeing all sorts of music.  I say this because this is the largest crowd I've seen the Melvins play to.  The place was close to capacity - much larger than the crowds in the Vegas that I saw them play in.

Honky kicked off proceedings and this Texas-rock outfit let their guitars and humor warm up this crowd in the best possible way.  Dale pulled double duty, playing his half of the drum set for Honky.  Good set - pretty appropriate opener, definitely got the crowd warmed up.

As usual Buzz walked onto the stage with no fanfare and was followed by the rest of the band and tore into their set.  Jared was absent due to pending fatherhood, but his place on bass was aptly filled in by Jeff Pinkus of openers Honky (and previously Butthole Surfers).  One song run into the next as the minimalist crowd interaction allowed the night to be filled purely with music.  Honeybucket is one of my all time favorite songs and I am determined to hear it live one time.  Alas, tonight is not the night - looks like I'll be coming back to see Melvins again sometime.  Having said that Sweet Willy Rollbar was fantastic.  Night Goat was great and I finally got my first live rendition of Lizzy - another fave.  All in all, another blistering set by such an original band.  Can't believe this was a 30th anniversary tour - Melvins played a raw and rockin' set, belittling they age as a band.  Though I've never seen it any other way.

Until next time.

The Crap Facts:
This is my 358th concert.
Cat's Cradle is the 98th venue I've seen a concert.
Carrboro is the 43rd city I've seen a concert.
This is my 10th concert in North Carolina.
This is my 166th concert in the USA.

Honky are the 425th band I've seen
This is my 7th Melvins concert.
Melvins are the 1st band I've seen in 5 states.