On Friday...

Friday is not the name of a reindeer. I sang jingle bells today, although I had no reason. Today is not Friday, it is Monday, but I will tell you about Friday on Monday because I did not on Friday. I went back to Riverside. This is why I do not post on the weekends. Our internet is slow, and the roads are bumpy. So I went back to Riverside and ate supper. Then I went to the church where I got on a bus. Then I went back to the city. We (our youth group, of which I am a responsible sponsor) attended a concert at the Church of the Rock. These were bands I had not seen. First of all a man with a guitar, sounding very much like Dave Matthews. Unfortunately, not the kind of excitement anxious teenagers want to hear to start off a rocking evening. Oh well. Next band: three punks from the States playing a la de da Sum-41 rip off style of music. A lot of guitar twirling, but hard to hear words (sound was terrible most of the evening, with frequent feedback ralph's (ie. puke, to coin a bizzare phrase). Then Seventh Day Slumber, really good melodies, but very typical alternative style. Best part was the lead singer's revealing testimony, followed by an alter call. With eyes closed, he asked audience members to raise hands if they were contemplating suicide, and indicated that at least two dozen had admitted that they were. Indeed. I was stunned at this result, and rejoiced with the over two hundred kids that came up to the front that night. Up next we had the rapper KJ-something or other, who had a good rhythm section (yeah bass!) but there was so much request for the audience to move their arms (first the up and down slow rap bob, then the raise the roof, then the two-hand overhead clap) that it became quite silly. And then his last song was dedicated to Mountain Dew & caffene (for which we substituted 'Kathleen')! Brutal! Oh, well, I took this time to chat with some University friends I saw in the crowd. Last up was Superchic[k], who were fantastic for a pop-punk band. Bengals-esque in some places, but the overlapping melody of two similar female lead vocals created a super doubling effect. They moved through a well planned set of driving beats and cool ballads, all the while having fun and looking stylish. Certainly the best act of the night. And then night it was.