Rhapsody

Hey guys,

Alayna and the violins, rehearsing for the evening earlier in the afternoon.

So this evening we attended Midland High School's big, annual, musical showcase at the Midland Center for the Arts, Rhapsody Rendezvous. I've discussed this before, but in case you forgot what this shindig's all about, it's like a 2-3 hour long variety show that features multiple bands, orchestras, soloists, singers, choirs, and ensemble groups. The school's various choirs, orchestras, and the marching band all perform a few songs, there are kids who sing (solos and duets), little theater skits, groups of instrumentalists doing numbers, and even a staff skit (usually just a bunch of them dancing along to some popular song.) And, of course, there are excruciating 'skits' by the evening's five MC's between songs which serve as a time buffer for the stage crews to tear down and set up the stage for the next act behind the curtain.

Abby and the cellos, also rehearsing earlier in the afternoon. . .

This year Alayna and Abby would be performing in a couple different orchestral numbers (for Symphonic and Honors Orchestras), and Abby would be doing their High Kick routine with the Varsity Pom Team. Fortunately, this year the event fell on a Saturday, which was awesome for us 'cause last year they held this on a frickin' school night and we didn't end up getting out of there until well past 10:30pm (not ideal when you have to wake up the next morning at 5:30am. 

Kris took some video of the Symphonic Orchestra's performance, but the song - a medley of all the big themes from The Phantom of the Opera - clocked in around ten minutes, so it was obviously too long to upload here. Fortunately she accidentally stopped the video at about the two-minute mark so I was able to upload a small snippet of the first part of the suite. The Honors performance video, which was from Tim Burton's Corpse Bride, was also too long to upload here, but I was able to get the pom routine for you. . . so you won't be totally empty-handed here.

Anyway, we got some pics of the show and of afterwards while attempting to collect our kids following the close of the evening's performances. Enjoy. . .

Abby and the Varsity Pom Team, getting ready backstage.

Some of the orchestra kids getting ready backstage.

Rehearsing with the orchestra before folks start to arrive (I screenshot some of the pics a professional photographer got this evening - you're welcome.)

We had decent seats this evening, but Kris opted to take video of this first orchestra performance and some asshole's head was front and center. . . I should have just taken the video myself.

The first two minutes of the Symphonic Orchestra's performance.

About an hour later, the Honor's Orchestra (which is noticeably smaller) performing their suite.

Standing up for applause following their number (Alayna is off to the left, and Abby is kinda towards the middle in the back.)

The MHS Varsity Pom Team routine performed third from last (preceding the teacher skit and the marching band, which is always the closing act), doing their hair routine from High Kick. Abby will be off to the right in most of these pictures.

A little dark, but at least it's a better vantage point.

(I can't kick that high.)

The kick line.

Closing the evening's showcase with the MHS Marching Band.

Abby and Kyle, following the end of the performances.

Kiersten, Ella, Abby and Harper pose for a group pic as they exit the backstage area.

Meeting up with our kids after this showcase is always a royal pain - there are hundreds of kids and maybe a thousand parents all trying to find their kids, so we always stand around for like a half an hour trying to track down the girls. My folks drove up from Clare and, as usual, brought the girls some flowers to congratulate them on their performances (Alayna isn't shy at all about demanding that they do so.)

Sebastian brought Alayna (and Abby) flowers as well.

Abby eventually showed up and we were able to get some pictures quick of her as well.

Both kids.

Of course the Johnson kid was there, too - she's basically our third daughter.

Abby and one of her old teammates from the JV Pom Team.

Some weird flower pic the girls insisted on taking.

It wouldn't be a true orchestra concert evening if the girls didn't track down their teacher, Ms. Mammassian, for a photo with her.

So there you go, folks - yet another orchestra concert with the Hough girls. Pretty sure we have another one next month, so stay tuned for that one.

- Brian 

River Daze

Hi Internet.

Inside the massive Beer Tent, sponsored by Midland's Rotary Club.

So I've mentioned River Days before a time or two. It's Midland's annual, weekend-long summertime bash, centered around the Tridge downtown, where they light off dozens and dozens of hot air balloons into the sky. Tons of food trucks, lots of live music, vendors, arts and crafts, merch galore, and thousands upon thousands of people.

Kinda like summer's weekly Tunes By the Tridge, only on steroids.

(And featuring hot air balloons.)

We've made an appearance here for years - sometimes for only one night, sometimes all the nights - and it's always a good time. Following the initial lighting of the balloons, for the next couple days you can spot balloons drifting around Midland, often times flying right over folks' houses and scaring the crap out of people (one year one actually crashed onto our street , back in 2018 if you'll remember.) We went for a walk with the Johnsons the day after the initial lighting, and they were everywhere (as you'll soon see in the pics below.)

So yeah, another entertaining 48-hour period around these parts. Check it out. . . 

Us and the Johnsons had to park way down at First United Methodist, which was a bit of a hike but all the lots and side streets closer than that were already taken (the whole city had more or less come out for this.) When we reached the park by the Tridge, we purchased our drink/meal tickets and set up shop in the Rotary tent. Kris' friend, Kim, and her daughter, Makayla, ended up meeting us down there, and after everyone had finished their burgers all the womenfolk wandered off to check out some of the local vendors and crap.

Erik, Mitch and I hung back in the beer tent and watched as balloons slowly took off into the sky.

Mitch attempts to crouch like a Slav (heels down, unlike how we Westerners crouch, with our heels up.)

After a few beers, the three of us walked around a bit to check out what else was set up down there.

Not much cool stuff to check out unless you were a little kid (they had henna tattoos and face painting and crap), or else were jonesing for a food truck.

They usually have a lot of carnival-ish attractions set up for River Days, which our kids used to get into but not so much anymore.

We then made the mistake of walking over the Tridge to see the balloons up close, over by the dog parks. None of them were firing up at the time, and there wasn't much to do over there, so we decided to head back the way we came. Unfortunately there was a frickin' line of folks trying to get back over as well, and the crowd was backed up for hundreds of yards - I've never seen anything like that before. It was all thanks to a bunch of dumbasses stopping to take pictures in the middle of the throngs, holding everyone up.

Seriously took us like twenty minutes to cross back over that damn bridge. . . 

Alayna, Abby, Ella, and a few other kids were walking around downtown as well. They didn't want to acknowledge our presence, 'cause teenagers.

Kim and Makayla, showing off their new ink.

Back by the beer tent, Erik and I hit up the line of porta-potties, which was in front of some nearby live music.

Forget who this band was, but they were not one of the coolest bands I've seen this summer.

Kris, Courtney, Kim and Makayla ended up crossing back over the Tridge at the correct time, and were able to catch some balloons firing up.

Crowds watching the balloons, um, inflating. . .

I assume they're glowing 'cause of the fire. . . ?

Around 9pm we headed up to Main Street for the evening's main band - Stone Street Revival.

This was by far the best cover band I've heard this summer - definitely a few clicks above the usual Tunes by the Tridge acts. Thousands of people crowded throughout the Commons to check them out, I've never seen the downtown area so packed.

Lots of 70s funk, rock, and even Yacht Rock (which, as you know, I'm a huge fan of.)

The next day, in the evening, us and the Johnsons went out for our usual hours-long walk around the Chestnut Hill neighborhood, and there were balloons floating around EVERYWHERE.

It was almost like some of them were trying to find a spot to land, 'cause they kept hovering right over the tree tops. As we were walking back in front of Chestnut Hill Elementary (the girls' alma mater), there were a bunch of trucks and cars passing us trying to follow the balloons.

Vehicles in hot pursuit. Including the Batmobile.

Courtney and Kris, straining to keep an eye on one of the balloons.

I think this one was attempting to land in Plymouth Park - that's the only open space around there that accommodate a balloon I think.

Doesn't take much to excite these ladies. . . 

- Brian