Rain Clouds Moving In Before Opening Act, Tyler Bryant — Image by kenne
When you live in the desert, you will take the rain any time you can get, even if it comes during the Jeff Beck/ZZ Top concert at Casino Del Sol AVA Amphitheater — well, maybe not any time. Having not seen these legionary entertainers, we were looking forward to their current tour stop in Tucson. The 5,000 capacity amphitheater is a great venue, about a third the size of the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in The Woodlands, Texas, where we have experienced many an evening on the lawn.
Energetic Tyler Bryant did an acoustic set, warming-up the audience for Jeff Beck as the clouds move closer over the mountains surrounding the Casino Del Sol area. “If you are really good, somebody’s going to notice you” — Tyler is being noticed. Click here to see what I mean.
Computer Painting from iPhone Image by kenne
After Tyler’s set, things got darker, not just because it was well after sunset, but because of the dark clouds overhead, with occasional lightning in the distance. By the time Jeff Beck came on, we were starting to experience a few drops of rain. It wasn’t long before Joy decided to look for some cover. Other than the covered part of the amphitheater, the only real cover was in the restrooms.
The amount of rain lowly increased through Jeff Beck’s set. I now had the blanket we had for setting on the lawn, over my head. The music was great, but the rain was beginning to be a distraction. Since the rain had become pretty heavy, I decided to look for Joy, figuring she would be somewhere near the restrooms. Not seeing her, I stood with many near the stage-right entrance to the pavilion with the blanket over my head. Soon, I spotted Joy as I raised my arms forming a tent cover for the two of us.
Computer Painting from iPhone Image by kenne
The rain continued through Jeff Beck’s set and after a while the blanket was wet, so too were we — mockery of the rain gods! Even given the rain, I enjoyed his set, which included some of the musicians that regular play with him. One that stands out is the young, petit bass player from Australia,Tal Wilkenfeld. Click here to watch a super video of her November 2007 gig with Jeff Beck at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club in London.
After the set, we left the AVA heading to our hotel room to dry off. Since it continued to rain, we decided to go to dinner, after which Joy went to the casino and I found a bench in a covered archway outside the hotel — there I was able to listen to ZZ Top and ponder another of life’s ironies.
It is the monsoon season.
kenne
Computer Painting from iPhone Image by kenne
You have an interesting blog
Glad you thinak so.