Del Sol Pool Area & Golf Course (Home of the 2018 U of A Women’s Championship Team)– Image by kenne
We will be there tomorrow to see the the Isley Brothers & Commodores at the AVA Amphitheater. — kenne
Archive for the ‘Casino Del Sol Resort’ Tag
Del Sol Pool Area & Golf Course Where the NCAA Championship Women’s Team Play Leave a comment
Flashback — Relaxing at Casino Del Sol Resort, November 2011 (One Photo) Leave a comment
Flashback — Joy Relaxing at Casino Del Sol Resort Grand Opening, November 2011 — Image by kenne
We will be at the resort tonight to see Lynyrd Skynyrd and stay overnightso Joy can gamble to her heart’s delight — a little break at the Sol of Tucson.
— kenne
Lynyrd Skynyrd, Simple Man (1973)
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The Arches Of Del Sol 5 comments
The Arches of Del Sol — Image by kenne
Aging is an arch
Reflecting experience
Upon which to build.
— kenne
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Capturing The Moment — After Hours 1 comment
After Hours at the Oasis Bar — Image by kenne
after hours
at the
Oasis Bar
finishing
my drink
near
flames
warming
the
desert night
as the
spirit
wanes
— kenne
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Capturing The Moment — Nighttime At Casino Del Sol Leave a comment
Nighttime at Casino Del Sol — Image by kenne
the pool area shining in the darkness,
I feel the pulse of the night
bouncing off the light
a juxtaposition different
for those in the water
nor as chilly
as the night air
I ponder the sadness
of those losing money
always to the house
so I sit by the pool
winning with money
still in my pocket
meditating in the moment
— kenne
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A Passion Long Forgotten Leave a comment
Sewailo Golf Club at Casino Del Sol Resort — Image by kenne
balls falling in cups
a passion long forgotten
a poet is sighing
a leisure man’s sport
riding carts and hitting balls
a poet is sighing
— kenne
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Desert Rains Rain On Our Concert Dreams 2 comments
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
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Willie, Still Great After All These Years 11 comments
Willie Nelson at dedication of statue in Austin.
The first time we saw Willie Nelson and Family was in the 70’s at Austin’s Waterloo Park. Over the years we have attended several of his July 4th Picnics, and Farm Aid events. (This year’s Farm Aid in September is already sold out.)
People love Willie and his music. He is one of the few entertainers who doesn’t need fancy settings and lighting to connect with the audience, establishing a mutual appreciation that lasts for years. This was very evident as we talked to people at yesterday’s Casino Del Sol Resort in Tucson. We were all quick to share our “Willie” stories that flowed in a stream of love. It is said that “Texas is a state of mind,” for us this 80-year-old singer/song-writer (a true poet) is a state of mind.
Jody Payne
Last night’s concert was straight-ahead music for 90 minutes. If he had a message to convey, it was in the music. I was a little surprised that he didn’t mention the death (August 10, 2013) of his longtime friend, Jody Payne. Jody played guitar with Willie for 30 years. You can see a video of Bobbie Nelson is on piano, Johnny Gimble on the fiddle, and Jody Payne on guitar, filmed in Willie’s Church in his town called Luck in Texas at willienelson.com.
As we have done so often in the past, we set on the ground, this time for 2 1/2 hours, which included the talented young band, Wild Feathers. For my old body to allow me to sit on the hard ground that long is testimonial to how entertaining the evening was at the 5,000-seat Anselmo Valencia Tori Amphitheater (AVA) at the Casino Del Sol Resort. It’s a great venue for music under the stars on a pleasant desert night. The only thing that seems to be missing from last night’s concert, compared to those in the past, was a whiff of marijuana smoke in the air — just “roll me up and smoke me when I die.”
The more I look at these gray-headed guys with white beards, the more I can see why, while lounging by the Casino pool yesterday, a guy came over and ask if I was a member of Willie’s band. I thought about playing along, telling him I was Merle Haggard, Willie’s special guest — I’ve been told I look like Merle, it might have worked.Oh, well!
I didn’t have any of my cameras with me, just my iPhone, so I put together a few clips to give you an idea of what the evening was like. I would like for the quality to be better, but these smart phone cameras are getting better all the time.
kenne
Related articles
- Jody Payne, Willie Nelson guitarist, dead at 77 (nydailynews.com)
Becoming is Superior to Being 