there's depression... and then there's Albannach

Woah. So I *was* feeling pretty low. (No worries, suicidal cries for help have been gone for over a year, shall NEVER return; it just comes as depression now) My thoughts the last few days couldn't get off "No job... no friends." I keep getting ticked off at my folks for mundane stuff that's not worth getting mad about. Well what do you expect when they're pretty much who I've spent 24/7 with for TWO years... as good folks as they are (the best), that's trying on anyone.

So yesterday I went down to the Tiki Hut, one of my favorite spots, for some alone time. They know me *well* there. I was sitting there in an absolute funk and the general manager came over and actually spent time talking me out of my mood. I realized then that I may think I don't have friends, but I actually have made a whole new set, and sometimes I just don't recognize them AS friends.

So the good feeling that realization brought lasted all of 12 hours and I woke up in a funk again. This whole "no job, no one to hang out with" thing is TRYING. So we did something. We went to the Scottish festival in Greenville. Parade, bands, banners, kilts, tartans, rah rah rah. "We're Scottish-- we drink and we fight." Rah.

THEN we went to the ampitheatre by the river off Main Street for a concert. So we sat through the first two bands (several hours, yawn), and then Albannach came on. WOAH. (one video, more videos) I've seen these guys once before, about a year ago, and they are still amazing. It's... ... get ready for this... ... BAGPIPE ROCK. Take one great bagpiper and add around a half dozen drummers who have LARGE drums.

Having seen them once before and knowing the kind of energy they bring with them, I thought I might move from our spot at the back of the crowd on the last row, up to sit on the grass in front of the 1st row. Wasn't sitting on the grass for long-- pretty soon, before they even started playing, I was standing among a throng of folks.

And then they played. And I danced my heart out. There went cares, there went worries, there went frustrations. That spoke to my Celtic soul.

Looking at their tour schedule, they spend half the year in Scotland and half the year in the US, mostly the south. Mostly. June 27th-28th in Manheim, PA @ the Celtic Fling @ the PA Renaissance Faire. And given that they spend half their year in Scotland, if you live within an hour 34 min of Manheim, GO, seabhóideach, GO. Worth it.