Weekend Roundup: Squirrel Nut Zippers, Shiny Ribs, Halloween Quilt

Greetings, Fanatics!

Hope you had a nice weekend.

Well, next week is the first official day of Autumn and the days are actually starting to cool down. Not "crisp air, sweater weather, drinking hot coffee outside" cool, but a cloud or two has started meandering in front of the sun and staying out in the late evening has become pleasant. 

On Friday, we had the pleasure of seeing the Squirrel Nut Zippers and Shiny Ribs live at the Miller Outdoor Theater in the Museum district. I've been a fan of the Squirrel Nut Zippers since I was Isaac's age and I was ecstatic when I heard that they'd be playing for free at the MOT for their 20th anniversary revival tour. The three of us packed up a picnic and arrived early to make sure we'd get tickets for the seated area instead of having to sit on the hill in the back. This was Isaac's first concert and he seemed excited, even if he did have to sit on our laps with our hands clamped over his ears for much of the show, the ear plugs we brought for him being woefully insufficient. He actually ended up falling asleep toward the end of the evening. 

Shinyribs opened for SNZ. I'd never heard of them before this concert, but apparently they've got a pretty big following! Several people in the audience were singing/participating during the 60 minute set. Shinyribs is pretty great. Touted as an "American country-soul, swamp-funk band from Austin", it's almost impossible to smile at one of their high-energy shows. The band is lead by pistachio suit clad "Mr. Ribs", a jovial man with a rich voice and pretty killer dance moves. 

After a brief intermission, the Squirrel Nut Zippers took the stage. There's a lot of drama surrounding the group - front man "Jimbo" Mathus very clearly voiced the distinction that this tour was a "revival, not a reunion!", and I have to admit that I was too young to care about the falling out between the founding band members. I just like the music. Excitement was buzzing in the air as they played;  people were getting up to dance in the aisles and when the highly anticipated "Hell" began to play, throngs of swingdancing fans mobbed the front of the stage to join in the singing. A full moon hanging over the hill completed the feeling of the evening. 

 With October fast approaching, I've been putting the fabric I bought last Halloween to good use as a Halloween quilt. It's my first quilt, just a patchwork design, but I'm proud of it. So far, I've only got the columns stitched up - I ran out of black thread and haven't had the chance to run to the craft store for more. I've also been busy working on Halloween dolls for Megh's Menagerie (formerly TIM + BEN Dolls) and I've got a new shop in the works for Etsy, so keep your eyes open! 

Stay Fanatic,
Megh