Well, after two comp-time days off from work plus the weekend, I think I'm recovered from my trip to Las Vegas for the International Builders Show. It was a successful if tiring trip. Good meetings, a pair of decent presentations (though we ran out of time on one), good conversations on the show floor, a nice department dinner at Smith & Wollensky's, and a fun Happy Hour for a committee member who is moving on to other activities.

On the musical front, this weekend was the 24th Annual World Folk Music Association Benefit Concert. Following a one-year hiatus, the show returned to the Birchmere and a two-night format. This year the theme of the concert was "The Women of Folk Music"; performers included Maura Kennedy, the Nields, SONiA, Anne Hills, Priscilla Herdman, and Cindy Mangsen (the latter three both performing solo sets and together as the trio). Despite the economy, attendance was strong Friday night, and from our house-right table Saturday appeared to be a near-sellout.

( Ladies' Night OutCollapse )

Last night, after a one-year break, we returned to one of our favorite events of the year, the 23rd Annual World Folk Music Association Benefit Concert. I'd been attending since 1995, but last year they shifted the event to accommodate honoree Odetta's schedule--and dropped it on FKO weekend. Oops. While I enjoy the Benefit, my Canadian friends and a certain British chorus came first. This year they returned to their traditional third-weekend-of-January and we were back in the seats.

( Tommy, could you hear us?Collapse )