Of Monsters and Men

We are up to our eyeballs in moving.  I wish I had pictures to show you, of our disastrous house.  Boxes everywhere, some empty, some half full, some marked to go to a storage unit and some marked as "Taking With Us."  

I started weeks ago to deep clean, to save me some time during these last days before we move.  I'm glad I did because there is still so much to do.  

James and I keep looking at each other and saying, "How do we have so much stuff?!?"  It's amazing how much we fit in our very small 3 bedroom apartment.  I'm looking forward to living with less for the next year, because "less" still feels like plenty!  

So for our 15th wedding anniversary, back in March, I got James a pair of tickets to see one of his favorite groups, Of Monsters and Men.  Don't ask me what the name of their group means.  I have no idea.  

Well, the day finally came to go see them live.  It just happened to come 2 days before we move.  Actually it postponed our move, so we could go, which turns out to be a good thing because we're still working on packing and moving.  

  The opening act was a local Portland, Oregon talent named Adam Weinland, who is in several bands.  One is called "The Cello Project" and the other is just called, "Weinland."  

The guy, Adam Weinland, was very funny and personable.  He told a couple of humorous, "personal antedotes."  One was about the fact that he'd heard about "Of Monsters and Men" coming to Portland and had wanted to be the opening act for them, but he couldn't get the gig.  

Then 50 mins. before the concert started he got a text, asking if he wanted to open for OMAM.  He said he did, of course.  He was at work and left immediately.  He got a hold of two of his band-mates and they were able to make the show.  So we got the lead singer and the cello player and the guy playing a guitar type instrument that he layed flat, across his lap to play.  

Anyway, good group and good guy.  "Weinland." It was folksy, rock. 

 Then after an half an hour or so the main act came out!  The drums were soooo loud it made my heartbeat match it's beat. 

There's a male lead singer, Ragnar "Raggi" Þórhallsson and a female lead singer, Nanna Bryndis Hilmarsdottir.  They're from Iceland.  They also have two more guitarists and a girl and guy that switch off the organ and accordian.  That same girl also plays the trumpet.  Then there was the drummer of course.  

 At one point they shot thin, silver circles out at the crowds.  We were still finding those little circles stuck to us the next morning.
 

   At the end, the group waved good-bye and they "were outta there!"  We were in the 4th row from the front.  They were great seats, despite the big headed lady that sat in front of me. 

 My parents are so great to come up and help us move and watch the kids while James & I went out!  Thanks, Mom & Dad!!!

Now I've got to get back to work.  On my to-do list for the day: finish packing, get the rental truck, load the rental truck and finish cleaning.  Not too much, right!?!