The Tea Party Concert, and a Pagan Arts & Crafts Fair

Photography by Melanie Pilon

YuleTide Arts & Craft Fair
Saturday & Sunday, December 3rd & 4th, Melange Magique; 1928 Ste. Catherine West Montreal. I will be selling greeting cards, posters, my self-published coffee table art book, miniature paintings, canvas prints and original paintings. I can't bring everything down; if you are shopping for a specific painting, please don't hesitate to make a special request. Your wish is my command!

The Tea Party

Tonight I was very excited to attend The Tea Party concert here in Montreal. They are one of my favourite musical acts, I have been listening to them for 20 years. In the past 13 years I have seen them in concert approx. 10 times (mostly in BC). So, if you could see my facial expressions, you'd see my wry amusement when I read my friend's facebook note to me, teasing me, accusing me of being a "tea head" (ouch).

I took alot of "ghetto" film footage & photos, I'll be making a video-blog soon and be posting it up here. I have to say that all Tea Party concerts are good, they are very good showmen. But obviously some concerts are better then others, some of that is personal tastes. My favourite tour they did was with the symphony orchestra back in 2003 (I think that's the year).

I appreciated that in the middle of the concert, Jeff Martin spoke to the audience about the need for the upcoming acoustic songs, "...if you have ears like I do, your ears are ringing very loudly right now....", and the request for the audience to be silent during them. I greatly appreciated this, I have a long term history with hearing challenges, and the last concert I attended this past July, my ears were ringing so badly that I was yelling over top of the ringing and could hear almost nothing that anyone said to me. Needless to say I made myself quite a nuisance to those around me (I was hyper too). I learned my lesson, wear earplugs.

It is interesting to see the progression of Stuart Chatwood, Jeff Martin & Jeff Burrows as artists, the different phases they have musically been through, as well as the energy they bring to each concert. Jeff Martin said tonight, "...we took a 6 year holiday...". I definitely think that the time apart has been good for them, they seem to be finding their musical muse once again. They & the music seem more alive.