Entertaining

DO THE PUYALLUP: Summer is going out at a sprinter's pace for us at MPA. Seems like we're always on the run these days. 

One 'must do' to check off the list was making it down to the Washington State Fair before it closed. Monday was the day to make that happen.

The forecast was iffy. Thirty percent chance of rain, but the hour-by-hour forecast said it would hold off until 2 p.m. We figured if we could get to the fair when the gates opened, the kids could get three hours of rides in before the rains came.

The 'little kids' rides open at 11. We were standing there waiting for the clock to strike the time.  Highlights from the tamer ride included some swinging. 

 It also included a little spinning.

There was also a little sliding.

We checked out the new rides at the fair, including this elephant themed one for tots.

 It was quite colorful.

We looked at haunted houses and fun houses from afar. This barn-themed one cracked me up.

 Below is "Cob Marley." That's just so weird.

The kids rode classic rides like the Scrambler.

And dared to experience this centrifuge-like spinner.

They floated through air with the greatest of ease.

 And they hopped on board a few coasters, big and small.

CJ was a speed demon on the bumper cars course.

 Annabelle dished out a few hits ...

 and took a few!

We marveled at the fair food, but didn't have a single bite or sip of any.

While the kids weree riding, I just stood around soaking up the crazy sights and sounds of the fair.

This, of course, includes doing some people watching. For some reason, this family felt compelled to bring a political poster to the fair. Interesting choice. 

About 1:30, the skies started looking threatening. And while the kids were on the Ferris wheel at 1:45, the clouds opened and started dumping rain.

Within moments, most of the fair was shut down.

 During the deluge, we huddled under tents on the midway, where the games were. The kids each had two 'free' games with their wristbands ($45 apiece, if you can believe that!). They decided to try to win one of these fine creatures. I call it a furmaid. ;)

Lo and behold, they came home with one (thanks to a kind carnie, mostly).

On our way to the car, we managed to spy a ride that was still running, for some reason. 

 The kids hopped on board.

All in all, a fun day at the fair. I am kind of ashamed to admit we didn't check out all the farm animals, the educational exhibits, the art ... nope, none of that. It was all about the thrills of the rides for the kids this year.

SATURDAY NIGHT: Of course, this week included a concert. That seems to be the norm these days. This time, it was the Melvins who were the main draw. CJ can tell you all about it. ... 

In their nearly 40-year career up to this point, the Melvins, a band from Montesano, WA, have influenced countless other bands (particularly in the alternative rock genre) and are often credited with pioneering the style known as "sludge metal," later expanded on by bands such as Eyehategod, Crowbar, and Iron Monkey (though that's another can of worms), and inspired multiple different notable grunge bands (including Mudhoney, Nirvana, and Alice in Chains). In 2019, the Melvins embarked on a U.S. tour, along with Redd Kross, another band that started in the 1980s, and one that also influenced grunge. Toshi Kesai, a Japanese noise (or rather, Japanoise) musician, was brought along as a special guest for the tour.

On September 13th and September 14th of 2019, the Melvins played shows at Neumos, a venue in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood. The first night was for ages 21 and older, but the second night (the one I went to) was all ages.

The concert started at 9 P.M, with Toshi Kesai, hidden behind a bed sheet, playing electronic music that was largely improvisational, with seemingly little to no planning beforehand (nothing against his work). On the bed sheet, a laser from behind projected a small light show, for the audience to see. The lights moved in sync with the music, though the audience was seemingly losing interest in the show by the time Toshi Kesai's 20 minutes were up.

After Toshi Kesai's show, Redd Kross, alternative rock veterans from California, began their hour-long set. Unfortunately, Redd Kross appeared to lack energy during their set (my dad didn't agree with me about that), though I'll never be quite sure as to what the cause of that was. Interestingly, Redd Kross' current bassist is also the Melvins' current bassist, so he stayed on the stage in between Redd Kross' and the Melvins' sets.

At 11 P.M, the Melvins, the show's headliners, finally came on stage, starting their set with songs with titles such as "Sesame Street Meat" and "The Kicking Machine," followed by "Anaconda" (not to be confused with the Nicki Minaj song of the same name). Throughout the rest of their set, the Melvins voyaged through over 30 years of material, going back to 1989's Ozma (their sophomore album). It was also during the Melvins' set that a mosh pit formed in the audience, which, as I learned pretty quick, became very chaotic and fast-paced. The Melvins were on point with musicianship, and were much more energetic and engaging than either of the previous two acts. I honestly wasn't expecting a chaotic mosh pit to form in what seemed like a hipster-ish audience, but I'm not complaining.

Overall, the Melvins put on a great and engaging show (though I can't really say the same of the openers).

CJ has one blurry photo to share with you.  As you can see, he was close to the front.

Meanwhile, in a decidedly quieter venue (our living room), Annabelle and I enjoyed a really special movie. I'll have her tell you more about it. ...

"Song of the Sea" is an animated movie produced by GKIDS studio that was released in 2014 to critical acclaim. With a 99% on Rotten Tomatoes, it was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Picture. The movie is deeply rooted in Celtic myth, mostly focused on the mythical species known as Selkies. Selkies have the ability to transform from human to seal, but only if they are wearing their special seal-fur coat that’s with them since birth.

The animation style of the movie is very unique, almost looking painted or drawn in chalks at times. The characters’ movements are fluid and interesting to watch, with great use of shape in the designs. They’re drawn in a slightly different style to the backgrounds, but not so far apart that they look out of place. The plot of the movie is just as interesting as the visuals, though speaking of it too much here would be a large spoiler. It touches on some heavy ideas, though as a whole the movie is very family friendly and I agree that it deserves the amount of praise it gets. Whether you’re looking for a fantasy adventure or more interested in drama and action, "Song of the Sea" has something for almost everyone.

Here's the movie's trailer if you'd like a sneak peek.