Accidental Preacher—Sweet Symphonic Bliss—and Henna

It’s here...officially here!  The trees are turning bright orange, red and yellow, I’ve dusted off my sweaters and boots—and I suddenly have an unexplainable desire for everything pumpkin and anything made in a slow-cooker—welcome to October!

Following through with my commitment to stepping out of my comfort zone, I filled September with several fun outings to different venues that were holding concerts.

My first outing was to Sully’s Pub and Grill to listen to the energetic and entertaining band, Accidental Preacher. 
When I pulled my car into the parking lot...
it was clear that this band can draw a crowd!  My husband dropped me off at the front so I could get a table and he could find parking. As I always say in these reviews—go early for good seating and parking! 

The weather was still warm which allowed the performance to be outside, and the band was situated just past Sully’s patio dining area.  Around the stage and outside the covered patio, there were plenty of tables and extra seating.  We waited a bit for a table (I think I mentioned…this band knows how to draw a crowd), but as we waited, the staff was very welcoming, and they did check on us several times.  Once seated, the server took our order and remained very attentive as we waited for our meals.  The food took some time, but it was worth the wait because I happen to love steak fingers, fish and chips and well…pretty much anything fried—so if you go to Sully’s make sure to get their garlic french fries!

Click to play video

Accidental Preacher is a new group to hit the Treasure Valley, but each musician has a long history of performing locally and statewide.  The band members, Jon and Tanya Hiner-McKay, Boe Adams, Jeff Johnson, and Andy Pendly all gave a fantastic performance.  They played both familiar upbeat songs and a few power ballads (that I would say) totally compete with the original renditions.   As always, Accidental Preacher was fun and friendly— taking time to charm their audience and personally greet their guests between sets. If you’d like to book this band, you can check out their facebook by clicking here.

A bit later that month, I decided to take the family (my husband and 13-year-old) to the Boise Philharmonic conducted by the brilliant Director Eric Garcia. The Philharmonic performed Brahms 1, and it was spectacular!  

I then decided to push the boundaries of culture with my little "pre-teen" and took my family to the Opera Idaho performance to see “West Side Story In Concert.”  If you are new to opera, this is a perfect way to take a peek into this musical world.  The concert was held at the Morrison Center at Boise State University, and it is a beautiful facility.  

This production was conducted by the fabulous director, Robert Franz, and I loved watching him direct—and the orchestra sounded superb as they weaved in and out of Leonard Bernstein’s masterpiece!

There are many more events taking place with both the Boise Philharmonic and Opera Idaho—so click the links to learn more about what they do and when they will be performing.

I wrapped-up September with the “Hyde Park Street Fair,” where I meandered with my family through mass amounts of eclectic vendors, I bought a couple of cute dresses and received a henna tattoo with my daughter (they are not permanent, so no worries about my 13-year-old 😉).  
I also had the pleasure of eating lots and lots of—you guessed it—fattening fried food!  While I enjoyed my "healthy" dose of fried EVERYTHING, I listened to several talented bands that played on the main stage.  However, in the distance, I could hear a little group playing off to the side, near the playground (if you know the name of this group, please let me know)—they were so much fun!  

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It was a busy month, filled with more talent than I can possibly explain in my little monthly newsletter. The goal is to create a collection of ideas that you can implement into your own local adventures.

So, get out there and explore because we really do live in an extraordinary city!

Must see for October:

Click their name to visit their page.
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Oct. 13
Lindsey Hunt  

Steve Fulton (SFM) 

Experience Garden City Along the Waterfront

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Oct 21
Quynh Nguyen

Stars of Steinway
This page is not updated, but you can RSVP by contacting them through the information available under their "contact" link.


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Addam Chavarria


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And... It's never too early to start thinking about December!!

IDA HO HO   Dec. 13th