(First, I'm doing better at making the T in Saint silent when talking about Chateau Saint Michelle. I get it right half the time.)
We went to a misty concert at Chateau Saint Michelle back on June 17th. When you're a member of the CSM wine club, you get tickets to a special summer concert. They provide a choice of two, and this year it was Toto and Brandi Carlile.
Well, we ended up choosing both by getting Toto for 'free' and paying a very affordable rate for Ms. Carlile.
But before this decision, as a further demonstration of my age, I was thinking hard about Toto. I was pretty sure I remembered them as the band that did "Rosanna" but I was fuzzy beyond that. Fortunately, their web site has a video that touches on all their hits to jog your memory.
"Oh, they did that song? Sure I know that one. I haven't heard it in a long, long time, but I know that one."
So first of all, we enjoyed the wine being provided for the members. If you're local to the Eastside / Seattle area and love wine, you should be a member. I absolutely loved the Malbec from the barrel tasting. I can't wait until it's released.
Right before Toto started, the folks sitting next to us won the Willows Lodge retreat giveaway. I'm pretty sure this is the second year in a row that someone next to us has one a big raffle item. We must be good luck.
Toto started (ooo, and now with Leland Sklar), and given that they have a bunch of new music, played probably about ten songs straight of rocking stuff I'd never heard. We happened to be hanging out up front (and protected from the rain from the overhanging stage design) when they played "Rosanna." Nice.
And we ran into Alex Rector.
We wandered back to our blanket and hung out until they played "Africa" - their so-long-and-farewell song - and then hoofed it for the Subaru.
It's the first time in a while that I've been to a concert where, well, I wasn't a big fan of the band I was just there to hang out and have fun. Mission accomplished.