Actually…it has been a great past two weekends. Both filled with fun, friends and family…three out of five of my favorite F words. And of course…lots of MUSIC!

Last Friday night was spent with my oldest daughter at the New Kids On The Block Mixed Tape Tour concert event. She had bought me these tickets last year for my birthday, knowing how obsessed I was with them as a kid. NKOTB was joined by Salt-N-Pepa, En Vogue, and Rick Astley. Talk about a blast from the past kind of night. I had seen them with my cousins a few years ago in Orlando, but that show paled in comparison to this one. They were all on fire. And this fan girl LOVED seeing her some Donnie Wahlberg! The nostalgia made me even miss sleeping with my Donnie pillowcase and throw pillow as a kid.

It was going to be hard to top a throwback night with NKOTB, but we managed to do it. The following night, my friend and I had a mom’s night out and took in the sounds of local musician, Brady Clampitt. Brady put on an amazing performance as he paid tribute to Eric Clapton, with his intimate performances of Clampitt Does Clapton Unplugged at the Beaches Museum Chapel. If you have never had the opportunity to see Brady play live, I task you with checking out one of his shows soon. He plays around Northeast Florida, but you can also see him on the road sometimes, and even joining in with/opening for some famous names. You can also find his original music on Spotify and iTunes. I would describe his sound as smooth blues mixed with a jazz tone, and a touch of southern rock charm. Very sexy and distinct sound. It was no surprise that his performance of Clapton’s greatest hits was a crowd pleaser. And the best part was that it helped benefit local charities.

Still flying high from all the great music that last weekend had to offer, I set out this weekend to enjoy the tunes of my favorite duo, Honey Moonshine. Tim and Eileen are the talented performers that make up this duo, and they are also part of the trio that makes up the band, Deep Swamp. Both collaborations are out of the Daytona Beach area, but you can find Honey Moonshine on the road from time to time. I try to get out and see them whenever they have show dates in my area. Tim and Eileen are family, so I may be a tad bit bias, but I’m telling you…if you are into Southern and Classic Rock, these two bands are where it is at. In addition to getting to see these two perform both Friday and Saturday night, I also had the privilege of meeting so many new people, enjoyed a fabulous lunch with these two at probably what is now my new favorite restaurant, and spent a fun and relaxing day taking in many popular spots around St. Augustine with them.

I cannot write about, or express enough, how much I love music and where it takes me. You can listen to music all day as you go about your daily life, and have it be just a background noise. But when you hear THAT song, you know it. It’s the one that makes you feel the lyrics, not just hear them. I am blessed to know so many musicians and be surrounded by such talent, that getting out and seeing shows regularly is always an option for me. Especially with local artists and smaller venue performances. If you are a music lover like me, or just someone looking for a great night out…see what’s going on in your area this week and who is playing around town. Go have a meal or drink, and take in some great tunes while you do it. You’ll love it I’m sure, and be showing love and support to your local artists.