Good Enough for Grandad

Good Enough For Grandad by The Squirrel Nut Zippers


 When I was in my Junior year of high school I took a class called Theory of Knowledge (I was in the International Baccalaureate Program). Another student in that class, Kara Durand, mentioned a band called Squirrel Nut Zippers. I borrowed one of their CDs from the public library and loved the big band instruments: trumpet, trombone, saxophone (which I played).

The Summer between my Junior and Senior year of high school I visited my maternal grandparents in Belleville, IL (a small town outside of St. Louis). They and my Uncle Mark actually liked most of the songs. They were giving my sister betsy their old copper color 1982 Toyota Corolla. One of the things we did was take the car and get a new stereo system so we could play CDs. I drove that car from Illinois back to Florida with no air conditioning but we were playing all of the Squirrel Nut Zippers CDs that I bought used at Vinyl Fever in South Tampa.

When I was in college the Squirrel Nut Zippers stopped performing. Well I was pleasantly surprised that I heard they were coming to Anchorage. On my way to the venue a guy was yelling at concert goers to support our local "bathroom bill" on the upcoming ballot. There were people arguing with his ignorant statements on sex and sexulaity. One man was so upset he shoved him into the street. The concert was amazing and so much fun. The performance was at the Atwood Performance Hall which is a very classy venue you might see an orchestra at, which seemed wrong for such a band that seems more appropriate a juke joint, smokey blues house, or dance hall.

The costumes, banter, dancing, and bands personalities were entertaining and memorable. I wished my siblings were there they would have loved it and it was something we shared together growing up.

It was one of the best concerts that I've ever been to and I've been to see a lot of bands. I have a lot of other posts to write I am way behind. I have a back log of stuff to share.

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