It was the summer solstice, and Rick Shea & The Losin' End helped us celebrate the shorter days to come by playing some first-rate music under the stars at the Anza-Borrego State Park Visitor Center Amphitheater in Borrego Springs.

The evening began at the Borrego Springs Bank, with a musical 'teaser' , free food and not-so-free cocktails. (Hey, they gotta make money). It was 116 degrees outside at the time, so the air-condtioning and alcohol were much appreciated. Rick stated that it was his first time playing a bank. Go figure. It was surely my first time going a bank to hear music.

After a change into less sweaty clothing and a tasty dinner of fish tacos and carne asada burritos at the infamous Jilberto's Taco Shop, we headed over to the visitor's center.
It's a good thing we brought a nice thick beach towel to sit on, the sun-baked concrete seating wanted to slow-cook our buns. A strong wind that felt like a dragon's breath came up to somewhat dry those of us 'glistening', and the sun at last went to bed on the other side of the mountain. The stars came out, some shooting across the deepening sky... another margarita please...

Don't ask me to give you a set list. I get too distracted taking photos to be accurate. The boys started off with "Rachel" and "Shinbone Alley", then "I'm Walkin' to Jeruselem", "Magadalena", a Hank William's song, and "Boxcars" were in there somewhere. Zog, I'm sure you can help me out here... (Yes folks, that's intrepid Brinkster Zogtone sitting in on some of the songs. )

We had the smooth-voiced Rick Shea on guitar and vocals, the talented Dave Hall on bass, and Dave Drewry on drums--and drum he does. The band plays a bit of everything. Roots rock, country, folk... and as one audience member said about Rick Shea, "He's pretty easy on the eyes too!" I whole-heartedly agree. It was aces and all that stuff. I can't think of a better way to spend the longest day of the year. They will be back in the autumn, and I'm not going to miss it! It's gotta be cooler...