Concerts On-Call

One of my favorite midwest summer activities is enjoying outdoor concerts.  This summer is no exception.  So far the summer hasn't felt like much of a summer with cool, rainy nights.  And as much as I am loving the start of my career, it's really taken over my life!  We've still made it to a few shows and I've loved every single one of them.

Strangely this year every concert we've been to has fallen on a night when I'm on call.  Since I'm on call at least 10 days a month and I don't want to miss our limited Chicago/Wisconsin summer, there is really only one choice.  Just like a 1980s rap star, I head out with a pager strapped to my hip.

 Early in June we met up with Amanda and Aaron in Highland Park at Ravina for Sting.  This was the farthest from the hospital I've ever been on-call and I was a little anxious.  I decided to give it a try anyways, with the hopes I could get over my anxiety in case one day we decide to move to the north burbs.

Overall, it went well.  I was paged a half dozen times, but nothing I couldn't handle over the phone.  And Ravina is a quiet, grown up crowd, so returning the pages didn't sound or feel unprofessional.

This week Summerfest started in Milwaukee.  10 days of seriously great bands for only $15 a day.  Plus we have a handleful of free tickets after running the Rock n Sole half-marathon and also from KPMG (thanks to Jay).  Figures that I would be on call this week, right?! 

I didn't want to miss Matt and Kim on Friday.  We've seen them before in Chicago and I really REALLY love their music.  Kim is kind of my idol.  She is so energetic, hilarious and a total bad ass.

Check her out!

The show was amazing.  Getting paged with blarring rock music in the background and thousands of drunk teenagers running around was NOT so awesome.  I tried to find a quiet place but that does not exist at summerfest.  In the end everything went fine and aside from a 10 minute conversation to an ER doctor, the night went off without a hitch. 

Finally last night we went back to hear Rogue Wave and Cold War Kids.  The crowd was much smaller than Friday and not as obnoxious.  I'd never heard Rogue Wave but Jason had wanted to see them in Chicago at Lincoln Hall earlier in the week.  So we went.  I LOVED.  The music was great and the guys in the band were so friendly and down to earth.  They even gave us recommendations of places to go in Milwaukee.  In the end we left before Cold War Kids came on.  Hey, it was a Sunday and we had to get up at 5am for work today.  So.....I guess we are getting a little old :)

Next up:  Guster at Summerfest, Willie Nelson with the Hamm Famm at Ravinia, Paul McCartney at Miller Park and Weird Al Yankovic at The State Fair.  Good news.  I'm not on call for ANY of these!  Can't wait.