On Friday evening Teresa and I walked over to downtown Bryan for their First Friday event. They have live music, restaurants have special things going on, and the streets are busy with many local people. We started off the evening by going to the Village Cafe for a drink and to cool off. It was a little loud in there, so we moseyed on over to Los Norteños Cafe for some dinner. We had passed by this place a couple weeks ago and liked the looks of the outside, we liked the inside even better. And with $3.99 breakfast tacos, how can one go wrong? Just a tip, two people can share one, these tacos are huge, and kind of like burritos. After getting stuffed on tacos, we waddled a short distance to the Revolution Cafe (there are a lot of  cafe’s in Bryan it seems) to listen to some bluegrass. I was wondering if the bluegrass in Texas was different than that of the bluegrass in Asheville. The answer is no. They are pretty much the same. We stayed for a little bit, but being stuffed on tacos, and at the tail end of a work week, we were tuckered out so left after only several songs. You can hear one of the songs they played below.

It was good to check out the First Friday and I am sure we will check out some of the others that go on during our year in Texas.

[wpaudio url="http://www.10gallonhat.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/The-Devils-Bluegrass-Band-Amber-Alert.mp3"]

Friday began our Merlefest adventure. We spent the day avoiding the blaring sun, and listening to some pretty darn good bluegrass. There was plenty of water drinking and lounging in the shade. We also enjoyed some snow cone and funnel cake action. It was my first music festival, and the Blevins sisters first funnel cake and not the Blevins sisters first funnel cake. New things for all me! Friday ended with a performance by Donna the Buffalo, followed by some contra dancing, and then some more Donna the Buffalo at the Donna the Buffalo Dance Party.

Saturday we left for Brevard, NC to visit one of Maria’s old guiding buddies, Tolly. During the drive there was a stop at birdhouse man (unfortunately I did not take photos), some windy roads, some Sonic and some Wait, Wait Don’t Tell Me going on, a stop in Asheville at Green Life, some loitering at Ingles in Brevard, and almost some car sickness. Our drive ended in Glenville, NC where we spent the evening with Tolly and Lori. Pizza, cocktails, jam sessions, and campfires by the lake were on the agenda. It was a short visit, but we checked all that off our list before getting back on the road to Asheville on Sunday.

It was a fantastic weekend. It was a good first music festival for me, no sunburn, and no dehydration happened. And it was great meeting Maria, Tolly, and Lori.

Now, enjoy some photos from the weekend.

I imagine I will be taking some photos and posting them here, but that will need to wait until after the fact. So, be on the lookout for another Merlfest post on Sunday night, or on Monday.