Psychedelic Mary and the Washtub Bass

It sounds almost like it could be a band name, right?  Other then, what would that band play?  Please ponder and comment.

Believe it or not, I discovered both in the same house on the night of the Gorilla Challenge.  The boy and I went to a coffee house later that day.  A group of Catholic men have a house next door to a convent of cloistered nuns in the city.  (Yes, this exists.  Tell me you are as excited as I am.)  This group of guys is musically inclined and at semi-regular intervals will set up a coffee house in their front parlor (er, living room?), where awesome and talented people gather to share their musical gifts.

As I stood taking in my surroundings and trying not to be overwhelmed by the excess of new places and people, I noticed Our Lady of Guadalupe hanging in a corner.  Her sunbeams were neon beams streaming out from behind her to meet a rotating circle of neon light.  From this auspicious beginning, the boy pointed out to me a conglomeration of religious images such as St. Brigid’s lake of beer, along with a few other essential pieces, such as a large cardboard cutout of Homer (Simpson) and a tiny figurine of Tinkerbell. 

In case you were wondering how the night could get better than that, the entertainment impressed me from start to finish.  We heard everything from a song mocking short people (possibly my new favorite song) to a capella Irish ballads.  Joni Mitchell made an appearance, along with Sarah McLachlan.

The last act of the night stole the show.  Just as I was telling the boy that I was falling asleep and we should go, a group of people began pulling out instruments – a guitar, a banjo, an accordion, and a washtub bass.  How could we possibly go before hearing them play?  Yes, they were every bit as awesome as your mental picture and more.