Bingo Farewell, Angeloo’s Aria, and a Rainy Night Out
Yesterday was weird: Scrabble was canceled because I could not find one single person to play with. That’s only the 3rd time in the nearly three years we have been meeting weekly at Qulture I settled for playing Zoey, the Grand Master computer, and we tied. Hmmm.
Nacho Daddy was full for Colina Spay and Neuter Clinic Bingo! The last one for the season. I will let you know when it picks up again, likely in September.
The mood was festive, especially when Colette Zarry, founder of the free spay and neuter clinic, awarded spring bouquets in thanks to Lydia Damato and Tammy Carruthers Prust. Lydia for calling the balls every other week and assisting Colette for nearly all of the 13,000+ free surgeries over the years. Tammy is the co-owner of Nacho Daddy with Sean Moore. Their overwhelming kindness in providing the venue, great wait staff – Said and Pingo – a special menu for the players, the air conditioning, Janathan Rios on lights and sound and a floppy mic, and countless tickets for shows as bingo prizes. The Bingo Angels, who never miss a game and tirelessly pick up used game cards, check for wins, setting up and knocking down, and merchandise the table with prizes. All of the above create a special few hours in my life every season. I look forward to Lydia’s adorable silliness, Jana’s vibrating bear hugs, and the crazily appropriate tunes that match called numbers and provoke a one-minute singalong.
Sigh. I will miss you.
I went straight to La Catrina Cantina from bingo, to listen to Gloria Fiona wrap up her set. I am not sure I have ever seen La CC that quiet. I sat with my colleagues from Vallarta Calendar – Kevin and Rob while Luis Villanueva kicked off Open Mic; I absolutely love his voice, and he is a delight to watch onstage. Armando Chakam was in fine form, but I was there for an Angeloo fix. If you are following along, you know his show on the Isla was cancelled last Sunday due to rain. That nearly happened again! Angel and Oscar, his dad, got caught in last night’s downpour and were a bit late hitting the stage at Catrina.
Angeloo’s third song from his first set was the aria “Lascia Ch’io Pianga” from Handel’s opera Rinaldo. Extraordinary. How this 12-year-old can switch from a dizzying aria that begs the audience in Italian to “let him weep” and run straight into a tune from Guns N’ Roses is fascinating. His playlists are never boring! I was hoping to hear a repeat of a video he posted a couple of days ago by a vocalist I have never heard of – Dimash Qudaibergen, known internationally by his first name. This young Kazakh singer apparently has a range that exceeds Sam Smith’s to the point he has had to rewrite the notes in concert because they were too high. Angeloo, however, can sing them as written. Next time, Angeloo.