Chateau Ste Michelle Concert - July 31, 2017

​As noted in my first “Editor’s Explorations”, my husband and I are new to the area and on the look out for wonderful experiences that are located in our new backyard.  I hope you are learning about new adventures with this column or, if it’s been awhile, remembering ones that you haven’t enjoyed for a while.  I must say that we are sure having fun!
I took you to the zoo last week and the ZooTunes concert series there.  It wasn’t my intention to feature concerts back to back but after a wonderful evening at Chateau Ste Michelle this past week, I couldn’t resist.
A friend had a couple extra seats for the Lindsay Buckingham & Christine McVie show and with fond memories of Fleetwood Mac, we didn’t hesitate in saying yes.  
Arguably Chateau Ste Michelle is the most well know winery in the area and lucky for us it’s in our backyard.  They are celebrating 50 years in Woodinville and the setting in my opinion is the epitome of what a winery should look like with absolutely beautiful grounds and unique craftsman-style buildings.  It is Washington State’s oldest winery and they are open daily from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.  with complimentary tours and tastings. 
Concerts started on the Chateau Ste Michelle grounds in 1984 and I would say that they just about have it mastered.  We had reserved seats for this show, which allowed us to arrive a little later and wind up with a great view for the show.  The general admission seats are first come first serve and I was told that people cue up as early as 4 p.m. to be one of the first in line to claim their spots.  We witnessed full on dinner spreads with people bringing their own picnic to the show.  There is of course food for purchase available as well.  You can also bring non-alcoholic beverages but wine must be purchased on site.  Parking is limited at the venue but once that fills up, they have a nearby lot that has plenty of space and a complimentary shuttle takes you directly to the entrance gate. For a full list of Frequently Asked Questions see their website.
Back to the show…Buckingham and McVie did not disappoint.  It is always a thrill to see seasoned professionals perform.  They recently completed a new album together and despite the fact that they became superstars over 40 years ago, they still sounded great and had a strong stage presence that was fun to watch.  They started with a few of their new songs then thrilled the crowd with some old favorite Fleetwood Mac tunes.  For a period of time I was transported back to my early teens and loving the memories.  Overall this exploration was great and I’ve already bought tickets and I’m looking forward to seeing another iconic band (Chicago) that plays here at the end of the summer.
At press time, the following concerts still had tickets available.
Aug 4 – Allen Stone
Aug 10 – Michael McDonald & Boz Scaggs
Aug 11 – Bryan Ferry
Aug 27 – An Evening with Chicago (Aug 26 is sold out)
Sept 1 – The Gipsy Kings featuring Nicolas Reyes and Tonino Baliardo with Simi Stone
Sept 4 – The Australian Pink Floyd Show
Sept 8 – Steve Winwood
Sept 9 & 10 – An Evening with Pink Martini with singer China Forbes
 Sept 15 – Goo Goo Dolls with Phillip Phillips
Visit www.ste-michelle.com for more information and concert tickets.

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