Jimmy Buffett - Margaritaville (RIP - MGM Garden, Las Vegas, NV, March 11, 2023)

I had a chance to finally see Jimmy Buffett, live in concert at the MGM Garden Arena in Las Vegas, NV on March 11, 2023, and his show is everything that people has said it would be. It's more of a party than a concert with people casually strolling by in their beach wear with images of parrots and shark fins for hats! Of course, the song of the evening for me was "Margaritaville!" This classic song went all the way to #8 on the Billboard pop charts in 1977 and #1 on the easy listening chart. It even crossed over the Canadian border to reach #1 on the adult contemporary chart. At the time, few knew that the song depicting a carefree life in the Caribbean would have a life of its own with a chain of restaurants named after it and Blake Shelton referring to it on his hit, "Some Beach." In 2016, "Margaritaville" was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame for its cultural and historic significance. It was Jimmy Buffett's biggest hit. During the show, I wasn't aware that the song had become Jimmy Buffett's "Sweet Caroline" (Niel Diamond's signature song) party song with the audience shouting "Salt, Salt Salt" during the verse. So fun! What's not so fun was my camera work. Sometimes shakey, sometimes out of focus. That's what happens when you're trying to avoid the hands, heads and drinks of neighboring fans. But I did capture the music so I'm just chillin' like the dude in the song. It's all good.