Miller Outdoor Theater is one of the best things about living in Houston. It’s this massive, imposing structure of an outdoor theater, with covered seating and an expansive hill that just beckons concertgoers to laze on its lawn.

But why does that make it so great?…you ask. Because get this – it’s FREE!!!! Ahhhh. That word is music to my money-pinching ears.

Friday night, I gathered my British import Monika and we headed up to see Benise Spanish Guitar. I get weekly emails of different happenings going on around town, and all I read was “Spanish guitar” and immediately sent out an email to see who wanted to come. I would have gone alone to be honest, but Monika was just as intrigued as I was 🙂

In my lofty, illusion-filled world, I imagined Benise to be an exotic Spanish gypsy, having entertained on the street corners and rugged countryside with his mates for years before being discovered by a talent agent and transplanted into mainstream entertainment. So I was a bit surprised when he said “How’s it going Houston!?!?” in that undeniable American accent. He’s from southern California.

Credibility – gone. But then, I am once again mesmerized by his show. The music is intoxicating, the dancing transforming, and the video story on the screen behind them captivating. I suppose I can forgive him.

His music encompassed every bit of the world, from Spain to Cuba to India to Argentina. The name Spanish Guitar was very misleading however. I went expecting a flamenco/Spanish guitar show and that wasn’t really the case. Regardless, it was still a beautiful performance, and coupled with Spanish wine, love dip, and a beautiful October night, there’s not a lot that you can complain about.

I love this quote from Benise that I found on his site:

“It’s truly like painting on air…creating colors and lush soundscapes that take people (and me) away to a safe place with no prejudice and no boundaries.”

Go ahead, dive into his world. It’s lovely. And don’t forget the Tempranillo.

Click here for a full list of Miller’s shows. November 4 is New Orleans Nights with blues, jazz and soul. Can’t wait!