(starting is always the hardest part)

I suppose this is as good a place to start as any.

The French Quarter trio (+ Daniel) embarked on a Valentine's weekend tour, playing a handful of shows in SoCal with James Fella and Foot Ox. Broken laws and broken hearts were par for the course as roads were driven, laughs we bellied, possessions were misplaced, beaches were bummed, tears were shed and drinks were drunk (drank?).

Since Teague, Kelly and I were all in the same place at the same time, The Tradewinds ended up playing an unrehearsed (and sloppier-than-normal) midnight show to a rowdy and receptive assemblage of punks at KCBR in San Luis Obispo. The next day's Broad Fest provided opportunity to enjoy the SLO community and to see a throng good bands at a pair of well-oiled punk houses. I especially enjoyed Pangea and Punch, the former being a garagey pop band from Newhall and the latter, San Francisco hardcore. But the highlight for me was Fell Voices, a black metal trio from Santa Cruz.

See...