Music at the Blue on Sunday afternoon competed with music at the rodeo grounds, directly across the road. While the Thugz set up, the rodeo announcer began his ongoing commentary. I got to hear an enthusiastic local lady sing the national anthem, announcements about this year's rodeo queen, comments on elaborate dismounts, and much, much more. Once we began playing, things changed since I was tuned-in to our music. Most of us Thugz had seen the You Tube live stream of the "Fare Thee Well" show the night before. It inspired us in many ways. Some cowboys wandered into the Blue bar after their show, and some danced along. It was a nice mingling of lifestyles and culture. As the afternoon turned into evening, I fully expected to be bombarded by the usual incoming fog and wind - but it stayed calm and bright - a first! We got to perform several Dead tunes, but my favorite was the evening's encore: "Not Fade Away." I actually asked Mike earlier if we could do it at some point - especially since the Grateful Dead was headed to Chicago for their final show - we'll see how that goes... Meanwhile, the music, the love stays alive and kicking - but not "kicking" like those poor horses and bulls in the rodeo ring. It was a fun evening, and many Thugz fans from the past showed up - despite the Santa Clara show and the Kate Wolf Festival. We held down the proverbial fort at home, and had a blast. Take care. Love, Sylvia