Last night was our 5th annual Bob Dylan Celebration at the Rio Nido Roadhouse. To quote Dr. John, it was "...such a night." Mike put together an interesting collection of Dylan tunes from several decades, tunes with texture variations from acoustic folk to wildly rockin' full band arrangements. At times we had six band members, and then things changed to include only four. Mike took on several roles - playing acoustic guitar, then electric, the trumpet, and, of course, the harmonica. We decided to try some songs that were new to us as well. Mike did a fantastic, soulful version of "Most of the Time." I tried "I Feel a Change Comin' On" and "I Pity the Poor Immigrant." We all got involved in singing an intense "Masters of War." Of course there were the favorites: "Maggie's Farm," "Tangled Up In Blue," "Rainy Day Women," "Like a Rolling Stone," and "Watchtower." Stephanie did a beautiful version of "Simple Twist of Fate" and ended the evening with a soulful "Forever Young." I think most Bob Dylan lovers were pleased with our show - although an interesting fellow all decked out looking like the cover of "Love and Theft" kept slipping notes onto the stage hoping for "Hey, Mr. Tambourine Man." We didn't do his song since the crowd was into more rockin' dance tunes by then. Mike and I had just played "Tambourine Man" at the Backyard restaurant last Monday, and people stopped in the street to listen and sing along. Obviously, some Dylan songs bring back strong memories. At the Roadhouse we are often blessed with David, the flower guy's floral gifts. Last night he brought in so many beautiful blooms to decorate the stage. His generous spirit always inspires me to play my best. In addition to David, we saw so many old friends last night. It was an evening of tribal communion and reunion - all centered around the incredible songs Bob Dylan has given us over the years. Who knows what next year will bring - maybe Bob will write a whole new slew of tunes, challenging us to dig deeper into our hearts and souls. Thank you, Bob Dylan, for all your creative songs. Thank you to all our fans out there who demonstrate their appreciation for the music. It has been a great five years doing Bob shows - upward and onward to the next one. Take care. Love, Sylvia