SURPRISE!!!

After months in the planning, a couple false starts, and a few near-endings, Cathy's surprise party for her 40th birthday came off big. It wasn't a surprise, thanks to an ill-timed and unknowing comment from Gourds' drummer Keith Langford ("No one tells the drummer anything," he claimed), but it was a hell of a party nonetheless.

Jimmy Smith, aka Slosinger-Redbury, started things off with a set of old and new songs.

Kevin Russell, aka Shinyribs, played long, breaking out old Junker songs, new Shinyribs songs, and a couple Gourds faves.

He silenced the crowd with an intensely personal/political song I'd never heard before but hope to hear again. It was quite a moment, both performer and audience getting visibly choked up.

In preparation for her impending Burning Man, Judi spun fire!

Friends came to town from Amsterdam, Austin, and Golden, CO.

We floated a keg of Bridgeport IPA, drained many a can of PBR, sucked dry a vat of sangria, and whooped it up til the wee hours. Saw many old friends, met a few new ones, and enjoyed a gorgeous summer night. It was a great night. Definitely a leading candidate for party of the year.

Look at all the bikes! I love it.