If it wasn't for Jazzfest, it would have been almost a total washout.

Los Lobos and Sonny Landreth were the absolute highlights of the year. I cannot reiterate what has been said numerous times before on this board (and much more eloquently than I ever could) that these are two acts not to be missed, no matter what your favorite genre is.

Local groups we caught, and mini reviewed, that were worth catching again were Jack Ingram and pretty boy Rusty Weir. Now that my burner is up and burning again, I'll rip a few cuts by each off, along with some Darden Smith, and mail em out to the usual suspects.

This coming year, I would kill to see Flaming Lips. Since they're from this neck of the wood, I figure we got a good chance to seem em. Going to see Rory Bloch next weekend, at a coffee house no less, if I can talk Mrs. Nasty into it. She has this thing aboat gorl singers...That should be an excellent start to what will be, almost by definition, a better live concert year (can't wait for Jazzfest 2004).