1 July 2000

Quote:  "I'm a little reckless but I don't mind fences . . . so long as the gate swings free."

-- "Lonely all the Time," Reckless Kelly

Tonight I took in my favorite band, Reckless Kelly, at my favorite music venue, McGonigel's Mucky Duck.   I think every time I write about these guys, I say they put on one hell of a show.   Certainly, it was true again tonight, as this is the best performance I've seen them do.  Curiously, they didn't do a whole lot of material from their forthcoming cd, like they did when I saw them on 18 March at the Duck.  Instead, they did a lot of their older stuff, and more covers than usual, some of which I've never heard before and can't even identify.

They have obviously been reworking some of their older stuff to take advantage of their new guitarist (David Abeyta, who it turns out is from Bartleville, Oklahoma.  I chatted with him between shows about Pawhuska, which is about 25 miles from there in rural northeastern Oklahoma.  It really is a small world), and probably also to freshen it up a little before touring in support of the new album when it is released.  They've obviously been putting in a lot of work, as the old stuff sounds fresher and stronger than ever.  The vocals were outstanding, and so was the work on the instruments.   They guys played with a determination and level of control that was intense -- in other words, they played like they meant it!

I've put up some of the show in realaudio on my Reckless Kelly page.  Check these guys out.  It's only a matter of time before a whole lot of people discover their passion, professionalism, and originality -- and then the days of chatting in the patio of the Mucky Duck with the lead guitarist, who just happened to grow up 25 miles from me, will likely be over.  Just as likely, so too will the days of getting the guys to sign our bootleg minidisc copies:

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Earlier in the day, I purchased a Sierra Designs Cosmos CD tent on sale.  Unfortunately, my Eureka Apex XT tent had some problems after the float trip and had to be retired.  The Sierra Designs tent is a far better three-season, two person tent, and the fact I was able to get it at $100 discount on sale puts it in roughly the same price range as the Apex XT.  

Visiting the gear store has gotten me thinking about backpacking.  I think Callie and I will take a trip to the Ouachitas for a 3-4 day trek in October.  However, I've decided that if I can get the dissertation done this fall as planned, I would like to do a solo, through hike of the Ouachita National Trail in its entirety in the spring.   It's roughly a 200 mile trail, which is no picnic but is not the 2000+ mile Appalachian Trail either.  I think it will be an incredible experience, and am looking forward to it, if not in the spring then certainly in the near future.