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    marye
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    Since the original topic now has hundreds of introductions and is getting a bit hard to navigate, this seems as good a time as any to launch a new one. The original is here, should you wish to catch up on the who's who since this opened up in May. If you haven't introduced yourself yet, please do! And if you already have, but have something new to tell us about you and your life, speak up! (A bit of housekeeping business so we don't have to repost everything we posted before--izzie and I are the moderators here, and for our more extensive intros see the original topic.) Thanks and welcome!

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  • ArtguyChuck
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    Hey Now -Family Folks!!
    I just wanted to say HOWDY!! (most of my info is already on my profile- so I'll be brief! here!)I grew up n the deep South-Eastern US- and followed fragments of most of the tours through that area as of '87/'88- but, it wasn't until '88 that I actually WOKE UP and realized what a GREAT group of folks that I was associated with. (so forgive me for being a space nut for the first 2 years of my family-life.) I got better- - - but THEN it took me another 2 years to realize WHAT WAS GOING ON!!! ((it's possible that I'm a 'slow learner'- - -((the first days are the hardest ones-eh?)) - - -I was into the visuals and the Feeling of the magic going on- but, didn't believe that I could actually be a part of it. I was a tour-guy, but only as a tourist. (I used to make my own shirts to pay my way- which seemed fine until they started cracking down in the parking lots-- and I got the label 'BOOTLEGGER'--- (which sounds kinda cool- but, put me in jeopardy of actually 'GOING TO JAIL' <-- Now-- this is serious,-- I was using my own artwork but, by using the words 'Grateful Dead'- I was breaking their copyright- - - ----Long story short- the authorities sat me down and one brother leaned in and said the words that would change my life. He said, "Quite stealing from the band and work FOR the band". . . . Say Whuh??? The Grateful Dead wouldn't need 'MEEEE' -- they've already got hundreds of artists working for them- - - riiight? With the help of a magic phone number- anything is possible, and I ended up doing 5 venue shirts and the Fall Tour '94 design (BANJO) - before it all came to a screeching halt in '95. Turns out that wasn't he "END" (so to speak)- - - and Spring ''09 is giving us a brand new tour ---so it just goes to show that you can NEVER TELL- - -just gotta poke around.-- and keep livin' the life you love. So yeah-- I just wanted to say "HOWDY". Cheers Family!! ArtguyChuck (we are everywhere!!!)
  • marye
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    Tony
    if you haven't checked out the Wharf Rats topic, please do! Also the Meet Me at the Forum topic.
  • redtony23
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    Intro
    Hi, I'm Redtony23 in San Diego,CA. back in 1987 a few friends of mine told me about 'Dead shows but I was otherwise chemically occupied for another 14 years. I'm over that now, and only recently started to seek more serenity through 'real-life' means as opposed to foreign substances. I was amazed once I listened to the 'Dead channel on XM at how much more at peace I felt. I have a ticket for the Dead show in L.A. on May 9th and am wondering how to find any 'wharf-rats that might be there. Thank You and Hello!! Retony23
  • Sweet Leaf
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    Greetings from Wilmington, NC
    Hey Now~ So glad to be here!!!! And can't wait to get there!!! Greensboro April 12th. My last shows were RFK and I have missed the boys soooo much. I have cought a few Rat Dogs and Phil & Friends..and JGB's since Jerry passed but I miss it all the same! Being a part of such a wonderful community has made me the kind person that I am today and has paved a road for me to be a good mom, wife and friend! Man I had some crazy times....wow! Wouldn't change a thing! Thanks Jerry, I miss you! See you in the lots on Sunday!!!!! Peace~ Sweet Leaf ~
  • Extinguiderm
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    OOPS, I meant April 25th!
    Yeah, like the subject line says, I meant April 25th at the Garden. Long live MSG! Gim
  • Extinguiderm
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    Greetings to all of my brothers and my sisters!
    Hi everyone; I'll keep it sort of short. My first show was Nassau Coliseum, November 2, 1979. My last, 89 shows later, was Giants Stadium, June 19, 1995. In between, I had kissed the sky, tasted the mud, swallowed the rain, and felt the joy of 10,000 hugs, 100,000 kisses, and 1,000,000 smiles that constituted a Grateful Dead concert. You all know why I'm here; I know why I'm here. But does everyone else? They should... My favorite place to visit here is going to be the 'Shows & Lyrics' section; I am going to comment on each and every show I attended and connect with those that were there with me. My heavens, I really miss the energy of walking in to a venue and feeling that anticipatory rush - is this going to be the night? Will they break out 'X'? Of course, there have been many, many times since then that I have felt that rush, but none like the way it was back then. but enough of the past; I'll see you all at the Garden on April 15th! Love to you all; let your lovelight shine! Gim
  • DCGent
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    What a long Strange trip it's been...
    Hi... I'm Chuck... And I am a DeadHead... Here is how it started for me... Back in college... At the Univeristy of Buffalo... Spring of 1975... Living in College B... The solution to the hazing problems from the fraternities... Residential colleges were created at UB... College B was the college of the creative arts... An interesting place for a pre-med with eclectic tastes in music and theater to live... Well, back in the dorm... In a drunken haze, two freshmen were talking during a sleepless night... The artist brags... He can paint anything, on anything... His room mate pulls out his favorite Dead album... Skull and Roses... Paint this... On that... He points to their circa 40's ridged refrigerator.... And the challenge was on... For three weeks... All this 18 year old did was work on making this amazing painting of a skeleton covered in roses on an old fridge... And when it was complete it was a masterpiece... How do I fit in with all of this... Well... I lived a few doors down, and I had gotten a summer job at school... So I was staying in the dorms for the summer... I was asked to watch their prized possesion, the amazing fridge, till they returned in the fall... Only problem... They spent so much time working on the fridge, they would both end up flunking out... With noone to return the fridge too, it was mine... And... I would end up being a Deadhead... Traveling to shows all over the east coast... I met other Deadheads at school... One of them... Became a room mate, and eventually introduced me to his fiance's best friend... We would be married for 25 years and she would be the mother of my kids... That fridge changed my life... Funny thing... The day I graduated from college... The electric chord disintegrated... I took it as a message from the spirits that this fridge was meant to remain in Buffalo... And so, I left the thing there... Not sure what ever happened to it... But... I thank those two drunk freshmen from the Spring of '75 for forever changing my life. Their crazy dare led to me learning to love the music... And thankfully, The Music never stopped... I will be in Charlottesville, in a couple of weeks, with my son... To see the Spring '09 tour... 34 years later... Still twirling to the sound of the Dead, and living for the magic of that feeling of belonging! Some times... we get shown the light... In the strangest of places.. If we look at it right...
  • marye
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    so nice to see
    all these new folks! Welcome!
  • radhaslovelight
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    hi i'm new in cincy area
    hello fellow deadheads! i saw shows late 80s-90s on the east coast. never really traveled with the band though. i've just been loving the GD channel on XM and they mention this site on the sunday show so i thought i'd pop in and say hi. any deadheads in cincy, louisville, southern, IN? radha
  • sherry darling
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    So, you want to know about me?
    why , thank you! how nice of you to ask! without any further ado...my story....because as Alfred Hitchcock says "One should always make your audience suffer as much as possible" I never got to see a gig before ,i sort of missed the whole dead thing when i was growing up but over the last seven years ive learned to love them! from my lovely english hippie type friends who live in london... and im really excited to meet some lovely people who love the dead in this country as well! All the deadheads in the uk speak very highly of you! and from this website i can see why... I'm just your typical mild mannered american housewife from Md, where I spend most of my time buried in my computer screen working on various writing and web projects or enjoying the spirited high jinks of a house full of wretched and ungrateful offspring. My "children" , if you can still call them that, at 21, 20 , and 16 years old are an endless source of delight and despair , and my autistic eight year old son is the light of my life, and they keep me quite busy and entertained 24 hours a day. I am the proud author of two children's books, and have been working on a third, and have a degree in early childhood education. For twenty years I owned and operated a private preschool in my home, but retired about ten years ago to pursue being shiftless on a full time basis, which I have been remarkably successful at so far. The last seven years I've been dividing my time in between here and the UK, as I have many friends in the London area who allow me to visit regularly , crash on their couches, eat and drink them out of house and home and who entertain me with great gusto at pubs, clubs, gigs, raves and restaurants and at huge outdoor music festivals , such as the Glastonbury festival . Why, they do it , I'll never know, i certainly dont deserve it, or them , but God bless their little limey hearts anyway. thats where i got turned on to the Dead! Hanging about the flat, off my head! As you do! in between trips i just stay home (and recover) and and write like the devil , work on my website and go to school part time, just in order to keep out of trouble and prevent completly wrecking my quiet tidy little life here in America! I stay in school at UMUC every semester, studying various forms of the arts and humanities, and work constantly on increasing my education ,and life experience to help provide structure and sanity to a very hectic life, and to provide me with the tools I need to become a better writer, parent and human being (hopefully). AND th..th..th ... THATS ALL FOLKS..... thanks for listening.. and hope to see you at a show! Remember,You can only be young once, but you can be immature FOREVER!
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Since the original topic now has hundreds of introductions and is getting a bit hard to navigate, this seems as good a time as any to launch a new one. The original is here, should you wish to catch up on the who's who since this opened up in May. If you haven't introduced yourself yet, please do! And if you already have, but have something new to tell us about you and your life, speak up! (A bit of housekeeping business so we don't have to repost everything we posted before--izzie and I are the moderators here, and for our more extensive intros see the original topic.) Thanks and welcome!
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Hi everybody, I'm new to the site and my name is Gus. I like music from the 60s and 70s mostly with a tiny bit of 80s. The 1960s is my favorite period though for its wonderful aura of brotherhood and its spectacular music.
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well......
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I just wanted to say hello and introduce myself.
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we love you. It's the spam posts that came along afterwards, now removed, that are attracting the comments!
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a rogue spammer posted after you lol welcome brother
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Just wanted to see what was shakin' from the branches of this digital tree.. I'm dubbed LaughTear, which is a nickname that actually describes me quite well. Just pokin' around seeing what there is to be seen in this corner of the internet, holler at me if you feel like shootin' the shit or if you think we may have met at some point (or would like to) along the road. Peace and blessings..
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Just wanted to see what was shakin' from the branches of this digital tree.. I'm dubbed LaughTear, which is a nickname that actually describes me quite well. Just pokin' around seeing what there is to be seen in this corner of the internet, holler at me if you feel like shootin' the shit or if you think we may have met at some point (or would like to) along the road. Peace and blessings..
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Just posted a short playlist for a blog I write for here: http://bareknucklewriters.com/2010/10/the-music-never-stopped/ Reason for posting this is not so much to pimp what I wrote and the playlist itself as it's nothing you haven't heard or read before. The reason I am posting this here, is that while thinking about my motivations for creating the list in the first place brought back a ton of terrific old memories. Going to the mailbox and seeing that magical package that contained those Maxell tapes. God, I love the Dead : ). ScarletFire
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I hope all is well with all who take a glance this-a-way! It's beautiful weather here, I can understand why so many musicians who made it to SF decided to hang around. I just wish I discovered it sooner! The City is fun but Sonoma and Mendocino are awesome. Micky & family lives out here and so do Tom W. and Charlie Musselwhite. Charlie is always playing around. I'm Grateful Live today...should a moment later I be Dead...Grateful is the way to launch onward! I'm Barney, Peace
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Hi, everyone. I've been a Dead fan only for a couple years. Since summer of 08? I'm hoping to connect with other Dead Heads and make a couple friends. :] Peace~!
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welcome..........
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all these new folks joining us. Welcome!
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Thanks!
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Hi y'all!
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Hello from Florida!!I've been into the Dead since 1990 when I was about fourteen. Only got to see three shows. I've found through constant listening that my favorite era is early to mid '70s mainly '73
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Hi everybody. Just a lurker here that wanted to say this site is awesome. So much info I love it. Been following the Dead since 87. Really enjoy the new incantations of what they are all doing now. Haven't got to see or hear any of this 7 walkers stuff yet hope Billy will make a trip to the midwest sometime soon. Looking forward to see Further at UIC. See you out there somewhere.Peace
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I Followed a couple links and ended up here in this beautiful place full of my kind of people. I'll go by cosmicdan, but you can call me anything that makes you smile. I saw every show I could from mid 70's on, (without traveling all over the world like some of you.) I have a collection of live tapes and disks that would make many of you serious collectors flash back to when you only had a little tiny fraction of what you have now. Oh well, I am a happy hippie anyway. Much love to all my brothers and sisters that hang around here, I hope to get to know many of you well.
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its real nice to meet you welcome.
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Nice to meet everyone. I'm Myke, I'm 22 from Jersey. Got into the dead about abyeat ago and got hooked instantly. I play guitar and sing in a reggae band, work a lot and hang out with my beautiful girlfriend. I love the positive atmosphere I've seen here and the positivity through te deads music. It's great to meet you all, and Ill see you around.
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meet you mykey.
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Well me and Michele have been Deadheads forever and a day....I think. I learned of and about the Dead in 1984, while Michele was jamming to the Dead around 1979. Unlike life the experience of the Dead and every show was like a rebirth and birth of our senses and spiritually explosive.
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Hi all. I'm Mark and I found the Dead I Jr. High. I borrowed my buddies dads workings man dead tape and was hooked. I started going to shows in 93 or 94 and my love grew for the music and community. I'm married to a beautiful wife and we have two boys four and six. I can't wait to bring the kids to a show they love the music already.
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Hello - glad to have found you - I got to see a few shows in the late '80s - very special - thankful for the experience - Hope to make some friends, and participate in the community. Love the dancing - or loved it at any rate - don't get to dance so much these days... -ducksy
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That's right...Nebraska.My older brother brought The Grateful Dead home from his freshman year of college in 1985. The very first time I heard St. Stephen off 'The Best Of..' that summer, I was toast. Saw my first show at Alpine in July of 1989. Saw my last show at the Silver Bowl in May of 1995. Made it to roughly 60 shows during those blissful 6 years. I miss Jerry...a lot. Thanks for having me. J
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What in the heck are you guys doing? Holding benefits for Obama.(In 2009) Ya lost me there. I mean really, Bobby, Phil, ya really lost me there. I can't figure out what you guys are doing. What in the world are you guys talking about. I don't even think you guys know what your doing. You guys obviously don't know what your doing. Ok Dark Star. Got that part. You guys let me down time and time again. You can bash me, go ahead. I'm used to it, You guys treat me pretty crappy when I used to go to shows and hang around you anyway. And I'm one of the people that used to put a bunch of energy into the shows. Its not even worth going to shows and putting any energy into it because why should I? I get treated like crap, by a bunch of people that don't know me and think they know better than me. After the Obama benefits, its like, wow, I don't really have anything in common with you guys anyway. So, I broke off from the mothership. Bye. Whew, well I feel better now, just like I always do for myself.As usual.
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Wasn't the mothership George Clinton??Seems like you're taking the band a wee bit to personally DannyC. ********************************** I am not young enough to know everything. Oscar Wilde
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Thats really some sage hippy advice, I'm impressed by your wisdom.
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Just trying to keep it friendly. December is a cold month here. January can possibly be even colder. Gotta still keep the weather in mind.
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Greetings Fellow travelers Older then most here I think, 55 on Sept 11. Saw my first show in 71 at Franklin & Marshall College here in Lancaster Pa. Saw the boys most years till the late 70s then took about 8 years off and started doing shows again in the mid 80s. 92 comes around and a son is born and my run with the band ends. It was one hell of a ride friends!!! Now with the internet and XM radio I get to listen to lots of great shows any time I want, what a great place to live!!! Any body want to chat, just shot me a line. Namaste Jeff
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I'm not sure where I should be posting this and I couldn't figure out how to post a new topic anywhere so I'll give this a shot... Name is John from Philadelphia. I inherited a large collection of tapes of the Grateful Dead. These belonged to a dedicated fan who's life unfortunately ended at a young age and his father has passed his collection on to me after years of storage in the basement. I have not had the opportunity to go through all of them yet but there's a little over 500 tapes ranging from the 60's to 90's... His father said he used to travel to concerts, record the events and later trade tapes... a bootlegger I suppose. My question is what should I be doing with these? Besides storing them for another decade in my basement and occasionally popping a tape in my boom-box... I'd hate for them to deteriorate with time and become trash. Is it worth while dubbing these to MP3's for safekeeping? Or are there so many of these tapes around that I'd only be wasting my time? Thank you all for any suggestions you may have

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my names Kenny im 22 and sadly was only alive for a few years during the Dead's run. My biggest regret is that i will never get to hear the world's best live band actually play live. My favorite period for the dead is 63 (mother mcree's) to 73 (pigpen's death). I only recently (in the last year) got into the dead and have tried to catch up quickly but there's obviously a vast amount of material to indulge in so here i am. I'm also somewhat of a mediocre musician and my solo album can be found here : www.bandcamp.com/lennylenape . There is also an improvised version of Sugaree on there. I'm just here looking to meet fellow dead heads and allow the dead to consume my life haha. Cheers
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Huhhh? WTF Danno? Obama is such a predominant factor in our mutual love for penulttimate jam band music that you have to feel ultimately violated and hated because we had such a stark choice for president last year? C''mere you big ole' dancing bear! Quinn the Eskimo's right behind uf and everybody's gonna wanna dose! I was always sick of the politics but I'm glad I didn't let it define me! Santa and the psychedelic mushrooms are playings at Harvard in Cambridge Square in Boston. You better not not shout , you better not pout, Amanita Muscaria are coming, to town! Merry Christmas, Danny -- stay warm!!
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Hows it goin, Names Dillon, I have been listening to Dead since I was a small child. My parents used to always play their stuff
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The music thrives in all of us. Looking forward about tour dates this new year. When I was younger, I always was working keeping ..the main loves of my life __ This phenomenal music which kicks your ass and gives you energy to shake those bones, and Kalli, the one who got away. When you strummed Jack a row to me we should've gotten married later that night. God Bless the Band and all you DEADHEADS everywhere. Leave the bunk in the trunk... kottonmouthjeff__
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13 years 10 months
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kottonmouth!!!
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I did dead tour from 1989-1994 I was not a regular because I had a son. But when I tour I stayed close to the Wrecking Crew. I lived in Denver and Traveled between Denver and San Fransico. I want to find old friends. I want to hear about the old times and see pictures. I want to be in contact with people I considered family. Although the last time I saw everyone I had a bit of a freak out!
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I just got to say- this forum is so much more civil than similar bands forums. As to be expected.... I essentially toured the West Coast non-stop from '87 to '93 while I was finishing high school and attending UC berkeley. I move to San Antonio in 93 didn't help the show situation too much. Sold sodas after shows to support myself, slept in a lot of rest areas hanging out with some very cool people. I have never stopped listening to the Dead and apart from my current Dick's Picks obsession, I am a regular Dead podcast listener, aiming to keep things random. J.T. Gossard http://thehallucinogenicbible.blogspot.com/
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I am in Chicago and would love to meet new folks to hang out with. Remember hearing some years ago about a bar that did a weekly (monthly?) Dead night, if anyone knows if that is still going on would be awesome to hear. I'm 42, married and got into the Dead too late :(...saw them about 5 times in the late 80s/90s but the first few times was just there for the party. Gradually got more into the actual music and now it's most of what I listen to. I have been able to see Furthur a couple times and am very excited about them, I think they are the best of the "post-Dead" bands. Other interests include yoga, biking, sports and beer! Nice to meet you all!!
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(~);} Hey now , I am a 53 year old mama of 3 grown sons. I saw my first show in 77, phillie.. and off and on through the years,,, Its been my dream to follow the tour for a season or more. I never could because of Babies and hubby died, and I just could not take to the road then... I am SO ready to NOW.. I got to seee Furthur 5 times last year and got the fever to get out of here .... I would like to find a trustworthy responsible travel partner to share expenses and experiences... if u r interested Let me hear from ya,,, shugamagnollia@aol.com (~);} Have a GRATEFUL day (~);} Have a GRATEFUL day (~);}
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Sorry, got distracted, gdradio.net just put on an outrageous Candyman! O yeah, traveling from NC to Beantown to see Further at the Orpheum, dead-based band Fennario (watch them on U-Tube), are having a pre and post blast a block away! Going to the Saturday show Feb. 5 (or whatever Sat. comes at the begin of Feb!) - anyone comin'? repoman