The first time I went to Winfield for the Walnut Valley Festival, I decided that I would return year after year until my demise. So far, so good. This year was amazingly fantastic. The closest thing to bad that happened was when I happened to catch sight of a most unfortunate male hairdo: a guy with a shaved head and no facial hair other than two long sideburns drooping down each side of his face like sagging field hockey sticks. I actually don't have any trouble looking away from car wrecks, but this thing was truly a fascinating grotesquerie--I was spellbound. Eventually he had to use the men's room and I broke free. Terrible, but a pretty high bottom if you're bracketing a four-day period.

The high mark would go to the Wayback's set in the barn. I bought their CDs last year when I heard them for the first time, but they're even better live. And, like Mike Mulligan and Mary Anne, when people stop to watch them they dig a little faster and a little better. The barn was packed and that was one helluva show. I'm still reeling.

There was a lot of excellent music, everyone was nice as pie, there was plenty of pie to be had, and every day was just perfect. I maybe could've stood a shower once or twice, but that good stiff Kansas breeze kept this from being much of a problem for me. Counting down to next September...