Hello! What a remarkable time in and around Santa Fe. We played an outdoor show Friday night. I didn’t think it would happen, due to driving rain and ongoing lightning strikes. I was already planning on a very quiet set on unplugged electric guitar or just going around to each person and apologizing when we were cleared to play. Thankfully, folks had sought cover and stuck around for over an hour. The warm and wild energy of this crowd was exactly what I’ve been missing for the past year and a half and change and I made sure to sincerely tell them so. Nights like these are absolute gifts. I performed with gems Jason Slota on drums and Micayla Grace Nestor on bass and vocals. Loving the trio vibe!! So fun and a great opportunity for me to infuse more lead playing into my guitar parts, jump and teeter around, and, most importantly, hear everything more clearly :) And, because who doesn’t love video clips recorded on a phone from a live show you didn’t attend, Team Thao has provided choice highlights below.

The next day brought yet another reminder that being alive can be extremely cool: a chance visit to the canyon where Ancestral Pueblo people lived from 1150 CE to 1550 CE. Special thanks to Kelly and Jamie who let us borrow their car because we did not plan ahead well and there were absolutely no more rental cars available in New Mexico.

So grateful to get back out there.

t