2019 began in earnest at the end of a countdown to the new year onstage at Strangeways. 

Early in the year, we began working up an entire set of new songs. Tom rejoined us on March 7, gradually working his voice back into shape before we took road trips to Warrenton in June, Lake Ridge in September, and Manassas in November, with stops at our usual haunts along the way, and eventually rotated more than six dozen different songs through the set. 

There was a particularly intimate and enduring show at Sophia Street Studios on a rainy night in April; hundreds of smiling faces singing along under a flawless June sky at the library; an eavesdropping patron who blurted out “You guys are the Acoustic Onion?” while we tried to book an out-of-town venue; a hospitable blast of arctic air conditioning right before the set at PorchFest; a rain delay huddled with the reunited original band at Wilderness Run in September; flooded rehearsal space; just that one solitary, exhausted commuter who ventured into 25-30 Espresso; the starlit rumble of a mighty horn section in the chill air at Sinistral. 

Welcome home, Tom Ansink.

Thanks to Dave Guzman, Rich Nagel, Joe Kane, Wayne McCall, Shelly Radley, Dave Unroe, Maureen Bartosh, Trista Chapman, Cathy Walker, Marjan Sadozai, Troy Jones, Blane and Stacey Perry, Ryan Sharkey, Greg and Dawn Murphy, and Dave Nichols.

Love and kisses to Joelle, and to Deirdre, and to Bob and Anita. Maybe not Bob.

Much affection to Nikki, Sarah, Brian, Catherine, Sherry, Marjorie, Megan, and Spencer.

Love always to Hulda, Mayo, Eleya, and Becky.  

Love and gratitude to Marissa. 

Appreciation, genuine thanksgiving, and all good things to each of you in the days to come…