I've seen Braid all over the Midwest from their first show to one of their last shows to their reunion beginning and the end of the reunion. There was no better place to see them than the Fireside Bowl. I somehow came across a video from Ashes (early/mid 90's hardcore-ish band) and was pretty stoked on it. via the web that is YouTube I started exploring other videos from the Fireside and this one made an appearance.

This was from the Tree Records Postmarked Stamps Party, held in maybe 99. It was a really fun weekend. Lots of friends from out of town. Lots of in town friends. I remember helping Ken Shipley (CEO and big-talker from Tree Rec's) hang all those silver spray painted stars from the ceiling. I'm sure I got the cancer from the soot falling from the ceiling onto me that night.

A few years later I started dating this girl and I'm now married to her. She was also at this show although we didn't know each other back then. In her apartment when I first met her she had one of those silver stars hanging from the ceiling of her dining room. I'm sure that star is still somewhere tucked away in all our stuff here at home.

Punk rock small world story number 937.