Archive: Video of Bread & Circuits at the Goleta Fest, 1998

What to say? This band has been, and remains, the source of a great deal of inspiration for me. While I feel as though 'sincere' is a term that somehow has lost much of its power, in this case it's one that I think applies best. Bread & Circuits were thoughtful and human in a way that set them apart, and I consider myself fortunate to have seen them a handful of times -- including this show. In fact, I can occasionally catch a glimpse of my eighteen-year-old self in the far left corner of this video. Lindsay and I drove down for the festival -- or, more accurately, Lindsay drove while I slept in the passenger seat. We were quite excited by the idea of seeing twenty bands over three days, though now that prospect sounds more daunting than exhilarating. It was also my first time in Goleta, a place that each subsequent visit has increased my dislike for. I've met many wonderful folks who've lived there over the years, but as a college town in southern California, I could never really imagine a happy life there. Anyway, despite the grueling heat, sleeping in the car, and long, long shows, it was a wonderful experience. While much of the music has long since been forgotten, I was also able to see a few bands that I continue to carry with me -- Seein' Red, Former Members of Alfonsin, Suicide Nation, Born & Razed. And many times over the next few years, I would make new friends and later learn that they had also been there, and that shared experience may have proven to be the most valuable
thing I took from that weekend.