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New England Music News

Bands' best

We all have killer stories about our best nights out in Portland, in which you remember what band was playing at what bar, what kind of shots you were drinking (we’ve sworn off tequila far too many times), how many Parmesan cheese shakers you stole from Bill’s Pizza, and how many times that guy revealed his mangina. But now is not the time for your stories. We want the best of the band stories. We’ve collected what the bands consider their most memorable gig. Warning: Some of these recorded memories may produce severe nose-bleeding, acid flashbacks, or nostalgic drooling.

By Blood Alone: “Our CD-release party in July 2005. We had the best crowd, the greatest response, and a great time.”

DJ Cougar: “August 18, 2005, at Bottomz Up. The decision had been made less than 24 hours before to not appeal the city council’s non-renewal of BU’s liquor license. Tonight was the final Sketchy Wednesday. What had become the place to be on Wednesday’s in Portland was coming to an abrupt close. Among these people were Pay-lo and her mother Two-Dawgs who normally didn’t do the Wednesday show, but understood what an occasion this was going to be. When I started the music up on the one remaining working speaker and looked out among the people there, I had finally realized just how special Sketchy Wednesday had become to so many people. McNallica did ‘Kickstart My Heart’ with some air-guitarwork by myself up on the benches behind her. When I jumped off the benched to get back into the booth, the song skipped backwards into the first verse. She looked at me, and we picked it up right there and turned it into an impromtu duet that totally rocked! End of the night, the emotions were all high. Everyone was feeling sad. The final karaoke song of the evening was a very special duet by Daddy Zaff and myself. We did Boys II Men’s ‘Hard To Say Goodbye.’ What came next, I will never forget. By request I went ahead and played a final song instead of just shutting down after my final singer. I played one of BU’s theme songs: Journey’s ‘Don’t Stop Believing.’ The bar was packed, and every single person there came up to the dance floor and started singing along with the CD. They were so loud that they were drowning out the sound system. It was an absolutely perfect way to end the evening.”

Ogre’s Will B: The show with Earthride at Geno’s. “Earthride’s singer Dave Sherman joined us onstage for a cover of Pentagram’s ‘Review Your Choices.’ And after the gig, Sherm called up Pentagram singer Bobby Liegling to tell him about it and I got to talk to him. I know that is totally meaningless to most people, but I had a fanboy boner for a month!”

8 Track: “WCYY summer bash at Peaks Island with Zion Train. The party was slammin’ till the deck gave way, and people started bailing out over the sides. Needless to say, that was the end of that show.”