-----Original Message-----
From: Wolfman [mailto:TERRAPINWOLF@HOTMAIL.COM]
Sent: Saturday, September 15, 2001 9:05 PM
To:
psychedelicbreakfast-fans@yahoogroups.comSubject: [PB Fans] Review: 9/14/1 Iron Horse; Northampton, MA
Review: 9/14/1 Iron Horse; Northampton, MA
"The Amherst promo team is running like a well-oiled machine and we
are gonna pack the place to the rafters and there is nothing anybody
can do to stop it!"
-Me to the group, 9/7/1
Well guys, the world threw absolutely everything it had at us to
challenge this statement. Tuesday was the worst day in American
history, and Wednesday was the worst day in PB history. [Ed. Note: PB had ALL of their gear and van stolen in Boston on 9/12/1.] It would have been perfectly understandable if the show did not go on, or if
nobody showed up. But in a true showing of determination, positive
spirit, and a need for love, the show went on, the people came in
droves, and the result was a fantastic night complete with that
unstoppable UMass magic.
Emotions have been high for this show for a long time. All the fans
in western Mass have been foaming at the mouth since Baker Quadfest,
eager to pick up where we left off. The egroup went through an
emotional morality debate relative to this show. The Amherst promo
team hasn\'t stopped talking about it since school started.
Personally, the excitement around here, particularly from new fans,
has gotten me up in the morning over the past few weeks. And if this
weren\'t enough to make this an extraordinarily emotional show, it was
almost every fan\'s first activity since the horrors of Tuesday, and
the band\'s first activity since the horrors of Wednesday.
As if I weren\'t already jumping out of my skin on the way to the show
last night, when we pulled up there were 50 people waiting outside
for the doors to open. This completely put me over the top, because
50 people outside before the show means sellout by the end of the
show. As it turns out the place was packed, but it was even more
than that. People actually needed this show, and you could feel it.
The feelings weren\'t all positive by any means, but they were potent.
Spunk was awesome as an opener. I was hoping for this and Food for
Thought as well as lots of newer stuff for all the UMass people who
haven\'t seen the band since May. We got both, of course. Great
poem, Tim. Attraction and Beef have become Umass classics, both
frequent tunes at Butterfield. Rufus was needed around here too, so
I was excited for it. Pretty standard as far as Rufus goes, but I
can only imagine how hard it is to play with any sort of sustained
emotion when Armageddon stares you in the face and you\'re using
someone else\'s gear. Awesome drum duel w/ Adrian and TZ, and the
roar from the crowd was deafening after we all sang happy birthday!
Then Tim decides "might as well finish the song" (Language) but
instead of going right back into it there came an off-the-cuff heavy
funk jam that was awesome. It was only about 2 minutes long, but
just the way they went from nothing to this jam and then from this
jam back into the Language reprise was just fantastic. The Uncle
Sammy jam was cool, and God Bless America was an excellent finishing
touch, as well as a good way to play past curfew and not get heaved
mid-song. (I\'ve seen Iron Horse do it before.) The show was way too
short, although Iron Horse regulars are used to this. If you have an
opener, there is no way you\'re going to play more than 2 hours at
Iron Horse, that\'s just the way it goes. I know it was tough for
some of you who are used to later curfews and 3 hours a night of
PB.
The show had ended, but for a lot of us the night was by no means
over. I really want to thank everyone who came over to my house to
hang out. UMass crew, Joce, Todd, Curtis, Freddie, Fran, Jule, Josh,
Josias, Tim, Adrian, Ron: I really needed to be with a lot of people
I like, and what better than to have people I like from around New
England all come together. It was our first real party at the house
in 3.5 months of living here, which made me and my roomies really
happy. The fire was great! It was the first time I have talked
about this week and not been frustrated with everyone else\'s opinions
and assumptions. I really admired everyone\'s words and needed that
conversation, thank you. But besides that, it was just awesome
raging until full daylight with the best music fans in New England.
You are all welcome anytime. Once again my # is 413-549-9906. I am
so happy you could all be here.
So goes a memorable PB night. Stay strong, keep listening, keep
loving, and we\'ll be just fine.
Peace and vibes,
Seth Wolfman
