-----Original Message-----
From: Wolfman [mailto:TERRAPINWOLF@HOTMAIL.COM]
Sent: Friday, June 22, 2001 2:29 AM
To: [email]psychedelicbreakfast-fans@yahoogroups.com[/email]
Subject: [PB Fans] BUTTERFIELD- The end of an era.
It is my sad duty to report that it looks as though there will not be
any more shows in Butterfield for PB or anyone else. Housing
services at UMass has permanently removed every resident of
Butterfield and plans to turn it into an honors dorm. Displaced
residents cannot even live in Baker dorm, just because Baker
is "cool" too. The demise of Butterfield began in the fall of 1999,
when a new residence director took over. He hates college students.
He has kicked out dozens of students in his two years, including 18
this past semester alone, and for the most minor transgressions
imaginable. One student, a house council member no less, was kicked
out for something he was asleep during. The new RD booted 3 out of 5
members of house council, and hired a narc to bust Mike "Biggie" Cook
who booked PB\'s first show ever in 10/98. The November 99 show was
able to go deep into the night because the RD was new and didn\'t know
what the fuck was going on, but since then shows have had to end at
one. This past semester, he canceled a show for two college bands
from Maine the week after the PB show on 3/30 because "too many
people were drinking during PB". (Beats me, all I could see was
pillow fluff.) The list goes on, but the bottom line is that he got
his higher ups to kick everyone out of Butterfield, regardless of
their behavior history.
Those of you lucky enough to be at the show in November of 1999
witnessed what truly made Butterfield the launching pad for PB... who
will ever forget a room full of college students hurling themselves
into walls so PB would come out for a second encore. It was close to
3am when the cops came and put an end to what was truly a space city
affair. On a personal note, it was my first PB show and I walked out
of it having instantly developed the love and awe for this band that
we all share. Since then, Butterfield shows have taken on a special
significance for the band, the fans, and the relationship between the
two. The band always arrives early to chill and jam with the
students, tears the roof off, and then goes upstairs to party the
night away. Special band/fan musical moments have taken place there
as well, such as Happy Birthday to Freddie Wah on April Fool\'s Day
2000, an April Fool\'s YEM that was repaid to Butterfield a year later
on 3/30/01, the debuts of Stash and Phonebook on 11/17/00, and the
Battle Royal last show. And of course, there is always the after-
parties, which have done as much as the music to turn UMass into a
love lake for PB. I will never forget the Baker Quadfest show, a
free and joyous gathering of all UMass , Connecticut, and new fans,
and the consequently the band\'s biggest show ever at the time. After
the music, everyone was thanking and hugging the band for playing,
and after I got finished doing the same with Ron, we took in the
peace and love surrounding us and he said to me "Wow Wolfman, I\'ve
never seen people so thankful that we played."
While it is possible that shows will be allowed in Butterfield, it
seems highly unlikely at this time, and there is no doubt that a lot
of what makes those shows so special has been taken away from us.
You can still be assured you\'ll see the Baker crew at shows across
New England and New York all year, and I hope to set up another Quad
show for late September/early October. There are also other good
rooms on campus such as the Skybox, and locally the Iron Horse and
Fire and Water. But for anyone who has been to a PB show in
Butterfield, consider yourself extremely lucky for having been a part
of what will be PB legend for as long as the jams go on.
Sharing my thoughts with those who understand,
Seth Wolfman
