I took a drive to Providence last night to check out Matt Costa, a guy on Jack Johnson's label. I have listened to this CD (or the digital equivalent) more than any other this year. It's incredibly catchy, well-produced, and filled with good songs.
Matt was not playing in Boston on this leg of his tour, and I missed him last time he was in the area. Luckily, I was in town to catch him this time. The crowd wasn't huge - maybe 450 people of so. But they were into him. Sing alongs to most of his music.
The evening was entirely nostalgic, given my history in Providence and the multitude of shows I have seen at the venue. I forget the specifics of how Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel now operates where The Strand used to, but that's the deal these days. The venue is currently such a letdown. I hadn't stepped foot in that building in over 11 years, and the interior looks like the owners haven't spent a dime on improvements since.
I remember seeing Tori Amos, Tool, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Oingo Boingo, Joan Jett, Sheryl Crow, Belly, and countless others at the old Strand, not to mention the WBRU Sat night alternative dance nights we used to sponsor (our nights were so popular, we used to sell the place out - over 2000 people - every Saturday. Around that time was the very start of moshing, and it got so out of hand there at times, they installed a "no moshing" policy that still stands today. I still have an old Strand T-Shirt with the anti-moshing policy on the back).
I have a photo I took from the stage right before introducing Sheryl Crow. I still think that was the biggest crowd I have been in front with a microphone.
The old Lupo's had a ton more character, but its layout caused for many sight-line blockages, depending on where you found a spot to stand. I still regret spowing up late for a Juliana Hatfield show where I caught just the final song of her opening act, Jeff Buckley (Grace is one of my favorite CD's from the 90's).
'BRU let me down as well - it was a "Cheap Date" show they were promoting with $12 tickets, but there wasn't a single mention of WBRU, no banners, no band into, no van - nothing. Why bother getting a co-promote if you're not going to show up?
Matt was not playing in Boston on this leg of his tour, and I missed him last time he was in the area. Luckily, I was in town to catch him this time. The crowd wasn't huge - maybe 450 people of so. But they were into him. Sing alongs to most of his music.
The evening was entirely nostalgic, given my history in Providence and the multitude of shows I have seen at the venue. I forget the specifics of how Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel now operates where The Strand used to, but that's the deal these days. The venue is currently such a letdown. I hadn't stepped foot in that building in over 11 years, and the interior looks like the owners haven't spent a dime on improvements since.
I remember seeing Tori Amos, Tool, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Oingo Boingo, Joan Jett, Sheryl Crow, Belly, and countless others at the old Strand, not to mention the WBRU Sat night alternative dance nights we used to sponsor (our nights were so popular, we used to sell the place out - over 2000 people - every Saturday. Around that time was the very start of moshing, and it got so out of hand there at times, they installed a "no moshing" policy that still stands today. I still have an old Strand T-Shirt with the anti-moshing policy on the back).
I have a photo I took from the stage right before introducing Sheryl Crow. I still think that was the biggest crowd I have been in front with a microphone.
The old Lupo's had a ton more character, but its layout caused for many sight-line blockages, depending on where you found a spot to stand. I still regret spowing up late for a Juliana Hatfield show where I caught just the final song of her opening act, Jeff Buckley (Grace is one of my favorite CD's from the 90's).
'BRU let me down as well - it was a "Cheap Date" show they were promoting with $12 tickets, but there wasn't a single mention of WBRU, no banners, no band into, no van - nothing. Why bother getting a co-promote if you're not going to show up?
3 comments:
Can you please write a blog about how you like to get people fired :)
Mahwish
i liked this guy a lot. woohoo. so i posted his link at mjs. now 5000 people could listen....
For the record, I DO NOT like to get people fired. Mahwish, however, does. She has a special dance she does around the office when she facilitates another firing!
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