Monday 9th September - Long Island NY
There are only two things to be said about the journey to Long Island: it is a bloody lot farther than it looks on the map, but you do travel across the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge on the way, which is cool.
The gig? What can I say about the gig? It was weird. Picture this:
The gig? What can I say about the gig? It was weird. Picture this:
- The Local 7 is a unit on an industrial estate, out in the middle of, well, an industrial estate, and is the venue in which it is proposed to put on half a dozen punk bands from the US and the UK.
- There is no bar.
- Drinking outside the unit, don’t forget, is breaking the law because you cannot drink alcohol on the street in America.
- There is no smoking allowed inside the building.
- The stage is a wooden platform about 12ft wide by 6 ft deep, 18in off the ground.
- There is one microphone.
- The lighting consists of two red spots clipped to the PA.
That said, the bands kicked ass... The Breakaways, The Riffs, 17 Stitches, Drongos for Europe, APA, and The Skeptix.
They all played well, in spite of the bizarre circumstances. In the UK, if you put on a gig of any description in these conditions, not one person would turn up. Well, the Dibble probably would along with some Jobsworth Council official, who would explain how the HASAWA regulations forbade the gathering of people in a place not designed for the purpose of the reproduction of live music. How come I saw KISS at the Stafford Bingley Hall then? Perhaps I should not mention that.
Anyway, you get my drift. I was amazed that anyone came, I really was.
People said to me before I went to the States, that the thing that you notice is the insincerity of the people, with all that “have a nice day” stuff. I did not find that at all. Perhaps it is down to the fact that I didn’t do the regular tourist, package holiday thing but everyone I met, I found to be friendly, honest, decent and extremely warm and welcoming. They shared their homes, their beer and their thoughts. They wanted to talk to us. They wanted to know how different England was to America. They wanted to know what we thought of them. They wanted to know if we knew Mr Jones from London. They wanted to know if Scotland was in England. But mostly, they were just happy for us to be there, so they could hang out with us.
Around 1AM the night wound down and we left Long Island for an EconoLodge near Newark Airport. $75 for the room and we had a wild night of drunken, debauched, depraved, sex, drugs and rock and roll. Actually, we dropped our gear on the floor and slept where we fell.
They all played well, in spite of the bizarre circumstances. In the UK, if you put on a gig of any description in these conditions, not one person would turn up. Well, the Dibble probably would along with some Jobsworth Council official, who would explain how the HASAWA regulations forbade the gathering of people in a place not designed for the purpose of the reproduction of live music. How come I saw KISS at the Stafford Bingley Hall then? Perhaps I should not mention that.
Anyway, you get my drift. I was amazed that anyone came, I really was.
People said to me before I went to the States, that the thing that you notice is the insincerity of the people, with all that “have a nice day” stuff. I did not find that at all. Perhaps it is down to the fact that I didn’t do the regular tourist, package holiday thing but everyone I met, I found to be friendly, honest, decent and extremely warm and welcoming. They shared their homes, their beer and their thoughts. They wanted to talk to us. They wanted to know how different England was to America. They wanted to know what we thought of them. They wanted to know if we knew Mr Jones from London. They wanted to know if Scotland was in England. But mostly, they were just happy for us to be there, so they could hang out with us.
Around 1AM the night wound down and we left Long Island for an EconoLodge near Newark Airport. $75 for the room and we had a wild night of drunken, debauched, depraved, sex, drugs and rock and roll. Actually, we dropped our gear on the floor and slept where we fell.
Monday 9th September - Long Island NY
And, now...
...the band you've all been waiting for...
...from England...
...hardcore punk legends...
The Skeptix!!!
Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!
OK, Fozzy Bear bit over, don't forget that this was only Gash's third gig as Skeptix front man too.
He was truly a star.
A word about Snotty though... I have heard comments that it just isn't the Skeptix without Snotty.
Yes it is.
Gash was never intended to replace Snotty as the Skeptix singer. He was just doing the band a favour because Snotty was unable to travel. Anyone who thinks they got a raw deal because they didn't see the "original line up", stop whining and be thankful you got to see three-quarters of the original line up. If it hadn't been for Gash, you wouldn't have got to see what you never, ever thought you would anyway!
...the band you've all been waiting for...
...from England...
...hardcore punk legends...
The Skeptix!!!
Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!
OK, Fozzy Bear bit over, don't forget that this was only Gash's third gig as Skeptix front man too.
He was truly a star.
A word about Snotty though... I have heard comments that it just isn't the Skeptix without Snotty.
Yes it is.
Gash was never intended to replace Snotty as the Skeptix singer. He was just doing the band a favour because Snotty was unable to travel. Anyone who thinks they got a raw deal because they didn't see the "original line up", stop whining and be thankful you got to see three-quarters of the original line up. If it hadn't been for Gash, you wouldn't have got to see what you never, ever thought you would anyway!