Recap of Some Shows of 2007

Welcome everybody to 2008. At the beginning of each year I like to go through the shows that I can recall from the previous year. I made a little list here of ones that stuck out in my head for one reason or another. This isn't to say that these were the best shows I played or anything, just one's that popped into my head.

February 9, 2007 - The Fawns have our weirdest gig yet. We're hired to play a birthday party for a friend's seven year old daughter. The party is in her house and while all the kids are in the basement doing Karaoke, we come in out of the snow and secretly set up in the living room. The kids are led up stairs and lo-and-behold there's a full-on rock band set up in the house. All the tiny girls plop down on the sofas then jump up and dance and hop around during each song and then plop down on the sofa when we finish. It was the cutest thing you ever saw.

March 2, 2007 - Was this going to be the year of the children's shows? School for the Dead takes the stage in a school cafeteria to play for a fun fair for lil kiddies. It was awkward and strange but there were balloons and popcorn.

April 7, 2007 - The Aloha Steamtrain is hired to play the party of our long-time fan, Devilboy. We're welcomed by the friendliest people and fed delicious foods before heading down to the party basement and playing a raucous set for a devilish group of revelers.

May 2, 2007 - The Fawns are asked to the Spring Fling at Holyoke Community College. We're set up outside on a luckily-the-sun-just-came-out-day in a concrete courtyard with the smell of grilled hamburgers wafting over.

June 23, 2007 - Mark Mulcahy band at Mass MOCA. I'm delighted to join the band again for this prestigious gig in North Adams, MA. Mass MOCA treats us like kings and we play a lovely moving outdoor concert. We are pampered with swanky lodgings and endless food.

July 18, 2007 - School for the Dead winds up at another bizarre gig. This one was supposed to be in the central park of Bellingham, MA but rain sends us instead to an enormous, beautiful modern and unfortunately empty auditorium in a Bellingham school. The audience is about 10 strong in this 1000 seater but there are three local cable cameras aimed at us and we play a fun show.

August 2, 2007 - School for the Dead welcomes the new music series at The Sierra Grille by playing on the opening night. We're joined by The Novels and Lys Guillorn. The venue is too new, the sound system is not there yet. We make do and it's rough, but it feels like we are ushering a new popular venue in the Northampton music scene.

October 20, 2007 - We finally get to bring The Rosenbach Company to Northampton. This is my first gig in the orchestra pit at The Academy of Music - actually it's my first gig in any orchestra pit. The screen is enormous with the artwork of Ben Katchor shining above us and the I feel proud to be a part of this display.

October 27, 2007 - Halloween party with The Aloha Steamtrain, School for the Dead, Spouse, and Nuclear Waste Management. As always Halloween is a crazy night. Awesome costumes and candy and balloons and a pinata thanks to Jose Ayerve.

October 28, 2007 - The Fawns second annual Fashion Show. This time it's an evening wear and lingerie show. We're on the stage at the end of the runway and it's great fun trying to keep the music flowing for the models to strut to.

November 9, 2007 - The Fawns at POPfest! New England. It's always a pleasure to play this event and we were the only local band on the bill even though it was held right here in town. The pop fans are unstoppable.

December 21, 2007 - The Aloha Steamtrain, School for the Dead, The Fawns, The Campbell Apartment, Sitting next To Brian, Bourgeois Heroes, Anthony Westcott at The Rub Wrongways Records Fifth Anniversary Big Brother and Big Sisters Benefit Party. This was a perfect night for me. I was exhausted but everything ran so smoothly and everyone was so positive and good natured. It was a splendid thing.