Cloaca Melodia

Hangar Theater, Ithaca, NY Siberry's second album No Borders Here was causing some kind of a sensation at WICB. We started off playing "I Muse Aloud," and then moved to the album's epic "Mimi on the Beach." Eventually, we would also play "The Waitress" and "Extra Executives" a bit as well. post continues.... So it was cool that she was playing live in Ithaca. I don't remember how this came up but the concert promoter was looking for people to work security for the concert, and the word went out to us at the college radio station. I agreed to do it, thinking I could see the show for free. Of course, I got posted at the back door/artist's entrance at the end of long corridor from the actual stage, so I wasn't able to see any of the opener. (For years, BTW, I thought it was Peter Case who opened the show, but I asked him once about it and he couldn't recollect ever opening for Siberry; turned out the performer's na...

Nowhere City, Syracuse, NY I had always remembered this as being the the first real rock concert I ever attended (not counting things like seeing the Vienna Boys Choir in 4th grade). However, I have ticket stubs from both this show as well as a U2 concert in April of '85 . So I guess the U2 show was my first. post continues.... Either way, this concert was at a juice bar. New York State was raising its drinking age from 19 to 21 years effective December 1st, so some establishments (well, this one at least) jettisoned the alcohol entirely to preserve its patronage by college students. This one turned into a "juice bar"--just like a regular bar, except you could order overpriced orange juice instead of overpriced beers. I didn't care either way; I would have gone if the show was in a castor oil bar with a two drink minimum. I had really dug O.M.D.'s 1984 album Junk Culture , and their latest ( Crush ) was growing on me as well. I was very curious to see how their sy...

Hartford Civic Center, Hartford, CT I don't remember who was organizing the road trip from Ithaca to Hartford to catch U2 on their Unforgettable Fire tour, but two of my fellow DJs at our college radio station ( WICB ) were going and I wasn't about to pass up the opportunity. post continues.... Kevin wore his Irish-American heritage on his sleeve, even calling himself "The Leprechaun" on the air, and was naturally a huge fan of the band. Glenn, meanwhile, was a lyric-oriented music listener and future songwriter, and was inspired by Bono's freewheeling yet passionate and meaningful approach to his words. They, plus myself, and two other guys who I didn't really know--friends of Kevin, I think--piled into the car (not mine, of course, I didn't even yet know how to drive) and made the five hour trek to Hartford. U2 setlist: "11 O'Clock Tick Tock," "I Will Follow," "Seconds," "MLK," "The Unforgettable ...

The Haunt, Ithaca, NY This was a birthday show for John Webber , organized by his girlfriend at the time. As I recall it was supposed to be a private soiree but there was a danger of not having enough attendees to sell enough beverages to appease the bar owner, so it was opened to public admission in a flurry of last-minute promotion. The Haunt was aptly named for those of us DJs at Ithaca College's WICB. The venue was like a second home to many ICB'ers. Not only because of the many great shows there , but the bar and the station partnered for a number of activities: a weekly dance night, station DJs to act as MC for some shows , a couple of live-on-tape broadcasts , and other joint ventures of various stripes. The New York Breaks were a local band; they eventually relocated to Boston and changed their name to Circle Sky. Later, the band's Matt Keating had a solo career of note. We used to play a song by The Breaks called "The Main Thing" (from a cart!). John W...