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Chapter 4, Verse 20 "Music to Wash the Earth to: The CD Release Show"
With a solid set constructed, featuring tracks from the 'Music to Wash to' CD, including the highly anticipated "Medley les Cubicles", team Feathergun grew eager for the show. With due diligence, posters were postered, flyers were flyered and the promotion for the CD release show was in full swing, offering FREE CDs as the deal closer. "That's a $10 value. It's like we're paying you $3 to come see us". One of my personal favorite slogans in the campaign... So the decision was made. You invited your friends, you downloaded tracks off the web, you rocked the Feathergun sampler cd in your convertible for the neighborhood to hear in preparation...the peoples were getting all sorts of pumped up and ready for a night to remember with Feathergun. Come show day, Saturday (aka. the Shabbos of Tears) March 15, 2003 - it began to rain on the unsuspecting Los Angeles populous. But what's a little rain gonna do? I'd be damned if it was gonna stop us from fulfilling this Feathergun party from getting started. Rain is not the best situation to have to move gear and play a show in, but rain or shine, the show must go on. So we picked up our gear from Van Nuys, I printed out some set lists and we were on our way to the Joint. Now let's go back in time, say 3 weeks to Feb 21 in Rhode Island. A club full of enthused rockers, many of whom play in 80's metal tribute bands, packed in a moderately sized club to rock out with Great White. "Lady Red Light, rock me tonight!" During the first song, a fire started from onstage pyrotechnics and amidst the confusion and panic, 90 some people ended up dying, including Ty Longley, longtime guitarist for the band. In light of a recent tragedy involving pepper spray at a South Side Chicago club where 21 people were killed, the US frowned and decided to take action. Flash forward to us backstage at the Joint, getting ready to go on stage. Mind you we had played this venue many times before and had brought in 60 at a prior show. Which will explain why when I first got light of what was happening outside, I was speechless. Jaw gaped wide open, I thought to myself, how is this possible? I went outside quickly to see what the situation was...a line of friends going down the block. Was it true, could it be happening to us, on the eve of our CD release? It sure was. Luckily enough, the rainfall dissipated into occasional drizzle and the 50-60 eager folks lined up outside remained dry, yet Feathergun-less. How could this happen? How could the club that is listed on the web as having a capacity of 125 only allow 46 people in to see Feathergun? See for yourself here. Capacity suddenly reduced to 50 without any warning. Turns out the Joint had got a citation a week prior for being over capacity, a ticket of what the owner claimed was upwards of around $10,000. Once again, info that would have been useful prior. But what were we to do? There we stood, after having to turn away 60 people from our CD release show, frantic backstage minutes before show time. Although we were all very displeased with the events that transpired, we realized we had to get on with the show that we had been planning for months. All the emotion that was bottled up inside of us was about to erupt on stage into a rocktastic explosion! Damn, it felt good. Disillusion Thus, the cd was officially, released. Although
the show itself was a blast, Feathergun feels extremely sad about what
happened. The fact that some of you could not get in broke our hearts
and we'd like to offer our sincerest apologies. In addition to the free
Music To Wash To cds hopefully everyone in attendance received, we provided everyone who
didn't make it in with a digitally encoded video
of the show. On top of that, we played a FREE acoustic show for everyone on
Friday, March 19 at the Westwood Brewing Co.
It was dubbed the "Acoustic CD rewind, reissue, and re-release party!" In addition, we have found a new home in Los Angeles at the Knitting Factory, with our first show on May 10th. Moving on to bigger and better venues just for you! Your
office mates,
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