SH5

It was a was a hot june evening in the summer of 2010 and I had just started my job as a corporate stiff, working for my father in the insurance business. Still wearing my business attire, I approached the house which I assumed to be Slaughterhouse Five. I was caught off guard when I walked around the house, where there was only a small collection of people hanging out on the porch outside (which I later learned was not actually SH5s porch). I could hear the music coming from inside, but no trail coming and going from the basement and no collection of people outside using the space to drink and socialize as I'd grown accustomed to in the parts of Boston that I've inhabited for the past few years. I pushed in a small door which could have lead to Narnia for all I knew, but in a way it sort of did in its own little punk rock dream sequence of a way. I made my way into the basement, where the audience was captivated by the music of the tattle tales. Unfortunately for me, I was not dressed for the occasion and as per usual was beginning to sweat through my clothes. I contacted adam demirjian, who had just moved out of his parents house for the first time to a residence on Twombly Street and from there I spent my first bit of time in a space that taught me a whole lot about myself over the course of a year. I can remember vividly how much light was coming through the windows of the rooms on the second floor which was his roommate cody's room at the time. The band we were going to see was Lemuria, a band that I had listened to for quite some time but never had a chance to see. After persuading the others to come along I made my way back to Ham St, which I had realized was only a short walk from there. I made it there in good time as people had just started to congregate outside before Lemuria and I quickly made my way to the front, as it can be a bit harder to get close here. But thats not to say if you really want to see the band you couldn't make amends. I liked that about this place. People braced themselves on the low beams of the ceiling as nearly everyone in the room attempted to ease forward and sing the lyrics back to the band. I couldn't help but think to myself that I would never have an opportunity like that to see this band afterwards, and that sentiment has stood true. Unfortunately, I wouldn't return to this basement until I played it with Shire in the spring of next year. We shared the bill with slaughterhouse staples Billy Raygun and The Young Leaves, as well as New Jersey's Brick Mower. Everyone at Slaughterhouse was exceptionally accommodating to a band that I'm sure most people weren't familiar with. Playing there was one of the most ideal settings I've ever performed in undoubtedly. Not to mention, we were added to this show within roughly two days of it happening if I can recall, as we had been scheduled to play Dover's premier burrito joint, Dos Amigos Burritos with our friends The Brave Little Abacus the night before and had intended on staying up in Dover for the weekend anyways. It was really awesome for Zac to do that for us as Shire had only played with his band once before. This unfortunately was also the last good bit of time that I stayed at that apartment. Most humbling about this weekend though, was the two events I would attend the next day. The first of which was a matinee performance of the bands Black Wine and Night Birds at slaughterhouse. I had yet to see either Jeff or Joe's post-ergs project, and again, it proved to be a perfect venue to see some of your favorite musicians perform with a group for the first time. After getting intensely assaulted by the thrash of Night Birds, I made my way to the UNH campus where I witnessed Zack Onett perform his original composition "puppy" for the first time in front of an audience. I can easily say that not a single person in that room left the room unaffected by his performance, though, those lucky enough to know him were obviously moved more than others. Those performances that weekend provoked me in so many different emotional ways, and really defined emerging thoughts on how music should be portrayed. I witnessed two more shows after that one, including Billy Raygun's record release with BIG EYES as well as their final show featuring a reunion from HUNCHBACK who had performed the ergs! reunion that I attended in the previous december. There were times during both of those nights that seemed somewhat surreal, because it seemed as though people in attendance knew that this could likely be one of the last times they would be in that space. The performances themselves were nothing less than impeccable and the atmosphere was as positive as ever considering the dark cloud of uncertainty above. The people of Slaughterhouse Five really made what I had only heard about and pictured in my head in my dreams and on the world wide web, obviously. Despite the fact that all the basements I'd known had all long passed due to the nature of the crowd being that not everyone was there for the music, they proved me that this didn't always have to be the case. Sometimes you have to be strict to maintain such a positive atmosphere, but it is always worth it if it means that your favorite bands come and play in a space that they can appreciate. And for once, the bands will get paid, by people who understand the importance of donations and don't go spending that money on the beer they *have to* bring to the show. Slaughterhouse was something that brought what I'd only pictured punk being, into a reality and for that I am forever grateful.
~ R.I.P. SH5