Tales from the Devolver Side 7/14/01 Lupita's Hanover, PA

     Hope everyone is having a great Passover/Easter/Eastre/post 420 weekend. This week’s journey will again be returning to the days of old. I’ve been having a lot of fun revisiting the hazy crazy days of the golden era of Devolver. So without further ado, let’s flash back to July 14, 2001, date of an epic show and an afterparty to end all afterparties.
     People always ask me, Dave how/why were you so into Devolver? Not an easy question to answer, but let me try. First, the music was, and is incredible. A good wide variety of covers and originals that can stand the test of time, and great group of people who became lifelong friends. All of that adds up to an incredible scene which continues today. But on this date, everything came together in an amazingly heady stew.
    This show was also important for another reason. I consider it one of the last great shows/parties before the whole world changed. It was only 6 weeks before Terry Bown died tragically and way too young on 9/9. And I’m sure I don’t have to remind anyone what happened on 9/11, just 2 days after the shocking death of one of our own. Nothing was the same after that weekend.  And so, we are inclined to look back on the summer of 2001 with a twinge of nostalgia. .
    This was one of those rare occurrences when I had to choose between two of my favorite bands. Widespread Panic with Moe opening was at Merriweather the same day as Devolver playing at Lupita’s in Hanover (Lupita’s was a Mexican restaurant that was located where the Wasabi Steakhouse is now). They had a huge downstairs banquet room where you could be up front, engulfed by Bucket’s lightshow, dancing like there was no tomorrow. Or you could be in back by the bar. It was quiet enough back there to have a conversation and just chill out. Definitely the best place in town to see the boys do their thing. So I decided to see Devolver and skip Widespread Panic. As you read, my editor is throwing up in his mouth.
     It was a typical show of the era. Sick jams and the full sound that a band gets with 2 guitarists and a killer effects board. This is another show that I don’t have the entire setlist to. Missing the first tape but what I still have is a feast for the ears.

Devolver July 14, 2001 Lupita’s, Hanover, PA

Second set
 Edge>Crosseyed and Painless>Edge Reprise>Funk II, Turn Towards the Sun, Turnaround>Star Spangled Banner>Drums>Turnaround>Bogey>Glasshawk, Bubble Speak>Dyhydration Jam
     
     A little known fact of the Devolver extended family is that some of them were under 21 at the time. We had a host of ways to get the underagers into shows, sometimes they worked the door taking the cover. They hung out there all night and never approached the bar, avoiding the awkward situation of being asked for ID. We also had laminated passes that clearly identified them as being with the band and underage. I don’t remember us using those too often but they did exist. I once even had to vouch that an underager wouldn’t drink and she had to sit at a specific table for the show.
     This night there were definitely more underagers than normal. Two girls, who I shall identify as M and K had started coming to shows through their friendship with Chad C. They were at Lupita’s that night and ready to rage. I can clearly remember M doing a pole dance (with her clothes on) during one of the songs. Wendy was watching her and commented to the effect of “I can’t believe an 18 year old is at this show and doing that.“ My reply with a huge shit eating grin on my face, “Yes it is something else”
        During the second set, a whole crew of people showed up. They were from the contingent of people that got absorbed into our family, mostly graduating from Hanover High School's mid 90’s demographic. I got a report on how the Widespread show was while being able to enjoy all that Devolver had to offer.
      Another important thing that happened that night is Stan Fidler (I know, 2 appearances in 2 weeks. That’s more than anyone has seen him in 5 years) met his future wife Charley. I have it on good inside authority that Stan gave her a ride back to Dan and Adrian’s farmhouse on the way to the afterparty. This source also informs me that at some point Charley puked and they had their first kiss shortly after that event without time for a breath mint and/or Listerine. True love indeed.
     So the show ends and we pack up all the gear. It’s 2:30, going on 3 AM. What now? AFTERPARTY! The Most Interesting Man in the World says of the 2 party system “If there are 2 parties, always go to the afterparty.” Boy did he know what he was talking about. We all headed back to Timbo’s (Kyle’s dad’s place) There had to be 30+ people there. A lot of great photos exist. I remember two fights breaking out but in true Dazed and Confused style things were worked out and the fun continued.
     I remember heading home as the sun began to rise up. While there were shows in August and a few memorable aftershow parties, nothing compared with the sheer scope and size of the shindig that occurred on July 14, 2001.

Furthur,
Dave Kemp
BA in American Studies
Ph.D. in Rock and Roll

Tales from the Devolver Side 6/8/01 New Oxford, PA

Greetings friends. Hope it is all good in your hood. No post last week as I was hanging with my brother and his family. Lots of fun but very exhausting. No shows for the next few weeks so it’s time to take a journey back to the past, when the economy was strong and the US wasn’t involved in 3 different wars. Yes, I’m talking about the Golden Age of Devolver. It’s that sweet period between Memorial Day weekend 1999 and Feb 2002, when Andy quit right before their first sustained southern tour (It was only 4 or 5 shows but still). Today we look back at June 8, 2001 at the Old Mill in New Oxford. It’s not that the show was all that memorable but a story of the best-laid plans and intentions gone awry. So please allow me to present Tales from the Devolver Side 6/8/01:
    Once again, I’m sorry if you don’t know these people but they are all part of the amazing community of music and people that we have here in the AYC (Adams York County.) You know, just like Snoop says, “With so much drama in the AYC, it’s kinda hard being S H E M P”. Adrian’s cousin George was moving to outside of Philly, where his girlfriend, Kathy, had just graduated and got a job. Adrian wanted to throw George a going away party but picked a day that Devolver was playing. Now back during this time, it was all about Devolver for me. What they were throwing down was blowing my mind on quite a regular basis. So there was no way I was going to miss a single note. (Sorry no setlist. Not sure what happened to the tapes. I do have the night after from the Glad Crab in Dallastown. The Avalanche won the Stanley Cup that night and Flick requested Ray Bourque Jam for him finally winning the Cup. But I digress…)
     So Adrian buys food and beverages. He sends out invites and gets his crib ready for a party. Except for one thing….. George doesn’t show up. Adrian throws a going away party and the guest of honor doesn’t show up. I asked George last week if he remembered where he was that night. He does not. So Adrian thinks maybe he went to the Devolver show. So everyone at the farmhouse except for Stan the Man Fidler leaves to run up to the Old Mill to see if George is there. They promise Stan they’re not going to hang out, just run up to see if he is there and then they are coming back. Ahh the best laid plans of mice and men.
     So they get up to the Old Mill and no George. Of course, Devolver is laying down some jams that would turn Jerry’s beard back to its natural color of black from his early 80’s onward gray. Christine decided to get a beer and it was all-downhill from there. Every time she finished a beer it was always “Just one more beer.” And while I love her, good luck getting her out of a show before it ends. So they ended up staying until the end of the show. As they were leaving, Troy (I think that was his name. He was friends with Mike Wright) couldn’t get his car started. So they had to give him a jumpstart. They don’t even get out of the lot until after the band had packed up. It’s probably going on 2:30 AM by now. Meanwhile, back at the Hall of Justice………..
      It’s just Stan and Cassidy, Dan’s dog, hanging out at Dan and Adrian’s farmhouse. Stan was told they’d be back soon so he decides to settle back with a fine beverage. Time slowly passes and soon Stan realizes they didn’t go up and come right back. As the night grows longer, Stan becomes drunker and more surly. Every time a car comes down Pumping Station road, he thinks it’s them, but it’s not. One car even pulls into the driveway, only to turn around. When they do finally get back, Stan comes out, his greeting to everyone who came back, and this is his direct quote I got from him about 5 weeks ago. “Fuck you. Fuck you. Fuck you. Fuck you.” You get the point.
     Hope everyone enjoys this beautiful Sunday after the torrential rain/wind storm last night. Furthur!
Dave Kemp
BA in American Studies
PhD in Rock and Roll

Furthur 4/1/11 Hampton, VA Boxcar Social 4/2/11 Harrisburg, PA

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