Man, I’ve been waiting to let this out for weeks!
On May 27, Seven Days and Higher Ground will present a show that will surely go down in local music history.
Get ready for a performance from Burlington’s long-lost rawk heroes, The Pants. And I’m talking original lineup, too. Plane tickets have been purchased, accomodations arranged. The band is prepared to rock one last time.
For those of you who aren’t familiar with these four geniuses, I’ll try to catch you up.
In the ’90s, there was a musical renaissance in ‘ol B-town. The scene boasted dozens of good bands, and a smaller circle of truly great ones. Smack dab in the center were The Pants.
Featuring Tom Lawson, Neil Cleary, Paul “Pistol” Jaffe, and Eric Hutchins, the group created vibrant, intricate, balls-out rock that lives on in the hearts of fans.
The chemistry between the band, while never as volatile as say, The Police, contributed greatly to their power and presence. Ask anyone who saw one of their shows, and they’re sure to agree.
In fact, a lot of powerful folks took an interest in their career, including members of Phish. Needless to say, The Pants should’ve been huge.
Unfortunately, the band sputtered out before taking their music to a national level. For many, myself included, this was fairly upsetting.
Since then, Burlington has weathered some lean years. Clubs came and went, and for a while, the scene appeared to be on life-support.
But it’s a lot better now. In fact, one local band in particular, The Jazz Guys, remind me of The Pants in their prime. It’s been my long time wish that the new batch of rockers could have the opportunity to see these trailblazers.
Now, after a great deal of negotiation, it’s gonna come true.
Memorial Day weekend ’06 is looking pretty awesome. Make sure to buy your tickets this Friday, ’cause if this first show sells well, they’ll add a second one.
Here’s an excerpt from The Pants’ “Sometimes”for your listening pleasure.
Stay tuned to this blog, as well as my SoundBites column for updates, interviews and behind-the-scenes hullaboo.
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Mr. Spencer does not currently work for the City, he’s the ED of Local Motion a local non-profit advocacy organization. He has been a DPW commissioner for years, but this is a volunteer position only.
Bob Kiss and his nationwide search for an airport director was a fruitless exhibition of incompetence. The nationwide search for police Chief to replace Chief Scully in my opinion was a progressive led movement by Mayor Clavelle as he tried to discredit the accomplishments of Chief Scully turned out farcical with Chief Elana Ennis. PD was put 5 years behind with that appointment, as Clavelle was deathly afraid Chief Scully would run against him for Mayor and kick his behind. Chief in my opinion played the trump card and said I fooled you Peter. After that rant my two concerns with the appointment of Chapin Spencer are we will seemingly have to now re-foot the cost of a Chief Engineer, and #2 is I hope we do not cut down travel lanes for vehicles to one lane in each direction, while expanding bike lanes to four in each direction
Voting in protest because “process” while simultaneously praising Mr. Spencer’s record and professing confidence in him as “a good choice to lead Public Works” is too cute by half. This reads as though it’s self-righteous indignance. Why should Mr. Spencer’s race and gender have anything to do with this conversation if he’s a current employee of the city and he’s a good choice to lead Public Works? In succession planning, should the city of Burlington conduct searches because of the gender and race of the prospective person eligible for promotion, as Ms. Siegel and Mr. Brennan appear to be implying with their “diversity” protest votes? Put another way, would either of them be calling for a nationwide search were the incumbent employee being considered for promotion female or non-white?
as the bass player of the original lineup of rocketsled, it would be cool for a show in the future. casey’s reunion show that he speaks of should have had me in the lineup despite any of our differences.its really a shame how the whole band just crumbled after my dissmisal by drummer greg beadle.the band had complete potential for something close to stardome and anyone who heard rocketsleds music would agree.
YES! The Pants! Thank god for some good music! The show will be amazing but such a tease. I won’t want it to ever end.yes I remember that New Years Eve show.
Yous guys.
Huh.All of this is weird considering that upon considering the offer of the show, all of our responses, to a man, were Who the hell is gonna show up?I still maintain that it’s gonna be about 50 people that I know by their first name, but still that’s nice to hear.
Here’s a cool letter one of my bosses just got re: The Pants show:Dear Paula,Don’t know if you will remember me, but we met at Club Toast, at a Pants show! I was soooo excited to pick up a copy of Seven Days yesterday to see that you guys had somehow convinced them to get back together! I have been dreaming of this moment for years! I was there at their last show on New Year’s Eve. 🙁 Losing Cub Toast and The Pants at the same time–well, let’s just say-everything has paled in comparison ever since then. I have their albums Fred Sex and Eat Crow, and I even sent them a fan letter once. Thank you from the bottom of the hearts of all of us that remember . . . even if all the years of booze, drugs, and getting hit on the head slam dancing, make the memories a bit foggy. . .”sharper than a kitchen knife, but duller than a wet rock. . .”I remember The Vermont Times, and how uptight they were, I am amazed at where you and Pamela have brought 7 Days in these last 10 years! Happy Anniversary and Congratulations!You have proven your talent for tuning into the changing current, staying relevant.Heather HabichOwner Opulent Interiors (formerly Sweet Jane’s Tailor)
Yay Pants!