April 17, 2004 - The Squealing Pig - Provincetown, MA - with The Fawns
Henning says: We were careening down the Mass Pike, pushing cars out of our way, in our two lane wide Canyoneero. The external temperature guage was shifting up and down. 60! 57. 65! 73! 79!! Gentle claps sounded from the back seat as we watched summer unroll in front of us at earth-shattering speeds. We whipped around a rotary, we balanced on a sky-high bridge, we sped down a lights-on-for-safety highway. 70. 63. 57. The curved arm of Cape Cod was hurling us back into spring. Take a left at the lights. Cell phones get pulled out, plans are passed down the lines (there are no lines). We park at the Hardware store, five dollars is forked over, legs are stretched, sweaters and jackets are urgently re-applied. A quick stroll up Commercial Street reveals more people than you expected, some also engulfed in hoodies, others in shorts seemingly unaware of the falling temperatures. A short stop in a boutique, a friend is spotted behind the counter. Hugs and yelps. More plans are made. Our stomachs lead us to a Squealing Pig, tables are rearranged, a chattering crowd of pals looks at menus. Food is ordered, food arrives (except for the food of one hungry girl which is delayed by wolves at the door), forks are lifted, beers are spilled, martinis are chocolated, gifts exchanged. Seconds later, time warps, you find yourself in a backseat with scenes of Provincetown whipping past your window. The speakers crack and shudder as Home Sweet Home and countless other Heavy Metal ballads are infused into your head. The car glides through a moon-like nature scene of dunes which swell and shrink in rhythm to a juxtaposed screaming guitar solo. The sunset happened behind the clouds and, before the car even stopped at the edge of the beach, doors were opened and ladies were dancing in the sand. Spinning and leaping into the gusty and blue air to the sounds of Bon Jovi, Skid Row, and the La Guns. In the distance a lone dark figure lies down in the dunes. This unforgettable beach scene keeps replaying in your head and before you expect it, you are introducing your band to a room of friendly intimidation. It's a little hard to hear but people are smiling and cheering and encouraging. Two girls stand right up front staring and they seem to both enjoy and mock the band. Soon a small crowd is dancing inches away and a few songs get a make-over. Queer Eye for the Straight Song - 1,000 Times goes disco. Cymbals crash right through your ears. It's so hot in here. A small time later, a coyote slinks out of the headlights and you sit back on a crowded sofa, your legs shaky and exhausted. Some ladies dance. A glass shatters. A cat screams. An inflatable mattress takes it's sweet time. 11 people sleep in a small apartment. Snores from the sofa-bed probably infuriate the cat. A sweater makes a poor pillow and the sun busts through the window. Everybody rubs their eyes. Everybody stretches their arms. Just The Two Of Us oozes from the speakers. Outside, the grass is green and the horses are eating. The hammock swings and a giant pole is captured - I can see my house from up here. Strawberrys and french toast and real maple syrup are eaten to the sounds of Dusty Springfield. Later, the Canyoneero slides down the arm and back onto the main land. 63! 65! 70! Clap, clap, clap. The soundtrack continues and you suddenly realize you know just about all the words to Too Much Time On My Hands. What are McDonalds french fries without salt? Nothing, that's what. Nothing but tasteless poison wrapped in grease. The tank enters Northampton and the soldiers spill out, blurry and dazed and ready to hop right back in and keep driving. But they don't the go their seperate ways and marvel at the suddeness of seasons. ant wes says: Henning covers the Provincetown story well, and entertainingly with his use of passive voice and/or avoidance of first person. For my own part, I kept finding myself thinking of Ken, who accompanied us on our first SFTD P-Town excursion but was absent from this one. For instance, when "Love Is A Stranger" by The Eurythmics came on the radio during our drive to the Cape and Henning suggested The Fawns cover it, I immediately heard Ken say "Let's cover it tonight!" And during our break at the show itself, what should come onto the house speakers but the sounds of The Mammals' latest album and Ken's drumming? Even on the ride home, when the Horace Silver Quintet was shunned and Styx cranked up, I could hear one of Ken's trademarked crestfallen sighs. On the other hand, for all I know, maybe Ken is a closet Styx fan and I'm the only one not versed in their canon (I thought we were listening to Night Ranger or Damn Yankees). I was even more clueless about the '88-'91 hair metal songs that blasted forth from Lexi's van at the beach (The La Guns?). No wonder I was never popular in high school. Your retort: What, like you're popular now? Brian says: Oh, but Tony--could you not hear my (and Ning's) crestfallen sighs last trip to P-town during the endless 70's One Hit Wonders? That, polka and zydeco and funk metal are things that make my heart wanna stop. OK, kids enough bickering. Well, so on my Rio I programmed 4 hours worth of music--and, yes I was also surprised that Ning turned up "Do You Love Me" by KISS (1976). But hey--cruisin' on an almost summer day, what else you gonna do? I tried to please everyone with my mix. Ning turned up the Nilsson, Tony turned up the Stones. I included songs about beaches and water, and "Lord Anthony" by Belle and Sebastian for Tony and "Kelly Watch the Stars" by Air for Kelly. And "Beatown" by XTC because you could pretend it was "P-Town". We also gave 2 listens to Ken's "Mrs. Summer" which I just love. I guess you can't please everyone all the time. I was unpopular in middle/high school during the hair metal days. In 6th grade for birthday I asked my sister for "The Best of The Doors" and "Ratt-Out of the Cellar". I got the Doors ,didn't get Ratt, and subsequently went on a long journey of 60's pop/rock. Never owned an 80's metal album, t-shirt or pin. My fate was sealed. At the Pig, I once again got a Lobster Toastie and it was again amazing. Though I said to Ning, "sometimes, fries threaten to upstage the main course". I also got a chocolate martini after because I wanted dessert and a drink. Ning covered everything else quite well. Tony lay in the sand for a long time, looking like an extra from the Seventh Seal or something. Were there extras in that movie? On my part, post-gig was a bit strange. I'm way out of multi-set drumming shape. And that was basically 3 hours of non stop drumming. The chicks dancing always makes me put a little something extra in the rhythm. I felt somewhat shakey, and even a tad woozy for an hour or so after the show--exhausted, hungry, I dunno. Maybe the sight of Max's blood made me woozy. Luckily there was woozy medicine back at Ahbi's. In no time, I was dancing the way I dance, which is the way someone's dad who can't dance dances. Then I realized I wasn't doing much to uphold my image as one of the coolest people you've ever met, so I started talking to the tiny grey kitty cat. I enjoyed everyone's company, the ride in the SUV was delightful, musical, funny and sleepy. What more can one say?	more pictures here