Metal, Hardcore, Punk, Death Metal, Thrash Metal... whatever

Metal, Hardcore, Punk, Death Metal, Thrash Metal... Qwerty and miserable, always wanting more.

Monday, July 24, 2017

"Edge Fest" 1995, a D.A.R.E sponsored event

Mouthpiece at the Moose Lodge in Lockport (photo courtesy of Jason Jammer)
22 years ago (July 23rd, 1995), my friend Gerald booked a show that featured two bands I was in, Plagued with Rage and Halfmast, along with local favorites Envy, Cornerstone from CT and the mighty Mouthpiece from NJ. But when we arrived at the club it was scheduled to be at, the very seedy Niagara Hotel, or as the flyer put it the "Niagara Roach Hotel," it was locked up tight. I had only ever been to one other show there, 108, so I wasn't too familiar with the place other than that it was a dump.  Maybe management took exception to being called the Roach Hotel, I don't know. After waiting around for a long while and kids showing up and all the bands being present, we had to come up with something. 
The Flyer.
The Roach Hotel, as it stands today, thanks to Google.
After some discussion, a plan was devised to go down the street to a Moose Lodge and try and make the show happen. When Gerald and I got down there, there were some old timers sitting around inside and we asked them if we could have some band play there, as the Roach Hotel had snubbed us. One of the men in charge was VERY not into having what he perceived as a bunch of punk hoodlums running round inside the sanctity of his fraternal order's meeting place. 
The distance to the Moose

The Moose Lodge, as it stands today, thanks to Google.

We explained that these were straight edge bands and that there would be no drugs or alcohol at the show. Gerald was wearing a thrift store "DARE To Keep Your Kids Off Drugs" shirt, as he often did, and next thing I know I'm telling this guy, in his Moose Lodge office, that the show is a D.A.R.E. sponsored event. HE BOUGHT IT WHOLESALE and the show was able to happen, as documented by the videos below. 






I asked Gerald about it today and he said; "I don't remember too much about why we couldn't do the show there. Especially since I did that 108/ Bloodlet show shortly before. My main memories were around us freaking out and you walking around downtown Lockport trying to find a solution. With one of the all time long shots actually panning out."

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