20 years ago today #5 - 26 Oct 1985

The Channel - Boston - Winter Hours, Barrence Whitfield & The Savages, The Del Fuegos

My first trip to the old pile on (I believe) Fort Point Channel at the edge of downtown Boston. I ended up going here over 20 times over the years. (It seemed like more.) The Channel was good for multi-band local showcases and mid-level acts that were too big for The Paradise and too small for the Orpheum.

Winter Hours was a downtempo NYC band - in the mid-80s jangly vein. I'd heard one of their EPs (they released a bunch) on Link Records while at WRPI (just before moving to Boston). They reached the big time in 1989 and were never heard from after that. Winter Hours music for sale here on GEMM.

Barrence and the boys were a hot R&B band throughout the 80s. They released a few LPs on Rounder and always seemed to have a strong following. I saw them a few times during my years in Boston. Here are some things for sale from Barrence on GEMM.

(Update [10/28]: The band made a reunion appearance recently.)

I had seen The Del Fuegos once in Albany just after The longest day came out in 1984. Hell of a show as I recall. I think I was jealous of Warren Zanes - he was all of 16 or 17 years old, signed to a major label, touring the country. I was muddling through college. The next time I saw the DFs was here, just as their second LP, Boston, Mass. was coming out. "Don't run wild" was getting a lot of airplay. (I even won a copy of the LP on WFNX!) So they were huge in Boston. It was probably a great show - another one where I don't remember a thing. The DFs never realized their full potential, despite a nationally known beer commercial (I remember Rodney of The Dead Milkmen referring to them as "The Del Fuckos".) After Stand up and Smoking in the fields, that was it. I ditched the first two LPs in a purge of roots rock from my LP collection. (Seems to be a recurring theme.) I do have the last two on CD. I'd like to get the first two back. (Why haven't they showed up on CD yet?) Del Fuegos merch on GEMM here. Warren Zanes went on to get a Ph.D. and write a book about Dusty Springfield's Dusty in Memphis LP. Dan Zanes became popular for his kid-rock band.

Here is some more Del Fuegos history, courtesy of Boston music site Dirty Water.

A couple of CDs recorded at The Channel: Jon Butcher Axis live at The Channel and Iggy Pop live at The Channel.

(That's it until 8 Nov.)

So far:
Number of shows seen, October 1985: 5
Number of bands seen, October 1985: 12
Total number of shows: 5
Total number of bands seen: 12

Comments

[Carla]

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It was a GREAT show. I forgot about Barrence Whitfield, but Winter Hours and The Del Fuegos were fantastic that night. I still enjoy listening to both bands. I just got a nice two disc set of Winter Hours from Michael Carlucci (former band member) and owner of Subterranean Records in NY. My little boy loves Dan Zanes' recordings for kids. Hope you are well.