The guest of honor for the birthday bash slated for Friday, Dec. 11 at Club Meadows may not exactly be a household name.
But in many ways, that's precisely the point.
For many is the band that knows the name Crystal Willard—or at least her former on-air moniker, DJ Kissy. And that's why no fewer than four of the area's larger talents (progressive rock champions Q, Pallet with its punk-pop-gone-strange stylings, sonic assaulters Hot Black and Pajama Slave Dancers alums The Uncomfortables) gladly signed on to celebrate the woman who has devoted the lion's share of her adult life to all things local music.
"I volunteered at the Calvin for shows since I was 18," Willard says. "And I just grew to love music—especially local—and would jump from venue to venue a couple times a night."
It was around this time that Willard would assume her DJ Kissy alter ego and pump the airwaves at Holyoke Community College's 103.5 FM full of homegrown, original tunes she would get turned on to in the clubs each week.
While Willard admits she has had to "fade into the background" a tad in recent years, she does add that all of the excitement and energy surrounding her upcoming birthday bash has spurred a newfound sense of purpose.
"I want to begin doing shows once a month—at least—at Club Meadows, based on original rock music from the area," she says. "My dream is to see the Springfield scene brought back to life. … There is a lot centered around Chicopee and Northampton, but I think I really want to revive things a bit in East Longmeadow."
Speaking of Club Meadows, the venue itself celebrates its 20th anniversary the following night, Dec. 12, with a free buffet washed down with the rock/punk pop sounds of the Mary Petrone Band and Hero/Psycho.
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Meanwhile, several more of the Valley's finest will caravan to the Nutmeg State Dec. 11, lending sonic support to a Mark Mulcahy tribute show at the legendary Toad's Place in New Haven.
"I'm not even sure where to start," says singer/songwriter Henning Ohlenbusch of his connection to the former Miracle Legion frontman. "Mark and I are friends, and we've played shows together, recorded songs… and this tribute made in honor of his wife, Melissa [who passed away just over one year ago], was just a natural progression of this all for me."
In addition to performing with his own School For The Dead that evening, Ohlenbusch says that he is slated to collaborate with Chris Collingwood (of Fountains of Wayne fame) on some tunes that will also feature fellow School For The Dead-head Brian Marchese on drums and The Winterpills' Philip Price on guitar.
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Last up, with so many regulars committed to these two special evenings, what does the venue widely considered as the premiere place for live performance—the Iron Horse—have on tap? Lots of horsin' around, it appears. A back-to-back funnybone attack begins Thursday, Dec. 10 with The Bobs Holiday Show and continues the following evening, Dec. 11, with comedian Todd Barry.
The former act has been described as "Manhattan Transfer on helium" and adorns classics by the likes of The Beatles and Vince Guaraldi with demented holiday twists. The latter is perhaps best known for his role as Mickey Rourke's porn-surfing prick of a boss in The Wrestler.
"Not to take anything away from the introverted and sullen mumblers that pack the room to good effect," notes Iron Horse Entertainment Group Marketing Director Jim Neill of the impending yuckfest, "but these days, a little laughter is essential to maintain moments of sanity, and we're hoping to keep a steady flow of comedians on the Iron Horse stage and the Calvin as well."
Send correspondence to Nightcrawler, P.O. Box 427, Somers, CT 06071; fax to (860) 698-9373 or email garycarra@aol.com.
