Photos & Review by Frank Piercy
August 15, 2015
Last week, I attended a stag on Friday night and then just after midnight, I left for the five hour drive to Mechanic Falls, Maine to attend The Party in the Pasture Rockfest. This was going to be historic, marking the return of Jack Russell’s Great White to New England since the tragic Station Fire in Rhode Island a dozen or so years ago.
There were two other highlights of the evening, a band called DMK, featuring Scotty Dunbar, a survivor of that night and Steelheart. With a half dozen other local metal bands opening.
Gates opened around 11:30am to a beautiful day. Clear blue skies with clouds scattered about. A great day for an outdoor show. Unfortunately, or should I say per usual, I missed the first band on the bill, a local act called Tester.
Just in time to catch another of the local acts, Civil Disturbance. It is refreshing to hear local bands that aren’t trying to be the next Killswitch Engage or Hatebreed, but playing good old fashioned heavy metal. After Civil Disturbance, 13 High came unto the stage. One of the things that will grab my attention at a show with a lot of bands playing is one or two members that stand out, work the crowd and the stage, and their bass player did. Kamikaze Angel was another band that knew how to work the stage, with a lead singer and bassist who kept moving and playing to the very small audience. Limbo Cage played also. Gunhouse Hill, I really liked this band. Great stage presence, great sound. Toobad they are a Maine band and don’t play down in Connecticut very often. Fifth Freedom hit the stage after Gunhouse Hill, good stage presence and great sounding guitars, another of the bands I would go see again.
There were two reasons I wanted to cover this show, Jack Russell’s Great White and the band that hit the stage next, DMK.
The lead singer of DMK is Scotty Dunbar, a survivor of the Station Fire who lost two friends that night and one of the few people who have put the whole affair into what I feel is the right perspective, and he was there to show that. God Bless You Scotty.
DMK came out to a small crowd, something that had not improved on throughout the whole day. As with all the bands on before them DMK put on a show as if they were playing for a sell out crowd. Ted Merrill is the guitarist and boy can that kid shred. Brian Karl is on drums and I wish I could find the bassist’s name but I can’t sorry dude. Definite 80s influence on this band. The best part of this set was when Scotty spoke to the audience about the fire and the people who felt he shouldn’t be there that day, and the part that really touched my heart, living for those no longer with us.
Off to the side of the stage for most of DMK’s set was none other then Jack Russell, and Scotty came down after his speech and hugged this man. Seeing them together, smiling and talking was great and I feel the way it should be now. That was worth the trip.
DMK played a couple of more songs after that including a very interesting punk version of Guns and Roses ”Used to Lover Her”. I hope to see these guys again in the near future.
DMK Photos:
It was about this time the sun started setting and I kid you not, the concert photographers turned their attention to the setting sun and the pink clouds that brought Steelheart to the stage.
Miljenko Matijevic, the lead singer is the only original member left from the original 1990 incarnation, Uros Raskovski plays guitar, Rev Jones is the bundle of energy playing bass with Mike Humbert backing it all up on drums. The crowd had swollen to the biggest I had seen it all day probably about 200 people between the stage area and the beer tent. Once again though, another band that put their all into it and set the bar high for Jack Russell’s Great White. Age has caught up with all of us from that era of music, as evidenced by Miljenko’s grey hair, but that was all that you noticed, his voice was still fantastic and he did not slow down at all.
Rev Jones is a ball of energy all over the stage with that bass, Uros’s guitar playing is not exactly for the faint hearted his energy level being on par with Rev Jones. This was my first time seeing Steelheart and I was not disappointed at all. I wasn’t disappointed till the power went out.
Steelheart Photos:
Near the end of Steelhearts set Miljenko went into a high note and flash bang pop. No lights. No sound. After a few minutes of confusion Urso started into a small acoustic sing along then went off the stage, to an audience wondering if the show will go on and Jack Russell’s Great White will come out. Alas, the power didn’t come back on till 10:40 and with a 11pm hard stop for the show, they couldn’t make it out to the stage, but they did set up in the beer tent and meet everyone that was there at the show.
It was still a great show, and a little bit disappointing to see such a small turn out.
Hopefully they don’t give up and try again next year. If they do I will be there.
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