Speedball Baby & John Spencer Blues Explosion, @ Lupo's
10/31/96

I should mention that I work in one of those big office buildings with a huge vent system that blows "white noise," A/C, or heat, and also carries germs from cubicle to cubicle infecting everybody at the beginning of each winter. I caught a nasty virus right before this show, but since Holloween is a good bar night I felt it my duty to go out.

I took a cab to this show because I was seriously self-medicated and didn't want to Robitussen and drive. I figured it was supposed to start at 7:00 so I could be home by like 11:00 and get a good night's sleep.

At 7:30 I'd already watched John Spencer do his sound check and drive away in a mini-van. Spedball Baby's sound check was pretty good too, they did "Shakin' it Loose" like three times for us. The only thing that sucked was watching from OUTSIDE 'cause it was cold as shit, and I was like I'm here on time - open the damn door..!

After they opened the door it wasn't long before Speedball Baby did their set. They were freaking ok by me. Their greasy rockabilly punk horny thing was great for a Halloween night. I was pretty out of it but it tried to take pictures and pay attention as best I could.

The band's best songs were "Rubber Connection," but that might be a personal thing because every time I hear it I want to put on my rubber pants and dance. They didn't play long - but they did play hard - so I give them the thumbs up.

After their set the guitar player was selling their CD so I got him to do a promo shot for Whatever. I was feeling pretty good, knew I didn't have to drive - decided what the hell, it was Halloween, one little drink won't kill me. John Spencer's tech guys were still setting stuff up. I had plenty of time until I had to take the photos I really didn't have a pass for, so I got a beer.

WRONG. I managed three sips before I really felt like shit. I gulped down the rest only because I had paid money for it, debated asking for a nice herbal tea at the bar, and ended up watching John Spencer from the steps. I didn't write down any of the song names or anything because I didn't know them. Nameless or otherwise, John Spencer played good blues rock.

This was my first JSBE show and I was impressed by his ability to play. The band has a pretty loyal following here in Prov, so everybody had a great time. John played for what seemed to me to be a really long time, I'm rather vague as recollections are pretty blurry at best.

I guess I had another few drinks because I remember some girl asked me for a sip of my beer, but I couldn't remember buying it. I do remember I just looked at it for a few seconds then told her "No I'm sick." I also remember getting clammy skin and almost puking from the stink of a joint some punk was smokin'. JSBE was actually pretty cool to watch during all this. John has heart, that's for sure, and I have to be glad somebody is bringing back the blues. I didn't make it to the end because I started to feel really shitty and had to leave.

The next day I called in sick and went to the doctor where I passed out in his office because I was really dehydrated. They gave me two IVs of fluid and sent me home with a note for work. The doctor was totally cool, and believed me when I told him I wasn't a junkie, just sick as shit. He took blood, let the nurse practice her IV stuff, and sent me home with a bunch of perscriptions. So that's why the photos suck - sorry....