Search - Slackstring :: Place to Be

It was Slackstring's first time on the East coast, and the band's first visit to Burlington, Vermont. Coming off the heels of two shows in NYC that were off-the-hook crazy and a predictably slow Monday night in Boston, the band arrived in Burlington as the sun was setting over Lake Champlain. It was every bit as beautiful as the imagery in Phish songs and definitely had a vibe all it's own. As the band set up their gear and did a sound-check, Big D and I made flyers to pass out, and then my college buddy Greg drove us around to promote the show. D rolled down his window and pointed his bullhorn at unsuspecting pedestrians, "One night only, Big D and Slackstring at Nectar's! Be there! It's the place to be on a Tuesday night!" It was all Greg could do to keep control of the car, he was laughing so hard. I was in the back seat, slowly reclining and laughing as we buzzed corner after corner, making a Hamiltonian circuit of the town. Then someone with another bullhorn started following us, shouting "Don't go to Nectar's tonight!" We were flabbergasted. What were the odds of someone else utilizing a bullhorn? And what did they have against us? We never did find out as they sped off when we pulled over to confront them. Undaunted, we continued our mission and returned to the venue to meet up with the band and eat dinner. Later, after many beers, a Mike Gordon encounter (he was present to watch the opening act, Shaina Reeves, girlfriend of one of his buddies in RAQ, but had to leave "at exactly 9:35" for another gig) and another amazing set from the incredible Don "Big D" McCloskey, Slackstring took the stage and the crowd pushed forward. It was Northern hospitality at it's finest. Two guys from Boston made the drive to Burlington to catch Slackstring for the second night in a row, our mountain bike guide from Idaho who went to school in Burlington was there and my buddy Greg, who helped us get the gig, was in the front row with his soon-to-be fiance and her little sister, who "brought the fire all night long." It's always special for a young band to have an enthusiastic crowd outside their home town, but for it to happen 3,000 miles away made the night truly special. Place to Be is more then a document of the night, it's a time capsule of the "Big D-Tour" that Slackstring and Don McCloskey took in the fall of 2006. Nectar's sound-man, Sergei, dialed the band in perfectly, and what you hear is a straight from the soundboard, mixed by a true master. We hope you enjoy "Place to Be" as much as we enjoyed the experience - we can't wait to come back to the East Coast!