Why Feb 20th sucks

[DonBoVH'66]

Four years ago The Station Club burned down killing 100,injuring another 200 and 100 kids lost at least one parent. I'm sure you all remember the story.
Sometimes when you hear about a tragedy like that you feel for the victims but you don't really identify with them. But these people were our own. Hard working family people. Rock and rollers out to see a show. More than one obituary mentioned that the victim was a fan of Van Halen. I saw Diver Down at that club a couple of years earlier. Maybe that's why it hits home.

So I'm a Freshman in college and had joined the campus radio station. I'm hanging out filing albums(yes albums) and I hear Fools so I poke my head in the studio to give the DJ my seal of approval. That DJ was Dr. Metal. And I'll never forget the necklace he had on-the old logo silver VH. How's that for cool? For those who don't know Dr. Metal(Mike Gonsalves) went on to become the overnight DJ on the local rock station,host of the Metal Zone and a local legend.
He died in the fire.

Since the fire whenever I go to a concert I look around and wonder how many of those that perished that night would be standing right beside me partying and enjoying the show. It makes me appreciate being able to be there.

So please join me in raising a glass in memory of all those who were injured or lost that night.

[fullbug5150]

Slaint'e

[LLFHS]

<bows head>

[ZeoBandit]

*Moment of silence*

[Darkstar]

[Raldo]

I still get chills from even the mere mention of that tragedy. My thoughts and prayers go out to all the families and friends of the victims.

[DonBoVH'66]

bump

[sixstring]

<bows head>

Same here.

Hope you're well, man.

[jetguy5150]

I still think about this tragedy a lot. In fact just last month I was playing around with the Google Street View and I went to the site of The Station to see what was left. Just a blank empty lot. Sad, sad story.

http://newsblog.projo.com/2010/02/st...-ceremony.html

[billy007]

even though I haven't seen the video, I still kind of recall it vividly. The band rocking and all of a sudden the flames and all hell breaks loose. Just something out of a nightmare...

[E-roc]

This shit happens way more often than it should - of course once is too much.
But the same thing happened in Bangkok New Years two years ago and more recently in Russia. It's a shame some of the negligence. It has made me much more aware of where the exits are whenever I go out.

RIP the fallen.

[edwardv]

RIP ,When I used to do clubs alot back in the day I would think to myself what the fuck would happen if this place went up in flames with all these drunks.......

[jetguy5150]

It has made me much more aware of where the exits are whenever I go out.

You and me both! When I go out pretty much anywhere, since the fire at The Station, I always scout out the exits. Once I have my "worst case scenario plan" in place I can enjoy my night a whole lot more.

[Double Down]

This story always hit home with me as well. The Station was about 20 minutes from my house and when I woke up the next morning the story was saturating local tv. More than one person called me that day because they wondered if I might have been there. From '00-'03 I was on a huge concert kick and went to almost any 80's retread show that came through my area.


Thank God I didn't know they were playing nearby that night because I probably would have gone had someone mentioned it to me and they wanted to go check it out. I didn't really care one way or another about Great White back in the day but I would have gone just to hear Once Bitten Twice Shy and have a few laughs. Thats what has always kind of freaked me out about this tragedy, that its a place I realistically could have been that night.

Posted from mobile device.

[Onirb]

I went to URI and I get bummed out hearing about this. I actually met Dr Metal once at a Charity softball event at URI and we was a great person.