Starfish & Rock Stars
	Hennessey at The Starfish Room, Vancouver BC with Staggered Crossing and Morning Maker 4/17/2001 by Brett (balamb@seanet.com). I arrived really early, because I didnt know how crowded it would be or in fact where I was going. After driving around in circles to find parking, I got out and walked past the club, checking it out and looking for signs of life. I could hear a band sound-checking inside, but it didnt sound like Hennessey. The door was closed so I kept walking. I went around the block looking for a cash machine, but never did find one that worked. After touring the neighborhood I headed back towards the Starfish Room. I spotted Pam right away, coming up the street towards me, but I was really surprised when she recognized me! She was going to the van to get a box of CDs, etc but she stopped and we talked for about 10 minutes. She told me that they were going on first, and would probably not get a soundcheck at all. Not to mention that they were only going to play for 30 minutes at most. Disappointing news, certainly, but I was just happy to be there and meeting her! I dropped names at the door until they let me in without paying the $1 cover (Pam told me to! Hennessey wasn't getting any of it anyway). Morning Maker was doing their sound check and setting up some stage lighting that they had brought with them. I found a spot out of the way and watched. Eventually Pam came by and we talked some more. I gave her the Kinder Eggs and she seemed amused by that. We discussed the tour and assorted things. As the guys came by, she introduced me to all of them. Everyone was very cool... nice and friendly. Mostly they couldn't believe I drove 3 hours in the pouring rain to be there for a 30 minute set, but what's a guy to do? They all made the rounds, spending most of their time with some local friends that they apparently knew from touring together in the past. When it was their turn they crammed themselves and gear onto the small and crowded stage (there was already two bands worth of gear up there). Pam, in ponytails, left to change returning much later in shiny pants and looking altogether much more like a rockstar. Meanwhile, most of the guys had swung by to say hello, and I got to talk to each of them a bit. The conversations kinda blur together though, because I was in a bit of a daze. Soon the whole band was backstage, and I was waiting with only a beer or two to keep me company. The place was still mostly empty as they came out and started playing without introduction. It was a short set, and Pam told me later that they chose to play only the songs that were getting the best crowd reactions. I dont remember the exact set-list, but I do recall that it was mostly from Life on AM Radio. At one point Pam seemed to forget the words during Delilah, but she laughed it off. After the set, Pam got me a free beer, which was very cool of her, I thought. It was too loud in there to talk, really, but we sorta did, standing by the merchandise table. She told me they had something for me backstage, a surprise, and that I should remind her to get it before I left. I brought out my copy of Life on AM Radio and handed it to Rory to sign, and he offered to pass it around to everyone for me, thus saving me the trouble. He found everyone but Romano and said: "He's not on there anyway," but I still would have liked him to sign it, especially now that it looks like I may not ever get the chance. The band members did some hob-nobbing with new fans and old friends. Pam told me that they were going soon, that they had to get up early to start the long drive back. This reminded me of my own long drive, and since it was only getting later, I decided that as they were starting the load-out, it was a good time to say good-bye and cut out. I didn't remember until later that I didn't get the surprise Pam told me about, but I was still pretty psyched! I had just seen them, met them, and got autographs, free beer, and a hug from Pam!! Woo!
	Copyright ©2001, Sensitive Poets. Photos & images copyrighted by owner. Questions, comments, corrections, additions, submissions, subtractions, admissions and random thoughts should be e-mailed to balamb@seanet.com. Last updated 6/15/01