First time you saw Rustic?

[4khiker]

When and where was the first time you saw them?
I saw them open for Toots and the Maytals I think, in 1996? at the Hampton Beach Casino. Anyone else remember this show?
They were playing Simple Song all over the radio, and I got a copy of Long Division at a Strawberrie's in Portsmouth, NH.

[Darek]

Wow, I can't believe we haven't done this yet, good call 4k.

I came in later-ish, my Freshman year of college, 1999. A buddy of mine told me I HAD to check this band out after he had listened to me blast my music for the first month or so of classes. It was Oct. 23rd, Howie Day opened and as soon as Rustic hit the stage I knew it was going to be a good time. Smoke was what hooked me and I still miss the Megaphone every day.

[cherry]

I stumbled on RO in 2001 opening up for 2 Skinnee J's. I was on vacation in Myrtle Beach, SC and wanted to coordinate a rock show outing at the House of Blues. I fell in love with Iron Boots and have been a fan on the guys and their side projects since.

[araungzeb]

Although I'd been a fan since the days of Long Division, never got to see them live until the first Bull Moose show in Scarborough right after the reunion. Seen them five times since, and it hasn't grown old. ^_^

[kd]

1996 at the Waterville Opera House. Poor building's so old, I thought the floor was going to cave in under all of the dancing feet!

[onlycrayons]

Winter of 1996-97, can't remember the exact date, freshman year at Middlebury College. Had a lot to drink and didn't remember that I had bought Long Division until I found it in my coat pocket the next day.

[dev]

Localpalooza at Somerville High School, on the football field, 1996. It was supposed to be a 1 day event, but had to go 2 because of rain. On the bill: Thanks to Gravity, Max Creek(?), Heavens to Murgatroid, and a couple others.

It was my first concert ever, Junior year of HS. I was up front for Rustic, in the rain. When they let loose and were playing, Dave was screaming, I was hooked on going to live shows in general, Rustic especially.

[kevbag]

I think it was the summer of 96...maybe 97? I was living in Ohio at the time and dating a girl from Iowa City. She caught them earlier in the year and bought Long Division and sent me a copy. I came out, they were in town, and the rest is history. Seen them in IA, TX, PA, and OH. This is the master flier from the show (she copied them and hung them up). It's framed and on the wall in my studio.

[Jeff]

This August at Revolution Hall

I've told the story here before but basically I got into them sept. '02, just months after they broke up. This summer, I was planning my trip to Boston to see them at Harper's Ferry when I found out they were playing in Troy, and waited for that instead.

[scottiebaio]

Sometime in 98/99 opening for Shootyz Groove at the old Lupos. Freaking sick.

[csprague]

First time I saw them was when they headlined at Bumstock in the spring of 1998. Great show, by the way, and the band that played before them was great, too: Strange Pleasure.

Not sure what ever happened to them.

My biggest memory of that show though wasn't the set, it was the fact that we were right in front against the front barricade, and my friend got shoved and broke his thumb!

[Nuphus]

Gratefully Rustic came back together to give me my first show on Aug. 4th, 2007 at The Asylum. I've known of Rustic since 1997 or so and tried to get to their show in '98 when they played, what was once called, Club Toast in Burlington, Vt.

In the '90's Burlington was and still has a vast array of musical talents to pick and choose from. On any night in Burlington you can find Country & Western to Underground Hip-Hop and Electronic Dance music. I don't think you'll find any other place in the US that has so much music with so little population. Some choices you make and just live with...

On the other hand my wife has been around since the start or before the start of Rustic and I live vicariously through her stories and knowledge. ;D


Side notes:
Burlington City est. population is 39,000
Portland City est. population is 64,000
Chittenden County, Vt. est. population is 150,100
Cumberland County, Me. est. population is 274,600

[onlycrayons]

nahtus said:

tried to get to their show in '98 when they played, what was once called, Club Toast in Burlington, Vt.

Ah Club Toast. I went to that show in 98. Back when they were touring with Everything, yes? Higher Ground, Nectars, and Metronome are all nice, but there was something about Toast that doesn't exist anywhere else now.

[Nuphus]

So true about Club Toast being its own place. Especially when they allowed smoking in bars. I think that HigherGround tried to turn their lounge bar area into that Club Toast feel. The only other place that has some of that feel would be summer outdoors shows at Red Square on the stage. Especially when Turkey Boullion Mafia is throwin' down.

Good times.....

[extracake]

My first show was sometime around when I got my license. I saw them at a park in Yarmouth for free near where they have the clam festival. The year was 93 I think. I remember loving ska music at the time, and freddy along with scarecrow blew me away. I know it was not too long after that show bull moose started carrying Shish Boom Bam. I tried hard to spread the sound to others then as I do now. I tried particularly hard in college at Old Dominion and then at URI. I was at the show mentioned earlier in this thread at Lupos with shootyz. Amen to this site and rustic coming back.

[Rachel]

My dad bought me tickets to what I thought was some crappy podunk local band. I grew up in Augusta, Maine and I'd just vaguely heard of them at the time. I'll admit that I grew up listening to some baaad music, so my views were somewhat.. askew.

Well, it took me about 5 seconds to be converted, and thoroughly in love with them from that point forward. I can't remember the year, but I know it was at the State Theater. Since that moment they have been my favorite band, and always will be. I consider it to have been a turning point in my life, since from that point forward I've been a staunch supporter of good, live, local music. Not to mention the countless trips I took to Portland/Presque Isle/Boston/Rockland lalalala to see them..

I moved away from Maine shortly before they broke up, and I stopped keeping up on their doings for various reasons, so when I looked them up again after a few years, I was astonished and horrified that they'd called it quits.

Anyway, I'll cut my essay short. lol. Suffices to say, reunion & me back on the right coast (sorta) = pure joy.

[svenhogan]

Limelight NYC

Pilfers, Rustic Overtones, FISHBONE-

Liked them almost immediately!!!
;D

[moose]

ohhhhh man!!!! how was fishbone??? i fuckin love that band. if you guys haven't checked that band out, do yourself a frickin service and get their album "chim chim's badass revenge"

i would recount my first rustic show right now, but it will have to wait... i need to finish my public discourse final.

[Tim Nickerson]

my mom knew jon roods dad.. and he gave her a bunch of CD's and tapes of shish.. i still have 3 green case CD's

I saw them in like 96 somewhere in portland.. i was like 13

[mevans05]

stonehill college in the winter of 96-97. my sophmore year in college. they were opening up for a pearl jam cover band called itchy fish, which was the main reason i was there. i'm a huge PJ fan, but also love ska (esp. the bosstones - by the way, can you believe what hometown throwdown tix are going for this year?!?!!! insane.). i was instantly struck by rustic's ska sound and raved about them to all my high school friends scattered throughout the country at college through email. one of them worked at the ithaca college radio station and grabbed My Dirt from a cut-out bin and gave it to me. i was hooked, but didn't see them live again until 99. from 99-02 i had to have seen them about 20 times - in boston, providence, portland, etc. i also launched ironboots.com as a fun way to learn HTML. the amount of support i got from fans and the band was so inspiring. i'm glad to see that norm and tim picked up the torch with their fan sites. well done fellas!!! keep it coming.

[meader63]

my first time was in 97 i think....thomas college

[font]

My buddy Dave sent me an MP3 of Cherry during my freshman year of college when MP3s were new and Napster ruled the universe. I was transfixed. That summer when I got home I bought Viva on release and found Rooms at a local CD store shortly thereafter. Unfortunately I didn't get to a show until that December, and Tony and Ryan had just left teh group. It was a nice show but I was bummed about not seeing the same group whose CD I had worn to shreds the previous semester (and who WAS that sax player? He faded into obscurity. Even Marc from PSC got a cameo during the final show).

I also regretfully decided not to make the trek to Portland for the final show and I regretted it for five years. So, you can imagine my glee when I found out the group was getting back together and I could go see them at harper's ferry! That show was awesome and I'm pumped up for the show coming up on the 15th. I don't think I can emphasize how lucky we are that they decided to give it another go.

[moose]

keith reynolds filled zoidis' spot

[ftmyersmike]

Feb. 24th 1998 U.N.H with Ruby Horse....Stood in front all night...deaf for a week

[artbean]

The first time that I saw Ructic I was working at a restaurant in Lake George, EQX was at the restaurant cause it was thursday night fire works and usually we were really busy but it rained that day so there was no one at the restaurant. i ended up talking to the radio guys and they had tickets to give away that night, I convined them to give me a pair of the tickets and they did. I ended up going to the show at the Pickle Barrel in Vermont. I was right next to the horn section and I fell in love with the band. that had to be the summer of 2oo1 cause i was home from college working. I ended up spending all my money that year buying rustic cds and going to any show that I could get to, It was a great year and this one is just as great cause I have been doing the same thing again.
ahhh memeories

[muse101]

The first time I saw Rustic was at SPUDSTOCK in the summer of 1995! I bought shishboombam and got it autographed. Good times.

[muse101]

huoppi said:

nahtus said:

tried to get to their show in '98 when they played, what was once called, Club Toast in Burlington, Vt.

Ah Club Toast. I went to that show in 98. Back when they were touring with Everything, yes? Higher Ground, Nectars, and Metronome are all nice, but there was something about Toast that doesn't exist anywhere else now.

I have a setlist from Jan 1998 Rustic show at club toast when they played with Lettuce. Toast used to get some really great bands for such a small place.

[InRoom4]

Sometime in 1997 at The Call in Providence, RI. RBTH had just come out. A great friend of mine is Gutter's cousin, and took me out one Friday night to check out his band. I distinctly remember them playing Cherry to soundcheck with, and I was instantly hooked.

[jeff]

I first saw them live back in 97/98 at the Sunday River Ski Resort. I had already been listening to their CDs for a while, but didn't go to many concerts back then. Anyway, they had Shufflin' Tremble opening for them, and played 2 sets that night. I wanted to stick around and watch the second set, but one of my friends who was there with me needed to work the next morning, so we had to leave.

I still have the shirt I got at that show (black with the angel from my avatar on it), though it's all torn and faded, and the autographed Rooms By The Hour poster I got, though that was damaged in a move a few years back.

[mara1129]

Spam removed by Darek