A Torrid Reunion

 I walk through the draped entry of The Rocket Lounge to meet face to face with a good friend I haven't seen in years. Lucas Danelon stands before me, black leather jacket and all. After the traditional rock club embrace he introduces me to his new band mates Andy and Eddie. They are Dear Dangerous and before I can say "hey" Lucas has already slapped a handful of their new e.p.'s in my hand. Already a seasoned musician, promoter, tour manager, event organizer and radio personality-Lucas has just driven over 2,000 miles from Southern California for a reunion performance with his former band Torrid. Years ago, when the local music scene here in Grand Rapids was "alive and kicking"- they were one of the hottest bands to draw the crowds at clubs like Ten Bells, The Intersection, and The Orbit Room and winners of the local Battle Of The Bands. I find myself a bar stool and sit down to adjust the settings on my new camera. As more folks start to meander in, I recognize familiar faces I haven't seen in forever.

This gets me thinking. The last few years have taken a toll on West Michigan and this includes the music scene. And then I think about the owners of these little taverns like The Rocket Lounge, Louie's, Jukes, Mulligans Pub, Teazer's Bar & Grille and others-and how wonderful it is that they still provide a place for local bands to get on a stage and do what they love.

By the time 11 o'clock rolls around, the crowd has grown in numbers and some start chanting Torrid-Torrid-Torrid, and finally the lights dim and it's on. Ripping into Feel The Day, Scandalous and Main Team it felt like it had only been a month and not 5 years since these dudes had rocked the stage together. The crowd is beyond happy they are going freaking nuts! As for me, the coolest part is seeing the absolute joy on the faces of each member of Torrid. The girls jumping on stage dancing and feeding them beer doesn't hurt either. Even the bartender joins them for a performance of  Drowning Pool's song Bodies. Yep. It doesn't get much better than this. Ask any musician and they will tell you that in the long run, it's not about the money or the fame-these guys just want to get on stage and f***ing rock.
Torrid Reunion 2010_enhanced.wmv