Mike Jurewicz’s Blog

So for awhile I have been thinking about writing entries about my time playing music in bands and my time being involved in the music scene.  My biggest conflict was that I have some very unflattering things to say about some of the people that I shared stages and floors and practice spaces with.  But then I realized, I don’t care so here is part one.

Now the title of this may seem a little odd and honestly it has nothing to do with music but is rather a metaphor that I put together because it was something a teacher of mine in high school said.  Directly across the street from the school use to be a big area covered with trees and in the summer between my sophomore and junior years those were leveled in favor of zero lot line single homes.  My first day of junior year in my history class our teacher just spontaneously (or really well planned) ran out the door of class, looked to the doors down the hall pointing to the former field and yelled “Where did all the trees go?  Where are all the kids going to go to smoke dope?”  Absolutely hilarious at the time and actually still today.  But thinking about what he said it could sort of relate to the number of venues that shut down over the years.  Thinking to myself, “Where did all the venues go?  Where are the kids going to go to play music?”

Through the three bands that I played in and two one time off deals I have played pretty much across Palm Beach County and bits of Broward and Dade.  I even got to play in Fort Myers and Lake Mary each.  That is definitely nothing compared to most bands but it is something I’m proud to be able to say that at least I played out.  I’ve had the honor of playing at some great venues and the dishonor of playing at some horrid ones.  All experiences unique and ones that I can fondly look back on and enjoy or laugh.  I feel great that I have been able to play at one time staples in the county like Spanky’s, Ray’s Downtown Blues, Ovation (or Orbit) and the Kelsey Club.  But alas none of them even exist anymore.

Venue owners or managers were also an odd bunch to deal with at times.  Some would go out of their way to make you feel welcome while others you wouldn’t even meet until the show was over.  Some were so delusional that they were the greatest venue in the world that no one could stop them, not even the town they were in that wanted them shut down.  But here are some stories about a handful of places and my stories about them.

Spanky’s in West Palm Beach was a place that bands always wanted to play at.  On Clematis in downtown West Palm it was just a little sports bar that opened their doors to local bands and late in it’s time to touring acts.  Most shows were inside on a small little stage right by the front door until the patrons started hating all the noise in there.  I can only remember playing one show inside and I don’t even remember it that vividly to be sure that is true.  But I’m about 90% sure.  There was a good sized stage with an area big enough for a few hundred people out back and that eventually became the spot where all shows would happen.

One of the managers that I fondly remember dealing with was Scott.  A nice guy with really no knowledge of local music and that would be a great guy to you or complete dick to you.  It really depended on how you conducted yourself.  I recall a few shows inside seeing Scott jump over the bar to grab kids to throw them out for either trying to start fights or for moshing that he thought was fighting.  After awhile I guess Scott got sick of dealing with the kids and really stopped being the main contact on shows anymore.  He pretty much only handled the money after that.  He then brought in this guy affectionately called Wurm in to do the sound and pretty much handle the shows.

I remember how I actually came to meet Wurm.  We were both active on a local music message board, Florida Local Music for those that may remember it, and I voiced my opinion about not liking a certain band.  I don’t remember their name but I remember they were kind of like Incubus, the stoner/experimental rock stuff and not the mainstream stuff they are known for now.  Wurm walked up to me at a show and asked if I was this person from the board and then asked why I didn’t like them.  I told him and we have been friends ever since.  I honestly thought he was going to deck me or get me jumped by them but I guess he just respected that it was my opinion and not that of anyone else.

Man Wurm could probably tell a crap ton of stories from Spanky’s but some that come to my mind was a show that was What Wishes Can’t Mend’s first hometown show in a long time.  During Target Nevada’s set the singer put is foot up on a monitor and actually broke the speaker on it.  Wurm was not to pleased but I didn’t see him actually flip out or anything over this.  But not to long later was a show where Tyranny of Shaw broke one of the microphones as they were I guess pissed that they had to play on a stage when they wanted to play on the floor.  Wurm was pissed and vowed to never let them play at Spanky’s again.   Wurm’s equipment took some beatings during that period and there was probably more times that I wasn’t even present for.  And as a little note eventually Wurm let Tyranny of Shaw play there again.

I unfortunately did not get to play all too many shows at Spanky’s as it shut down a little into my time with my second band.  I played there while in Visionary and also played there on a one time stint on bass for Travis McLeod.  I can’t really remember if I played there when in Leading the Heroes.  I know we were suppose to open for Glasseater and Hawthorne Heights there at one point but our drummer just up and left town before the show.  That will probably be a story for another installment.  But I did go to that show and it’s funny how huge Hawthorne Heights became after that tour.  I’d say may 50 people max knew who they were at that show.  Most were there to see Glasseater, the home town boys, play.  I saw some great shows with some great bands and great shows with band bands that were just fun to be at.  Just to list off a small bit: Converge, Between the Buried and Me, CKY, Darkest Hour, Cave In, Zao, Evergreen Terrace, MeWithoutYou, What Wishes Can’t Mend, Snapcase and many more.

While Spanky’s was a staple in the West Palm Beach music scene Ray’s Downtown Blues, or just Ray’s for short, was the heart and soul of it.  Ray’s was own by a wonderful man name Ray of course.  A fan of blues and rock that opened his doors to local music and touring music alike.  Giving the kids a place to play whether he was a fan of that style or not.  From the very first time I stepped on stage and shook Ray’s hand he remembered me from that point on.  Anytime I was in there whether it be to play with any of my bands or to see a show he knew me by name.  He even went as far as to at one show tell my parents that I was a great kid when he questioned why they were at the show.  Ray had a bad wrap with some people but usually those people didn’t like him because he kicked them out before for acting like idiots at shows.  Ray deserved respect.  He had been around a lot longer than most of us and he didn’t have to be putting on these shows.  He was helping out the bands.  But what I’m getting at was that Ray was a great venue owner, the best I have ever dealt with.  You treat him with respect and he would do the same back to you.

The place itself was right up my alley.  It was small, dark and felt just like some underground blues bar that you would just accidentally find in some major city while roaming around drunk.  The bathrooms were dirty, the pool tables were stained, the sound equipment had seen better days.  To many you would think the place was shit but oh no.  This was exactly the place that I liked.  It was the way rock and roll was suppose to be, stripped down and just the music.  Ray himself was no where close to punk rock but his bar definitely was.

I had the great honor of playing in Ray’s with all three of my bands multiple times.  I always had a good time playing there even if it was a shitty show as I just thought of it as our home venue.  I even ran a couple shows there that I booked.  Really after those I decided I hated booking and it was way too much stress.  I only ever booked a show of my own again as the CD Release show for And the Sky Went Black and I was stressing out at that one as well.

I shared the stage at Ray’s with such bands as Horse the Band, Heavy Heavy Low Low, The Handshake Murders, One Dead Three Wounded, Mason, Madelyn and the best band that no one truly gave a chance to, the Glasses Otter.  I also got to see countless other bands there that include Darkest Hour, Lucero, Set Your Goals, All Hell Breaks Loose, Against Me, BTBAM, Since By Man, Psyopus and many more.

I remember during Since By Man’s set a fight breaking out and them stopping right where they were.  I loved what the lead singer said because it was short and spot on.  He stated, “This why we never come down to South Florida.”  The scene was becoming notorious for fights at shows and some bands just didn’t want to deal with it.  Not only was South Florida completely out of the way of most tour routes but it was developing a bad rep for fights.

I had great times there during Lucero and Set You Goal’s shows while standing on stage with the band and tons of other people singing along to some of the songs.

Of all the places I have played at or gone and seen a show Ray’s is definitely the one I will miss the most.  The atmosphere and vibe of just the building itself coupled with one of the greatest human beings to ever walk the planet made that place amazing.  The only person who I can say I felt even slightly close to that feeling with is Nunzio at Backbone Music.

That brings me to Backbone Music, the little record store just off of Atlantic Ave in Delray Beach.  The first time I went in there I thought that the place would be perfect for small intimate shows and sure enough I was right.  I became pretty close with the owner Nunzio even buy his old record player off him.  He was extremely down to earth and really easy to talk to.  I would stop in there every couple of weeks to pick up or order some records with Nunzio going above and beyond to check his distributors to see if they had what I was looking for.

I got to play a good number of shows there while in And the Sky Went Black and always enjoyed it there.  Of course the sound wasn’t great but it was just a record store with a little PA for the mics.  But the shows were intimate with the people there right by you.  It was one place I could feel safe playing barefoot as well and did on several occassions.  Our first show there we got to open up for Kayo Dot and I was pretty happy abou that.  We also got to play with bands such as Towers, Peter & Craig, Coffin Dancer and Shitstorm there.

While Backbone is still open they have announced that they will be stopping putting on shows in May.  What the reasoning behind it isn’t really known but they say the shop will continue for the time being.  My guess is rising rent in the downtown Delray area despite these economic times.

It will be a shame if the whole place goes under as it is really the only record shop in Palm Beach county and the next closest one is down in Lauderdale.  Plus it is one of only a few places to play music in the county anymore for all ages, y views on non all ages shows will be for another blog.

Well there is me doing some reminising on some venues that I frequented during my music time.  I’m not to sure what I’m going to do part two on just yet but if you would like to hear about anything in particular please feel free to let me know.