Archipelago is a noun meaning a group of many islands in a large body of water and just so happens to describe the rock band Parousia to a tee. Each musician distinctly different yet sharing certain artistic influences and goals that contribute to the creative whole, bigger and better than the sum of its parts, that was the band Parousia.

This was the band’s sixth show at the Willows in Holland NY, a long trek from Cheektowaga, NY where the band rehearsed at the Music Mall.

The Willows was a decent venue to perform at. It was an entertainment center of sorts for the locals. It had a large bar, banquets rooms, a bowling alley and a rock band on stage every Thursday – Saturday night. Normally, we were asked to play on Thursday’s, but we were called in at the last minute to do this show and since it was a Saturday night, how could we refuse??

June was a busy month for gigs. Buffalo Backstage just published a band review of Parousia written by Rick Falkowski. The article highlighted the bands song selection and overall presentation of the music.

Specifically, the band’s “Good vs. Evil” show-set that focused on original material and the more eclectic cover songs in the Parousia repertoire. Songs you wouldn’t hear being covered by any other local band such as, “Second Coming / Ballad of Dwight Fry”, “Toronto Tonto’s”, “Hocus Pocus”, “Perpetual Change”, “Hold Your Head Up” and a few Jethro Tull songs thanks to Parousia’s lead man on flute, Patt Connolly. (Patt was up for male vocalist of the year in the upcoming Buffalo Backstage Music Awards in September).

“…the word Parousia conjures up a meaning of something different and this is very appropriate because Parousia is not your normal run-of-the-mill rock band. Until recently, the influences of Parousia had an adverse effect on their popularity.  All too often people wanted to hear the same copy material from the recording superstars.

…Now, show and original material is demanded by WNY audiences, people want to see what bands can offer as themselves and bands that offer the SOS are losing popularity.  The turn of events has put Parousia in the driver’s seat. They are one-step ahead of the crowd now people want to hear what they have been doing for years…” – Buffalo Backstage, June 1981

At the Holland Willows, the audience preferred our “classic rock” set of music so for this particular, venue the band shelved the show-stuff. Instead we regaled them with rock standards like “Won’t Get Fooled Again” by the WHO, “Free Bird” by Lynyrd Skynyrd, “Train Kept a Rollin’” by Areosmith, “Ridin the Storm Out” by REO Speed Wagon and “White Punks On Dope” by the Tubes.  We gave it to them with all we had.