Graffiti’s was known as a “party bar”, “meat-market” and “pick-up-joint”. The club was advertised as a “50’s, 60’s & 70’s music experience”. It was located on the popular Elmwood Strip and it featured live music, dancing and lots and lots of drinking. The club is upstairs from “Casa Di’ Pizza”, an Italian restaurant.

The elevator to the second floor was often broken, leaving the road crew no other choice but to lug the equipment piece by piece up the long steep narrow stairway, not designed for the modern-day rock bands. The gang was barely able to fit the Hammond B3 organ, the Fender Rhodes, and a pair of midrange P.A. cabinets and bass scoops. In fact, the roadies had a bit of a fit playing at this place because of the painful challenge in getting the equipment up to the stage.

Tonight’s gig at Graffiti’s, Wednesday May 6^th was a one small part of a busy month for the band, scheduled to play twelve gigs in May including the Starting Gate Cafe, the Bachelor’s Den, Holland Willows, the Old Harmony Bar, the Eagles Roost, and Dad’s Café, New York New York and then at the end of the month, Parousia was scheduled to play Friday and Saturday night at Lou’s Inn in Westfield, NY. It was a gig so contentious that it caused Kim Watts to quit the band on May 25^th, four-days before the show.

Kim’s departure would pose a big problem for the remaining band since much of Parousia’s recent popularity was generated from a song that Kim wrote and sang.

“Miss Ogyny” appeared on “Buffalo Rocks” the freshly released 97 Rock album and broadcast on WGRQ FM radio, in addition to being mentioned many times in the local press.

The attendance for tonight’s show was not impressive and the band earned a flat $200.00 for performing three (45 minute) sets of music. A poor turn out was not unexpected since Wednesday night isn’t known as the night of “stepping out” except for alcoholics, people with sleep disorders and angry loners… anyway it wasn’t our fault, schools were still in session and students were studying long hours to pass final exams before summer break.

The band did have some road support for this show, Dave Styn ($40.00) ran the sound and Mike Carroll ran the lights ($35.00). Mike brought two friends with him to help out and Garth’s brother Keith pitched in too. Each of them was paid $10.00. The booking agency Backstage Productions took their 15% and the remaining bulk went to pay rent at the Music Mall ($64.00) and to rent the equipment truck ($52.00).

The band wasn’t overly concerned about money (yet), not while the gigs were coming in fast and furious.