May 21^st, 1981, Parousia’s return gig to Dad’s Cafe on Clinton Street in Buffalo, we were paid $200.00.  Both Dave Styn (“head roadie”) and Mike Carroll (lighting technician) were paid $40.00 each.  We had two more roadies working for us tonight, Keith Huels and someone referred to as “Bob’s friend”, each were paid $10.00.  The truck rental expense for tonight’s gig was deferred ’cause we were playing again tomorrow night at ‘New York, New York’.

Backstage Productions (Rick) took their fee of 15% ($30.00) and besides the usual gasoline expense; we had to pay off Dave Maltbie, (Parousia’s ex-keyboard player and part owner of the Moog sonic-six synthesizer).  Since Dave wasn’t in the band anymore, we had to pay off his financial investment in the synth.  Oh, and we had to buy a new tape for the Maestro Echoplex which was not cheap at $20.00 a pop.

The band looked forward to performing at Dad’s. It was an intimate atmosphere where the people were right on top of the band. The bar and performing area was so small, we used only ½ of our P.A. and the drum riser had to fit behind it. A seven –piece band with three guitar set-ups, a large keyboard set-up (Hammond Organ with rotating Leslie speaker, Fender Rhodes piano, ARP Omni and Moog Sonic-Six synthesizers) and a full eleven piece drum set with hardware plus Kim’s percussion instruments.

I still don’t know how the band fit in that place, but we did and it was LOUD! The crowd loved us and we really fed off that energy and gave them the best show possible without poking someone in the eye with a microphone.

Between sets, the bathroom was the only place we had to change into fresh clothes, there was never a mirror, just a spot for mirror made of highly polished chrome so you could still see yourself, but not well enough for anything specific. There was no “backstage” at Dad’s, when we weren’t performing we were either hanging around outside the club near the equipment truck or inside chatting it up and drinking at the bar.

The band played eight shows in May 1981 starting on Friday, May 1^st at the Starting Gate Café on Seneca St. in South Buffalo. On Saturday, May 2^nd it was the Bachelor’s Den, Delaware Ave. Kenmore NY (a nice and rowdy Kenmore bar), then on Wednesday May 6^th, at Graffiti’s on Elmwood Ave. in Buffalo.  Saturday May 9^th at the Holland Willows in Holland NY. Thursday May 14^th the Old Harmony Bar on Memorial Drive in Buffalo. Saturday May 16^th the Eagle’s Roost in Olcott, NY. Wednesday May 21^st here, at Dad’s Café and then wrapping up the month at New York New York on Harlem Rd in Buffalo on Friday May 22^nd.