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New London, CT

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Venue Type Bar
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Backstage Pass

86 Golden St., New London, CT, 06320

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Location & Nearby Info
Backstage Pass
86 Golden St.
New London, CT 06320
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Reviews & Comments
USER REVIEWS
(no rating) May 03, 2008 - n00b

Apr 14, 2008 - lisa wilson
All ages show on Sunday April 13

I'm a band mom. My kids played their first club show at the Backstage Pass this past Sunday night. Now, I'm a fairly cool mom, but there is that part of me that has to be a bad guy now and then, one of the perks of being a parent, right? Well, dropping my 14-year-old off to play his first club gig at a bar that serves alcohol was outside my coolness parameters. I tried not to cramp the kids' style by "blending." Hmmm, how could I, a 42-year-old who can barely stay awake passed 9, blend with the likes of death metal, emo and punk bands and their faithful followers? I dug out my "cool clothes" and showed up with the kids in my camoflage pants and Harley Davidson boots. I fit right in and was proud that I could pull this off. But I gave myself away with each "That's my boy" at the end of a song.

The interesting thing about the all age show was that I never felt old or out of place. The range of ages spanned decades.

Intersting too was the way the older crowd mixed in with the younger crowd. I was impressed with how the more seasoned bands like Amido Black were there early and stayed later to support the up and coming kids. That show of support meant a lot to my kids. From my perch I heard a lot of nice things from the patrons about the different bands playing, no negatives. It was an impressive crowd of people who simply came out to hear live music played well.

What impressed me most was how well the Backstage Pass was run and monitored by Jim, Paul and Lee. I may be a cool band mom but my cool draws lines in some serious places. Alcohol is one of them. I watched for a while, to see for myself how an all ages show operates its alcohol policy and access. It was clear when it was slow how it worked, but surely this night would kick in and it would be tough to tell the under-agers from the... agers (?). So this very cool band mom just asked. "Hey, how do you keep the alcohol separate from the kids?" "Well, no alcohol is allowed past this point (Paul gestures toward a cordoned off section). And no one is allowed in this section without the appropriate stamp. Underage kids have two large black dots and adults have the paw stamp. Lee is outside at the door keeping the patio in checking ids and stamps and making sure no alcohol leaves the premises and making sure no "funny business" is going on too. Jim is at the front door doing the same.

As a mom,I feel comfortable now knowing there is a place where my kids can go to hear and play music in a respected and professional atmosphere and where their safety is being looked after and where they are making musical contacts with other more seasoned musicians. In fact, Jim told me at the end of the night that he keeps his eyes on the kids himself. At this rate, I might be able to keep my superhero cape and cool mom title.

As a patron, I know that I can go, have a drink, listen to great music, watch some crazy kids dance in a mosh pit, and still get home and be in bed by 9.

Thanks Jim, Paul and Lee for giving kids a place to go and express themselves while keeping them safe at the same time.

Sincerely,
One Band Mom
(Lisa Wilson)

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