Memorable Nights At The Shaboo -- Courant.com

[Rick]

Elm Court Fugitive wrote:

I was one of the guys who ran Music World in the East Brook Mall (thanks, Tom Waits) and we were in thick with the fabulous gang at the Shaboo, especially since they were right out our back door. Not only did we get to lobby heavily for groups that we'd like to see, but the bands would often spend the days of the gig hanging out in the store,'cause we had lots of weird stuff to browse through. Sometimes we'd even bring the bands back to the store after the show -- highly verboten by mall management, but hey -- and we'd hang out afterwards as well. The Police, Cheap Trick, Lou Reed, Horslips (great Irish band, liked playing with the tarantulas from the pet store), all spent time there. And the shows! Elvis Costello and Rockpile on the same bill! The Cars, when they didn't even have enough songs to fill two sets and had to repeat! AC/DC!
Too many to list, and we got comped pretty much all the time to boot. Believe me, life has been all downhill since THOSE days, boys and girls. RIP, beautiful old factory building with the water tower.

I used to love Music World, was friends with some of the staff. I went to UConn from 1974-1978, worked at WHUS on air and as asst. MD, was concert chairman one year, ended up spinning records during all the new wave and punk shows at Shaboo in the sound booth (surrounded by chicken wire, LOL). Had pizza in the mall with Rick Neilson from Cheap Trick after sound check (got a pic of him holding up the cup at the table with a grin on his face). My favorite shows there were Ramones, Stranglers, Iggy Pop, The Cars (a $1.07 night with WHCN), AC/DC (also a $1.07 night I think), Cheap Trick, The Police (most of the 40 or 50 of us there went up to the drssing room afterward, I later became one of their agents from 1980 onwards, also Iggy, Stranglers, Squeeze, etc.). The Nick Lowe/Dave Edmonds show was fantastic, another night spent hanging out in the dressing room talking music.

Those were some great times! Thanks Shaboo!

Rick Shoor

[Rick]

Forgot about Talking Heads as well, while spinning records between sets struck up a friendship with their sound guy, Frank Gallgher, we styaed friends for many years!

Rick Shoor
[e-mail]
NY, NY

[Masi]

Graduated Eastern in 77. Saw many of the bands listed by others. Everytime Cotton or Muddy Waters were there we would be too. Tower of Power, Taj Mahal. They used to sell Old Milwaukee in cans so we would go to the store and sneak them inn. One time one of my roomates played pool with Leslie West there.

[chris]

We drove down from Springfield to catch Irish-Rockers "Horslips" at Shaboo around 1977? Great show! The band was very friendly after the gig and my drummer at the time got percussion tips from their drummer Eamon Carr. They played awesome Celtic-Rock and were great fellows!

[ChuckE]

Jimmy Montgomery played Shaboo often, and my band Road Apples opened for him a couple of times in the mid-70's. At the time we were touring on a charted single 'Let's Live Together'. I think there's easily a book in the story of Shaboo. This blog is an oral history.

Mention of Windsor Locks HS imspires mention that there is a live recording
online of the Wildweeds ('No Good To Cry') aka Al anderson, playing the Windsor HS prom in '66 (or thereabouts).

[Eric Leighton]

I feel so lucky to have been able to see so many good shows at that intimate venue. Nobody has mentioned Sonny Terry and Brownie Mcghee. So many times I saw James Cotton though, and never tired of that. Wish I could remember all I did see.

[Dan Colli]

So many great times at Shaboo. Charlie, Cheryl, Maxine and myself front row and partying! Best show? New Years Eve around 76 or 77, NRBQ with James Montgomery Band. Can't remember the guitarist's name for James but he was incredible. Met him after show and told me he had never played for a table that partied like we did. Very memorable night. Wish there were still places to go to like the Shaboo. Well worth the drive from Mystic or any town. Thanks for all the music and memories!

[Camille]

As a UConn student Shaboo was the best place to go for great music-my favorte was seeing Maria Muldar "Midnight at the Oasis" ws my anthem.
Camille Uconn 1975

[joe]

got BB King stoned between his sets, out in the parking lot. what an honor, what a show!
absolute best venue for being with the music.

[joe]

chris wrote:

We drove down from Springfield to catch Irish-Rockers "Horslips" at Shaboo around 1977? Great show! The band was very friendly after the gig and my drummer at the time got percussion tips from their drummer Eamon Carr. They played awesome Celtic-Rock and were great fellows!

unless Horslips played there more than once, that show was late March, 1979. I know the date, as i got left-turn crashed on my motorcycle the very next day. ER cut the Horslips shirt off of me, but a friend went and bought me another one for me at the 'boo a few days later.
awesome show!

[joe]

Nick_B wrote:

Hey Lance, did you go to high school in Storrs?

yeah, Lance grew up in Mansfield Depot, would have graduated EOS in '77 or '78 i believe (my sister was in his class).
I graduated EOS in '73, my brother in '75.

The post at shabooinn.com that talked about all the peeps that workd there - the McDermott brothers,the Fosters, Corny Thompson from the UC b'ball team, Kim & Gary John (rip kimmie).....thanks for stirring up such fabulous memories.

[joe]

how about Larry Coryell and the 11th House- amazing jazz fusion band, and LC is/was one of the best jazz guitarists- evah.
"Flat Face Kate" slept with one of the horn players that night- gave the poor guy scabies.

[tfs]

yup i remember getting lost in the mens room for over 10 min.

[marydonovan]

Okay dude, you're in LONGMONT? I'm in Boulder! I can't believe I found a fellow Shabooie this close to me so many years past! I worked (and lived) at Shaboo from '71 until it closed and burned and even after at the many reunions. We probably know one another. WRITE ME! [e-mail]

joe wrote:

<quoted text>
yeah, Lance grew up in Mansfield Depot, would have graduated EOS in '77 or '78 i believe (my sister was in his class).
I graduated EOS in '73, my brother in '75.
The post at shabooinn.com that talked about all the peeps that workd there - the McDermott brothers,the Fosters, Corny Thompson from the UC b'ball team, Kim & Gary John (rip kimmie).....thanks for stirring up such fabulous memories.

[marydonovan]

Okay. You live in Longmont? I live in Boulder. I lived and worked at Shaboo from '71 to...until the end and after. Please get in touch with me! These memories are too important NOT to share!
Sincerely,
M. Donovan
[e-mail]

[sherman]

I went to school in Willimantic. I remember seeing Humble Pie on like a Tues nite around 78-79. Maybe 10 people there total.
Anyone remember the closing prcedure when there were too many people that wouldn't leave? Couple of bouncers would take the table and turn the on there sides and use them as bulldozers!

[Gab]

sherman wrote:

I went to school in Willimantic. I remember seeing Humble Pie on like a Tues nite around 78-79. Maybe 10 people there total.
Anyone remember the closing prcedure when there were too many people that wouldn't leave? Couple of bouncers would take the table and turn the on there sides and use them as bulldozers!

I saw tons of shows there in the 70's.
I remember Corny Thompson,and other Uconn basketball and football players used to bounce there.
Muddy Waters,John and Edgar Winters and even saw Sonny Boy Willamson there once.
Along with countless others.
I guess Toads opened again but not sure if they still are?
It's sad.
Ct. used to actually have a music scene going on years ago.
Back then there were lots of musicians locally,including myself,but the few that forged a living in that field,that I know,all had to go elsewhere to make a living.

[USVet]

Saw a ton of shows there...the absolute best IMHO? Roy Buchanon...no pedals, no whammy bar, no gimmicks...just a '53 Telecaster. He made that old guit cry. Check out the Livestock album - unreal.

[Doc]

Was tending bar at the "Boo" one sunday night when Tom Waits and his manager walked in. I remenber thinking to myself "holy shit I'm gonna get robbed" Two scary looking dudes. So many memories, all good, so many good friends sorely missed...those were some of the best days of our young lives. To the Johns and the Fosters, Thanks, Your friend always, The Doctor

[JoJo]

Who actually torched the place??? i had such wonderful memories there, and wish there was a way to rebuild!!