Wood-stock '22
"Wood-stock" was originally scheduled to be a benefit concert for an uber cool guy named Chris Wood, who was diagnosed with a rare form of appendiceal cancer last March. The proceeds from the show would go to he and his family to provide a cushion of funds during a difficult time. Chris, who had been seen by specialists down in Miami and Deerfield Beach, FL, unfortunately passed away not even one week before the show. He had returned home after several rounds of chemotherapy to be with his wife and two sons for his final days. Now Wood-stock would be a benefit and tribute/memorial show. This has been a bad year for the mortality of some longtime friends.
I met Chris about 13-14 years ago through my friend Stephen. At a barbeque, I think. I remember a conversation about musician's earplugs. Chris was described as an elder statesman in the South Florida music scene, having played with bands such as Double Stack since the late '90s. He truly was a fixture in West Palm Beach, Lake Worth, Ft. Lauderdale, etc. And an all-around good dude. Someone also stated that there were no strangers around Chris; everyone he met was made to feel welcomed and engaged. He was always attentive, always interested in the other party. Generous, smart as a whip, and hilarious. Always ready to help out a brother or sister in need. He also had his own language of sorts, one you really had to pay attention to.
The concert was at a club called Respectables, which has been on Clematis Street in West Palm since 1987. I have scores of memories from there, mostly from the 1990s. I believe I shared, in a previous posting, an incident where I brought a date who was under 21, and we were subsequently asked to leave. Or that time I was accosted by a friend's ex-boyfriend on the dance floor. Or the young sage who informed me that "marijuana is the only food you'll ever need" as I was eating something on the patio out back. Or when I made eye contact with an old pal across the bar, a guy I hadn't seen in seven years and who was now bald. Mostly though, I remember going with friends to hang, forever sporting Doc Martens, sometimes even "dancing" while listening to all sorts of cool alternative like Front 242, Skinny Puppy, Nitzer Ebb, and many more obscurities.
I had not been inside in about 20 years. It looked exactly how I remembered it. Many of the people also looked the same - there were at least a half dozen straight-haired brunette women with black harlequin glasses. The very poster child of Alternative Nation. It's as if the place is in a time warp. A comforting notion. I basked in the atmosphere. It's one of the few reminders left of my "halcyon youth". Ha ha.
And yes, I wore earplugs. I think I was the only one.
The event was co-organized by another friend from church, Jeff, who is an impressive musician about town himself, having played in several bands, including Legends of Rodeo, who recorded an album in 2002. He and those bandmates performed (after Jeff took the stool for the first act, Tricerapop, who did some choice '80s). Both were solid sets.
Other friends from church played as the night when on. Brian, in Disbarred, and what a great name for a group of lawyers! They did covers of Rush's "Tom Sawyer" and Rage Against the Machine's "Killing in the Name Of." For the latter song's infamous climax, the lead singer instead shouted "FUCK CANCER!" 
Elliot, who played guitar in our church's praise band a few years ago (he's since moved to Athens, GA) later took the stage with his acoustic and was joined by Nate, who is our music director at Memorial Presbyterian, on keyboards. Their music was considerably mellower than what preceded it. A wee bit of a Wilco vibe, dare I say?
By a little after 11, while Rivers was onstage, I reluctantly had to leave as I had to work early the next day. I think Emily Blaylock played last. Was sorry to miss her. Chris had invited me to see Emily (along with Rivers) and Ghost Lion for a show at Respectables back in February, which I was unable to attend. Re-reading his enthusiasm for the show in a text just about brings me to tears now. Within such a small window of time, he was gone. The denial is thick.
Check out the episode of The Sonic Temple co-hosted by the aforementioned Jeff, with Chris as the guest. It will give you a good picture of his excitement for (and knowledge of) music. It was recorded in January.
Rest easy, Woody.
If you can, help out the family in this terrible aftermath......
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