Sabbathon ’93

Since I usually wind up doing Sabbathon by myself, I am glad to see it behind me. However this year, due to the support and help of so many people, it was a breeze. I could never thank everybody personally because it would take a full page to list all the names. But I am so grateful to all the people who made this year’s event a smashing success.

If you didn’t make it this year, you are a lazy missin’-out mutha fucka and you missed out. One of the bands scheduled couldn’t play so that made it nineteen in all. Saturday night was the 21 and older crowd. The night started out slow but by the time House of Cards went on at midnight it was standing room only and the band brought the place down.

The first few bands played for each other but the sets were great and all the bands played very well. The turnout on Saturday night was better than last year, which was nice because it’s great to look around the room and see all those people working together for a good cause.

Since the Utah AIDS Foundation didn’t make it on Saturday, I hoped for them on Sunday. Never happened. So our killer idea of making it both an AIDS awareness benefit was half successful cause we raised a lot of money, however the AIDS Foundation fell through on their part of the deal. Maybe next year. I did get a letter of apology and some flowers which was nice, but the opportunity to reach a lot of people passed right by.

Sunday sort of turned out to be hell because almost every band showed up late. Some bands only played 10 minute sets. By the time Decomposers made their reunion set (probably their last) the place was alive. The day as a whole was great with 12 good bands all playing their best. A lot of people came out and several stayed all day to see all 12 bands. If you missed this one, you’re bummin’ and you ought to get off your ass next year and see the show.

One thing of interest was a quote from the AIDS Foundation in the article in the Salt Lake Tribune which said: “You don’t expect underground punks to be civic-minded.” Hmmm … I won’t even bother to comment since we were there and they weren’t. See you next year for number seven. — JR Ruppel

Read more from the SLUG Archives:
Local Band: River Bed Jed
Concert Reviews: December 1992