Another Pencil Storm Repeat this weekend as we’re all hunkered down with lasagna, two-day old Bag O’ Nails leftovers, wine, Bailey’s & various snacks to see how our BET$ for REALZ pan out! Enjoy this great road story from the one and only JCE back in 2021!

I drove from Culpeper, VA to Columbus, OH for the Watershed show at The Big Room Bar on October 9, 2021.  That’s right, I went to Columbus for the Columbus Day weekend.  For me, it was a bucket list imperative, and it was more than worth the effort.  I am compelled to tell the whole story, so settle in, it may take a while.

THE BACKSTORY

I have to start with some history.  I discovered Watershed around 1994 when I stumbled upon the “Three Chords and a Cloud of Dust” live EP that had just been released by Epic Records.  I have purchased each and every thing they have released since that time, and I have acquired very early stuff that preceded that as well.  Somehow, despite extensive touring by the band, I had never managed to see them live even once until I made this trip.  Being a huge fan of the band, I naturally read Joe Oestreich’s book Hitless Wonder.  Shortly thereafter, I sent an email to Joe at Coastal Carolina University where he teaches.  My email expressed to Joe how much I loved the band and the book, and I asked if the pre-major label Watershed record called “The Carpet Cliff” was available anywhere.  Joe’s response was something along the lines of “I have no idea, but if anyone has one it would be Ricki C,” and he gave me an e-mail address for Ricki.  I reached out to Ric, and he graciously replied and offered to send me a CD.  He asked for a $10 donation “if I got around to it” to put toward some gas for the next time the band went out on the road.  I sent a Paypal to Ricki C, but I put .com at the end of his email instead of the correct .net and Ricki didn’t get the payment.  I had the CD in hand before we sorted it out, but we eventually did.  During our exchanges, we discovered a mutual love for Boston’s finest band, The Neighborhoods.  After bonding over ‘Hoods stories, we have been friends since that time, despite never having met in person until my trip.  Ricki and Colin at some point invited me to contribute to Pencilstorm, which I have greatly enjoyed.  My first Pencilstorm piece was posted on September 15, 2016 and I’ve now been at it for over five years.

PLANNING THE TRIP

I planned a trip a couple of years ago to travel to Slim’s in Raleigh, NC to finally see Watershed, but life intervened and it did not pan out.  So, when I saw that Watershed would play the CD 92.9 Big Room, I let my wife Janet know that I was hell-bent on going to this one.  Who knows how many more chances I will have to see Watershed - I’m 58 years old and I’m not getting any younger.  Janet set out to plan our weekend, starting with booking a hotel as close as possible to The Big Room, the venue for the show.  Side note:  My wife is awesome and supports my rock n roll addiction to the maximum extent.  She and I go to every show together, as we have for over 31 years, so I guess it’s her addiction too.  But still, 7 hours to Columbus is above and beyond.  When tickets went on sale, I bought two immediately. (I’m certain Ricki C. would have gotten me into the show somehow, but I was taking no chances, and also I really wanted to pay my way and support the band in every way possible.)  We decided we would drive the full distance on Saturday for the Saturday night gig, and leave Sunday to go at least half way home.

  SATURDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2021 - PRE-SHOW

We left Culpeper, VA at 7:30 a.m. and rolled up to the Downtown Columbus Holiday Inn Express around 3:00 p.m.  Ric called around 4:00 p.m. and invited us to come down for soundcheck and a chance to meet him and the band for the first time.  If you take nothing else away from reading this, let me just say that Ricki, Colin, Joe, Herb, Rick, Pooch, Biggie, Randy from CD 92.9 and literally everyone I met was super friendly and accommodating (somehow, I wound up not meeting Dave).  These are great people all the way around.  After finally meeting Ric and getting some introductions, we were treated to witnessing some of the songs from the “Extended Player” EP being played live, in person, for one of the first times ever.  Although I already knew it, I was assured by everyone that I had picked the perfect Watershed show to witness, given that it would include all the past and present members and would be an epic, career-spanning  set.  

COLIN, HERB, JOE & RICK DURING SOUNDCHECK.

After the sound was checked and the monitors were monitored, we had a few more minutes to chat up the Watershed team.  Let me pause here and say that I was trying to make it through this trip as a friend of Ric’s and a Pencilstorm contributor, hoping not to earn the title of “super fan,” but the truth is, I am just a really big Watershed fan, and proud to be at that.  I decided beforehand that I wasn’t going to bring a bunch of CD covers or anything like that, but I did want to memorialize my first Watershed show with something.  I decided on trying to get a gig flyer signed so I could frame it up.  Ricki warned me that none were printed since the show sold out so quickly, so I printed one of my own off of Colin’s Facebook page.  It turned out well and I’m pretty happy to have it.

SIGNED BY COLIN, JOE, RICK, HERB AND RICKI C. (who felt the need to identify himself as “roadie”).       

I FAILED TO TRACK DOWN POOCH & DAVE, AS THEY DID NOT PLAY DURING SOUNDCHECK.

With my signed flyer secured, Janet and I went to dinner and then returned at showtime.  My anticipation was off the charts at this point.

SHOW TIME!

Ricki C. had graciously offered that Janet and I could hang out at the merch table and have seats if we wanted them, but we chose to go front & center, just feet from the stage.  Randy from CD 92.9 gave a great intro and Colin graced the stage, alone at first.  One of my favorite lines of the night was Colin saying at the outset, “If you like Watershed it’s gonna be a great show.  If you don’t like Watershed it’s gonna be the worst night of your life.”  With that, one of the best shows I have ever seen was underway.

  SET PART A - COLIN, JOE, HERB & RICK

I am going to put the setlist at the end of this piece for the sake of memorializing it, but as I go forward from here, I’m sticking to highlights and personal observations—I won’t go song by song.  The show was 35 plus songs over two hours and 40 minutes.  Again, keep in mind as you read this, I had never seen Watershed play live.  As Colin began playing “Sad Drive” solo, Joe came onto the stage, followed by Herb toward the end of the song.  When I read Hitless Wonder, there was a story about how Colin injected “Sad Drive” into a very important showcase, against the will of the rest of the band.  That story kind of gave me a chill when I read it, because it seemed like this huge risk/reward decision that paid off in spades.  It’s one of my favorite moments in the book.  Just because of that story, “Sad Drive” seemed like the perfect song to start with in bringing the band out on stage, at least for me personally.  The quiet vibe of the song also made a great lead into a sonic blast of rock n roll that never waned for the rest of the evening.  Perfect.

COLIN KICKS OFF “SAD DRIVE.”

The sonic blast began with “Nightshade,” which has always been my favorite tune from the Twister record.  That really kicked the show into gear for me.  I looked to my left and saw a big smile on Janet’s face, and my world was all right.  I can unequivocally say that every song played was a real treat for me, but the first instance of my hearing a song in a really different light as a result of it being live was “Super Stressed.”  I like the song, but I didn’t have it in my Watershed Top 30 (done before the Extended Player EP), which you can read from a previous piece on Pencilstorm: 30 Years of Watershed, Ranking The 30 Best - by JCE. When Colin said “This is a guitar song,” and they then proceeded to play the hell out of that tune, I became an instant convert.  That was a killer live song.

COLIN – “SUPER STRESSED IS A GUITAR SONG” - YES INDEED IT IS.

Around mid-set, Colin indicated there could be a new Watershed record coming next year, and then a new song - “Another Night in the Ruts” - was played.  It was excellent, and it definitely gives us all something to look forward to.  This would be a good time to share that my favorite Watershed record is The 5th of July, but everything before and after that has been so good that I could make a case for at least three of them.  I was telling Janet earlier during our car ride that all four songs on Extended Player, and “Hey Lydia” before that, have been some of my favorite Watershed songs.  If Watershed is not getting even better with age, they are definitely not falling off at all.  

In a seemingly never-ending barrage of my personal Watershed greatest hits, the aforementioned “Hey Lydia,” “How Do You Feel,” “If That’s How You Want It,” “Manifesto” and the entire Extended Player Ep were played in succession.  Just before “How Do You Feel,” Colin told the story of Jim Steinman and how the band got signed.  It was fitting, and again made it seem as if the show was tailored for me, because the live version of the song on that first Epic release was my introduction to the band.  “How Do You Feel” in particular had the entire crowd fully engaged and singing along.  I have only seen a few bands that have the ability to truly connect with their fans to the point where it seems so intimate and you can tell the fans are so passionate because they know every lyric (see Butch Walker and Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers).

WATERSHED, THE BAND WITH TWO LEAD SINGERS – THIS WAS MY VIEW, NOT BAD.

(Note:  My wife and I often listen to Watershed and have trouble immediately identifying what songs are Joe songs and which are Colin songs.)

(Note:  Colin and Joe were on opposite sides of the stage from this photo most of the night.)

SET PART B - COLIN, JOE, POOCH & DAVE

As set number one came to a close, a small screen came down and I thought I would have 15 or 20 minutes to wait before all my favorites from The 5th of July and The More It Hurts the More it Works would be coming.  Nope.  Why lose momentum between sets when you can just change out personnel, get a re-intro from a possibly intoxicated DJ (Brian Phillips) and then rip right into the second half without a break?  (editor’s note; a POSSIBLY intoxicated DJ? Brian was PLOWED, folks. I couldn’t have been prouder of him.) The second song of the second set was “Suckerpunch” which was awesome, followed by “The 5th of July,” “Small Doses” and my favorite of all Watershed songs, “Obvious.”  My next “Oh now I get it moment” came soon after with “Wallflower Child.”  I know the song has some important history and I was telling Janet about Joe’s tattoo that I read about in Hitless Wonder, when I realized how good the song sounded.  I never thought too much of that song until now.  Pooch really shined on that one.  The exact same perception came over me a couple of songs later with “Anniversary.”  Every Watershed fan seems to love that song, but not me - until now that is.  The quiet, then loud, then quiet, then loud nature of the song is great played live.  And the lyrics are great of course.

The last two songs on Three Chords and a Cloud of Dust II, which was played in its entirety, are “The Best is Yet to Come” which my wife loves, and then of course “Black Concert T-shirt.”  A great finish to a set that left me knowing without a doubt that I would make this trip again in a heartbeat.  What a tremendous show.  But wait….my second favorite Watershed song of all time is “Laundromat.”  Time for one more?  Boom, there it is.  Just when I thought it couldn’t get any better.  Colin said it was a request.  He joked it was Pooch’s request.  Whoever’s it was, thank you!

HERB, JOE & RICK

POST-SHOW AND FINAL THOUGHTS ON THE SHOW

After the show, Janet and I hung around and waited for an opportunity to thank Colin, Joe and Herb for letting us watch soundcheck and for their kindness, but more importantly to congratulate them and Pooch & Dave on a rock n roll show for the ages.  This one was truly special.  We got a couple more photos and enjoyed talking with Colin and Joe.  Janet gave Joe a hug and then subsequently wondered if that was weird, seeing as we don’t really know Joe.  But as she told him, we feel like we know him from reading his books and listening to Watershed for thirty years.  Colin encouraged me to write this up for Pencil Storm, which I already couldn’t wait to do.  He also apologized to Janet for leaving one song out that we wanted to hear, and that was “Lucky Day.”  I can honestly say that was the only thing I would change about the whole experience, is to add that song.  In reference to the lyrics of the song, I always tell Janet “It’s my lucky day today.” (And tomorrow and the next day too / Every day I wake up next to you / Is my lucky day.)  But in fairness, 35+ songs is far more than I’ve ever heard a band play in a single night.  I picked a premium Watershed gig to see without a doubt.  Getting to see all of the past & present members and hearing a career-spanning set was incredible.

JOHN & COLIN

JOHN & JOE

THE DAY AFTER

I woke up Sunday morning still trying to wrap my head around the fact that not only did I get to see Watershed after all of these years, but I got to watch soundcheck, see an epic show and meet everyone. After breakfast and checking out of our hotel, Janet and I drove out to spend some time with Ricki C. and his lovely wife, Debbie. Ric showed off his amazing music collection and we cemented a friendship that was already great, but now doesn’t just seem like a glorified cyber/pen-pal relationship.

JOHN & RICKI  

Ricki C. is strategically placed in front of a poster of his favorite band. (Not really, just kidding Ricki.)

I cannot wait for new Watershed music and more shows in the future.  What a great band they are.  THANK YOU, WATERSHED. - JCE / Oct. 2021

All photos taken are by me except the ones I’m in, taken by Janet.

(editor’s note; We’re gonna take this opportunity to re-run the livestream of Watershed’s Big Room Bar show since it goes so well with JCE’s piece, and because - well - we just wanna run it again. It is a Watershed Promise that we won’t run it again NEXT Saturday as part of that week’s Saturday Night Special.)

(As always, a “Watershed Promise” does not constititute an actual promise.)

(further editor’s note; It was great of 92.9 to provide a breakdown of the set-list at the bottom of the frame so it’s easier to find individual tunes to pick out & play, but some titles were missed. Following is a full listing of the songs, with the missing tunes in italics;)

SET PART A

Colin Gawel, vocals & guitar / Joe Oestreich, vocals & bass / Herb Schupp, drums / Rick Kinsinger, guitar & vocals

Sensational Things > Sad Drive / Nightshade > Youth Is Confusion / Twister / Little Mistakes / Super Stressed / Consolation Prize /

Give A Little Bit / Another Night In The Ruts / You Need Me / Best Worst Night / Hey Lydia / Jim Steinman tribute / How Do You Feel /

If That’s How You Want It / Manifesto (What I Like To Do) / Bleeding On The Blank Page / Resonate / Decorated Scars / A Long Runway /

Star Vehicle (including Paul Stanley’s guitar solo from the “Animalize” tour as interpreted by Colin)

SET PART B

Colin Gawel, vocals & guitar / Joe Oestreich, vocals & bass / Dave Masica, drums & vocals / Mark “Pooch” Borror, guitar & vocals

Romantic Noise / Brian Phillips of CD 92.9 intro / Suckerpunch / 5th of July / Small Doses / Obvious / The Habit / Wallflower Child /

Mercurochrome / Anniversary / Slowly Then Suddenly / Can’t Be Myself / The Best Is Yet To Come / Black Concert T-Shirt /

Laundromat > I’ve Been Lookin’ Everywhere > Join Together (The Who), w/ Herb & Rick / outro by Randy Malloy