Jan 032007
So many shows with so many international, national and homegrown bands throughout the 80s: it is hard to pick a favorite. For me, I have fun memories of New Music Nights and wonderful memories of Reggae and World Music. Does anyone remember December 2 and 3 1988 that Roy Orbison played before passing away to the Rock N Roll heaven? Or Mick Jones, of Big Audio Dynamite, stopping the show to calm down the stage divers? Or maybe how well Extreme played after their European tour? What memories do you have at the Channel?
I am truely shocked and deeply saddened bt this news.Kelly was a sweet and gentle soul who will be deeply missed by all her knew her i will keep my memories of her as a smiling happy girl i remember. i have been out here in Hollywood the past dozen years anybody want o get a hold of me my#323-436-0796 call/text. i mihgt be in the Boston area this holiday season visiting family. i miss my days at the channel and stumbled across this website by accident. i still work in the nightclub atmosphere at a club called the Galaxy (same type of venue as Channel) in Santa Ana as a bartender. i also read Frankie passed away a couple of years ago very sad as well. to all my friends and co-workers at the channel these were truly memorable years and i think of you guys often. its funny because the shows i see now are the same from 20years ago. Live-Laugh-Love!
Someone mentioned Spinal Tap at the Channel. This was during the 1980s, I saw this show. Towards the end (I think for their encore) they did “Give Me Some Money”. Some pompous New Wave/Punk types near the front started throwing coins at the band … not tossing them at their feet, but throwing them with some force to hit the band.
This would’ve been appropriate if Spinal Tap was actually some dinosaur heavy metal band, and NOT A SPOOF. I have to wonder if these people really weren’t in on the joke … how could they not be?
I saw some great shows at the Channel, but so many of them were nearly ruined by the obnoxious, unnecessarily aggressive, chip-on-their shoulder Boston audience members. I grew up there, have visited from time to time, and I always wonder … what is it about the East Coast that makes people so rude, smirky and angry?
Kelly was a great friend and will be missed by so many. Many of those friends were able to attend a memorial at the Santa Monica Pier in LA recently, but for all of you on the East Coast:
November 14th 2-6 pm/ Martha’s Exchange Restaurant / Main St / Nashua, NH
Please meet in the function hall upstairs and have a great time, my wife and I are not able to be there but Tracy Stone (Kelly’s sister) has asked me to put together some music for everybody. So I will be there in spirit with songs that Kelly loved-
Best- Todd/DJ
WOW!!!!!! It has been a long time, It’s nostalgic to read some of the things posted here… I have always wondered what happen to everyone that worked at the channel. I work at the house of blues and I ran into john, He told me about this site and of course I had to see it. the other person that I have always kept in touch with was rick george I truly appreciate that man, but I lost track of him some years back until john came around and we called him. but anyway manny of you may not know or remember me. but just to let you know my biggest fond memory was not at the channel, it was the 4th of july week and we where invited to sean house for the fireworks celebration… Im sorry to read that kelly passed. my prayers go out to her and her family… WOW!!! lots of things come to my mind but for now Its just a simple hello to all the old staff I have missed you… I hope you are all in good health.. Happy holidays to you all….
Carlos
Hey, I googled “Andy Arsenault” and was led to this crazy website. Does anyone out there know Andy (originally from Revere – HS class of 1971 or so)? I’m an old friend of his from high school.
Thanks,
Joyce
Hey all, not many people have written much in 2010. I remember Andy Arsenault very well, but I have not seen or heard from him since the Channel. Last time I seen him was when they changed the Channel into the strip joint! now does anybody remember Jack Burke?? Left the CHannel and moved to framingham, worked at a place called bambino’s. I lost contact with him from that point in 1984?? If anyone has any info feel free to call me at (617)835-6612. We need a reunion!!!!!!
Also, I am so sorry to hear about JJ and Kelly. Special prayers to all. Does anyone remember JJ snapping thier backs?
Hi everyone its woodie friend just gave me this site!! Looking at this site has flooding through my mind the most fun I ever had in life…. actually beyond my wildest dreams Dinky Dawson my sound hero whom let me a waitress do sound for a group( I promised him wouldnt tell what band )peter and w Mike Smith? oh we all have stories abook should be written hells angels steven tyler my fav honor of seeing Roy Orbison so many good times kimmy tammy denise all us waitresses carrying trays full across sometimes over 2,000 rockin out people and not spill a drop if did sandy mike murphy take good care oh..motorhead actually so powerful screws bolts comming loose from the structure wow miss you all a pleasure to have been a part of rock history The Channel …
hi again to all!!! hope you are all having a good year!!!
please let me know when everyone is getting together, looking forward to seeing the old crew back.
does any one know where jacky mahoney is????
since john told me about this, all kinds of memories keep popping in my mind..
so manny things that we all lived at the channel. there will never be anything close to what we all learned and lived at this place… thank you all!!!!
hello all ….!! Miss you all so very much..Those were the times of times…I have had the honor of seeing and meeting up with some of you already ..Thanks to facebook etc..looking forward to laughing smiling and going through the time machine of memories and making new ones with all of you.. so many experiences to talk about being a waitress there for years… I’ll see you all soon!! LOVE Woodie
Any news on a reunion anytime soon, or do you think I should just start now by asking everyone to leave their address on this website or send it directly to my email and I will get a good old fashion channel party get together so we can all catch up and see each other. I think the friends that we had so long ago are so important to us now, it helps to keep us young and to prove to ourselves that we to were once cool! LOL Please send me your address and we will get a reunion started. Email me above or call me at (617)835-6612. Much Love and Peace. Roland Bretom
hi everybody —
been looking at ‘pa of the day’ on facebook and got into a very nostalgic mood after seeing tons of pics of woodstock and bill hanley — and after finding a quote by dinky about bill i just had to visit dinkysworld today.
our original band ‘the skam’ played a last set at the channel on a tuesday night about 1983. warren scott booked the gig with me and i still see him. it was a pleasure, both in terms of booking and playing the gig. i’ll save the story about the channel house guy that night (who will remain nameless) for another time but we had a good set and there are even a few pictures and a video somewhere.
we never played there again but when i did house there a few times some years later i had the pleasure of meeting dinky. he always remembered me and still does — and i am thankful for that. he’s just a real good guy.
i remember mixing on that old pm-1000 with the upside-down knobs, once you let it sink in for a sec — it’s totally cool! i also remember stories of skillet bringing in a scorpio soundcraft series 5 for farrenheit, those were the days indeed. and — the 2 separate pa systems (one for band the other for vocals) was by far ahead of it’s time. look for a vertec pic from carnival in rio for that concept on steriods to say the least. “per side”: 18 jbl vertec 4889 + 18 subs for band and another 18 4889 for just vocals — wow!
i am very sorry to hear about kelly — didn’t know her but she’s a part of all of us one way or another — my very sincere condolences…
take good care everyone — very fond memories of the channel. rock on dinky!
Hi everybody,
Sad to hear that he is not with us anymore. I remember the crazy group from Berlin (Einstürzende Neubauten) who got there instruments from the trash 
) I remember the afterworkparties at Nataschas place in Roxbury. I still have the Channl-T-Shirts and love to wear them, being proud that I have been a part of the crew.
I just found this side. I was wandering, if The Channel still exist. To bad that it doesn´t. I was working in the T-Shirt, Popcorn etc. Booth. I and my friend Natascha just came from Germany to live 1 year in Boston. I still remember the time in the Channel and get kind of melancolic. I remember JJ calling : “Suck´m up and screw”
To all of you I sent warmly regards from Germany
Hi there,
I am glad, that I have found this web-side. I have such wonderful memories working in The Channel from 84-85 in the T-Shirt-booth together with Natascha. We all had such a wonderful time. To bad, that The Channel does not exist any longer. Remembering “JJ” saying “suck´m up and screw” at the end of the night, still makes me laugh. It is good to share memories with people who remember The Channel.
Actually I miss this time a lot.
Well, Dinky, even though I missed the Channel years(moved from Boston in the 70′s, and just now planning to move back!), I just wanted to thank you for putting me in touch with my old friend Andrew. I am most grateful.
Joyce