Friday, November 04, 2005
Tragedy, DMBQ
I went out for the DMBQ show tonight at Club Exit in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, a couple blocks from my house. DMBQ are a Japanese noise-psych band that has been around since 1988, but their first US tour was this spring.
DMBQ's live show, which I witnessed on their last tour, mixes equal parts musicianship and amazing showmanship. Playing guitar with their teeth. Climbing on top of the PA. When they played last year, this effect was intensified by the venue, which was also Club Exit, a rented out Polish disco with over the top design, a great PA, dance club lighting, and a smoke machine. It was truly the best show I attended last year.
Tonight's show was at Club Exit again, and I have been looking forward to it for a while. I recommended that friend's in other cities go out to their shows on this tour. When I got to the club, there were signs stating that the show was cancelled. I spoke to the promoter because DMBQ was supposed to play again tomorrow at a different venue in the neighborhood. I was intending to go to both shows. Todd P said that DMBQ had an accident today on their way up from their gig in Baltimore. Their van crashed in Delaware. The drummer Mana "China" Nishiura, who had previously also been the drummer in the longstanding Japanese punk band Shonen Knife is dead. A number of the band members and the US manager are in the hospital but should pull through.
This is a terrible tragedy. We don't often think about what a difficult life it is as a touring indie band. There is no real money in it for the band, they are doing it for the love of it and hope to make gas money. A short, concentrated tour means a lot of driving without a lot of sleep (although this does not appear to be the cause of the accident here). Today this ended in tragedy.
Sympathies and prayers go to China, her family, and the band.
Photos from April Club Exit gig
Photos from April tour in Boston
UPDATE: article from the Gloucester County Times:
http://www.nj.com/news/gloucester/local/index.ssf?/base/news-1/11311893433080.xml&coll=8
Posted on Sat, Nov. 05, 2005
Turnpike crash kills 1, injures 4
CARNEYS POINT TWP. – A three-vehicle accident on the New Jersey Turnpike Friday afternoon left one person dead and four others injured, state police said.
Police said at 12:51 p.m. Friday a black Mitsubishi Eclipse driven by Sara Jacobi, 22, of Mount Vail was headed northbound on the turnpike near mile marker 0.3.
For an unknown reason Jacobi, who was driving in the left lane, went onto the left shoulder of the turnpike, cut back to the right and went into the center lane, police said.
Police said Jacobi struck the left rear side of a Ford Econoline van.
The van, with five people inside, slid and tumbled several times landing in a clearing to the side of the turnpike, police said.
Police said one person was ejected from the van and pronounced dead at the scene by the Salem County Medical Examiner.
Three of the passengers were sent to Christiana Hospital in Stanton, Del., and one passenger was sent to The Memorial Hospital of Salem County police said.
One of the passengers was in serious condition and in surgery Friday afternoon. The other three passengers had minor to moderate injuries, police said.
Police said Jacobi sustained no injuries.
Police said after the van tumbled it hit a truck that was stopped on the side of the road but, no injuries and little damage occurred from that impact to the truck.
Police were unable to release the names of the victims in the van until next of kin had been notified.
The accident remains under investigation.
DMBQ's live show, which I witnessed on their last tour, mixes equal parts musicianship and amazing showmanship. Playing guitar with their teeth. Climbing on top of the PA. When they played last year, this effect was intensified by the venue, which was also Club Exit, a rented out Polish disco with over the top design, a great PA, dance club lighting, and a smoke machine. It was truly the best show I attended last year.
Tonight's show was at Club Exit again, and I have been looking forward to it for a while. I recommended that friend's in other cities go out to their shows on this tour. When I got to the club, there were signs stating that the show was cancelled. I spoke to the promoter because DMBQ was supposed to play again tomorrow at a different venue in the neighborhood. I was intending to go to both shows. Todd P said that DMBQ had an accident today on their way up from their gig in Baltimore. Their van crashed in Delaware. The drummer Mana "China" Nishiura, who had previously also been the drummer in the longstanding Japanese punk band Shonen Knife is dead. A number of the band members and the US manager are in the hospital but should pull through.
This is a terrible tragedy. We don't often think about what a difficult life it is as a touring indie band. There is no real money in it for the band, they are doing it for the love of it and hope to make gas money. A short, concentrated tour means a lot of driving without a lot of sleep (although this does not appear to be the cause of the accident here). Today this ended in tragedy.
Sympathies and prayers go to China, her family, and the band.
Photos from April Club Exit gig
Photos from April tour in Boston
UPDATE: article from the Gloucester County Times:
http://www.nj.com/news/gloucester/local/index.ssf?/base/news-1/11311893433080.xml&coll=8
Posted on Sat, Nov. 05, 2005
Turnpike crash kills 1, injures 4
CARNEYS POINT TWP. – A three-vehicle accident on the New Jersey Turnpike Friday afternoon left one person dead and four others injured, state police said.
Police said at 12:51 p.m. Friday a black Mitsubishi Eclipse driven by Sara Jacobi, 22, of Mount Vail was headed northbound on the turnpike near mile marker 0.3.
For an unknown reason Jacobi, who was driving in the left lane, went onto the left shoulder of the turnpike, cut back to the right and went into the center lane, police said.
Police said Jacobi struck the left rear side of a Ford Econoline van.
The van, with five people inside, slid and tumbled several times landing in a clearing to the side of the turnpike, police said.
Police said one person was ejected from the van and pronounced dead at the scene by the Salem County Medical Examiner.
Three of the passengers were sent to Christiana Hospital in Stanton, Del., and one passenger was sent to The Memorial Hospital of Salem County police said.
One of the passengers was in serious condition and in surgery Friday afternoon. The other three passengers had minor to moderate injuries, police said.
Police said Jacobi sustained no injuries.
Police said after the van tumbled it hit a truck that was stopped on the side of the road but, no injuries and little damage occurred from that impact to the truck.
Police were unable to release the names of the victims in the van until next of kin had been notified.
The accident remains under investigation.
