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July 30, 2008

Retrohump: Sounds of Faegan's 1998-2001

[Photo cred]

Indulgences

In college I spent an interminable amount of my waking hours at the same off-campus bar. Qualifications are in order, so let me assure anyone who invested in my education that a significant slice of that time involved my employment as DJ to the thirsty masses. The bar was Faegan's pub in Syracuse, NY, a homey Irish joint with all the obligatory woodwork and Guinness posters required of such establishments. Faegan’s was a distinguished upperclassmen gathering locale, purveying seemingly endless choices of draft brews to the more discerning patrons who grew tired of Milwaukee’s Best and the general awfulness of some of the other more boisterous pickup markets on the Marshall St. bar strip. Other watering holes packed the crowds with more dancy, louder music and better drink specials, but as fun as they were for the still wet behind the ears set, their novelty could easily wear after a few of years.

Those expecting this to dovetail into a tale of Faegan's becoming some cutting edge indie joint for unsuspecting college crowds is about to be disappointed. In fact I doubt a single night passed without the playlist including Billy Joel and Sinatra numbers, Bob Dylan's "Hurricane" (great song btw), and "Mack the Knife" closing out the night, and usually all three would be a sure bet. It was an unspoken mandate amongst staff for these songs to be played, and any Syracuse alum can reminisce on the multi-sensory feeling of "Mack the Knife" creeping unassumingly from the speakers as bright house lights signaled the beginning of the pizza-stained late night rounds of college nightlife.

Still, I reject the need for justification solely via assignment. These classics were, and will likely always be, reliable and beloved songs by vast swaths of the population. Everyone knows the words and everyone loves to sing-a-long with glasses clattering and the fever pitch of inebriated celebration masking any sliver of reservation that might prohibit the normally subdued. Not concerned about getting caught in such dopey moments, like rocking out without a care to Gloria Gaynor at a wedding.

Now that I am removed by more than a handful of years from the terribly enviable college existence, enough that supplemental memories have begun bleeding into each other in a sort of storied reflection, I feel better able to look back without coming off completely and totally lame in my wistfulness.

What about that you ask? Well, the music wasn’t all dominated by crooners and piano men. From high above the crowd in a tight quartered spot that was not quite a crawl space, not quite an attic, lays the Faegan's DJ booth. From my perch I overlooked swelling crowds with the hope that as long as heads nodded to the beat my job was being done. Needless to say I had a blast during my reign. The work was easy, the perks were great and as long as Toto was played I knew a drink was being sent my way from the unhealthy obsession the bartenders had with “Africa”. More often than not my fun involved minor to major hits of 90s alternative radio. For today, a video sample of what you might have heard if you happened to step foot into Faegan’s anytime between 1998 – 2001.

Spacehog - "In the Meantime"

Kula Shaker - "Hush"

Written by Joe South, made famous by Deep Purple

Oh yes, there is more.

Posted by Merry Swankster at July 30, 2008 01:22 AM

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Posted by: Jeff K at July 30, 2008 06:04 PM

Posted by: Sebastian at July 30, 2008 06:43 PM

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