What the hell happened to this town Saturday night? I'll tell you what happened, Stevie B came around and we all went bananas. If you didn't already know, Local DJ John Rossi put together a show with Stevie B and Peter Fontaine at the Hamilton Manor in Yardville. My friends and I went and we had a blast. So much fun that we almost missed the part where Stevie B was performing. Good times.
Weeks ago...actually months ago the announcement came through on Facebook that Stevie B would be performing in our own Hamilton and a mere mile from my house at that. I was excited. My friends were excited. We were all abuzz talking about how much fun this will be and we should get this one to go, and tell that one about it....it was a big deal right from the start. I mean, it was Stevie B after all and practically in our own back yards. I was going to invite everyone and it was going to be awesome.
Much to my shock and horror, I began to realize that some people were...my gosh I can barely say this...some people were not familiar with Stevie B. I know, I know, calm down. I was shocked too. My immediate reaction was to call that person names and demand they show some respect and culture themselves. OK, so this guy was a couple years younger.. but still, a couple years younger should still know. Then I came to realize as I spread the word to other non-locals that perhaps it was a matter of location. Something about Stevie B gripped this area in the late 80s and early 90s in a way that I suppose didn't affect outlying areas quite as strongly. I just don't get it.
I can't imagine going through life without the words "Spring Love" having a profound meaning and being associated with boat loads of memories. I wouldn't want to live in a world without the Postman Song. And to think that some people hear the words "In Your Eyes" and think I could be talking about the sun. Excuse me for a moment as I bite my fist in heartbreak.
Let me attempt to school you for a minute if you won't mind. Stevie B is the purported King of Freestyle. (And if you say "what's freestyle?" please just punch your own self in the face and save me the trouble.) According to Wikipedia, his influence was most notably in the Miami area. I was not even aware of that. As far as I knew, the whole world knew and loved him. I think I'm going to go make an edit to Wiki entry so that it reads to include the Trenton area as the other area influenced by this legend. Seems odd that it was just us and Miami that embraced him, but that's the facts as I know them. Wiki doesn't lie.
If you are one of these people that missed out on it, then it's too late. You definitely already missed out. If you Google it now and watch videos, no doubt you will piss your pants laughing and it will only further your disconnect to the whole thing. It wasn't just about Stevie B, the man or the music. It was about a time. A feeling. Something that's gone now and couldn't be recreated or understood by watching a grainy YouTube video of a dude with "Soul Glow" in his hair and mustache that today could only be rocked by the produce guy in a Spanish bodega. (all due respect to produce guys and Spanish bodegas)
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