The PossPulls went on the lam from a Bullfinch gig Thursday. They’d pulled in to the gas station on Cherry Hill and somehow (band members differ in their reports) got into a scary dispute with a van driver while buying macaroni salad. (They all agree that it was macaroni salad. Our treatise on why no one should eat macaroni salad before a big night at the Bullfinch will be published one day in a scholarly journal). The van pursued them out onto the parkway and, try as they migh, the band couldn’t shake him. Their soundcheck/set was high, so they headed toward the club. They went to park in the alley beside the Bullfinch, and the van pulled up right beside them. Just then, driver/drummer Jazzy Bill remember the little secret every band knows, but non-bands don’t: The “Dead End—Do Not Enter” sign is fake, an antique remnant from the days when the Keyes Locke Building was still standing. You can drive right through, safely turn down that little side road (Off Center Street) and park after you unload your gear.
Jazzy said firmly “Stay in the car,” stopped, made a move to turn off the engine. Mean van guy stopped, turned off his engine, got out of his car and walked toward the PossPulls’ vehicle (that old green station wagon that used to belong to the Lingereers.) Jazzy waited a few steps then, moved into drive and tore down the alley.
Whole minutes of cheers of exaltation ensued. Then there was an awkward moment of “Now what?!” Nobody ever picks up the phone at the Bullfinch, so the PsPls found a messenger—that little girl who lives across the street from the club—to tell Q they’d be late, and not incidentally to let the band know when the coast might be clear.
The little girl saw it as real spy stuff. She was all set to tell the van driver some wild-goose-chase place where the band had supposedly gone. That might have had some dangerous repercussions, and luckily was not necessary. Mr. Mean Van had given up quickly.
The PossPulls played that night, simply swapping sets with the other band on the bill, Peremptory (from Norwaytown). It was the set of their life. The story of their daring escape was woven into the stage banter. The band was laughing and making merry throughout, but we do believe we’ve never seen guitarist Slim Tom hold his axe in quite that defensive a manner before.
Tonight: Timon & The Tables and Planned/Service/Change at the Bullfinch… Restricted Area Keep Out at Hamilton’s; safe scare rock… The U News (formerly Union Shuttle) at D’Ollaire’s, with local openers The Guest Rewards…