Stabbing Westward 1985-2002

"A candle burns here in your honor
My soul, a shrine I've built for you
There's nothing left inside me
Nothing left inside but you"

I Remember

The Summer of 01' SW Experience

by Rick Blasing, 7/13/02.

Summer, 2001. I still remember it. What a confusing, fun and bittersweet time all at once for me and other Stabbing Westward fans trying to figure out was SW was trying to tell us old, devoted fans and well fans in general. I was finally kinda digging the new album, after trying and trying and trying to understand it. All four of SW's CDs were in very heavy rotation in my player. The corny song "I Remember" was a bit of a guilty listening pleasure for me while I would soak rays at the beach. I knew Stabbing Westward changed as people and musicans and I was willing to accept that as a devoted fan. 

I saw Stabbing Westward at the House Of Blues in Chicago in June, on the 4th of July in Milwaukee, at the Sam Adams Street Jam in Chicago in late July and my last SW show was in Rockford on September 2nd. My two experiences in Chicago were amazing, and definitive experiences in my life. There was something magic about seeing SW play in their great hometown. I could feel their presence there all over the city.  SW played their asses off at the Chicago shows the Milwaukee and Rockford shows. I had a blast each time (well except for Rockford, whose crowd was mostly made up of fucking Slipknot obsessed asshole kids).  Stabbing Westward was truly full of energy and passion on stage. After each show, I swore to myself it was the best SW show I've seen. But then hours afterwards on the long drive back home, it would hit me that all my old favorites that meant a lot to me were missing from the setlist! It gave me a bittersweet feeling. I couldn't help but feel a little empty, even as good as the show was. I asked myself "I still remember those old songs, does the band that wrote them still remember ? Have they truly forgotten who they are" ? The shows from 2001 were great, but they would have been stellar if they would have been complete. What's a Stabbing Westward show without "Waking Up Beside You", "Why" or "ACF"? But all in all, I can't complain TOO much...it was a hellavu an awesome summer seeing my favorite band four times. 

Other Commentary 

10/21/02 - Mark

5/20/02 - Keeping Stabbing Westward's Presence Alive on the Web

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