@Chain Reaction Prom 5/12/01
Photos and Review By: Joan Dooley

Saturday May 12th, 2001 John and Tim, the club owners of Chain Reaction put together their first annual prom. The requirements have fun! Dress up! Wear your prom dress, and spike you hair! Add funky colors to your hair, or exaggerate you make up. Wear something all out punk, or unusual!

I got to the club early to help decorate. There were homemade prom posters, lights, balloons, a champagne fountain (punch served), snacks, and best of all, a backdrop for photos of New Kids on the Block! That was pretty funny! They also had prom king and queen hats, like the crowns from Burger King, for them to wear!


Click Pic For Closer Look

 I was amazed, by 8:00pm, the lined has formed out the door waiting to get in. What an interesting site! Everyone was in good moods and anxious to get in and dance! Many people greeted their friends with excitement!

As the line began to make it way into the doors, the bands proceeded to set up.

Alright 8:30 time to play. The room was crowed, and I mean jammed packed crowed! Everyone was excited to hear the band, and then….no sound! What a headache. John and the soundman were frantic about getting the system working, and the band recited ‘check, check, check, one, two, three’ over and over again…
I was up front, close to the stage at this point, ready to photograph the first band, Melee. (Check out their webiste for show dates at: www.meleerocks.com) I looked over my shoulder and thought, there’s going to be a fight. They crowd is going to start to scream and yell and curse and throw things. I looked over my shoulder a few times, waiting, for this kind of response, and then to my amazement, the crowd started singing their own songs. They started chanting  ‘If you’re happy, clap your hands….’


Melee
Click Pic For Closer Look

And then soon, everyone was singing, clapping their hands, and stomping their feet!  I had to laugh! I looked over my shoulder to the other side at my friend with an expression, “do you believe this??!!” It was such cheesy song, but it worked. Congrats to the one who started the song!

What it would be like to be young again!? I guess I am used to Philly style rock ‘n’ roll with lots of alcohol in our systems! It would have been so different! About 15 minutes, the sound was working and the band started to play! The kids immediately started dancing and singing along!


Click Pic For Closer Look


Limebeck
Click Pic For Closer Look

 I spent most of my time inside and outside taking pictures of the people who attended the prom. Some were hanging out by the New Kids backdrop, others just by the walls. Inside, most of the people were dancing near the bands. The club was packed! After each band, the kids took a break and walked outside for some air…it got pretty hot in there.

For the most part, the bands played upbeat dancing music. The second band, Limbeck, played a cover song, then an original song and kept this sequence for their set. It was fun to sing along to cover songs, and cool to hear their own music. It all tied in well.(Check out their website for show dates at: www.limbeck.net)

Grand finale’…There were 8 people in this band, Suburban Legends, jammed together on a stage that fits three comfortably! The singer had such energy and got the crowd started immediately! Along with the drums and guitars, some also played the trumpet and trombone! Very cool. (Check out their website at:  www.suburbanlegends.20m.com)


Suburban Legends
Click Pic For Closer Look

Halfway through their set, they announced the king and queen of the prom. To my disappointment, the king and queen were “normal”  Yes, they were very good looking, I am not saying they weren’t. They were just normal. I had hoped the king and queen wouldn’t necessarily be the “prettiest”, but the most punk, or most unusually dressed of the night. Oh well. Congrats to Chain Reaction’s first Prom King and Queen!!

After the king and queen danced on stage, the band went on to excite the crowd some more.  They all took off their shirts and had tuxedo vests underneath!!! What is this, Vegas mixed with Rock N Roll?! That was great! The girls started to scream and whistle as the guys flaunted their bodies!

It was a great night. Great turn out. An interesting turn out.

We all had a blast at Chain Reaction’s first Annual Prom! See you next year!

Joan Dooley
FotoGirl.com