What's been important to you about Western Mass Music?

Western Massachusetts has had, and still has, a local music scene that is pretty astounding, in comparison to other areas in the US with similar populations. Without a big city, there have been a slew of major label artists (Dinosaur Jr, Polaris, Sebadoh, Shadows Fall, Killswitch Engage, (hate to say it but) Staind, (were the Unband on a major), Taj Mahal was from Western Mass right?, I'm sure I'm leaving out a bunch). A hell of a lot has happened here, and touched a lot of lives. I'd love to hear some stories of what other people feel is important about Western Mass music. People who live here, have lived here, played here on tour, or even just visited. I'll kick it off with my memories of a venue in Western Mass that changed my life for the better, Flywheel Arts Space in Easthampton, MA (though I'm sure I could write something similar about my feelings for The Old Store/The Shed in Palmer, MA. I'll see if that comes out as I read others' responses.)

The first time I went to Flywheel Arts Space was the first show I ever played. It was maybe October or November of 1999, I was 14 years old, and Flywheel had opened earlier that year. My punk band played 3 songs, and we were payed in candy. It was awesome. I had never even met the promoters before the gig. Someone suggested us to them, and we were on. This was my foot in the door. This was a place that would let me do whatever I wanted, for whomever was interested. No censorship. By the time I was playing there with American Business Machines, who played Flywheel between 25-30 times between 2004 and Flywheel's closing in 2007, I was taking this to a new level. Flywheel was our home court and we caused as much havoc as we liked. All of those nights are truly a blur of brawling bloody through the drum set wearing maybe a pair of boxers, endless A tonal jams with the audience invited to join, too many people pushed into a room with no ventilation (making it impossible to hold drum sticks from the sweat), and most of all, just having the freedom to do anything. Our last show there, was one of Flywheel's last shows. We had bought some buckets of fried chicken to eat while we were playing, and it quickly turned into fried chicken war. It was a fantastic night and couldn't have happened anywhere else. The greatest part about Flywheel is that I'm sure I'm not the only one with this type of story. It let so many performers get their start. At the same time so many amazing bands played there, from all over the world. It gave me the chance to see amazing famous artists, in what felt like my living room. Though Flywheel had to shut it's doors last year, it will reopen in the old town hall building in Easthampton. The space is great, and we've finally received enough money to begin demolition. I've felt the lack of Flywheel in Western Mass, and I know many others have as well. It won't happen over night, but Flywheel will reopen, and the next generation will be able to let it change their lives as well.