Yesterday, I ventured to Amherst, Massachusetts to hear June Millington perform at The Drake. It was the first time I saw her since my 50th birthday last September.
Although I have seen June perform twice solo in Boston and perform twice with fellow Fanny members Brie Howard-Darling and Patti Quatro in New York these performances have been an addendum to showings of the Bobbi Jo Hart documentary Fanny: The Right to Rock. For all intents and purposes, this was my first full-fledged June Millington concert.
This concert was a benefit for her sister Jean Millington who requires ongoing therapy as a result of the stroke she sustained in 2018. Of course, it was only last month that Jean joined June, Brie and Patti along with Alice de Buhr for a Fanny reunion performing several shows in California in conjunction with Asian American Pacific Islander Month and the premiere of Fanny: The Right to Rock on PBS.
As much as I would have liked to go to California and see as close as to what would be a full-fledged Fanny reunion, I was simply not in a position to do so. Indeed, June's longtime partner Ann Hackler told me she wished she had seen me out there especially the show at the Whisky-a-Go-Go which she described as an especially moving experience for her. After all, for a time, Fanny was practically the Whisky's house band both by virtue of their sheer talent as live performers and its proximity to Fanny Hill. It would have been a special experience and is there is little guarantee such an opportunity will come to pass again. Only time shall tell.
While I might not have made it to California, this concert did offer a taste of the recent Fanny reunion. June was joined by her nephew (and Jean's son) Lee John Madeloni on drums and Mia Huggs on bass both of whom shared the stage with Fanny. While I had met Mia during my birthday festivities it would be the first time seeing her perform in person. It would also give me the chance to meet Lee for the first time as well. In fact, it was Lee's recent Facebook friend invitation as much as anything else which sparked my decision to come out to Amherst.
This concert also gave me a chance to see more of Western Massachusetts. I had been to Amherst once before nearly 15 years ago when my former longtime roommate Christopher Kain took me for a drive to Amherst where he had attended UMass Amherst many moons ago. The drive between Northampton and Amherst in particular is quite scenic especially in the early days of summer.
In deciding to come out to Amherst this weekend there were certain logistical challenges the most significant of which was finding overnight lodging. I had initially considered staying at a hotel, but this would have cost me a ghastly $450 a night - and that is before taxes.
This led me to book with AirBnB for the very first time. I ended up staying with a couple named Carolyn and Audley who had a room in their home which made for splendid accommodations for a fraction of the cost. Chances are this will not be the last time I use AirBnB. Although their home was a 45-minute walk from The Drake, I am not unaccustomed to walking that length and, if nothing else, it helped me get a little more familiar with Amherst and the quieter way of life in Western Massachusetts.
The Drake is located in the heart of downtown Amherst. It is a dark yet intimate venue ideal for someone like June who has a free-flowing, stream of consciousness style. The spontaneity began with a solo version of "Long Road Home" from Fanny's 1973 album Mother's Pride. June describes "Long Road Home" as the song which literally saved her life. The only other song June played from the classic Fanny era was "Thinking of You" from their 1971 album Charity Ball. There were several songs from the 2018 Fanny Walked The Earth album - "Girls on The Road", "Storm-Crossed" and "One". The balance of the evening was a combination of solo material ("Your Own Way" and "Girls Don't Dream (The Big Lie)") and collaborations with Jean ("Play Like a Girl" and "Heaven Is in Your Mind").
In addition to Lee and Mia, June was also joined by a trio of backup vocalists from IMA's Rock 'n Roll summer camps - Kayone Firinne, Dana Warren, and Sofia Ayala. They really came into play when performing "Heaven Loves the Stranger" from June's 1981 debut solo album Heartsong. For lack of a better word their harmonies truly sounded heavenly.
Having turned 75 in April, June is in a state of peace and contentment. It was in evidence when she played "Love Is Still Supreme" (a song dedicated to Ann with whom she has been partners for nearly 40 years). It was also in evidence when she had a brain freeze with the lyrics while singing "Girls on The Road" - a song she wrote.
Look at this way. I once saw none other than Paul McCartney forgetting the words to a song he wrote at the Boston Gardens - "I Will" from The White Album. It happens to all of us no matter our station in life. June recounted a recent incident in San Francisco when her pants fell down. "I'm 75. What are going to do?"
She also declared the stage "a mistake-free zone." This made me think of something I was told more than 25 years ago in London when I worked as a parliamentary intern for the late Labour MP Jimmy Wray. In his thick Scottish burr, Jimmy told me, "A man who never made a mistake is a man who never made anything."
When listening to a record we only hear the finished product although in recent years there are many album reissues which include demos and outtakes including Fanny's box set First Time in a Long Time: The Reprise Recordings released in 2002. Music is a work in progress as was demonstrated when June taught Mia the bass line notes for the closing number "Tell Them" (also from Heartsong), on stage and in real time. It is something I have never seen before at a concert and will probably never see again. Then again, this won't be my last June Millington concert.
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