CHURCH (noun) 1. A building for public worship; 2. An organized body of believers
MISCHIEF NIGHT (noun) 1. The night before Halloween, marked by pranks, playful mischief, and, in some beliefs, the beginning of a three day period when the veil between the living and the dead is at its thinnest and the living may commune once more with those they have lost.
“To be in The Philadelphia Society of Future Vampires all you have to do is self-proclaim it.” – Don Devore, founding member and Future Vampire, Ink & Dagger
Somehow, I had never been to the First Unitarian Church in Philadelphia, the seeming heart and soul of a thriving scene for as long as I can remember, and it felt somehow appropriate that my first visit would be a pilgrimage. A last minute trip across the country to bear witness to the much anticipated return of the almighty Ink & Dagger, and the reason that, on this dark and cold Mischief Night, The Philadelphia Society of Future Vampires found themselves congregated once more.
Regardless of the chill, the air outside the Church was electric and I could see the bloody faces and hollow eyes of kindred spirits and souls lost and found as I made my approach. I feel the need to take a brief detour from the actual story to say, I have been to shows all over the country and all over the world, and I found myself truly in awe of how well-run and deeply respected The First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia is. When I commented on this, a local friend looked at me sternly and retorted, “Everyone knows not to disrespect the Church. You’d have to be an idiot to pull any bullshit here.” The ability to hold independent, DIY shows is the lifeblood of our subculture, and I hope every scene can find, support, and respect a space as well as Philadelphia has the First Unitarian.
I made my way down the stairs into the basement I had seen so many times before in photos and videos and somehow the familiar space was the same but wholly different. Butcher paper lined the walls and netting hung from the ceiling and corners of the room like dark cobwebs strewn across the walls of some long forgotten tomb. The room was transformed, and, as we entered, so were we. We had left the mortal world behind and crossed the veil to celebrate the life and legacy of the immortal Sean McCabe and welcome home once more the almighty Ink & Dagger.
There is no more appropriate band to kick off four days and nights in Philadelphia than the city’s native sons, Paint It Black, who came out of the gates swinging, embracing the mood of the evening and opening with “City of the Dead.” It wasn’t long before the entire crowd was singing along, a sea of bodies pressing forward, arms and voices raised to sing along. Paint It Black has always been a personal favorite, but to see them on home territory in rare form supporting Ink & Dagger was truly a privilege. By the time the band broke into “Memorial Day” the entire crowd was moving as one, and the Philadelphia love was on full display as Dan Yemin sent the band’s final song of the night, “Atticus Finch,” out to fellow hometown legends, Blacklisted. By the end of the set the room was more than warm, it was a sweltering sauna full to the brim with heartfelt camaraderie, hometown pride, and the electric anticipation of what was to come next.
After a short break between sets, a familiar voice began to echo through the darkened basement. Bodies crowded forward and a hush fell over the room as we realized it was the voice of our enduring master of ceremonies, Sean McCabe, delivering one more incantation from beyond the grave. With Sean’s words hanging heavy in the air, a shroud appeared at the front of the stage and from it emerged founding Dagger member Don Devore. As Don rose to his feet to take his place on the stage, Sean’s words, taken from an Ink & Dagger set that took place on this very same stage almost 30 years prior, called upon each of us to once more walk the road to hell.
With Sean’s words still ringing in our ears, the band tore into “The Road To Hell” and Geoff Rickly appeared from the shadows to once again channel Sean McCabe’s spirit and words as original Dagger members Don Devore, Joshua Brown, Jorge Gonzales, and Dave Wagenschutz delivered one of the tightest sets I’ve seen. Don had mentioned the band had been through rigorous preparation and rehearsals in anticipation of the shows, and it was obvious they had put everything into the performance unfolding before us.
As the band dove headlong into the set, each member entirely committed to the music and the moment, a prismatic light show flickered and flashed and “blood” sprayed from all angles, covering the crowd who, rather than recoiling, pressed forward into the stage. By the time Geoff Rickly screamed, “If you want to learn, you have to burn” the crowd had fallen completely under the spell and what began as a show was now holy communion. For the next hour The Philadelphia Society of Future Vampires danced and screamed and celebrated the freedom that Ink & Dagger opened our eyes to so many years ago.
It was Don Devore himself who convinced me to fly out to Philly for the shows, and I can’t thank him enough for the encouragement. Sometimes I forget what a gift all of this is, to have discovered and then spent the better part of a lifetime in a community of like minded individuals, where we are free to express ourselves as we choose, supported by one another and bound together by a kinship I can’t quite explain but know when I feel. I needed this reminder.
In the mid 1990s, at a time when even subculture subscribed to the idea of defined categorization, Ink & Dagger opened my eyes to the limitless capacity for creation and connection that exists within each of us if we are only brave enough to pursue it. In their example I saw my own potential, and that is truly a life changing thing. On Mischief Night in Philadelphia, in the basement of the First Unitarian Church, the almighty Ink & Dagger reminded all of us once more of the power of music and art and expression and friendship. And, while he may not have been able to corporally attend, the spirit of Sean McCabe was surely with us that night as we gathered once more to “dance. For us, for those in the past, and those in the future.” It has never felt so good to burn. <3
All photos and video by: Nikki
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