David Rovics at DIMC Fundraiser

December 21, 2005
Bethel, CT

"I was feeling a little overwhelmed," said the weary barista at Molten Java coffeehouse late last night as the standing room only crowd was filtering out into the frigid night-time air, "Next time I'll have two people working."

That was her personal sentiment after topical folk-singer David Rovics travelled from Boston to play a successful benefit for the Danbury Independent Media Center at this venerable Bethel establishment. Introduced by event organizer Chris Towne, Mr. Rovics dove right in to the music and songs that have made him well known across the nation and around the world.

The last time Mr. Rovics performed at Molten Java a snowstorm kept attendance down to the size of a small house concert. But last night's event was well attended as upwards of 40 people crowded into the coffeehouse.

Rovics, who usually plays before a younger crowd of mostly college-aged students, last night found himself before attendees who were mostly older and veterans of various anti-war and progressive movements over the decades. People traveled in from Yorktown and White Plains and Putnam Valley in New York state, as well as local folk from Fairfield County in Connecticut and Molten Java regulars.

At just after 7:30, Rovics opened with "Saint Patrick's Battalion", a song about Irish soldiers in the US army joining the Mexican side during the war over Texas due to war crimes they saw perpetrated by the US army, combined with the hatred of Catholics by the US military itself.

Rovics then followed with "Operation Iraqi Liberation" explaining that for a short time this was the name given to the current war in Iraq before someone pointed out to the Administration that the acronym for that was O.I.L.

Rovics also covered other standard themes in his show; the war, the environment Palestine, the administration and, even a love song or two crept its way into his set much to the enjoyment of those who came in out of the cold last night to have their hearts and souls warmed.

If you missed the show last night and would like to see David Rovics, he'll be performing in this area again on Thursday, December 22nd, 7:30 pm, at the Charter Oak Cultural Center, 21 Charter Oak Ave., Hartford, Connecticut. Danbert Nobacon of Chumbawamba opening! Benefit for the Hartford IMC. Contact Joshua Blanchfield.

If you miss that show, you can catch him on Friday, December 30th, 7:30 pm, at the Town Hall, Cornwall Village, Connecticut in a benefit for the library. Contact Jean Vitalis for more information.

The Danbury Independent Media Center serves a wide area from Connecticut to the Hudson River and survives solely on cash contributions from the general public. Your contributions to Indy Media can be made online at our website via PayPal or checks can be made out to "Mad Hatters IMC" and mailed to our office at 241 Main Street, Suite 3, Danbury, CT 06810

Jeff Green

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Photo by Jeff Green

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www.davidrovics.com

From "Life is Beautiful"

You’re sitting here in front of me
Floating in a cloud
Your chocolate eyes meet mine
And you’re whispering out loud
Words that make me shiver
Thoughts that make me melt
And I can only be thankful
For the deal I’ve been dealt

From, "Song for Cindy Sheehan"

Casey was a good boy
He treated people well
And his momma loved him
Anyone could tell
She'd send him off to school
Pack his lunch with care
When he came back home she hugged him
With her fingers in his hair
Cindy, she loved Casey
And when all is said and done
She is every mother
And he was every mother's son

From "Wal-Mart is Coming to Town"

There’s a thousand acres becoming clear
Cut down the forest, the big one’s here
Cover the ground with a mass of tar
Make sure there’s room for every car
One floor half mile massive sprawl
One store wonder super mall
It’s spreading out far and wide
Taking over the countryside
Say goodbye to your forests, they’re going down
Wal-Mart is coming to town

From "Hummer"

Here it comes, flying down the center lane
Like a cross between a tank and some kind of trackless train
Towering over anything with only four
Wheels to the pavement, cruising from shore to shore

From "Saint Patrick's Battalion"

From Dublin City to San Diego
We witnessed freedom denied
So we formed the Saint Patrick Battalion
And we fought on the Mexican side