The Space at Westbury Opens by Rocking the 90s with Soul Asylum and More

By SethM

As a live music lover, I really appreciate that there are new intimate venues opening throughout the US. Long Island saw another new venue when “The Space at Westbury” opened last month and Flashwounds was there. The space, originally The Westbury Movie Theater, opened in November of 1927 and was a single screen until the late 70s when it became a twin theatre. Saved from demolition, this revitalized theater features a variety of seating plans, a few bars, chandeliers throughout the theater and room for over 800 people.

There’s no better way to open a new venue than to do so with some great music supplied by Evan Dando (Lemonheads), Soul Asylum, and Fountains of Wayne. Although the Lemonheads are around,  Dando is out doing a solo tour and covering a wide range of his material. He closed out his 30 minute set by bringing out Dave Pirner of Soul Asylum to join him and it was just a preview of what we were in store for.

Other than checking out this new venue, my sole reason for heading to The Space during a super hectic week was to see Soul Asylum. After 30 years of making music, Dave Pirner and Soul Asylum were still spot on from the opening note.  Opening with “Gravity” and a few others from 2012’s Delayed Reaction, it was obvious they enjoy playing the new material just as much if not more so than the older songs. Soul Asylum mixed it up hitting on songs that spanned their career ~ like “Oxygen” and “Lately” from The Silver Lining all the way back to “Made to Be Broken” from the mid 80s.

Although their mainstream radio success of the early 90s is long gone, these great songs and the entire SA catalog still have tons of life left in them. The band covered a few of my personal favorites like “Homesick,” “To My Own Devices,”  and “Just like Anyone.” I’m a fan of this band from way back and not just for these hits but, for the actual members of the group: they will not leave you disappointed and may even surprised you ~ like when Pirner and the band jammed from “Misery” to Wings “Silly Love Songs.  Closing out their 18 song set with “Someone to Shove” and “April Fool,” Soul Asylum sounded as tight as they did when they were headlining arenas and sheds in the 90s.

Soul Asylums full set was as follows:

Gravity

Into the Light

The Streets

Pipe Dream

Take Manhattan

Homesick

Get on Out

When I Ran Off & Left Her (Vic Chesnutt cover)

To My Own Devices

Lately

Oxygen

Just Like Anyone

Misery

Silly Love Songs

Never Really Been

Runaway Train

Closer to the Stars

Somebody to Shove

April Fool

Unfortunately, due to my schedule, I couldn’t stay to see Fountains of Wayne but friends who stayed said they were great. Although this tour ended and these bands aren’t regularly touring, if they happen to come to a venue near you, definitely check them out.

Whether those bands are touring or not, “The Space at Westbury” is open and if you happen to find yourself on Long Island and looking for a cool place to check some local music, national acts, comedy or whatever they have going on that night, then go for it and tell them the folks at Flashwounds say hello.

For more information www.thespaceatwestbury.com.