It’s never easy when a community loses one of their own, especially when it’s someone who was loved and adored by so many. That’s just the start of what you could say about a guy like David Hemingway, one of the most talented drummers to ever grace the stages of Providence who also had a personality that could brighten any day. Hemingway had a way of telling a great story as well as always having the ability to make you laugh about something. Sadly, the man known as “Handsome Dave” passed away two-and-a-half weeks ago on September 13 at the age of 33, after a year-long battle with cancer.
Involved in the music scene in Providence for more than a decade, there are so many people who knew Hemingway. You couldn’t help but enjoy seeing what he could do on a drum kit; he had a rhythmic machine gun style of playing that was a unique style of his own. He also was an integral part of many different acts like the sludge fuzz rockers Woozy, the rootsy folk of Joe Fletcher & The Wrong Reasons, rockabilly act Sasquatch & The Sick-a-Billies, and the stoner blues of Muss. It’ll be bittersweet, but Providence live music fans will get a chance to celebrate the life of David Hemingway the way Dave would have wanted it: A night filled with a bunch of his closest friends doing what they do best.
This Friday, October 2, the upstairs stage at The Columbus Theatre will be the place to be when a few of the city’s finest will be joining together to celebrate the memory of one of their own. Woozy, Muss and Sasquatch & The Sick-a-Billies (which will be their last Sickabilly show ever) will be part of the show with a few others joining in as well. Singer-songwriters Dan White, Kris Hansen and Heather Rose will be kicking things off to an intimate start while guitar-pop act Eric & The Nothing and the garage punk infused grunge of Vudu Sister and The Dead Girls will also be making their presence felt. There are bound to be a few special guests making appearances as well so you should also keep your eyes peeled.
Even if you didn’t know Hemingway, all proceeds from the show will be donated to the Dana Farber Cancer Institute with a $10 donation at the door. If you’ve lost someone you loved to cancer, show up to support a great cause and help out in the fight against this horrible disease. Join the Providence music community in celebrating the life of one of the good ones, because that’s who Hemingway surely was.
