Dustin Hengst of Damone passed away on Thursday at the age of 39.  He was loved by many and leaves a lot of friends and fans behind. One of those friends –  and bandmate – Bleu posted about the paypal established to assist his family. One never gets used to doing shows such as this nor dealing with such heavy subject matter. The best we can do is be heartfelt and real about it. It sucks.

In Loving Memory of Dustin Hengst

I posted this on my personal blog page but I think it’s worthy of a repost:

The story of Damone as I knew it… I first came to know the band because of my friend Dave Pino. Some Waltham kids were playing his songs. At the time the band operated under the name Noelle. I’d heard the earliest stuff and loved it. Songs about being kids, riding bikes, summertime, going to the mall, Chevelles, passing notes and hanging at the car wash  – all set to big, fat rock riffs. It was that kind of feel good shit we loved about the 80s but much smarter. To know Dave is to know this.

I first met Noelle, Vazquez, Mike and Dustin when I invited them up to my radio show after Dave had left the band (most of the band remembers this, I am sure). My allegiance remained. They left Boston for the world. When they came back, they did one of my shows at the Paradise Rock Club in 2003.

There is something about those songs that makes me think of good times and simpler days. About riding bikes in the summertime.

I’m thinking of you.

Playlist – December 11. 2011

Damone – Wasted Years from Out Here All Night, 2006

Damone – Up To You from From the Attic, 2003

Damone – Overchay With Me from From the Attic, 2003
Live in Japan, 2003

Mission of Burma – Academy Fight Song
—Thurs, Dec 15 at Johnny D’s, Somerville – Clint Conley will take part in the Christmas Cavalcade, an annual concert benefitting the Somerville, MA homeless coalition

—Jan 20 + 21 at Brighton Music Hall with Shepherdess and Viva Viva

The Organ Beats – Time To Go from Sleep When We Are Dead, 2009
—Sat, Dec 17 at Mid East up with Letterday, The Blue Pages

Damone – Out Here All Night from Out Here All Night, 2006

Letterday – Don’t Go from Ready
—EP release Sat, Dec 17 at Mid East up with The Organ Beats, The Blue Pages

Eddie Japan – You Will Find Me Dead In My Comfort Zone, 2011
—Thurs, Dec 15 at the Q Division Holiday Party

Eldridge Rodriguez – The Shame of the Scene from You Are Released, 2011
—Fri, Dec.16 at Porter Belly’s in Brighton with The Whiskey Boys, OldJack (acoustic) & Brian Carroll to benefit toy drive for Cradles to Crayons

Guster – Stay With Me Jesus from Easy Wonderful, 2010

Tanya Donelly – Heart Of Gold from Cinnamon Girl, a tribute to Neil Young
—Sat, Dec 17 at the Regent Theater with The Vivs, Tanya Donelly & Bill Janovitz, Big Dipper, Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling - benefit for The Children’s Room in Arlington

Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling - Episode 1: Arrival from The New Number 2, 2010
—Named the 6th Most Creative Video of the year by TIME magazine

Bleu – I Won’t Go Hollywood from Redhead, 2003
—featuring Dustin Hengst who was a member of Bleu’s band for some time

Big Dipper – Love Barge from Slam, 1990
—Sat, Dec 17 at the Regent Theater with The Vivs, Tanya Donelly &
Bill Janovitz and Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling – Benefit for The
Children’s Room in Arlington

Top 5

#5 Ghosts of Jupiter – Shelter
#4 Kingsley Flood – Mannequin Man
#3 Aloud - The Cash and the Pearls
#2 Animal Talk – Obvious
#1 OldJack – Parade

The Proselyte - Four Fathers
—Sat, Dec 17 at Great Scott with Riff Cannon, Elder, We Are Oceans

Caspian – Some Are White Light
—Fri, Dec 30, 2011 Middle East downstairs, Cambridge for the the 8th
Annual Last Night On Earth show with Defeater, Constants and
Dreamtigers

Girls Guns and Glory – Universe Began
—Mele Kalikimaka Thurs, Dec 15 for MONDO Thursdays at the Plough and
Stars with Mr. Sister

Golden Spurs – Old Black Firewind
—Weds, Dec 14 at Midway Café, Jamaica Plain with The Chaparrals, The
Minor Three

Miracle Parade – Change of Heart from ”Hark! …and other lost transmissions” 2011

Fuzzy – What’s So Bad About Christmas? From The Essential Holiday Mix, 2000
—Thur, Dec 15 - A Very Fuzzy Xmas at The Haven in Jamaica Plain featuring Christmas
songs and sets by : Chris Colbourn, Pat Mcdonald, Fire Bad, Boston Beat Machine, Pat Mcgrath

Mighty Mighty Bosstones - The Package Store Petition from The Magic of Youth, 2011
—14th annual Hometown Throwdown at House of Blues

Weds, Dec 28 with H2O and Ducky Boys
Thurs, Dec 29 with The Slackers and Have Nots
Fri, Dec 30 with The Smoking Popes and Bomb the Music Industry

Top Top with some re-entries. Surprise.