Erik Petersen playing solo acoustic at The Grand Victory in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
All Photos by Jeff Schaer – Moses
Erik Petersen was the type of guy who was nice to you even when you were the annoying drunk guy in the room, and I know that from personal experience. The first time I saw him after moving back to the East Coast I had been drinking all day before arriving at the Grand Victory in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Erik was opening for Vic Ruggiero of The Slackers, whom he equaled and even exceeded in his ability to dominate a stage playing solo acoustic. I was obnoxious, but the perpetually humble Petersen took it in stride and even autographed my show poster from the evening.
He later made a photo I took of him that night his profile picture for almost three months.
The profile picture.
About a month later when he was returning to Brooklyn with his band Mischief Brew the gracious folk punk shined more light on his sporadically intoxicated fan by asking me to take some band photos of them. Unfortunately the photo shoot never happened because the band got to New York City later than expected. But it will always mean a lot to me that he liked my photos enough to ask.
I certainly liked his tunes at least as much as he liked my photography, and I was even listening to Mischief Brew while walking around Harvard campus the morning before news of Erik’s passing reached me by way of his wife’s Facebook account.
How could Erik Petersen be dead? He was so young, just 38, and by the way he looked, acted, and dressed, no one not in the know would ever place him over 30. He was so vigorous, an electric performer who left so much of himself on stages, platforms, and even under bridges he played nationwide. And he was so alive, a chronically upbeat man whose smile could light up even the darkest of rooms, and whose passionate punk songs could bring vitality back to even the most defeated of humans.
The first time I ever saw Erik perform was at an Under The Bridge Folk Festival in Phoenix, Arizona. The show was as much a political happening as it was a fun time among friends. We repurposed a public space to be our venue, lightning rod of an organizer the enigmatic Travis James lied to the city about what was going to transpire, and we used the event as a beacon to promote radical politics. Travis had a lot to do with the turnout, but even he could admit that without Erik it would have been just the regulars singing and drinking in a park.
With the addition of Erik Petersen it became one of the biggest free folk punk happenings Phoenix has ever seen. Hundreds of punks surrounded Petersen in a circle and sang along to the Philadelphian’s philosophical lyrics while drinking whatever they pleased right in a public park, laws be damned! Though he came from a background of playing all sorts of weird spaces, Erik still seemed a bit taken aback to be back playing a free show under a bridge. But as the consummate showman he still got in front of everyone and played the motherfucking hits, and while his bandmates Shawn Le Clair and Erik’s brother Chris Petersen were not in attendance, his wife and right hand Denise was right there slinging merch and singing along with the throngs.
The next time Erik came around the Valley of the Sun for what no one knew would be his last trip to Phoenix, Mischief Brew came too, and along with Ramshackle Glory and an all-star Anarcho-Punk lineup, they sold out Phoenix’s legendary do-it-yourself venue The Trunk Space. There had been Anarcho drama surrounding the event for weeks, with one collective trying to oust another from the evening’s proceedings and using their relationship with Ramshackle as a bargaining chip.
Their attempt failed largely due to Erik’s attitude, a consistent “I don’t care about this petty drama, I want to put on an amazing punk show with my friends.” The show went off without a hitch and Mischief Brew put the entire venue into a frenzy during their 30-minute set. This was also the first time I bought Erik Petersen a drink.
The first time my girlfriend told me she loved me was at Mischief Brew’s final performance in New York City, and that I will never forget. It was the weekend of Erik’s 38th birthday, and they had sold out Sunnyvale in Bushwick, welcomed like conquering heroes into Brooklyn. It was her first Mischief Brew experience and my fourth.
Mischief Brew at Sunnyvale in Bushwick for what would be their last ever New York City show.
I still can’t believe that it was also our last. I have far too few memories of Erik, but all are steeped in his energetic, entertaining, and engaging presence, solo or with his band, onstage or off.
There will be a benefit / memorial concert for Erik Petersen at Gold Sounds in Brooklyn on August 14 beginning at 6 p.m., featuring Out of System Transfer — who opened for Mischief Brew at their last NYC engagement — as well as Comrades, Yula Beeri, and Brook Pridemore. All proceeds to Erik’s wife Denise and their 6 pugs.
https://www.facebook.com/events/700942400043930/
