Boca band Montage is offering tribute tonight to Ray Pachter, whom his brother and former band mate Ben calls, "our fallen cofounder and original guiding force."
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Montage is performing to celebrate Ray's memory at Flaunt, Respectable Street's Thursday night indie dance and fashion fest. It's not totally going to be just another mindless, drunken night on Clematis, but don't expect a weepy room of depressed downers either. Ben says there will be loud rock and roll, and "the unexpected." The two tasty ingredients that, mixed up just right, make delicious fun.
But tonight is definitely also a time for Ray, who passed away in 2010 of an accidental overdose. Besides Montage, the multi-instrumentalist, sound engineer, and songwriter performed with bands Third Nostril and Expo. "We had a near telepathic connection for musicality, and his taste is still unsurpassed," his brother remembers.
"He could hear one of my songs and play it on any instrument in about five minutes. He could play the drums and bass as if he had been playing for decades. He was very silly, but could properly focus on the task at hand while retaining his sense of humor and ridiculous personality."
After his death, Ben continues, "I didn't know what the hell to do. I thought Ray would want me to keep on being musical, so I steadied on." And so they did, with some lineup changes. "We were going to do tribute/memorial shows during the previous two years, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it." That was, until now.
The band has somehow survived the death of one of its founding members and lasted for ten years in total. They're currently making their third album, playing occasionally around South Florida, with a March 2nd gig at the Bubble and on March 9th, a ene Pandolfi dips set to Portland fest with Black Seal, Gallimimus, and Wake Up.
But tonight, at Flaunt, is for Ray, and his music, and for those who loved him. Here he is at his best.
Montage Live, In memory of Ray Pachter, 9 p.m., today, February 21, at Flaunt, Respectable Street, 518 Clematis Street, West Palm Beach. Visit the event Facebook page.
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