Dust Hat Raises The Roof

“I’ve never played on a roof before,” said Dan Soto, vocalist and bassist for Dust Hat — a couple of hours before his band did exactly that on top of the three-story building that houses Cafe Nine, with a socially distanced array of rock ​‘n’ roll fans watching from down below.

In an effort to get live music back to the masses at a time when the masses are still required to gather in smaller groups, Cafe Nine owner Paul Mayer arranged an innovative show with Dust Hat that became a different kind of Friday night for the musicians’ living room, one spent almost exclusively outside and including a pop-up art sale by Weirdo Wonderland and food from the neighboring Firehouse 12.

“Paul asked and we were honored,” said Brendan Toller, vocalist and guitarist for Dust Hat. ​“Paul’s always been a schemer, in the best sense of the word, and a dreamer. His joke is ​‘I was made for these times’” — because he likes to stay behind the scenes — ​“but it’s not true. He loves rock ​‘n’ roll.”

Mayer was there making sure everyone and everything was where it needed to be and running smoothly, greeting friends and continually asking people if they were okay and if they needed anything. Eric Bruce — owner of the Milford-based Weirdo Wonderland, who had set up tables of his art, gifts and collectibles that included pins, patches and prints inside the bar — was also asked to be there by Mayer, and was happy to be a part of it.

“We’ve been friends for years” said Bruce, who in addition to having DJ’d and vended at the bar previously also printed the Cafe Nine shirts that the bar has been selling to raise funds. He also printed the new Dust Hat shirts that were being sold outside, along with the band’s new album and previous EP on vinyl and pins.

The merch table, set up out on the sidewalk, was being run by Toller’s father, Rob, who was also wearing one of the Cafe Nine shirts and a Dust Hat pin.

“I love live music, and I haven’t been out,” he said, noting that the last show he had attended pre-Covid was the Dust Hat holiday show at Best Video in December 2019. ​“When he [Brendan] first said that he would be playing on the roof … I mean, I’m a huge Beatles fan. I can’t help but get that feeling, that ​‘oh my God, you’re already starting at the top.’ It doesn’t get any better than that.”

Toller also sang Mayer’s praises. ​“Good for Paul for presenting music in a way to get people to come out,” he said.

The food service from Firehouse 12 as well as the art sale began at 4 p.m., and the band sound checked while it was still light out, both Mayer and Bruce remarking that the band sounded great. The band was more than happy with the set up. ​“The sound check sounded awesome,” noted Toller.

“I’m honored. I’m privileged,” said Soto. ​“We’re ready to rock ​‘n’ roll. It feels good.”

And as the sun set over the city, leaving the sky a palette of pastel versions of the same colors as the Sun Ra mural that now graces the side of the building, people slowly filed into the parking lot and sidewalks, masked with eyes wide and smiling, awaiting the show.

The air filled with the sounds of classic rock ‘n’ roll and R&B, like any pre-show at the Nine. Some feasted on tacos and other vegan delights from the small but scintillating menu. Others simply took in the pre-show sights, which included, as the sky finally darkened, a slide show of snapshots of the band — many of which were used in Dust Hat’s most recent video, “Own My Soul” — projected against the building on the opposite side of the parking lot. That slide show was presented by Geoff Hotz of Audio-Visual Systems of North Haven, who also had a camera up on the roof that would allow the band’s set to be viewed live on that same far wall.

When Dust Hat finally took to the roof top stage at 8:30 p.m., the band members launched right into their set, and it was as if all of Crown Street woke up after a long winter’s sleep. Toller and Soto, along with guitarist Jeff Slocum and drummer Rob Ruby, gave the audience what they had been waiting for all summer: a heavy dose of old-fashioned rock ​‘n’ roll that sounded as fresh as if it was created on this very day. For nearly an hour and a half the band played songs from its most recent album, Come Back, its self-titled EP, and a select number of covers done only the way Dust Hat can do them — including, aptly enough, The Drifters’ ​“Up On the Roof.”

The night had its lighter moments in between the onslaught of guitars and raucous rhythms, such as when Soto asked someone to ​“toss him up a taco” and Toller had to change guitars due to a broken string. The crowd ate up every bit of it, cheering Dust Hat along, laughing, dancing, and screaming out their expressions of love and admiration. It was as if every single person was present in the moment and the only place that existed in the world was this parking lot with this band and these fans.

Dust Hat even welcomed a special guest to the roof: local legend Richard Brown, who joined the band on saxophone for Sun Ra’s ​“We Travel the Space Ways,” in homage to the renowned jazz great whose image now graces the side of the building. It created a groovy vibe and vision that echoed into the night and chased the chill in the air away.

As they finished up with the song ​“Whip It Up,” the crowd cheered for one more, and the band obliged. When that song was done, the crowd kept chanting ​“one more song” over and over, and although the band had to wrap it up by 10 p.m., many lingered to talk about the beauty of this glorious night. Live music had made its return to the place where many had longed to return to see it, and for one night, even though everything was different, we had our Friday back at Cafe Nine, rocking out with our friends, grateful that the music came back and hoping that it might never end.