The Jeremy Mercier Memorial Show
The Old Country Banquet Facility in Enfield, CT – 2.4.2017
By Alex Lindsay
Upon arrival to The Old Country Banquet Facility, I thought I stumbled upon a party rather than your typical underground hardcore show. Rows of white clothed tables and catered food lined the Enfield, CT venue while families, children, and metal heads populated the space. This beautiful display was meant to pay tribute to a young man who had been taken too soon.
Jeremy Mercier was only 20 years young when he was killed in a hit-and-run back in early December. Mercier was beloved by the local scene and would frequent local shows. John DeGray, who has known Mercier since they were kids and considers him a brother, wanted the event to be special.
“We wanted to make it a party not just a show. We wanted to get the attention of all people not just people who wanted to see bands,” DeGray said. “There were kids there, elders, metal heads and school teachers. The goal was to bring everyone together.”
DeGray enlisted the help of local bands to pay tribute to their fallen friend. The acts included Oath to Order, Anarchy Inc., Eyes of Lilith, Through Obscurity, Dishonor Thy Soul, Before I Turn, Rise & Resist, and Values.
Prior to their set, Dishonor Thy Soul, fronted by DeGray, paid further tribute to Mercier by leading the crowd in singing along to “See You Again” by Wiz Khalifa. You can see the full footage of the tribute below.
During a lull in the action, the venue’s fire alarm went off, delaying the show. Despite low temperatures, fans eagerly waited outside so they can continue to pay tribute to Mercier. At 12:30 in the morning, well past the planned end time of the show, Values took to the stage to close out the celebration.
Once the dust settled and the chaos of the show ended, the final tally was approximately 2300 dollars raised. According to DeGray, the money raised will go toward a memorial for Mercier and towards St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.