If you missed it, there was great punk rock show at the New Cheers Pub, on Sunday, May 23. If you did miss it you missed the last night at the famous venue. Very saddly we come with the news that New Cheers Pub is no more. This was the last show in what has been an icon in the Binghamton music scene. Cheers opened, on Main St (where the Cyber Cafe is now) in the 80s and has been THE PLACE for bands playing thier own music since the doors opened. The new location (Clinton St, Binghamton) saw the continuation of this tradition till the very end.

Owner Dale Thomas said that it's just too much to handle now and he is giving it up. There has been talk that he will reopen, but as a dance club (boo Dale).

The last show saw a line-up that was straight out of the 80's and a very motivated crowd. People who haven't come out in years were there for this event and the Binghamton Music sceene was alive, for one last night. BlackLabled, If Man Is Five, Lugosi's Morphine, Nancy, Others and (from Toronto Canada) the Murder Squad t.o. appeared and rocked the place in. But what really got the crowd going was a 15 minute reunion show of long time standard Abalienation, who sounded raw, vintage and great as they ripped through old favorites, like Shoot Cops Not Dope, and Are you a F***king Nazi. Every band ripped and this show was one amazing event.

As one of those who have been there since the very beginning I would like to personally and publically thank Dale Thomas for his long time support of the music scene in Binghamton. I would also like to personally and publically beg his re-consideration to keep Cheers going for the future of the young musicians coming into thier own.

Leaving Cheers last night was like walking away from home, knowing you could never return. We will miss the smell, the chill, the dark and the great music and time that was Cheers.