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Former IceHouse proprietor Joe Carney hosted a wedding reception on the Henrietta III on the night of Saturday, October 21st. Tom Donaldson was contracted to set up a jam session reminiscent of the old IceHouse days during the evening cruise. A number of familiar faces from the beloved bandstand and beer garden of the early ‘90s turned out for the event, but the organization, energy and fellowship that made that environment so popular was lacking.
The bandstand was dominated by Tom’s house band and a small group of people who had provided bits and pieces of sound equipment for the jam. Access to the bandstand for all musicians present was implicit, but no effort to set up jam shifts was made. Jockeying for position, with the more egotistical players wanting to play closer to the end of the evening to imply that earlier participants were merely there to open for them provided another source of irritation for the players.
Divisive issues from the past, including the assault charge leveled against second-generation IceHouse proprietor Frank Greathouse by Lan Nichols were brought up in conversation by some of the passengers. To their credit, none of the participants in that unsavory episode were among those anxious to discuss the matter. Eavesdropping on the conversations that did take place on the topic was enlightening, however, because most of the people who responded to it at the time by taking their bar business elsewhere expressed the idea that it was acceptable to level spurious charges against Mr. Greathouse and commit perjury in the courtroom in order to punish him for a lack of social graces; to abuse legal means to hurt someone for character traits which, however unpleasant, were entirely legal. These discussions provided an enlightening commentary on downtown Wilmington bar society’s attitudes regarding ethics and acceptable behavior.
Food was plentiful and good, stage volume was perfect, and Joe Carney’s conception of the event reminded all guests of the graciousness and generosity upon which we happily based our IceHouse patronage during his stewardship there. Despite the predictable yet depressing exhibition of attitudes described above, it was a marvelous party and successful reunion. Smiles were the order of the evening.