This episode we welcome guest Eric Haskins—RPI graduate (Class of '91) and WRPI's DJ Toast—to revisit Metallica’s first and only concert at the RPI Field House on March 15, 1989. Haskins worked as a student security guard for countless concerts at the Field House, including Metallica's headlining show as a 19 year-old heavy metal fan.

During the episode, Eric takes listeners through the weeks leading up to the concert, his interactions with opening act Queensrÿche during load-in, security expectations for the show, and his meeting Metallica during the after-show. He also shares his memories of seeing some of the world’s most famous artists while working security at the 6,500 capacity arena, including Neil Young, Joan Jett, Slayer, Anthrax, and LL Cool J—the interview includes a hilarious backstage interaction with guitar legend Stevie Ray Vaughn—and special keepsakes he’s collected over the years from his time as working as event security.

The episode is the third in a series looking at Metallica's stop in the Collar City during their Damaged Justice tour in support of their latest studio album “…and Justice for All,” and was the band’s third performance in the Capital Region.

• Listen to Part 1 with Jason Bittner (Shadows Fall, Stigmata)
• Listen to Part 2 with Jason O’Connell

Episode Notes:

• Times Union: RPI Field House Girds for Metallica Band (Feb. 21, 1989)
• Times Union: Metallica Warns Fans: Mend Your Vandalizing Ways (March 12,1989)
• Times Union: Five Arrested at Metallica Concert (March 16, 1989)
• Metallica, Knickerbacker Arena, Albany - Feb. 28, 1992 https://www.metallica.com/tour/1992-02-28-albany-new-york.html

Credits:

Produced, edited, and hosted by John Salka
Theme music by Steven J. Goldman, Four Legs Records

Visit troystorypod.com for upcoming episodes, guests, and bonus content.

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Eric Haskins—RPI Class of ‘91–recalls his time as a security guard while a student at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and his backstage encounter with the metal legends that resulted in a special keepsake from the show in Troy, New York, on March 15, 1989.

Listen to Part 1 with Jason Bittner

Listen to Part 2 with Jason O’Connell

See the full concert video at troystorypod.com/metallica

Credits:

Produced, edited, and hosted by John Salka
Theme music by Steven J. Goldman, Four Legs Records

Visit troystorypod.com for upcoming episodes, guests, and bonus content.

Connect with Troy Story on:

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Part two of our retrospective on Metallica's first and only concert in Troy, New York, at RPI's Houston Field House. Then 14 year-old Kevin O'Connell saw the heavy metal icons during their Damaged Justice tour when it rolled into the Capital Region on March 15, 1989.

During our chat, we discuss the era of heavy metal in the 1980s, evolution of Metallica’s stage production during the Damaged Justice tour, the atmosphere in the arena that night, and explore some YouTube comments left by fans and fellow concert attendees. Kevin also revisits other concerts he‘s attended over the years, including Bon Jovi and Cinderella at the Field House, and some scary moments during Metallica’s set at Woodstock 94.

Live bootleg audio from Metallica and opening act Queensrÿche at the RPI Field House is featured in this episode to immerse the listener in the story.

Episode Notes:

• Setlist - Metallica at RPI Field House in Troy, NY (Metallica.com)
• Video: Metallica - Live in Troy, March 15, 1989
• Video: Queensrÿche - Live in Troy, March 15, 1989

Credits:

Produced, edited, and hosted by John Salka
Theme music by Steven J. Goldman, Four Legs Records

Visit troystorypod.com for upcoming episodes, guests, and bonus content.

Connect with Troy Story on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, YouTube, TikTok, and X (formerly Twitter)

Mike Valente is a well-known figure in the 518 music scene. As the founding member of national touring act Brick by Brick, he’s shared the stage with some of the world’s biggest, and heaviest, bands touring across the United States and Europe. Mike is also the owner of Upstate Black N Blue Productions which books shows at Empire Underground and Empire Live in downtown Albany, New York.

Mike takes us through his early years growing up in Troy’s Lansingburgh neighborhood, the formation of his first band Attica, and the opportunity to open for Slayer at RPI’s Houston Field House in 1991. We also dive into the 2025 Extreme Music Awards, the brainchild of Mike and Ralph Renna which celebrates all things metal, punk and hardcore in the greater 518 Capital Region of Upstate New York. The awards show is happening at Empire Live on January 11th, 2025, with a pre-party on Friday, January 10th, and an after-party on January 12th.

Tickets are available now at ExtremeMusicAwards.com and EmpireLiveAlbany.com. It’s going to be an all-star affair featuring some big names from the metal world, including Gary Holt of Exodus and Slayer, former Megadeth bassist Dave Ellefson, along with members of Shadows Fall, Anthrax, Hatebreed, and more.

There’s a little bit of profanity in this episode, so consider this a heads up for anyone listening with kids.

Episode Notes:

• Extreme Music Awards
• Brick By Brick - Loyal To The Grave (Official Music Video)
• Attica - Redwire (Official Audio)

Credits:

Produced, edited, and hosted by John Salka
Theme music by Steven J. Goldman, Four Legs Records

Visit troystorypod.com for upcoming episodes, guests, and bonus content.

Connect with Troy Story on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, YouTube, TikTok, and X (formerly Twitter)

On February 11, 1991, the legendary Slayer performed most of their new album, “Seasons in the Abyss,” along with other career-spanning tracks during an 80-minute set at the RPI Houston Field House in Troy, New York, with support from Testament, and local Capital Region band Attica.

We’re joined again by Jason Bittner, lifelong Capital Region resident and world-renowned drummer, and Mike Valente, founding member of national touring act Brick by Brick, owner of Black N Blue Productions, and founder of the Extreme Music Awards, to recount their unique metal memories of that night in the Collar City.

As members of the burgeoning 518 heavy music scene as members of different bands (Suspended Animation for Jason, and Attica for Mike) both were gunning for an opening slot for Slayer’s Troy show, something that would be decided by a Battle of the Bands at Saratoga Winners the night before.

In our episode, Mike and Jason wade into the friendly dispute over the results of the battle, Mike shares his memories of opening for Slayer with Attica and the hostile reception they received from fans, and Jason recalls his chance backstage encounter with then-Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo that began more than three-decade friendship between the two metal legends.

Episode artwork photo courtesy of Mark Kurtzner, http://facebook.com/mark.kurtzner

Episode Notes:

• Setlist: Slayer, RPI Field House, Feb. 11, 1991
• Album Info: Seasons in the Abyss
• https://www.decibelmagazine.com/2018/01/25/tour-awesome-new-titans-bloc-1991/
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahDPXwvAmKY (1987 interview with Slayer about getting Lombardo back in band)
• Testament, Allentown, PA - Feb. 12, 1991 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ek_D04U3z_U

Credits:

Produced, edited, and hosted by John Salka
Theme music by Steven J. Goldman, Four Legs Records

Visit troystorypod.com for upcoming episodes, guests, and bonus content.

Connect with Troy Story on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, YouTube, TikTok, and X (formerly Twitter)

First published in The Troy Sentinel on December 23, 1823, “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas” by Clement Clark Moore helped shape modern conceptions of Santa Claus and many of our familiar holiday traditions. For our latest episode we invited Kathy Sheehan, Executive Director of the Hart Cluett Museum and the city of Troy and Rensselaer County historian, to explain the story behind this iconic piece of American holiday lore, the more recent debate over authorship, and the poem's two-century connection to the Collar City.

Happy Holidays from Troy Story! See you in 2025!

Episode Notes:

• Hart Cluett Museum
• How 'The Night Before Christmas' got its start in Troy (Times Union, Dec. 2020)
• 'A Visit from St. Nicholas' (Wikipedia)

Additional Credits:

• "07 Twas The Night Before Christmas Story" by Grantyny is licensed under CC BY 3.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/?ref=openverse.
• Episode artwork: https://www.flickr.com/photos/internetarchivebookimages/14563542937/ available via Public Domain (CC0 1.0 Universal).

Credits:

Produced, edited, and hosted by John Salka
Theme music by Steven J. Goldman, Four Legs Records

Visit troystorypod.com for upcoming episodes, guests, and bonus content.

Connect with Troy Story on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, YouTube, TikTok, and X (formerly Twitter)

In our latest episode, we revisit Metallica’s concert at the RPI Field House on March 15, 1989. The heavy metal icons were rampaging across America on their Damaged Justice tour in support of their latest studio album “…and Justice for All".

The episode features special guest Jason Bittner—lifelong Capital Region resident, world renowned drummer for Shadows Fall and Category 7, and alumni of other legendary metal acts—who shares his memories of attending the RPI show.

During the episode, Jason recalls:

• Attending the Troy show during a break from studying at Berkley School of Music in Boston
• His choice of “…and Justice for All” as Metallica’s best album
• Thoughts on the audio production for “… and Justice for All”
• Speculation on how someone managed to bring a camcorder into the Field House to record the Metallica and Queensryche sets
• Performing with some of his favorite bands touring the world, including Overkill and Anthrax.
• Reunion of Shadows Fall, his new band Category 7, and work with local Capital Region hardcore band Stigmata
• Discovering Metallica as a teenager growing up in Schenectady and Niskayuna, and his first impressions of their music.
• Hearing Metallica’s Master of Puppets album for the first time, and how the band was a gateway to heavier bands like Slayer and Anthrax.
• Attending Metallica’s 1986 show at the Glens Falls Civic Center with Cliff Burton on bass guitar, and meeting drummer Lars Ulrich for the first time.
• Seeing other legendary metal bands like Ozzy Osbourne, Megadeth, Slayer, Anthrax, and Metal Church at various Capital Region venues.
• his own 30-year career as a professional musician performing around the world, and
• his respect for Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich.

Live bootleg audio from Metallica and opening act Queensrÿche at the RPI Field House is featured throughout the episode to immerse the listener in the story.

Episode Notes:

• Setlist - Metallica at RPI Field House in Troy, NY (Metallica.com)
• Video: Metallica - Live in Troy, March 15, 1989
• Video: Queensrÿche - Live in Troy, March 15, 1989
• Video: Megadeth - Live in Albany (Colonie Coliseum), May 28, 1987
• Shadows Fall - In the Grey
• Category 7 - In Stiches

Credits:

Produced, edited, and hosted by John Salka
Theme music by Steven J. Goldman, Four Legs Records

Visit troystorypod.com for upcoming episodes, guests, and bonus content.

Connect with Troy Story on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, YouTube, TikTok, and X (formerly Twitter)

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band delivered a sold-out show at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s Houston Field House on Nov. 12, 1978, part of the band’s Darkness on the Edge of Town tour which criss-crossed the United States and Canada between May 1978 and January 1979. In the audience that night was 16-year-old Joyce Bassett—now an award-winning sports columnist with the Times Union—who saw Bruce in concert for the very first time at the RPI Field House in Troy, New York, just a mile away from her house in the city’s Frear Park neighborhood. It started with seats in the back rows but by the night’s end Joyce was on her friend Patty’s shoulders in front of the stage, reaching out to The Boss.

During the episode, Joyce reflects on her memories of the setlist, meeting Bruce in 2016, her favorite Springsteen show of the 40 she’s attended during the last 46 years, and how the RPI show sparked a lifelong love of Springsteen.

The episode also features audio from the Troy concert, available via a bootleg recording called “Prove It All Night: Bruce Springsteen Live in Troy,” courtesy of JEMS.

Episode Notes:

• Bruce Springsteen: A New York Serenade
• AUDIO: Prove It All Night: Bruce Springsteen Live in Troy
• Bruce Springsteen’s Concerts: 1975-2012 A Journey of Shooting the Boss
• Video: Bruce Springsteen, Buffalo, NY - 1980
• Times Union: Joyce Bassett

Credits:

Produced, edited, and hosted by John Salka
Theme music by Steven J. Goldman, Four Legs Records

Visit troystorypod.com for upcoming episodes, guests, and bonus content.

Connect with Troy Story on:

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