REMEMBRANCE

Maine loses a music supporter

By Sam Pfeifle

Robert “Bob” Brochu, owner and manager of the Old Orchard Beach local music venue the White Hall for the past 30 years, died last Friday, September 28, at the age of 68. But it was not entirely a sad occasion.

“He died where he wanted to be,” says Jodi Cyr, who, as owner of the Mainestream Music booking and management agency has worked closely with Brochu over the years. “Four (a band Cyr manages) had just gone off to take a break, and he just keeled over. He was laughing. He had just laughed about something and then he died.”

Brochu, though known as an ornery type, was a die-hard supporter of local music, especially the heavy and loud kind. A band like Riot Act never would have gotten their start without Brochu’s White Hall: they’ve been playing there for eight years.

Hence, when Brochu died without enough money for a funeral, bands played a fundraiser the next day to pay for it. Skard, Four, and Kurt Keller of Riot Act played all night and raised enough cash for services held Tuesday, October 2.

Everybody had this love/hate relationship with him,” says Cyr. “But he gave a lot of musicians the chance to play there.”