Fall of 1992, I was a freshman at Dulaney High School. I went in early to help my dad set up the Homecoming dance that year, as I did with many special events. I remember the band was setting up, and I got to meet them all, and my Dad already knew the main guy. They were Burst Of Silence, and I knew a little about them, but got to see them that night. They asked me to sit in at the beginning of their second set, and I got to play in front of a crowd of people I'd just started... school with, and people who had long since graduated. It was an exuberant night, and I was a fan long after that.

A few years after graduating, I found myself being asked to play some "percussion" with Max Mueller and Rob Belanger. We played all sorts of venues together at first, then started to play more regularly and with different bass players. Bronson Wagner joined us pretty early on, and we worked all the time, until I moved away and got married. They all came and played my first wedding, and were super kind to do so. We had a lot of fun.

My mom got sick not terribly long after that, and she passed away. Rob was there at her funeral with us all. Having been through it with his Dad, he knew exactly how it all felt.

I've been away, and never really got the chance to reconnect or say goodbye, but here's to all the long laughs we had together, all the nervous farting onstage, all the great songs we got to play, and all the smiles we shared.

I'll miss you Rob. Big hugs from me to the whole Belanger family, and I'll never forget you for giving me the chance in the first place. You were better than this world.

- Nick Bertling

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