Published April 22, 2004, in issue #0316 of the Hook

Fred Boyce can be unreasonable. He can be grumpy and ill-tempered. He ranges from determined to downright stubborn.

It's largely these qualities that have allowed him to do the seemingly impossible.

I don't know if anyone remembers the Prism in the '80s, but it was in its death throes. Thanks almost entirely to this one guy, the Prism has become one of the most revered venues on the East coast. The building has been hugely renovated and there's a top-notch sound system, a full digital recording set-up, and a link to WTJU for live broadcast every Saturday. It's a destination point for touring acts that should have no business playing in such a small room (from Norman Blake to Dave Matthews to Lunasa to John Hartford to so many others).

Volunteers alone can't keep the Prism alive. Without Fred and Kenyon, there is no way that this anomaly, this throwback, this anachronistic establishment (and I mean that in the best possible way) would still be alive.

Patrick Reed
New York

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