Drummer’s tribute concert held yards from where he was killed in Anaheim
Troy McCabe walked into the Doll Hut for the first very time this week. But he was greeted like family by longtime patrons of the tiny red building that serves as a bar and concert venue in Anaheim.
Some told stories about his father, a 48-year old man known by friends as Super Dave, who played drums for the punk outfit Knightenders.
“He was always trying to get me to come out here with him,” McCabe, 22, said Wednesday night during his visit to the Doll Hut. “It’s crazy to hear everyone talk about him like he was this rock star, because to us, he was just Dad.”
But McCabe’s reason for the visit was a sad and solemn one: Days earlier, his father, David Patrick McCabe, was found beaten to death just a few hundred feet away from the Doll Hut, early on Saturday, July 20, at the end of a cul-de-sac.
McCabe’s bandmate and friend of more than 20 years, Jose “Caveman” Alarcon, said the victim was an outgoing person who loved his children and didn’t deserve what happened to him. Those who knew him were shocked, hurt and angry in the wake of his death.
“Right now, the wounds are still fresh, so yes, there is tension,” Alarcon said. “But, I just want justice to come for Dave.”
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In the meantime, McCabe’s loved ones found comfort in each other.
Candles, flowers and words of parting written on poster board formed a makeshift memorial Wednesday in the cul-de-sac where the musician’s body was found. A loose collection of about a dozen of his friends, current and past bandmates and relatives met there at about 10 p.m. for an informal gathering. They remembered him as a loyal person who embraced people’s imperfections and was committed to supporting artists in the local punk rock scene.
“He had genuine enthusiasm,” said McCabe’s bandmate, front woman Minnie Green. “You can’t fake that. You can’t buy that.”
Some wept as people took turns eulogizing the dedicated musician. They then returned to the Doll Hut, where Knightenders took the stage for a set performed in McCabe’s honor.
A few songs started off-tempo, which Alarcon attributed to the process of adjusting to their fill in drummer. But it didn’t stop about six people from starting a mosh pit, nudging the remaining 30 or so patrons packed into the venue toward the bar and edges of the dance floor.
“It was not the most perfect set, but Dave would have loved it,” Alarcon said.