April 19th is the last stop on the docket for Maine rock-jam band Strange Pleasure and only time will tell if another reunion is in store for fans in the future.

Strange Pleasure has been a Portland favorite since they hit Southern Maine in the late nineties. John Clavette (guitar, vocals), Richard Corsen (lead guitar), Keith Mann (bass) and Ryan Cyr (drums) birthed the rock-jam sound in 1996 and packed local clubs like The Alehouse and The Big Easy with avid fans.

Strange Pleasure gained the respect of listeners with the signature vocal harmonies of Cyr and Clavette accompanied by Corsen's 'searing' guitar work. The foursome built a loyal fan base of enthusiastic music lovers before disbanding in January of 2003.

Many folks who had come to depend on the group for a weekly dose of danceable jams were disappointed to see them resign. Followers had to wait four long years before Strange Pleasure put on a reunion show at The Big Easy in December 2007. They came together again for a cause on Saturday and played for a packed crowd at the benefit show upstairs at Amigo's.

Strange Pleasure joined Dominic and The Lucid, Adam and The Waxmen, and Giraffe Attack in support of a local woman and her daughter who has Cerebral Palsy. The turnout was to capacity and the benefit was a huge success thanks to the line up and the folks who organized the event.

Dominic Lavoie (of Dominc and The Lucid) sat in with Strange Pleasure on guitar and vocals for a set of fan favorites. Seeing and hearing them together again in harmony, there was no telling they hadn't rehearsed in years (no telling until John blurted it out in the middle of the set). Not only did they sound on par, they had no trouble pulling the crowd into the energy on the stage.

It's that energy that John Clavette must have been referencing when he described the experience between drags off cigarette after the show: "It's like going to confession...it is though, it always is."

He also shot down a rumor, likely fueled by recent performances, that the band is getting back together. While Richard Corsen lends his talents to the Grateful Dead tribute ensemble, A Band Beyond Description, John Clavette is incubating plans for his next contribution to the Maine music scene. A Band Beyond Description, coined BBD, draws a packed audience of regulars to their Thursday shows at The Big Easy.

On April 19th the members of Strange Pleasure will make another coveted appearance at The Big Easy at 55 Market Street with special guests Dominic and The Lucid. If you're a diehard you might want to get there a little early because this show is bound to be pulling people off the street. It wont take long to bring Big's to capacity for a night like this.

Jaye Drew is a Maine writer and musician. She leads the R&B, Jazz project 'Jaye Drew and a Moving Train' (www.myspace.com/drewsspecial)