September: In Manchvegas is the seventeenth album by Moes Haven and the ninth of twelve for the 365 Project. The album was released on September 27, 2006, four days before the end of the month. It contains 16 tracks and has a runtime of 34:51.
Matt Farley had lived in Manchester, New Hampshire (known to locals as “Manchvegas”) since the summer of 2000. His appreciation of the city inspired him to celebrate it through song, and so he decided early on in the 365 Project that one album would be a concept album about Manchester.
The decision to record it during September was auspicious, since it allowed Farley some room to breathe. They had already decided that October’s record was going to focus on horror movies, a favorite topic of the duo which would steer them away from creative exhaustion. Plus, the album is a full Farley solo work: Tom did not contribute to the September album, although he is still credited and the album sports the Moes Haven name.
Farley calls September: In Manchvegas! the most “current-events” that he got during the 365 Project, writing and recording songs about what was going on in the city at the time. It features real places such as Rock Rimmon and Stark Park, and real people such as inventor Dean Kamen and former Manchester mayor Bob Baines.
Most notably, Farley wrote “The Red Arrow Diner” about a famous diner in Manchester where many celebrities have visited. On the song, Farley laments that the band doesn’t have a photo in the diner (and urges the diner to call them). Upon hearing the song, the diner invited the duo to submit a photo, which was hung up. The song is apparently now played at the diner.
While Farley calls September: In Manchvegas! “a fun throwaway album”, he mentions it confirmed his idea that getting people to notice your work is to write a song about them. Doing so got Farley’s name on the Red Arrow Diner’s door, helped him set up a lunch with former Mayor Baines, and got him invited to Kamen’s mansion.
A review in the April 2008 issue of Boston’s The Noise called this album “wicked strange” and lyrically reminiscent of Jonathan Richman or Randy Newman.
Track listing
| # | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Post Office Fruit Luncheonette | 1:35 |
| 2 | The Red Arrow Diner | 2:56 |
| 3 | O Rick Rimmon | 1:17 |
| 4 | Adam Sandler Visits Manchvegas | 2:15 |
| 5 | Closing Club Omega | 1:36 |
| 6 | If You’re Going to the Monastery | 1:13 |
| 7 | The Circa 1906 | 1:11 |
| 8 | Manchvegas Girl | 3:20 |
| 9 | Dean Kamen | 1:56 |
| 10 | Bring Back Bob Baines | 2:12 |
| 11 | Never Go to Stark Park After Dark | 1:30 |
| 12 | Jack the Snipper | 1:26 |
| 13 | Flashed in Manchvegas | 3:56 |
| 14 | Red Lights on River Road | 2:28 |
| 15 | The Hippo Press | 2:28 |
| 16 | Walking Through Manchvegas | 3:21 |