Journal
We’re back…
Hi gang,
I write this as we travel west on the #1 from Winnipeg (aka Winterpeg aakkaa Summerpeg, today very warm) to Brandon for a play at The 40 tonight. Like the unconditional love of a best friend, the good souls of Manitoba’s capitol were out in full force at the McPhillips Station Casino last night. [...]
Dec 3, 2004
“Give me a sound warning. Give me a trace of love. Give me Hell for effort. Listen to the crows cry for sustenance – they know more than we give them credit for.
My story is a long time coming…”
I’ve been AWOL for some time now and I promise that I will try to give a [...]
Dec 2, 2003
I’ve not written for sometime - not sure what happened though… When we played in Saskatoon last week, I went out a few days early to hang with Don and Jacque at their new house north of the city, which, by-the-way, is fabulous. Very private and very quiet. We ate and drank and watched movies [...]
Sept 19, 2003
Iron Horse, Kingston. We’ve had a hit and miss history with Kingston. I remember some great gigs and a couple of disasters and some strange, “coming of age” times as well. Lakeview Manor was an early show experience here—and my first exposure to bill sharing with women who wear little-to-no clothing. We played a show [...]
Sept 18, 2003
I love my cowboy suit. I love the hat. I feel like Tim McGraw when I put it on. I feel like a mysterious, dangerous character. I feel like a fun-loving redneck ready for a rock’n good time.
The first few numbers in the set are very upbeat and with the cowboy suits it’s like HeeHaw [...]
Sept 17, 2003
Cambridge. Fiddler’s Green. Some shows are difficult to describe only because I can’t remember anything of any real significance happening. We played and it all came together nicely. I think we have mastered the ability of putting on a solid show that continually builds through out the night. When you have as many relatively recognized [...]
Sept 12, 2003
Every now and then, we play a gig that’s a bit of a freak show. The venue or the audience or a certain combination of both qualify the gig to “freak status”. Enter the Brampton Fairgrounds. This one was certainly hovering close to freak status. We were picking up after the demolition derby and the [...]
Aug 4, 2003
Right: The Pikes and Rob Wells aka Ricky from Trailer Park Boys
This is arguably the tastiest date on this little tour - figuratively and literally. The Marquee club is owned and operated by one of the coolest guys in town: Victor Syperek. The host of hosts makes us feel like royalty when we are there. [...]
Aug 3, 2003
Last night we played a private party in Fredericton. Super-fans Krista & Geoffrey Downey celebrated their recent marriage (together 12 years before tying the knot - heads up to all of you twenty somethings wanting to get married!!!) by throwing an amazing bash at a beautiful hotel on the outskirts of town. Two tons of [...]
Aug 2, 2003
OK Enough loafing around. Time to get back to work. New Glasgow’s Jubilee Festival last night. Pretty typical show for us. Several thousand people seemed to have a good time. Weather was perfect. Patrick was a great help. And a fantastic venue! Thank you Emma.
Got back to the hotel in time to see the second [...]
July 29, 2003
Left: Jay, Merl, Jeffrey Liberty, Don & Bryan
Good morning Fish-Heads. O’Leary’s in St. John last night. Absolutely amazing. A small club filled to the rafters. The best kind of shows. The audience was so much fun to play for. Hot, sticky, sweaty fun. Steve, Craig, Sherrie and Stephanie were all very kind and generous. Tech-extrordinaire and [...]
July 28, 2003
Greetings from Eastern Canada. We’re en route to St. John NB this morning. Last night’s gig in Port Hawkesbury was interesting. Temperamental weather played havoc on the set and things got pretty wet up there - I hope the gear works tonight! Do you know how cool Don looks when water is pouring down from [...]
July 28, 2003
Greetings from Eastern Canada. We’re en route to St. John NB this morning. Last night’s gig in Port Hawkesbury was interesting. Temperamental weather played havoc on the set and things got pretty wet up there - I hope the gear works tonight! Do you know how cool Don looks when water is pouring down from [...]
Aug 4, 2003
Right: The Pikes and Rob Wells aka Ricky from Trailer Park Boys
This is arguably the tastiest date on this little tour - figuratively and literally. The Marquee club is owned and operated by one of the coolest guys in town: Victor Syperek. The host of hosts makes us feel like royalty when we are there. The Press Gang is quite possibly the best restaurant I’ve been to in Canada. The Marquee is also top five in Canada at what it does as well (in my opinion). He is responsible for both of these venues and he does an excellent job at being responsible I must say.
Mel, John and Don rock.
The whole (Press) gang was there - among them Jeff, Cynthia, Csaba, Judy, Doc and one of the greatest pals of TNP, Mike Campbell. He is so funny and so smart - there is little he doesn’t know about how this business works. However I must say that we are skating on thin ice with Mike at this time. We have broken Tiki code and I feel like the Gods have grown impatient and we are earning a one way ticket to lifetime banishment in the fires of the Hell that is… NOT the Tiki lounge… (actually newly refurbished I hear).
Left: Jeffrey Liberty and Rob Wells
The big shoe was so much fun. Very impressive fun, I might add. Coach Liberty informed us that Rob Wells (aka Ricky from the greatest show on TV, TRAILER PARK BOYS) was in attendance. Very effing cool I must say. They (the TPB’s) are shooting right now so Mr. Wells was “chopped”. Jay had just bought the first two seasons on DVD not long ago. Rob came for a visit after the gig and we hung for a while. Reminded me of us - pretty regular dude having fun. It’s amazing what you can do when you’re happy and having fun!
Well, 3:00AM roles around pretty early in Halifax (especially when you don’t start a show until midnight) and when your flight leaves at 6:00AM and it takes 45 minutes to drive to the airport, that can put a little ding in any plans you had on sleeping that night (hence the broken Tiki code and it’s vexing curse).
We want to extend a heart felt thanks to Louis and Sheila for the econo-van and our buddy Stuart @ Delta Hotels for hooking us up with lovely accoms… I never even had a chance to go to bed…
Later,
Bryan
c/o TNP