Musings of a Wench

Live music is good

Lat night we went to see the Goo Goo Dolls at Jack Singer last night. Despite the freak storm and horrible weather and minor accident on the way there, it was great! (Rained last night and this morning, then huge freak snow storm blew in, making the roads hell. Went around the corner from Glenmore to Crowchild at maybe 15km/h, was fine for a bit, and then he completely lost traction. We slowly drove into a wall, luckily taking the hit on the side of the car, losing two hubcaps but nothing else. Six feet in front of us was a guy with a smashed bumper, a woman over the divider, another car against the wall, and two accidents going southbound. Fucking hell.)

Anyway, when we were listening to the opening band, I thought about all the live music I've seen. (They weren't that captivating.) Ignoring classical music, the first concert I ever saw was a Third Eye Blind all ages show at the Palace when I was 18. I went with my friend Kali, and totally wore the wrong shoes. Heels, I think. Heels are not good in a mosh pit. At all.

I started working for the university in February of 2003, just a few weeks after the new concert facility opened - MacEwan Hall. I remember the first show I worked was Amanda Marshall, I also remembered being very disappointed by it. I worked there for another 2 and a half years, so some big names and some truly shit shows. (10 hour junior high Christian punk show? I am talking about you. You were the worst - and there was some pretty severe competition.) But I also saw Bad Religion, Frank Black of The Pixies fame, a Great Big Sea kitchen party, Ashley McIsaac explain his sexual predilections (and I met his SUPER cute 21 year old boyfriend)... I figured in the time I worked I probably saw more than 200 bands play, if you include all the opening acts. Other strong memories - Finger 11 playing "One Thing" in their encore, and despite not having cared for any of the rest of their music all night, being absolutely blown away by the song, to the point I think I stopped breathing. 800 people stuffed into the Ballroom for the Great Big Sea show with 50 cent Screech shots - standing at the door all night just watching the joy. Seeing Billy Talent, probably 3 times, sucking each and every one. More bad punk music than should be allowed to exist. My hysterically macho and totally non PC coworkers. The always fun game of spot the nipple during hip hop shows. (Seriously. Women would wear sequined pants and bikini tops - and running in a bikini top in heels is not recommended. This was at black hip hop shows, not white teenage hip hop shows.) Beer shoes - runners I only wore to work because they always ended up covered in beer, either from the show or from picking up cans at the end. It was a great job. Pay wasn't, the music often wasn't, but between the music that was good, the amusing coworkers and the incredible exposure to such a vast range of live music, it was the most fun job I've ever had.

I'm still not a huge live music junkie, but when I band I like comes to town you bet I'll try to get tickets. We already have tickets for the Bare Naked Ladies and Chantal Kreviasik. In the last few months I've see the Goo Goo Dolls, Andre Riux and Our Lady Peace (twice, once at the Stampede, once at the Jubilee Auditorium). Plus 4 full days of Folk Fest, so that's like 30 different groups. Eclectic mix, I know, but that's me - eclectic and all over the map. *grin*

posted by Morgan @ 12:26 p.m.