Ticket Stub Of The Day Sept.29th (Simon and Garfunkel)

Today's ticket stub is from a show that never actually happened. I had tickets for the Simon and Garfunkel show that was supposed to happen in May of 2010 at Rexall Place in Edmonton. It was postponed at first,rescheduled and then eventually cancelled, which is a shame cause I was really looking forward to seeing the duo perform together. Having seen Paul Simon a few times, it would have been cool to see them play together. But it never did happen. Shitty deal.

25 Years Ago Today, Cliff Burton Was Taken Away

It was 25 years ago today that we lost one of the all time best bass players ever. I am talking about Cliff Burton of Metallica. He is missed dearly. RIP Cliff!!!

I am thinking Cliff would approve of Metallica recording an album with Lou Reed. I just wish Cliff was around to do his part for the album.

"Control your life through insanity" Cliff Burton.

Pearl Jam Live In Edmonton 09/23/2011

Friday night Pearl Jam with openers Mudhoney played here in Edmonton. I had been trying to get tickets for a few weeks before the big show,to no avail. I was looking for floor tickets but had no luck, all that were available were seats behind the stage. So after work on Friday, I came home and had me some beers and hummed and hawed about whether I was going to go down to the Coliseum and see if I could get decent tickets from the scalpers at a decent price. I got down there about an hour before show time and tried my luck. I wasn't able to find the guy I usually deal with for tickets, so I made my rounds talking to those that were selling tickets. The scalpers made out like bandits at this show. They were asking for 200 to 300 dollars for floor seats and 150 for tickets in the stands (face value for all tickets were 82 dollars). I went with 100 dollars and wasn't about to spend more then that. I was having no luck, what they were asking was way out of my league. I then ventured to the bar across the street and had me a few beers and waited til just before Pearl Jam hit the stage. I had been asking one scalper about a single ticket on the floor row 41 earlier, he wanted 200, then 150, by the time I got to him again about 15 minutes before Pearl Jam I managed to get the ticket for 3 dollars over face value. It was his last ticket and he just wanted to get out of there. He still wanted a hundred, but I told him all I had was 85, so he said between long hairs, he sold me the ticket for 85, sweet, sure it was a shitty seat, row 41 on the floor, I haven't had shitty seats like that for a show in a very long time, but I really wanted to see Pearl Jam again. Mission accomplished. I got talking to the guy that sold me he ticket, he was a guy I had never seen in Edmonton selling tickets. He told me he had been following the tour all across Canada selling tickets. If Friday night was any indication, the guy was doing very well for himself.

So, now I have my ticket for the show, a printed out ticket, first time I have not had a hard copy ticket for a concert. But the ticket worked and I am in. Down to the floor I go and get to the bar to order my rye and ginger, the lady gives me a rye and coke, I give her two 5's and she gives me change for a twenty, cool, this is working out good so far, ya she messed up my order, but I got for free, so a guy can't bitch about that. Also while in the line up for drinks, who is next to me, Shawn Horcoff of the Edmonton Oilers, I was tempted to ask him to pay for my drink, after all he is the most over paid hockey player in the league. But I kept my mouth shut and carried on to my seat. Wow, row 41 on the floor is a long way back. Third last row on the floor. But hey, I'm in and am going to make the best of it. I sit down and talk to the guy next to me, ask him if he smokes, he says no, but the two buddies he is with in front of us, does, ok cool. We got that out of the way, when I light up, I now know who I can pass to. Also, the guy asks me how much I paid for my ticket, so I tell him, he then tells me they had paid 250 each for there tickets from the same guy I did. Wow, that's a lot of money for row 41 on the floor.

Now the show starts, the lights had barely gone down when the guy in front of me turns around and passes me a doobie, nice, that one is done and I get a tap on the shoulder, the lady behind me passes a doobie my way. Then a big native guy three rows up, saunters my way, this is weird, this guy is massive, he comes up to me and asks me if I have a light, hell, I have whatever you want, this guy is big, but all he wants is a light. I give him a light, he lights up and passes it to me, I have a hoot and he goes back to his seats three rows up. he does this three times during the course of the concert. Weird stuff, but hey, I was thankful for the hoots. This went on all night, this is the most smoke I have seen since I saw Page and Plant in Vancouver years ago. What an awesome time I had this show, the people in the back rows sure know how to have a good time,lol.

I missed openers Mudhoney. This was my third time seeing Pearl Jam in concert, and again they were amazing, such an awesome band to see live. No big gimmicks, no screens,no lasers, no fancy light show, just the boys out there playing some kick ass trippy rock n' roll. The sound started a little muddy I thought, but by the third song in, that was cleared up and the rest of the show rocked. Pearl Jam played for two hours and played a great set with songs from there twenty year career. One surprise was them breaking in to the Pink Floyd song "Another Brick In The Wall" during the encore. There wasn't a person out of the sold out 15,000 people that sat through out the whole show. A great night of rock n' roll and although the seats weren't great, I had an awesome time. The pasties after the show were brutal though, I couldn't have talked if I wanted to. I couldn't wait to get off the LRT to get me some water. All and all a really really good show and good times!!!

Here are a few pictures I took from row 41 on the floor. Most of these shots were from early in the show, the rest of the night I was busy passing doobies around. I took one joint with me and finally got to light it up during the second encore.











Setlist for the Edmonton show.

MAIN SET:
1. Wash
2. Why Go
3. Given To Fly
4. Got Some
5. Severed Hand
6. Setting Forth
7. Not For You
8. Evenflow
9. Marker in the Sand
10. Down
11. U
12. Present Tense
13. Black
14. Half Full
15. Last Kiss
16. The Fixer
17. Wasted Reprise
18. Life Wasted

ENCORE 1:
19. Just Breathe
20. Come Back
21. Unthought Known
22. Daughter / WMA / Another Brick In The Wall
23. Do The Evolution
24. Alive

ENCORE 2
25. Once
26.Betterman / Runaway
27. Kick Out The Jams
28. Keep On Rockin' In The Free World
29. Yellow Ledbetter



T-shirt from show.

Front.


Back.




Poster from the show.

Concert Poster Of The Day Sept.22nd (Mike Plume)

Today's concert poster is from the third time I saw Mike Plume in concert. This show was in 2009 at The Brixx Bar and Grill in Edmonton. The show was originally booked for the Starlite Room, but was moved to the basement of the same building. I went to this show with my friends Buzzard and Hurl. Good times were had, and awesome show!!!

Concert Poster Of The Day Sept.20th (Less Than Jake)

Today's poster is from the time I saw the punk band from Gainesville, Florida Less Than Jake play a free acoustic show in the basement of Megatunes, which was a record store in Edmonton on Whyte Avenue. This show was in 2008, the afternoon before there show that evening at the Edmonton Events Centre. It was super cool to see them play such an intimate show in a basement. After the show, the guys stuck around a signed some autographs and talked to their fans. It was a great way to spend an afternoon. Good times!!!



I filmed a little bit of the show, here is a video of one of the songs I caught on my camera.

Concert Ad Of The Day Sept.19th (MacLean and MacLean)

Today's concert advertisement is from the second time I saw the comedy duo of MacLean and MacLean perform. This show was in 1994 at the Beverly Crest in a bar called Cheers in Edmonton. This show was even raunchier then the first time I saw them. These guys were fucking hilarious, unfortunately neither Gary or Blair are around anymore with Gary passing away in December of 2001 and Blair passing away in October of 2008.

Concert Poster Of The Day Sept.13th (Rolling Stones)

Today's concert poster is from the Rolling Stones and Blues Traveler double bill I saw at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton in 1997. This was my third time seeing the Rolling Stones and second time seeing Blues Traveler in concert. I was stoked about seeing Blues Traveler opening,as I had been a huge fan of them. I didn't have very good seats for the show, as I was in row 114 on the floor, but to my surprise, The Stones had a small stage and the back of the stadium where they did a three song set, so that was cool. An outdoor show in October in Edmonton made for a chilly show, but with two great bands, no one paid any attention to the weather. Good times!!!

Setlist for the show.

(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction
It's Only Rock 'n' Roll (But I Like It)
Bitch
Let's Spend the Night Together
Rock and a Hard Place
Sister Morphine
Anybody Seen My Baby?
19th Nervous Breakdown
Out Of Control
Gimme Shelter
Miss You
All About You
Wanna Hold You

B-Stage
Little Queenie
Crazy Mama
The Last Time

Sympathy for the Devil
Tumbling Dice
You Got Me Rocking
Honky Tonk Women
Start Me Up
Jumpin' Jack Flash

Encore:
You Can't Always Get What You Want
Brown Sugar

Concert Shirt Of The Day Sept.12th (Saturday Night Fish Fry)

Today's concert shirt is from a local blues band that played at Billy Budd's bar in 1987 in Edmonton. I don't recall much about the band other then they had a lady singer, and I never saw there name around again after this gig. Nonetheless, I thought they had a very cool looking t-shirt.

Front.

Ticket Stub Of The Day Sept.11th (Snow Job 96)

Today's ticket stub is from the time my friend Nerraw, my Brother (Citrus) and I made our way to Banff,Alberta (an hour west of Calgary) to see the Presidents Of The United States Of America and the Goo Goo Dolls play an outdoor free show on the Banff High School field in 1996. This show was part of Much Music's Snow Job, which they used to put on at a different ski resort every year. My buddy Nerraw had to deliveries in Calgary for a frame shop we worked for, so we did that real quick then made our way to Banff for the show. We had such a good time at the show. Presidents were good as were the Goo Goo Dolls, as this was when Goo Goo Dolls still played real rock n' roll before they went all sappy. Good times!!!

Concert Poster Of The Day Sept.10th (Stony Plain R&B Fest)

Today's poster is from a Roots and Blues Festival that was held in Stony Plain, Alberta just outside of Edmonton. This festival was in the mid 90's. I had volunteered to help at the festival with some prodding from a buddy of mine (Dixon). I thought what the hell, it's a way to see the 3 days of music for free, and there were some bands I wanted to see, like, Triple Threat which was Rusty Reed, Tim Williams and Johnny V all playing together as band, Fist (which was weird to see them on this bill), Ellen McIlwaine, Bobby Cameron and Tacoy Ryde among many other bands.

Well, all didn't workout that good. We got there and met whomever it as we needed to. I was assigned to do security, walk around with a security arm band and a walkie talkie and make sure people were behaving,hmmm, anyone that knows me, knows I am not much of a guy that likes authority, let alone be authoritative. I did this for about an hour. Not my thing, especially when a lady asks me if I wanna join her in her tent and drink some gin. That was enough for me. I handed in my security arm band and walkie talkie and enjoyed the rest of the evening checking out some good music. Needless to say, I didn't make it out to the other two days of the festival. I never volunteered for another festival after that. Good times!!!

Ticket Stub Of The Day Sept.9th (Wild T & The Spirit)

Today's ticket stub is from one of the many times I saw Wild T & The Spirit in concert. This show was in 1994 at Peoples Pub in Edmonton. Wild T could and still does play awesome guitar and always put on a very entertaining show. Always a good time.

Concert Poster Of The Day Sept.8th (Joel Plaskett)

Today's poster is from the time Buzzard, Hurl and I went to the Joel Plaskett show at McDougall United Church in Edmonton in 2009. It was an evening with Joel Plaskett, no opening act and three hour show. It was a weird venue to see him play at, but an amazing show with awesome acoustics. One of the best shows I saw in 2009.Good times!!!

Concert Shirt/Poster Of The Day Sept.7th (Misery Signals)

Today's concert shirt is from the time I saw Misery Signals play at Stars in Edmonton in 2003. The opening bands for this show were local bands Savannah and The Wolfnote.

Front.

Concert Poster Of The Day Sept.6th (Rusty Reed)

Today's poster is from one of the many times I saw local harmonica player/blues musician Rusty Reed play live. This particular show was at a short lived blues bar called Sneaky Pete's in the basement of the old Mayfair Hotel in Edmonton. This show was in the mid nineties. Rusty still plays around Edmonton quite often and always puts on a great show. The man is amazing on the harmonica and was a big influence on me in my teens, turning me onto the blues when I worked in the kitchen of Billy Budd's, which used to book blues bands back in the late 80's.

Sonic Boom Festival 09.04.11

So yesterday myself and some buddies Hurl, A-Bomb, Ryan, Leo and Craig went to the third annual Sonic Boom Festival in Edmonton put on by local radio station Sonic. When they announced the line up for this years fest, I was intrigued. A pretty decent line up with Janes Addiction headlining as well as Social Distortion and Cake, those were the bands that I wanted to see. That, and it was an outdoor show, the last big festival of the summer, and my first time going to the Sonic Boom Fest this was shaping up to be a good time.

The problem is, they moved the show indoors to the Expo Centre a few weeks before the show. That was a let down, as the ticket said "rain or shine", outdoor show. Why they moved the show inside, I have no idea, my belief is,it was because of slow ticket sales. Maybe 6,000 people at the show. Because the Rolling Stones have played outdoor shows here in October,it couldn't have been because of weather fears.

Anyways, we got to the show in time to get a few beers in us before Cake hit the stage. This was my second time seeing Cake in concert and was really looking forward to seeing them again. They were alright, nothing special, but having said that, they were probably the highlight of the day. The best song they did was the Black Sabbath cover "War Pigs". But wow, the sound was absolutely terrible, it was tolerable if you were up close, but if you were in the bar area, fuck me, it just sounded like mud,loud and echoing. My thinking was, the sound can only get better with each band. Well, I was wrong. Social D didn't fare any better with the sound. The whole time we were there, the sound sucked beyond belief. By far the worst sound I have ever heard in my life. The Expo Centre is basically a big tin warehouse. No atmosphere at all, shitty beer gardens, expensive beers. I think there were more people outside taking in the beautiful weather then there were inside. All and all, this was the worst concert experience I have ever had. It was so bad, that we left even before Janes Addiction came on. Now I like Janes and really wanted to see them again, but I just couldn't do it anymore, the night seemed to drag on and on. Social Distortion, a band I love,and being the fourth time seeing them in concert and really liking there live performance,I couldn't get past the awful sound, just noise. I know there music very well, but when it takes half a song to realize what the hell they are playing, it's time to bail. We tried to stick it out for Janes Addiction, but half way through Metric, we gave up and left. We all left very disappointed. And as we were leaving, it looked to me, like we weren't the only ones. The place seemed to empty right out. I heard a lot of grumbling from people. The biggest mistake they made was moving this show indoors. I don't think I would ever go to another show at this venue. Absolute shit.

Cake pics.









Social Distortion pics.











Metric pics.





If you were looking forward to this show as much as I was with the line up they had and didn't make it to the show, don't feel bad, cause you missed nothing but a loud muddy sounding venue which lacked any kind of fun atmosphere. Fucking awful!!!

Concert Shirt Of The Day Sept.1st (Tom Petty)

Today's t-shirt is from the first time I saw Tom Petty in concert. This show was at the Pemberton Festival in Pemberton, British Columbia in 2008. Tom Petty was the headline act for Saturday night. Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers put on an awesome show to an audience of 40,000 people who ate it up, Petty seemed surprised by the crowd reaction, everyone was in to it big time. A really good time was had by all. Good times!!!

Front.


Back.