November 13th

  It was on November 13th, 2012 that I made the trip to Calgary to see the awesome triple bill of Neil Young & Crazy Horse with openers the Los Lobos and The Sadies play the Soctiaback Saddledome. What a great show!

July 6th

 It was on this day July 6th, 2001 that I saw one of my all time favourite artists, the one and only Stompin' Tom Connors play at Jack Singer Concert Hall in Calgary. I went to this show with my brother Captain Citrus.

December 5th

  

 On December 5th, 1988 I made the trek to Calgary to meet a good friend there as he was working in Kananaskis at the time. We mt in Calgary and went to the Robert Plant and Joan Jett & The Blackhearts play the Olympic Saddledome.

July 18th

  

 On July 18th, 2017 I was in Calgary to see Rush in concert at the Saddledome. Rush were touring for their Snakes & Arrows album.

July 6th

 

 July 6th, 2000 was another trip to Calgary for the 2000 edition of the Vans Warped Tour. The line up for this one was really good. My brother got us free tickets for this one.

July 5th

 

 I've been away for the weekend, so it's time to catch up on my daily concert shit. Just trying to see how many days of the year I have seen a show. So back scheduled programming.

 It was on July 5th, 2001 that I went to Calgary to see the Vans Warped Tour. Some great bands at this all day festival.

June 3rd

  

 After seeing Metallica on June 2nd in Edmonton, a few of my buddies and I ended up down at Millcreek Ravine partying til morning light, that's when we came up with the bright idea of going to Calgary June 3rd, 1989 to see Metallica and The Cult in concert again. This time our seats were way up in the boonies at the Olympic Saddledome but we didn't care as we still had an awesome time.

May 21st

 

 It was on May 21st, 1992 that myself and a couple of buddies made our way to Calgary to see Metallica at the Olympic Saddledome. Having seen Metallica play in Edmonton two nights previous we decided to make our way to Calgary to see them yet again. 

 This little trip has a great story to go with it. If you care to read about it. Click here.

April 13th

 

 On April 13th, 1991 myself and a carload of buddies made the trip to Calgary to see the awesome triple bill of Neil Young & Crazy Horse with opening bands Sonic Youth and Drivin' N' Cryin' play the Olympic Saddledome in Calgary. Neil Young was on the road promoting his Ragged Glory album, which is in my opinion one of his greatest albums. Good times!!!

March 31st

 

 On March 31st, 1987 myself and a couple of buddies made the trip to Calgary to see Alice Cooper in concert at the Olympic Saddledome. This was my first time seeing Alice in concert and would most certainly not be my last time. Alice was on the road touring for his album Constrictor. Opening the show was the Quebec heavy metal band Sword.

March 24th

 

 On March 24th, 1994 I saw Jethro Tull in concert at the Jubilee Auditorium in Calgary. At the time Jethro Tull were on tour for their 25th anniversary as a band.

Ringo Starr and His All Starr Band Live in Calgary Oct.13th 2015

Last Tuesday Janis and I went tot he Ringo Starr and His All Starr Band concert in Calgary at the Jubilee Auditorium. When I first saw this show announced I was of course interested in going, and really wanted to take Janis to it as she is a huge Beatles fan. I had seen Ringo once before back in 1989 and that show was amazing, especially with the back-up band he had at the time. Checkout the poster below to see who was all playing in Ringo's All Starr Band at that time.

So when this show was announced I had to see who was in the band this time around. As the format for these Ringo shows is that each member of the band do a few songs from their previous bands. Well the back-up band this time consisted of Steve Lukather on guitar whom played in Toto, Richard Page on bass from the 80's band Mr.Mister, Gregg Rolie on keyboards a founding member of the Santana band, Todd Rundgren on guitar who has produced many an album and is a songwriter, Warren Ham on saxophone (no idea who he is), Gregg Bissonette on drums who once played in David Lee Roth's band and then of course Ringo Starr of Beatles fame.

This line-up certainly didn't match up with what I saw in 1989 at all. After seeing who was in the band I really had no interest in going, but I really wanted Janis to see another Beatle in concert, having already seen Paul McCartney a few years ago. Then I saw how much tickets were for this show. Holy fuck, two hundred dollars for these washed up has-beens, ummm nope not gonna go!

But then I got lucky and won a pair of tickets for the Calgary show from CKUA radio. So yes, we were going to make a weekend of it and travel to Cowtown for the show.

The show started with the band coming out on stage and then Ringo making his appearance last, bouncing out to a standing ovation and going into a Carl Perkins song called Matchbox, I was amazed at how agile and full of energy Ringo Starr is, the man don't look a day over fifty years old, yet he is seventy-five. Good on you Ringo! After that it was a Ringo original It Don't Come Easy. This version of the band has been playing together for over three years now and recorded a new song called Island In The Sun from his new album Postcards From Paradise, the first time that Ringo has recorded a new song with any version of his All-Star bands. It was alright, nothing special.

My favorite musician of this band was Todd Rundgren, he is a freak and at times kind of reminded me of Joe Walsh. His songs were pretty good, and he looked to be enjoying himself on stage, actually the whole band seemed to be having fun. Of course when Ringo did any Beatles songs the crowd rose up and sang along to such songs as Don't Pass Me By, Yellow Submarine, With A Little Help From My friends and Give Peace A Chance.

It was the rest of the shitty songs that you had to put up with through out the show. Songs by Toto such as Africa, Hold The Line and Rosanna, I have never liked Toto and it felt like those songs were never going to fucking end, ughhh! And Richard Page of Mr. Mister playing Kyrie and You Are Mine, again another band that I never liked. I will say though, Richard Page has a damn good voice, he hasn't lost it at all, if you like Mr. Mister that is. Then of course we got a few Santana songs, I don't mind Santana but have heard Black Magic Woman way too many times. This whole show felt like you were listening to a golden oldies AM radio program.

I couldn't help but think, man Ringo you sure have sunk to a low when your playing drums to such bands as Toto and Mr.Mister. But the 2500 people in attendance for this sold out two hour show sure did seem to enjoy it. I know Janis really liked the Beatles stuff, and it's always good to see your lady having fun dancing up a storm, singing along and giving the peace sign back to Ringo, as that is something Ringo did a lot of, he loves his peace love and happiness mantra. All and all we enjoyed the show, especially with not having to pay for it. Thanks CKUA! Good times!!!

Ringo Starr and His All Starr Band setlist.

Matchbox(Carl Perkins cover)
It Don't Come Easy (Ringo Starr song)
Island in the Sun (Ringo Starr song)
I Saw the Light(Todd Rundgren cover)
Evil Ways (Willie Bobo cover)
Rosanna (Toto cover)
Kyrie (Mr. Mister cover)
Bang the Drum All Day (Todd Rundgren cover)
Boys (The Shirelles cover)
Don't Pass Me By (The Beatles cover)
Yellow Submarine (The Beatles cover)
Black Magic Woman / Gypsy Queen (Santana cover)
You're Sixteen (Johnny Burnette cover)
I'm the Greatest (Ringo Starr song)
You Are Mine (Richard Page cover)
Africa (Toto cover)
Oye como va (Tito Puente cover)
I Wanna Be Your Man (The Beatles cover)
Love Is the Answer (Utopia cover)
Broken Wings (Mr. Mister cover)
Hold the Line (Toto cover)
Photograph (Ringo Starr song)
Act Naturally (Buck Owens cover)
With a Little Help From My Friends (The Beatles cover)
Give Peace a Chance (Plastic Ono Band cover)

Ringo Starr and his All-Starr Band at the Jubilee Auditorium in Calgary.

T-shirt front.

T-shirt back.

On a side not, anyone who reads music magazines or watches TV may have seen that Ringo Starr has been endorsing Skechers shoes these days. Well, Janis had bought herself a pair of new Skechers a week before our getaway and hadn't broke them quite in yet. Well we did a whole lot of walking around in Calgary, checking out record shops and such. After a few days of lots of walking, Janis got blisters on her toes which made for some uncomfortable walking. Which got her and I to thinking, damn we should have made a sign to take to the concert that read...

Santanaofabitch, Mr.Mister my Toto's hurt!!!

Earthless and The Shrine at Dickens June 21st 2014

We bailed the Olympic Plaza after Rocket From The Crypt and went to separate shows. My Bro. was off to see Bob Mould, and I was off to Dickens to see Earthless, The Shrine and Shooting Guns, I missed opener Temple. I would have got there in time to see Temple, had I not had such a good buzz on that I had to sit down and get my shit together. Been a fun day of drinking, maybe a bit too much. Anyways, had a bite to eat, sat in the shade, had some water and got it together.

This was another bill of stoner bands. That kind of day I guess. First band I caught was a band from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan called Shooting Guns. I had heard of this band but had never heard their music before. They were alright, nothing special to me. The crowd were in to them though. A good crowd at the venue already too. People like there metal, I guess.

Shooting Guns.

Next up was The Shrine out of Los Angeles, California. The Shrine are three piece band that played a sludgy up tempo kind of music with a hint of Sabbath and psychedelia, I really liked them. It was fucking loud though, loud enough that I found a napkin and used it as ear plugs, but then I had been out all day listening to loud music, between the shows at the Bamboo, and Olympic Plaza and now Dickens, it was a relief to the ol' ears.

The Shrine.

Album I bought at the show.

Headliner of the night was San Diego based instrumental band Earthless. Their music is heavy with a hint of psychedelicness. I enjoyed the first twenty minutes of the show, but after that it just started to all blur together, it all started to sound the same like it was one very long song, more like jamming. I guess that's what it was actually, just way to much noodling for me. No doubt the band is talented, but it just got boring to me. Kind of wish I had gone with my Brother to see Bob Mould, oh well, still fun. Good times!!!

Earthless.

T-shirt.

All and all this was an awesome weekend, lots of great music, always good to hang with my brother, lots of laughs. This was my first time attending Sled Island Festival, and would highly recommend it to anyone that enjoys checking out new bands. I had a great time.

Here is a list of my top five new bands I discovered at Sled Island that I had never heard before.

#1 The Blind Shake
#2 War Baby
#3 Gaytheist
#4 The Stanfields
#5 Mark Mills

A big thank you to my Brother Captain Citrus for the passes and to him and his wife Erin for the accommodations. I had a blast, so much music and good times!!!!