1996 was a slow year for concerts here in Edmonton. I did get out to some, but overall a weak year.
On March 16th of 1996 my brother,Warren and I made the trip to Banff for Snow Job. Much Music used to do a concert series in the mountains called Snow Job. This year it was held in Banff. At this show we saw a band called Presidents Of The United States of America with The Goo Goo Dolls, they played in the field of Banff High School, this was a great double bill and before Goo Goo Dolls went all sappy. A good time was had by all. This show was free, but you had to get passes a couple of weeks before, which we did.
Three days later at the Thunderdome was blues legend Bo Diddley with local harp player Rusty Reed sharing the stage with him.I believe Earl and I went to this show. Excellent show.
Also in 1996, KISS finally got the original band together again and donned the make up for a reunion tour. I was all over this show when it was announced. I had to travel to Vancouver for it, which was fine by me. My brother was living in Vancouver at the time. And like myself, my brother wasn't about to miss this show either. The show was on the September long weekend, and two days before the KISS show was another reunion show with the Sex Pistols, talk about a fun weekend of 70's music.
At the KISS show, my brother and I hung out at the venue before the show, drinking beers and tweaking out on mushrooms. By the time we got into the show at GM Place, we were tripping quite hard. There were all kinds of people in KISS costumes, and to our surprise as we are sitting in our seats watching the spectacle, out of nowhere come two people dressed in cave man outfits, why, I have no idea. My brother and I looked at each other, like, did you just see what I saw, yup. Well, here comes the laughter, after that we couldn't even look at each other without losing it. Finally the show started, this was the firs time for my Bro and I to finaly see our heroes play in make up and it was everything we expected and more. What an amazing time we had at this show. All and all, an excellent weekend in Vancouver.
Also the long weekend in Vancouver, I made the decision to stay an extra week to see The Allman Brothers Band play at The Orpheum Theatre. Only to have show cancelled day of. That sucked big time, I was very disappointed and fucking cost me a few bucks to stay the extra week. Bastards!!!
Other shows I saw in 96 were The Alleyboys at People's Pub, Rymes With Orange at the Thunderdome, Sass Jordan at Thunderdome, Great Big Sea at The Rev, Big Sugar with Wide Mouth Mason at The Rev, Neil Youg and Crazy Horse with Moist and Pete Droge and The Sinners, and to end the year The Tragically Hip with The Rheostatics at the Coliseum.
That KISS concert in Vancouver was one of the most insane nights of my life!! I remember hanging out in the bushes near the stadium drinking beers, you were dry-heaving from the 'shrooms, and that homeless-looking dude was shooting up next to us. It got to be too much for us to handle so we went into the concert and freaked out and laughed are asses off all night. Good times!!
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