March 6th

  On March 6th, 2010 I saw Merle Haggard play the second of two sold out show in the same night at the River Cree Casino in Edmonton.

Ben & Noel Haggard with The Strangers Live in Edmonton Nov.10th 2017

It's been a week already since this show, so here is a quick review of the Ben and Noel Haggard show.

Last Friday my buddy Buzzard, Cuz and I went to the Century Casino here in Edmonton for the Ben and Noel Haggard with The Strangers concert. For those that might not know, Noel and Ben are sons of the late legendary outlaw country star Merle Haggard. And backing up Ben and Noel were The Strangers which was Merle's old band.

The night started with a lady opening, I have forgotten her name and really don't have much to say about her set. I found it generic and boring.

After a short break, it was time for Ben and Noel Haggard with The Strangers. Ben who is 24 and Noel who is 54 both have the gift of their fathers voice. Not only can Ben sing like his dad, but he is also one hell of a guitar player, not that Noel isn't good either, but Ben really stood out. Ben has been playing in Merle's band since the age of fifteen, I remember seeing Merle in concert in 2010 at River Cree where Merle had a video camera set up in the tour bus so that we could see Ben playing along with the band, as he was too young to play in the venue. Noel looks a lot like Merle as well. They sounded amazing singing Merle's old country hits. The back up band was superb as well, sadly the bass payer wasn't able to get across the border so a gentleman from Toronto was sitting in. But on steel guitar was long-time Strangers member Norm Hamlet who has been the band leader of The Strangers since 1964. He too sounded great and looked to be having a blast carrying on the legacy of Merle Haggard's music, as did the son's too of course. Their near two hour set had all the hits. Have a look at the setlist for all the songs played.

After the show we got to meet the band and get autographs. Ben and Noel were both super nice guys as was Norm Hamlet. This was a very fun show. Good times!!!

Ben and Noel Haggard with The Strangers at Century Casino.

After the show my buddy Buzzard and Cuz and I got to meet the guys. Down to earth bunch, easy to chat with and it was cool to talk to Norm about being a member of The Strangers for so long and why he still loves playing music with the Haggard family. Very cool!

Autographed setlist from the show signed by Ben, Noel and Norm.

RIP Merle Haggard

Well this year sure is being hard on musicians, with word of the passing of Merle Haggard today at the age of 79, and on his birthday to boot. This really sucks and is making me feel older as many of these guys I have seen in concert and have hoped to see again.

I remember as child hearing Merle Haggard being played on vinyl by my parents along with Cash, Nelson and Jennings. I know I wasn't a fan of the country music as a kid, but as I got older and went through the ups and downs of what life is, I surely grew to understand what the old time country was really about. Especially the outlaw country music, in which Merle certainly was one. A good buddy of mine Buzzard also got me into the old country music when I was in my early 20's and haven't stopped listening since. Now it's not something I play all the time, but there is a time and place for this stuff, and today is certainly one of them. I am going to pour myself a stiff drink and spin some Merle Haggard in memory of a true legend.

I was lucky that I got to see Merle in concert a few times. The first time was in 2001 at the Coliseum here in Edmonton, row 2 on the floor. This was the perfect time for me to see someone like Merle for the first time, as I was going through a break up of my own at the time. So the tunes really hit the heart. And it was the first time Merle had played in Edmonton in over a decade. A great show it was.

The second time I saw Merle was in 2010 when he played the River Cree Casino on the outskirts of Edmonton. He did two shows that evening, My buddy Buzzard and I attended the late show, and again, he put on an amazing show. So thankful that I had the opportunity to see this original country music outlaw. Rest In Peace Merle, your music will live on.

A couple pictures I took at the show in 2010. Not very good pictures as you can probably tell I took the photos of the screen they had at the venue as my seats weren't the greatest. The very first picture of this post is from the same show, but is actually of him up on stage.

23 Years Ago Today...November 15th

It was twenty-three years ago today that I saw Sweet with local rockers Mary Prankster play The Metro here in Edmonton.

And it was twelve years ago today that I saw Merle Haggard play the Skyreach Centre in Edmonton.

14 Years Ago Today...Mar.6th

It was fourteen years ago today that I saw the Tragically Hip with openers By Divine Right play in Red Deer at the Centrium Centre.





It was also three years ago today that I saw Merle Haggard in concert at the Venue at the River Cree Casino.

Concert Shirt Of The Day Nov.29th (Merle Haggard)

Today's t-shirt is from the first time I saw Merle Haggard in concert. This show was at The Skyreach Centre in Edmonton in 2001. I won row 2 on the floor tickets to this show from The Edmonton Journal. Opening act for this show was Carolyn Dawn Johnson, have to admit, I missed her set, busy having a few drinks before Merle came on. I went to this show with Hilary. Merle was touring for his "If I Could Only Fly" album.

Front.


Back.

Merle Haggard Concert Review

Saturday night Merle Haggard played 2 sold out shows at The River Cree Casino just on the outskirts of town. He did a 5pm and an 8 pm show, Earl,BZ and I went to this show. Earl had tickets for the 5pm show while BZ and I had tickets for the 8pm show.
I wish I could give you a proper review of the show but I can't. Here is what you don't want to do when going to an 8pm show. Don't start drinking at 7:30 in the morning and drink all through the day. Needless to say, most of the show was kind of blurry. What I do remember of it was good, but in my drunken stupidity, sometime during the evening I lost my jacket, which meant I had no wallet therefore no cash to get home, I also lost BZ during the show. By the end of the night, I was panicking cause I had no way home. Thanks to the awesome staff at the casino, they managed to get me in a cab after I had called home and made sure Janis had money to pay for my cab fare. I made it home safe, thank god.
I called the casino Sunday morning, hoping but not really expecting them to have my jacket. Well, much to my surprise someone had turned my jacket in and everything intact, yes, wallet,smokes,bus pass,camera and still 50 dollars in my wallet. I am counting my blessings today. A big thumbs up to River Cree Casino staff.My faith in people as been renewed, to whomever turned my jacket in, a big thumbs up to them as well.
I learned a lesson Saturday night, I will never again drink that much before going to a concert.

Old School Album Of The Week For Feb.8th -12th

This weeks album is a collaboration from Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson called Pancho and Lefty released in 1982. This album is a great morning drinking album from the veteran country outlaws. While only 3 of the 10 songs are actually written by either artist, what a great album this is. Both Willie's and Merle's voices are so distinctive, I like best when they duet together on a few of the songs.
The album opens with the country classic, album title Pancho and Lefty wrote by the late Townes Van Zandt. This song has been covered by many an artist and most recently Steve Earle.
The second song on side one is a tune called It's My Lazy Day, has my favorite lines of the album,
"A little deep thinkin'
Drives me to drinkin'
Hey I'm a takin' it easy, it's my lazy day"
Side one ends with my favorite song of the album wrote by Merle Haggard, a song called Reasons To Quit. Some great lyrics in this song.
"Reasons to quit the smoke and booze don't do me like before
And I'm hardly ever sober and my old friends don't come around much anymore
Reasons to quit below it always lower than the high
And the reasons to quit don't out number all the reasons why

So we keep smokin' and we keep drinkin' havin' fun and never thinkin'
Laughin' at the price tags that we pay
And we keep rollin' down the fast lane like two young men feelin' no pain
And the reasons for quittin's gettin' bigger each day

Reasons to quit I can't afford the habit all the time
I need to be sober I need to write some new songs that will rhyme
Reasons to quit they have no rhyme or reason when you're high
And the reasons to quit don't out number all the reasons why

[ guitar ]
We keep smokin' and we keep drinkin'...
And the reasons for quittin's gettin' bigger each day" Then side two of the album starts with the song called "No Reason To Quit" yet another great song.
Another song I like on the album, and in the spirit of Valentine's Day is a song called "My Life's Been A Pleasure", this song goes out to my most awesome fiance Janis.
"I still love you as I did in yesterday
Many years have gone by though it seems just like a day
It's no wonder that I love you you have been so kind and true
There will never be another it will always be just you
We've come along the way together when you've proved your love is true
My life's been a pleasure and it's all because of you
And to me you'll always be just as sweet as flowers in May
And I'll still love you as I did in yesterday

[ guitar - violin ]
I still love you as I did in yesterday...

And to me you'll always be just as sweet as flowers in May
And I'll still love you as I did in yesterday" The second last song of the album, a tune called "All The Soft Places To Fall" which has a great opening verse.
"Most of my life I've been runnin' around playin' and havin' a ball
And maybe I've been on a party too long these memories are fond to recall
You see we've got these thing about women smokin' and good alcohol
Now I'm lookin' for a homelife and clean smellin' sheets and all the soft places to fall"
Yet something else Janis has brought to my life,mmm, clean sheets on a regular basis.
So, that's the album of this week, a great country classic from Merle and Willie.
Merle Haggard will be playing two shows Saturday March 6th., a 5pm and 8pm show at The River Cree Casino.