Blue Rodeo blew me away on Friday night. With such a rich and vibrant musical history
behind them and 25 years in, they still have a long melodic road ahead. It was a last minute decision to buy tickets
despite a longing to see this show. I’m
glad we went with our whim and snagged the last two tickets to sit side by
side. It was a full house, all ages but
every single person in that arena knew every single word to every single song
and that is the beauty of this band.
Blue Rodeo’s music is a precise blend of country twang
and Canadian roots rock. Their songwriting,
ballads in particular are both crafted and delivered in such a fashion that
when they are pulling on your heart-strings, they are also pulling tears from
your eyes. Jim Cuddy has one of the most
beautiful voices I have ever heard. When
he sings I am often covered in goose-bumps and that is only amplified when he’s
live, in front of me, filling the room with melodious gold.
Friday’s show was their Halifax stop on their 25th
Anniversary tour. That means, when they
started out I was somewhere around fifteen years old. Hard to recall a time when Blue Rodeo wasn’t
present on the soundtrack of my life. I
used to sit with my cassette player, headphones on and suspend into their
songs. Get lost in them and allow them
to take me over. I loved them from the
start and they have only gotten better, more refined and lovelier.
I mused to my best friend on the drive home from the show
how their music makes me feel incredibly proud to be Canadian. While I firmly believe their music has the
ability to reach across boarders and oceans, there’s a tiny secret riddled in
their music that only someone Canadian can truly translate and appreciate. They are one of the greatest gifts our vast
country has given and judging by the previews of a few new songs, their next
record will only be another extension of their importance and presence in the
scope of Canadian music.
As always, the most impressive moments in any life show
for me is when the audience sings with or out-sings the band. ‘Lost Together’ remains my all-time favorite
Blue Rodeo song and it was absolutely earth-shattering to hear a sea of people sing
the whole thing in unison (making it the most moving point of the evening for
me. Jim Cuddy’s impassioned rendition of
‘After The Rain’ could have gone on for the duration of the show and I wouldn’t
have minded at all, it was poignant and soul satisfying. Who needs a house of God when all of your
prayers are answered in song?
I was thinking about this yesterday, in less than six
months I will have seen so many incredible shows, all Canadian gold. Let’s recount: The Sheepdogs, Yukon Blonde, Big Sugar, Gloryhound,
Blue Rodeo, Tragically Hip and yes kids, yours truly is FINALLY going to see
the one and only Leonard Cohen. Impressive
list for a short period of time, yes? It
is widely known that both Gord Downie and Leonard Cohen are both HUGE influences
for me. Heroes. That I will share air with both of them this
year is monumental. I couldn’t be
happier. And in part, these two shows
can only aid in putting me back in my happy place. Personally, it’s been a long rocky road
getting back to it but with the assistance of the written word, music and a
better attitude, I am pretty much there.
Leonard’s show is a bucket list item for me. I can’t wait to frame my ticket stub and
display it on my rock wall. Mission
thoughtfully accomplished.
I did a tiny bit of writing this weekend but nothing of
the creative variety. Along with another
challenging task, I strung a few words together to help with a band bio for my
brother’s upcoming gig at the Annual Tour Tech Party (which I’ll miss as it’s
the same night of the Hip). They are
closing the main-stage this year being shared by Saga, a rock quintet from
Oakville, Ontario whose song ‘On The Loose’ (for me) is their most notable song. It’s a fantastic event, the Tour Tech Party,
an AIDS fundraiser. It’s well organized
and a ton of fun. Two stages, countless
bands, lots of schmoozing and beer. I’m
really disappointed to miss it this year.
They’ll blow the roof off as only they can.
It’s a Monday, cold and windy here in Halifax. Snow is looming along with frigid temperatures
to last well into next weekend. Time for
a piece of poetry, word play to warm the bones.
It Has To Be Perfect
more time is required
to omit needless words
amend the text
sit on it
sleep on it
walk it around
&
read it again
new revisions
on an old story
additions
deletions
paragraph
changes in bold
highly subjective
possibly dishonest
irreconcilable ambivalence
editing
a head start
to suffering
**
Ahh, that felt good.
Oh, I forgot to mention, I received the third and final
rejection from the Year Write submissions.
Upward and onward! There’s always
next time.
Happy Monday, folks!
In propinquity,
Nic
PS - Did I mention that I am over the MOON about seeing Leonard Cohen!? In case you didn't pick up on it, I am!
