Took the bus to Nova Scotia today, which was long, boring and tiring, as usual.
Mom picked me up at the bus station and we went and caught Spirit of the West playing live at the Casino.
More about the show in a minute. First: the casino. I’d been there before (for a Jeff Healey concert a few years ago) but had kind of forgotten. It’s a bit dreary, lots of older people in sweatpants sitting at slot machines. Mom said “In the ads, they always show people having lots of fun”. She insisted we walk around and look for people having fun. We saw a couple smiling faces at the blackjack tables and in the poker room, but mostly the mood was pretty sombre.
Friday nights at the casino are special nights: they have a chorus girl on floor. One solitary girl in a feathery green bikini and headdress. I always thought chorus girls operated as a group? As a chours, even? Apparently at the Halifax Casino chorus girls fly solo. And hand out strings of beads.
Anyway: the concert. We found our seats about 20 minutes before the band came on stage and looked around. And saw a lot of grey hair. I estimated I was the youngest person in the room by a good ten years. It looked like the crowd was just gamblers from the casino and not SoTW fans. I was worried there would be no energy for the band to feed off of and as a result the show would suck. I’ve liked Spirit of the West my whole life (that’s not hyperbole: they’ve been playing together for 23 years) and always wanted to see them live but never had the chance.
As they start time approached a few younger folks made their way into the room. Mom ran into a former student and two of her friends, and they sat with us. One of the girls knew the band and the another “had followed them on tour when I was fifteen”. Being there with a group of other fans really added to the experience.
The band played a great, high energy set. They mostly played their well-known stuff, but mixed in about five songs from their latest album. They are a fantastic live act and their songs have a whole new kind of life when being performed in front of you.
By the end I was up and dancing in front of the stage. Yes, you read that right: me, dancing. I was so close to the band I could have spit on John Mann’s shoes if I’d wanted too (he was drinking red wine between songs, hehe). I even slow-danced to a song. With a cute girl. :D
I estimated I was the youngest person in the room by a good ten years.
I totally know the feeling.
It sounds like an amazing concert though. I’m envious… but still having a difficult time picturing you dancing. ;-)
Don’t try to picture him dancing, it’s a horrific image that will destroy your mind.
Ah, Jamie, how I missed you.
Hey, the dancing was pretty damn cool and the girl was definitely cute. But then again, can a mother be unbiased?