Day and Night

Sept. 20 '07

We arrived at the Bert Church Theatre in Airdrie just about on time. Dennis, the theatre manager graciously greeted us on a grandiose equipment elevator like a soldier from the underground. The Bert Church Theatre was recently equipped with a killer new sound system and the room is newly renovated. Comfortable seats, great sight lines to the stage, all with great sound. The goal of this first show was clear; sell tickets to the full show on Friday night.

The strategy, as developed by Dennis, was to host a free mini show at 3:30pm on Thursday, and then hope that they all come back with friends on Friday night. A well conceived plan, especially when you consider that very few people have heard of Chucky Danger in Airdrie AB.

Showtime came, and so did the first challenge, only about 30 people showed up. It was up to us. Put on an outrageous show, or have a dismal turn out on Friday night. For a show intended only as a preview, we gave a lot away, making it a bit of a spoiler. If that show didn't bring them back, then our band would never have pulled them back.

We packed up and left quickly, all on a bit of a high from the energy of the little show that could. Red deer bound, and in a bit of a hurry, the Vat was calling our name. If we thought the show in Airdrie was small, we didn't know what small was. Two songs in, and the PA starts freaking out, pouring out a room full of low end feedback. We take a break to let our Philosopher Allister have a talk about good manners with the PA. Meanwhile, the band members wandered through the bar to chat with the guests, of which, there were approximately ten. I joked with a small group at one table that I could write down everyone's name without much challenge. Moments later, Allister informed us that the PA promised to be a little less 'touchy.'

We ended the set with an energetic version of 'Sweet Symphony," followed by a Standing Ovation in a bar with about 12 people. Allister, and a gentleman named Carl immediately put the PA through more therapy, and I walked back to the people I spoke with in the first break. To my surprise, Cody Knopf handed me a piece of paper and a pen. I didn't have the courage to write down everyone's names, only the people at that table. They told me to call them the best looking table, and their names are, as written verbatim, Cody Knopf, Joel f**king Johnson, Stu Meston, Chris Sabyan, ColinColinColinColin, and Sabrina. I wonder if they'll ever read this.

Carl and Allister finally quelled the beast that is The Vat's sound system. We take to the stage, and the first song earned us a standing ovation, wild. A few songs later 'Lady Dye' (her nick name) hit the dance floor. Then a young Halegonian hit the dance floor. Taylor, being from the east coast, came expecting a decent crowd. After seeing the small crowd, he proceeded to lose it and rock out, none the less. Moments later, everyone in the club, sparing a few people from the good looking table and the staff, were cutting a rug. The last song of the evening, Marching Machine turned into a spontaneous free jam including all sorts of yelling, and dancing. The air was thick with energy. That energy transferred seamlessly to one of the greatest parties I have ever experienced in a bar.

The morning light raised me from slumber, on Sept. 21st ’07. The band house's clean air pulled into my lungs as the weight of sleep dissolved.

We ate breakfast at Hubies 1955 diner. Everyone liked their breakfast except me. The staff snickered at the fact that I ordered the Elvis Omelet, a peanut butter and banana omelet. John, Rob, Colin, and Al each had a laugh as I realized their predictions of it being a stupid order came into reality. I made a similar mistake ordering a Pizza Soup at a restaurant in BC once before. As I suffered my way through this ridiculous meal, one of the boys started chanting Pizza Soup, and a new saying was formed. Now, if someone makes an obviously stupid decision, and the obvious results take place, that is Pizza Soup.

The Bert Church Theatre was a comforting reminder of the potentially sane life of a touring artist. We loaded onto the equipment elevator into the temperature controlled theatre for set-up. We brought our stage clothes down to the well lit green room that was well stocked with bottles of water and comfortable seating.

How many people would our pre-show for 30 students pull out to the full show? Honestly, our expectations were low. John said, "I will be satisfied if half of the people from the pre-show turn up."

All told, around 75 people showed up. Not a staggering figure, but at least it surpassed our entirely unimpressive expectations. The show came off with a sort of contained level of excitement. The vibe was cool and under control, a stark contrast from the mayhem of The Vat in Red Deer, but appealing in its own way. After the show, we had a cup of red wine with a university friend Debbie Bradbury, reflecting on the many lives of a travelling musician.

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