Sudbury Saturday Night

I just got back from a Great Big Sea concert. Had a great night, drank all my money and got propositioned by hookers, just an average Sudbury Saturday Night.

This is the fifth or sixth concert I've seen at the Sudbury arena. I think so anyway lets recap:

Blue Rodeo
Bob Dylan
Bryan Adams
Randy Bachman and Burton Cummings

And now...Great Big Sea!

I left the hotel a little later than I usually do which was perfect. Got in just as they were finishing off the safety procedures speech. I was sitting for only a few seconds before the opening act, Jeremy Fisher, came on. He played a forty minute set give or take. I got one of his albums about two months ago and enjoyed it. It was just him, an acoustic guitar and a harmonica. He talked a lot between songs which was nice. He even through in a few covers including "Girl From the North Country". Neat, I saw Bob Dylan play that song standing in almost the exact same spot. Afterwards he came out to the merchandise table and I had a brief meeting with him. Nice guy.

Shortly thereafter I returned to my seat and Great Big Sea took the stage. They opened with "Donkey Riding" then went on to "Captain Kidd". They played most of their hits including:

General Taylor
The Night Pat Murphy Dies
England
Helmethead
Consequence Free
Mari Mac
Ordinary Day
When I'm Up (I Can't Get Down)
When I am King
A Boat Like Gideon Brown
Ferryland Sealer
Sea of No Cares
Scolding Wife
Love Me Tonight
Clearest Indication
Fortune Set
Excursion Around the Bay
The Old Black Rum

And a few others that i cant recall off the top of my head.

About halfway through the show they did a little medley of covers including Summer of '69/I Fought the Law/Sweet Dreams (are made of this)/Bohemian Rhapsody and some more stuff. They even gave Stompin' Tom's "Sudbury Saturday Night" but that didnt last long. For this section of the show they played their instruments and got the audience to sing. That combined with the various sing alongs throughout the night took my voice. I even gave the old black rum a shot in honour of Great Big Sea but my voice is still gone. Oh well, not like I need it right now anyway. Alan Doyle is still sporting a beard which he grew for a part in a Ridley Scott movie. I'm pretty sure Russell Crowe is going to be in said movie. I bought a DVD of theirs called "Courage, Patience and Grit" about two years ago and have wanted to see them ever since. I must say though that tonights show was far better than the DVD. Live bands tend to have that effect.

They left the stage three times and came back twice for encores. For the encores they did another cover but this one I did not recognize. Something from the 80s. The other three songs in the encore were theirs. Finishing with "The Old Black Rum" was great for a number of reasons. 1. Its really fun to sing. 2. Its just a great drinking song. 3. It encouraged me to go get some.

When I left the hotel I was on the verge of falling asleep and now I want to keep going all night. I guess thats another sign that it was a really good show. Unfortunately I forgot my camera so there will be no videos or pictures as there have been for most of the concerts I've been to. I know, I know. I am saddened by this as well. If you ever get a chance to see them you must go.