By 1:30, we were onsite with the live sound recording and video recording gear… by 2:30 we were set up and ready to roll… the sound checks had been done for the most part… Everyone grabbed a snack courtesy of Fat Franks… The smell of hot dogs was definitely in the air…
This is my 1st year blogging the event live and also the 1st year we're recording the entire event live (video and audio) in the hopes of an eventual DVD release. It's going to be pretty kick ass. I'm excited and just a little nervous.
I had time after I set up the dual MacBooks and outboard gear to grab a dog and sit for a minute as I write the 1st blurb in what I hope will be a long and detailed account of what happened.
My father, the owner of HayLoft Acres and the main dude for this venue is fluttering around the stage. My stepfather (the illustrious Gary) is shooting video for the event, and as always, I am with headphones listening intently as the VU meters flash away…
Damn, that's a good hot dog.
I've shot a couple dozen pics with the Nikon, and I'll be posting them at el-jefe.org and halyloftacres.blogspot.ca by tomorrow… So stay tuned and check them out and definitely read on, as this will be a cool accounting of the events of Springtime in Alberta 2012…
It's 2:45 now. The stage is set up, the bands are in the green room waiting to go on. Sound is prepared. Video is prepared. There's a few people already sitting on the hill, best seats in the house, waiting for the gig to begin.
It's 3:00… people are still sifting in… the hill's startin to fill up and Mr. Marv Machura just hit the stage… Just him and an acoustic and he's already got it nailed… It's nice to see… I've been here 9 years, so has Marv. he's a co-founder and a fixture out here… There's already the smell of a little stinkweed out here (also a fixture out here).
MAN we've got a nice day. 21 degrees, sunny, but not TOO sunny… very little wind… Kind of a perfect day.
The hill is filling up and theres a steady stream of cars at the gate coming in… it's great. Michelle from City TV just showed up to help co-host. She's a great lady. Very classy. I watch her every morning giving the weather report on breakfast television, and now she's standing here asking me questions about my dad… Hehe.
It's 3:30…. my dad just took the drum throne behind Marv Machura to do a couple tunes. Despite the tumultuous relationship he and I have had over the years, I've never been more proud of the big knucklehead for putting this on, and for getting onstage and playing his heart out with these guys… THAT is a pleasure for me to see. Fills my heart up, that's for damn sure.
The sound is kicking… We've got great signal coming in… The video is nice as it's not overlay bright… Lynn's doing a spectacular job on sound… for a small stage and a small PA it's pounding pretty hard. It all feel good… right… like it's all coming together. Except the beer guys are late as hell, LOL… They've just showed up at about 3:30, and are setting up in the tent not too far away from my control room. Marv and Scot and my dad are just about ready to wrap up and Rob Taylor is up as the 1st tweener of the day (tweener for "in betweener").. One more for Marv and he's wrapped up for the day…
It's 3:55… Rob Taylor is up for a few minutes. Again, one man, one acoustic. He's great. This guy is pretty awesome. It's funny… There's SO many people taking pictures of the event up front by the stage. Kind of like butterflies around a flower… They're moving in and out, left and right, snap a pic, then move away. It's pretty cool.
I'm craving another dog. Seriously. It's hot, it's perfect hot dog weather.
The beer guys are hauling ice tubs and kegs into the tent. Always a good sign of impending drunkeness. The wind's picked up a bit. A nice cool breeze is blowing, but it hasn't gotten out of hand… Already a hundred or more people are here, with the more coming through the gates all the time… I lean back in my chair, turn up the headphones a bit, close my eyes and get lost in the spring air… It's kinda of heavenly, this experience. On a personal note, with how buys I've ben lately with my own shit, and leading up to this, getting ready… It's so nice to be here, have it all working… My gear is preforming flawlessly… it's nice… the stress is just melting away.
As Puremud gets ready to play, Michelle is talking about the weather for the week… It's hilarious.
Give it up for Puremud, ladies and gentlemen…
Small technical glitch… Lost one channel for a sec, had to rewire on the fly. Lasted 10 seconds. This is great. pure mud is a great straight ahead classic rock and roll outfit. Classic and clean. pretty damn good.
They're rocking the place. People are dancing and having a great time. The liquor is flowing nicely now, and we've reached a point in the afternoon where we can officially say "the groove has settled"… open ing jitters and nervousness are gone, people are loose, shit's come together and is working… I keep saying "it's nice" but you know what… it is… it's… nice.
Puremud's going to be wrapping up in a few. Another two tunes maybe. It's warm and pleasant. No wind right now. People are sitting on the hill, tanning, enjoying life, and having a good time… I'm starting to get a little tired myself. It's the 5:00 crash hitting me… but it will pass soon I'm sure.
There's a nasty 60 cycle hum coming off the stage as Scot picks up the guitar. It's definitely on the stage side of things. Lynn's working on it, but it's coming through pretty definitively and it's coming through on the mix. Sucks. Tracking it down as I write this. LOL. Scot's playing a nice couple tunes as the Ruminators set up behind him. He's talented, this guy. And a nice guy to boot.
5:22 - found the hum… it's gone. sheesh. what a trip that was… We're ready to go on with the Ruminators… Should be a good set.
It's starting to pop out here. the beer tent is full, the hillside is filling up and there's a LOT of people here. The Ruminators are doing Santana… and getting everyone going… It's a good vibe out here tonight. For sure. They're doing The Tragically Hip's "Blow at High Dough" and the audience is going nuts… Moving, screaming… this is what it's all about.
Doing a GREAT version of Van Halen's nice cream man, and talking about how much David Lee Roth sucks at 62 years old. LOL. These guys are a lot of fun.
They asked for an audience request (as they said they were brave enough to handle it) and is by magic cliche, someone yelled "SKYYYYNYYYRD!!!!" at the top of their lungs… If there are 3 solid cliches in rock music, it's stairway to heaven, smoke on the water, and skynyrd… The band immediately broke into a kick ass rendition of "3 steps" and seriously OWNED it. These boys have a lot of class.
Next up is "play that funky music" by Wild Cherry, and again the place is going nuts.. These guys know how to do it, that's evident.
The temp is starting to drop and the wind is picking up a bit. Nothing serious, but people are donning windbreakers and denim, and the tanning has officially ceased, and legs and breasts are being covered up.
That reminds me of a joke. I was hanging out last night, and this young lady asked me if I preferred breasts or legs… I playfully admitted that what I loved most was a round, juicy, firm ass… Apparently I'm no longer welcome at KFC… BA DUM BUM. ( i travel with my own rimshot )
Ruminator's last tune is Golden Earring's Radar Love. Very nice way to end the set…
Shane McLaren is up. The heart and soul of Joe Public, who've played a few years at Hayloft Acres and Springtime in Alberta. Again. one man, one acoustic, and a just an all around great guy who shares my love of Jack Daniels. Should be a great set. I'm gonna stop blogging and listen. ;)
He sang a beautiful song to his wife who sang back from the audience… Then he did a SMOKIN cover of "Blister in the Sun" by the Violent Femmes… I might have been one of the only guys in the audience that got it… There's a heavy acrid smell in the air… and people are happy…
Shane's originals are stirring and wonderful. Everyone tends to stop what they're doing and listen when he's up there. He captivates, to be sure.
It's come to my attention. An idea of sorts… going to try to insert pictures into the script here so you can see what I'm writing about maybe, why not… So if this works, you're going to see this text interspersed with pics from the gig. Let's see how it pans out :)
IT'S WORKING !!!
After Shane jumped the stage and ran, Mary Rankin and her flutist hit the stage for tweener duty. A couple quick tunes and then we're moving on to The Tragic Treasures and The HeartAcres. It's going to be good to see him play again. Warms a son's heart.
The Tragic Treasures are up on stage right now. I'm watching my dad belt out Nine Inch Nail's "hurt" and crush it. It's so nice to see him up there doing what he loves. Dad's come a long way in the last few years… I think he's taking himself a lot less seriously these days and that's as much a reason as anything.
And then there's me. LOL yeah. we won't talk about my playing. Yikes. I definitely belong on THIS side of the soundboard. LOL
The tragic treasures set went off without a hitch. A little fast, but, very clean and very good.. It was nice to see the 'ol man smile again. He still looks a little stressed, but unlike the last few days where he looked like he was ready to strangle me with a guitar cable…
Ken Heinz (a good friend of mine, and one of the original founding members of Springtime in Alberta) got onstage with the Heartacres and rocked the place. Hard. Hillbilly rock at its' finest.
It's gotten a bit colder since they took the stage, but everyone is still having a great time. And the smiles and the groove are contagious.
Just heard the Rangers won game 7. WOOHOO
The Heartacres are rockin it. Very laid back, very cool. I think everyone that's coming is already here… These guys are halfway through their set, and then there's just one band, the aptly named "what's the name of your band" band. LOL seriously.
A couple tweeners got up between bands, and threw out a few great tunes. And then what's the name of your band took the stage to close out the night…
I'm tired. When this is done, gonna pack up, drive home, unload and sleep for about a week… I'll be posting this as soon as I get around to it.
Thanks for the memories to everyone involved. I had a great time. And I'm hoping you all did too.
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