Awesome show. Best so far. No Wishlist and no Better Man
The venue was HOT! Ed said "This is the smallest gig of the tour...and the hottest...how the fuck do you play hockey in here?" The band all wore sleeveless T's.
The crowd was LOUD for such a small venue. Many of the local fans at the side and behind the stage sat through most of the show. Maybe that was to protest the lack of beer since there was no alcohol served at the venue.
Ed was drinking LOTS of beer during the show and kept raising his bottle(s) to the crowd... spilling much.
Present Tense opener was great. (From the lighting I was worried we were going to get Release... again)
Ed hung from the rigging ladder during Jeremy and swung out over the crowd a bit. One of the best versions in a long time.
Driven to Tears!!
Alive rivaled Vancouver's with Ed dancing and spinning on the stage and the crowd all throwing their fists in the air.
Ed was busy handing a pick to someone during the beginning of SOLAT so he missed coming in for the first verse but the whole crowd came in right on time and when Ed came to the mic he just smiled and flashed an 'OK' sign. He let the crowd continue and came in on the second verse.
Breakerfall finally showed up! Whoo hoo!
Ed really climbed deep into the stands and sang the whole song Last Kiss from the crowd passing the mic around so audience members could sing too. (up until this point there were no weak songs...heh) Before climbing into the crowd Ed said "I'm sure you have some nice small bars in Thunder Bay but you made this sure feel like one."
Ed introduced RitFW by talking about "uncle Neil" again. Neil cut his teeth playing the bars around Thunder Bay in the 1960's when he was playing out of Winnipeg. It was with the Supersuckers singer's SON (not daughter as posted earlier), Quattro. The Supersuckers guitarist took the second solo and he was great.
A couple fans were holding up a sign that said "MATT: MORE COWBELL". He laughed his ass off when he saw it and pointed it out enthusiastically
Yellow Ledbetter was back closing the set.
Very nice poster for this show.
I caught Matt's drumstick with another guy and he kept bashing my head into the cement floor. I'm seeing stars and my knees are bleeding. I let him have it. He was psycho.
My friend in the front row was handed two sticks by Matt as he watched her drumming along to all the songs.
Now I take a break and pick the tour up again in Montreal.
I'm sure there was more I forgot but those are the highlights I remember. See ya'll on the road.
Mahlon