Concerts

Those who know us know that we love Rock n' Roll and that we have, from time to time, seen a few of our favourite live acts. Sometimes together, sometimes by myself, often with Geoff and / or Jonah, and sometimes with freinds.
These are my (Ken's) memories with input from Bev & Geoff.
 



1967

The Paupers - Fair Grounds Arena 1967?

One of the top Canadian bands of the day, featuring drummer Skip Prokop.

  The Troggs - Fair Grounds Arena 1968


Complete with striped suits, and fashionably late. Brandon's Bitter End were the openning act. They did a Troggs cover.

The Guess Who - University Gym  - Still doing covers at this point in their careers.

Neil Diamond with The Guess Who - Old Arena - September

I still remember the Guess Who's cover of I'm a Man. We considered Neil Diamond to be a bit lame.



  Lighthouse - Concert Hall

 Great covers of Eight Miles High and Chest Fever. I'd not heard their album at the time. Bob McBride, the lead singer, was ill and Skip Prokop, handled the vocals. We didn't notice anything amiss.

Mashmekan - Concert Hall

Impressive - we covered two of their songs in Blind Justice. Their drummer (Jerry Mercer) later surfaced in April Wine and is with them to this day. Gaye Harry's vocal quartet was the opening act. She impressed us and we asked her to join Blind Justice.

The Ides of March - with Gypsy - Winnipeg Concert hall

We went with Leigh and Carol &??. The Ides of March were one hit wonders, (Vehicle), they had impressed some friends at the Led Zeppelin concert a year or so earlier.

Although their use of horns set them apart from many rock acts. it was their manic guitarist who stole the show. Attached to his amp by a super-long curly cord he started the show bounding back and forth across the stage. Sure enough, in the middle of the first song he stepped on the cord and disconnected. Wireless rigs soon ended that problem.

Gypsy impressed us and Blind Justice decided to cover "Gypsy Queen" one of their songs.

Murray McLaughlin with Dan Hill - Concert Hall 

Bev & I. Dan performed solo with guitar. Murray had his band.

Lighthouse - Concert Hall

  Bev & I went with Leigh and Carol.  Well known by now, we'd heard the albums. The guitar player impressed us. The opening act was some group from Australia that we've not heard from since.

  Bruce Cockburn with Valdy - Concert Hall

 Both performed solo. We went with Leigh and Carol.



1973

Three Dog Night with T-Rex - Wpg Arena

The Dogs openned with the big hit Shambalya and closed with it! T-Rex was a wall of noise, sound systems hadn't mastered the arena acoustics.



1976

    Sweeny Todd - Fair Grounds

    This was post Nick Guilder - with Bryan Adams on vocals.

The Who  - with Mother's Finest - October 18.  Winnipeg Arena



This was a big deal for us.

An announcement in the paper alterted us to the fact that the Who were coming to Winnipeg and tickets were on sale the next day. We had no money on hand so we borrowed from Donna and Dave and the next morning I went down to the mezzanine of the Eaton's Store to get tickets. In line nearby was Ken Daniels, (now a good friend) whom I knew a bit because he was my Psych 101 Lab Instructor a few years back and I had student taught with his wife, Bev, at Neelin High. 

Set List...

I Can't Explain
Substitute
My Wife
Baba O'Riley
Squeeze Box
Behind Blue Eyes
Dreaming From the Waist
Magic Bus
Amazing Journey
Sparks
The Acid Queen
Fiddle About
Pinball Wizard
I'm Free
Tommy's Holiday Camp
We're Not Gonna Take It
See Me, Feel Me
Summertime Blues
My Generation
Join Together
My Generation Blues
Won't Get Fooled Again 




Streetheart - Concert Hall

Matt and Spider impressed me with the bass & drum solo in Under My Thumb.

Trooper - Concert Hall 77 - 78 ?

  Trooper in their earliest form, guitar, bass, drums, and vocal. The only "hit" at this time was "General Hand Grenade". Within a year the hits started.




1977

Styx with Max Webster at the Keystone Centre - June 11

This was just as "The Grand Illusion" Album was making them big stars. Max Webster had just had a hit with "Let Go The Line".



The Stampeders with Ian Thomas.

The  Stampeders were in their "Horn Section" phase.



1978

The Eagles with Steve Miller and Jesse Winchester

Assiniboia Downs 







Black Oak Arkansas - Concert Hall 1980?


One hit - Jackie Blue. I went with Jamie Axford.

Chilliwack with Harlequin and Toronto - Keystone Centre

Chilliwack was near the peak of their popularity, Toronto was relatively unknown but just had the "Even the Score" hit.





1980

Prism with Loverboy - Keystone Centre - 1980  Nov. 22

Both solid canadian bands. Loveboy was just becoming a big thing.



1981

August 1

Heart with Blue Oyster Cult, Ted Nugent, Loverboy, The Rockets - at the Stadium

I went with Lawrence and Sharon. Heart was the big draw and we were really impressed.










The Stones - Minneapolis Nov 21

Bev and I went with Lawrence and Sharon to Minneapolis in 81 to see the Stones.
The Lamont Cranston Band & The Stray Cats were also on the bill.

The Stones were great - the video Let's Spend the Night Togerther documents that tour.
The Stray Cats were interesting, we'd never heard of them.












Set List

Under My Thumb
When the Whip Comes Down
Play Video
Let's Spend the Night Together
Shattered
Neighbours
Black Limousine
Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)
(The Temptations cover)
Twenty Flight Rock
Going to a Go-Go
Let Me Go
Time Is on My Side
Beast of Burden
Waiting on a Friend
Let It Bleed
Play Video
You Can't Always Get What You Want
Little T&A
Tumbling Dice
She's So Cold
Hang Fire
Miss You
Start Me Up
Honky Tonk Women
Brown Sugar
Jumpin' Jack Flash
Encore: (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction



1983

David Bowie - With Rough Trade - Stadium



I went with Lawrence Hicks. I've never forgotten Bowie's stage presence.

  Harlequin with Sheriff - Concert Hall

Geoff's first concert.

The Police with The Thompson Twins - Wpg Arena

Geoff's second concert?

Toronto - Keystone Centre - Oct 3, 1983








Orphan with The Tenants - Keystone Centre

I was impressed with Orphan

Northern Pikes with ?? - Manitoba Room? The impressed me, I'm still a fan.

Neil Young with Johnny Paycheck - Wpg Arena

He toured with the International Harvesters, his country band. I travelled in with Bill Hillman.



1985

Honeymoon Suite with Glass Tiger

Good guitar playing in Honeymoon Suite.

Red Rider Concert Hall

Geoff got a drumstick. Impressive sound!

1986

Billy Joel - Winnipeg Arena Dec. 8

The whole family went!

Pretenders with Iggy Pop Winnipeg Arena March 10

Helix with Haywire - Winnpeg Concert Hall Nov. 30

 Helix was Jonah's favorite band!

Bev & Geoff saw Cory Heart  around this time

Heart with Mr. Mister Arena Dec. 8

I enjoyed Heart more in 81. Too much of a pop show, but the musicianship and singing were excellent.




1988

John Cougar Mellencamp - Winnipeg Arena March 14

Went with Tim. Excellent sound.

Trooper with Helix and Brighton Rock - Keystone Centre

Poor sound except for Trooper who were really impressive.

1989

Bev drove Geoff & Jonah into the city to see;

Bon Jovi and Skid Row.

1990

Kim Mitchell with The Pursuit of Happiness - Keystone Centre - Kim had Matt on drums.
Tom Cochrane & Red Rider with The Northern Pikes - Keystone Centre
Steve Earle - Manitoba Room - Copperhead Road tour. Still like his cover of Dead Flowers.
Burton Cummings - Manitoba Room - Went with Bev.
Blue Rodeo with The Skydiggers - Concert Hall
Crash Test Dummies - Concert Hall

1992

Van Halen with Alice in Chains -Winnipeg Arena ( Thurs Nov 7)
Went with Geoff and Jonah. 

Van Halen - Nov. 7

Tom Cochrane with Kim Mitchell Keystone Centre - July 8


1993

Guns n' Roses with The Deadbeat Honeymooners - Winnipeg Arena - March 24

Sunfest - Gimli - August 15


Pearl Jam with Fifty-Four Forty , The Skydiggers, The Watchmen, The Pursuit of Happiness

Geoff and I attended the final day with Pearl Jam being the highlight, but the other bands were all great.

1994

Pink Floyd - Winnipeg Stadium
Took a bus tour in myself - very convenient.

Excellent sound. A concert highlight for me.


Rough Trade was the opening act for Pink Floyd.

Helix - At the Unwinder

Went with Jonah

The Rolling Stones with Colin James - Winnipeg Stadium

Kim Mitchell - Unwinder

Went with Geoff


1995

Blue Rodeo - Winnipeg Arena

Went with Tim & Deb

Another Roadside Attraction -  Assiniboia Downs  July 16

The Tragically Hip with Ziggy Marley, Blues Traveller, Matthew Sweet, Eric's Trip, Spirit of the West, The Rheostatics and the Inbreds 


1996

Classic Rock - Minnedosa. Aug


2000 Lee Aaron, Long John Baldy, Headpins, Jerry Lee Lewis, Starship, Allanah Myles, Glass Tiger, Arpril Wine, CCR Revisited, Trooper, Badfinger, Pat Travers, Blue Oyster Cult, Firehouse, John Kay & Steppenwolf, Stonebolt, Helix, Prism,Chilliwack, Sass Jordon.

 AC/DC - Winnipeg Arena - Aug. 6, 96

Went with Geoff and Jonah. Mark and Dave Lee also there. Great guitar sound!


The Tragically Hip with Rheostatics - Wpg Arena - Went with Geoff and his friends.

Neil Young with Moist and Pete Droge and the Sinners

 With Crazy Horse. Great set list, including a heavy version of Pochahontas. Moist was disapointing, but I liked Pete Droge.

Neil dedicated "Why do I (Keep Fucking up) to his former Gym teacher. I learned later that Neil often meets with his local relatives after concerts - so I missed an opportunity. (My Grandfather Young was a cousin of  Scott Young - all part of the Cypress River Young clanß. Neil references his Cypress River roots on the 2005 album, "Prairie Wind".


1997


1997

Classic Rock - Minnedosa. August Long

George Thorogood,Doobie Brothers,Creedence Clearwater Revisited,Kim Mitchell,E.L.O.,Nazareth, Hotel Califoria Tribute to the Eagles, Men Without Shame, Iron Butterfly,Chilliwack,Streetheart,Filthy Lucre,Chocolate Bunnies from Hell, Goddo,Stampeders, The Hunger, Toronto, Headpins, Honeymoon Suite.

1998

Classic Rock - Minnedosa. August Long


Doucette, Prism, Stampeders, Loverboy, Sammy Hagar, Zan Zee Band, Frank Soda, Greg Kihn, Lee Aron, Streetheart, Joan Jett& The Blackhearts, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Heapins, Chilliwack, Ozark Mountain Daredevils, Def Leppard,  Nazareth, 38 Special

1999

1999 Filthy Lucre, Doucette, Prism, Stampeders, Loverboy, Sammy Hagar, Zan Zee Band, Frank Soda, Greg Kihn, Lee Arron, Streetheart, Joan Jett& The Blackhearts, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Heapins, Chilliwack, Ozark Mountain Daredevils, Def Leppard,  Nazareth, 38 Special, Men Without Shame, Bill Wallace, Boogie Nights, The Hunger, Powder Blues, Kim Cwirko.


2000

Classic Rock - Minnedosa. August Long

I was there Saturday playing with Billy for 2 sets on the second stage. 
I think Arpril Wine, Badfinger, Pat Travers, Blue Oyster Cult, Prism, & Chilliwack might have been on the main stage - saw bits.


2001

Blue Rodeo - At the Walker.  Oct. 18,2001

Geoff and I went.


Big Sugar  Oct. 13 - 2001

We went with Kelsey and Sandra


2002

Nickelback Jan 29, 2002 - With Default



Sloan - (With Staggered Crossing?) - At Le Rondezvous.

Geoff and I.

2004

The Northern Pikes - July 10, 2004
Great Venue - Great  show.

Nickelback in Brandon - Feb 3. 2004

Aerosmith with Cheap Trick  - May 14.

Went with Tim and Geoff.  


2006

Black Crowes - with Matt Mayes

Went with Geoff. An example of a band that surpassed my expectations. I like their records but the live show,
which didn't depend on just the hits, was very good.

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young - July 14, 2006

Bev, Geoff & I.  Great show.



The Who - Oct 3, 2006


I won tickets to see the Who through KX96 after mastering the skill-testing question. I felt like Cliff Clavin when he pulled "Post Office" on Jeopardy.

The Rolling Stones - Regina Oct 8, 2006 (With Three Days Grace)

Family road trip to Regina with Geoff and Tim. Carol came to the concert with us.




2008

Sheryl Crow Sept. 27, 2008
With Jim Cuddy


Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - with Steve Winwood - June 19

Another concert highlight for me.


2010

Tom Petty - June 19
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - the second time in a matter of just a few years. With Joe Cocker.


Tom Cochrane & Red Ryder - Manitoba Room
Memorial Cup -  May 22

Rockin On The Range  - Aug. 7

Stone Temple Pilots, Crash Karma, Finger 11, The Trews, Godsmack, Buck Cherry, Danko Jones.

STP were great.


2011 

Pearl Jam Sept. 17, 2011


U2 May 29, 2011
Went with Tim, Geoff & Jonah

Video...

2012

Rush Sept. 26, 2012

Bryan Adams - MTS Centre June 22