Red Brick Theatre – Edson, Alberta – December 9th 2005

Time for a road trip; we pile in the car and head our way going west out of the city towards Jasper. It’s a quick two hour drive to Edson from Edmonton and there is going to be a Theatre with over 100 screaming teenagers waiting for us to headline in there small town. The drive is very nice considering its December. There’s little snow on the ground and the temperature is on the plus side (weird ass Alberta winter).

When we get to Edson we all meet up at a 7-11 and proceed to drive to our final destination the Red Brick Theatre. We’ve arrived several hours early to make sure we’re all good to go and so we head to the green room to talk with the other bands. Tonight we’ll be playing with My Erection and Fresh Apples. I ask the other bands where to go to pick up some beer and they direct me to the closest liquor store. The store smells of old socks and cheap women so we grabbed our case of beer and b-lined it back to the Red Brick Theatre.

We crack open some brews and talk with the promoter from Gravel Pit Productions. She’s very nice and has put together an awesome event considering she’s not even out of high school (couldn’t have done it better myself). The first band My Erection goes on and gets the crowd warmed up with a little Nirvana and some Bob Seger, the crowd is happy to be there and excited to listen to all the bands.

After their quick set the next band, Fresh Apples, a pop/punk band hits the stage and does an awesome job. They’re all under 18 but there rocking out like veterans. They’re quite enjoyable to watch. I’m starting to feel the beer and realize I best slow down as were going on stage in the next 20 minutes. I go for my final smoke before we’re on and get prepped to go on stage.

We open with a new song and totally rock the crowd, they’re stoked and cheering. Our second song comes in and the energy is flying, it’s incredible, then all of a sudden I bail over top of the speaker behind me and land on my ass, the band keeps playing as I make a quick recovery to cheers of the crowd (and to think we didn’t get it captured on film). Jason is laughing hysterically (as am I) but the band keeps it together. We play our entire set and every one is having an awesome time.

We finish up, sell & sign a whack load of CDs, shoot the shit with the rest of the bands and head out (stop at Tim Horton’s for coffee first) for our ride back to the city. Thanks to all the hard work of our promoter. Edson is a town we won’t forget.

Happy and Fulfilled,
Shane Lamotte