2018 Tour
Some Thoughts On Concert Year 2018
A watershed year of sorts with Gord and myself celebrating a combined 145 years of membership in the human race. Our birthdays are one day apart calendrically plus 15 years chronologically.
Significant birthdays they were for both of us, he turning the phenomenal age of 80 and me reaching the former age of mandatory retirement, 65.
There were some, me included, who thought we would never make it this far. From a zero visibility landing with no instruments in our jet to an abdominal aneurism to a bleeding ulcer, to falling through ice to a narrow brush with a CNR freight not to mention years of alcohol abuse and the inhalation of at least 100 acres of prime virginia tobacco seems, in retrospect, a cumulative lethal soup. Taken alone any one example (and there were more), would send insurance agents heading for the hills. Together they mock the odds and common sense.
But such is the way of Rock and Roll. It’s not our music but as a lifestyle, we lived within that attitude.
2018 brought about a fundamental change in crew personnel. Both our long time Front of House sound man, Bob McFee and equally as long term lighting and stage designer, Steve Hill, retired due to health issues and were replaced by Leslie Charbon and James Spillsbury. Leslie had previously worked with us as tour manager a few years back and James is “The Kid” a 26 year old guy full of enthusiasm, talent and work ethic. Leslie returns to us all the way from Brazil and is a sound man par excellence as well as a great guy.
A quick tribute here. We have been blessed with an excellent crew. The anchor all the years I’ve been around and the guy most responsible for the crew’s phenomenal consistency is Chuck Thomas. Chuck is our stage manager. He is responsible for every aspect of the stage with the exception of the lights and decorations. To say that he’s dependable, positive, knowledgeable and has a sixth sense about what we need, is to still short change him.
The tech and musician worlds can be very different and sometimes at odds with each other. Not in this organization and I give Chuck credit for it.
Another tribute to someone behind the scenes. Anne Leibold. Our very efficient office manager and owner of the melodic and unique “Early Morning Productions” that she answers every phone call with.
Anne, I’m convinced, has some kind of deal with Canada Post. Frequently I have requested something from her after 1 pm. that requires our lazy mail service and have found it in my box the next morning. Now I’m sure most of you understand that this is a miracle of “loaves and fishes” or “wedding feast of Cana” proportions. I’d be less surprised to see Lake Ontario parted like the Red Sea than have a letter delivered overnight.
Make any reasonable request to Anne and it’s done. She did however balk at my demand for a white, nine foot concert grand piano with candelabra and my suggestion of equal billing on the Massey Hall marquis but I came to accept that there’s no room on the truck for the piano and that my name has too many syllables for the sign.