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Live music at The VAT! Wait, what?

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4 minute read

Yes! Local legendary live music venue has it’s first show in months and it was me!

The last couple months have been trying to say the least and yesterday it felt like I had awoken from a bad dream. Finally I had a gig to get to. At last I was getting to connect with my musical brothers. It was surreal to put it lightly. The catch? No audience allowed in the room. Huh? Play a gig to nobody? Nope, the whole show was live streamed in real time on YouTube.

“The Marshall stack screaming behind me with joy.”

What a trip! Almost unbelievable how much went into building the show. Dylan Cave and Calvin Bellows set up the coolest mission control a guy could ask for. Pete Stone was my first call for sound (one of my personal favourite guitar players and an incredible tech) and as usual his mix was pretty much epic. As to be expected. All in, with the crew we had about 13 people in the room. Every single one of us simply floored to be in the Vat about to catch a show; yet so many rules, guidelines and unease about this new normal in getting back to life. We did it tho. Behind closed doors with only the crew and us, we did it. It felt SO GOOD!

Man alive it felt good, looking across the stage and seeing Scotty in his natural habitat laying down the foundation that somehow rumbles and cuts simultaneously. Feeling the kick drum in the floor every time Sammy puts his foot down. The Marshall stack screaming behind me with joy. It was a proper night, the stars were aligned and we threw down. At the Vat.

From the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU to the team that put this together. Thank you, thank you, thank you. In a time where we need each other more than ever, I’m humbled that anyone would choose to put their time, talents and effort into my show. Live entertainment may not be the same for quite some time. Last night tho? that was as real as ever. Terry Cave you’ve got a legendary stage. I’m eternally grateful I get to perform on it.

For me performing is life, it’s been overwhelmingly challenging to watch my shows drop off one by one without any real sign of  when they could possibly return. This show was so important for my mental health. I hope in some small way we were able to connect and help escape a tiny bit of the intensity and stress that is now our “normal.”

In short, stay cool, fam stay kind and who knows? Maybe we’ll see you from the stage somewhere sometime soon. Until next time as always, peace, love and kindness. On purpose, with purpose.

  • Jesse Roads – Vocals/Guitar
  • Scott Wiber – Bass
  • Sam Leszczynski – Drums
  • Pete Stone – Sound
  • Calvin Bellows – Videogrophy
  • Dylan Cave – Stream Technician
  • Terry Cave – Bud King
  • Duane Rolheiser – Todayville

#RedDeerStrong – Can’t go to see art? Enjoy Red Deer’s 2020 Online Arts Festival!

Jesse was born in the city of Lethbridge and raised to his teen years in the southern Alberta farming communities of Raymond and Fin Castle, AB. Jesse's early inspirations include the hypnotic sounds of big-name artists such as Jimi Hendrix, The Black Crowes, Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, City and Colour, Jack Johnson, Guns 'N' Roses, and Pink Floyd. Jesse is a Blues/Rock/folk/Indie performer who has done his fair share of "paying his dues" opening and touring with such acts as: The Lazys, One Bad Son, Doc Walker, The Odds, The Northern Pikes, The Grapes Of Wrath, Monster Truck, The Age Of Electric, The Wild, Holly McNarland, Econoline Crush, Coal Creek Boys, Wild T & The Spirit, Cara Luft, Carson Cole, Clayton Bellamy (of The Road Hammers), Tupelo Honey, Retrograde, The Smalls, and Mcquaig to name just a few. In 2015 Jesse was awarded the title "Master of Blues Folk Rock" for the 6th Annual Black American Music Awards. Jesse is known for his funky heavy jam style guitar. Big riffs, an impressive vocal sound all his own and the ability to captivate the crowd with ease. His fans have coined the term "no string solo" as he can be consistently found ripping strings off the guitar like they aren't supposed to be there in the first place.

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New hand-made “Parlour” guitar features rare pre-1950’s Brazilian Rosewood

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For Red Deer luthier David Gilmore, it’s really all about the wood. So he was pretty damned jazzed when fate brought him a rare piece of Brazilian Rosewood.

Gilmore has many friends in the small and exclusive world of guitar-builders.  And they tend to help each other out, swap pieces of wood, and give each other advice and encouragement.  This special piece of Brazilian Rosewood came into Gilmore’s life as a result of one of these friendships.

“I obtained this wood from Jake Peters who is an amazing luthier. Jake obtained the board back in the 80’s from an old guy who was retiring who had it in his stash for decades. According to Jake, this wood was harvested pre 1950.”

Pre-1950!  Well before the Cites treaty, which in 1992 added Brazilian Rosewood to the list and banned its export, greatly restricting the supply of this rare and coveted wood. In the case of this beautiful handmade Parlour guitar, the back, sides, fretboard, bridge, headstock, veneer and binding are all made from this one rare piece of wood.

“I was able to cut 3 complete back and side sets out of this board, and this is my last of the stash.”

This stunning guitar features a Sitka spruce top from a board that David has had squirreled for several years.

“When going through the boards, when I tapped the board, the hairs on the back of my neck stood. That was it!”

To complement the look of the iron acetate finish, Gilmore commissioned MJS Pickups out of Mississauga Ontario to make a one of a kind sound hole pick up that has a very vintage look and feel.

If you want to learn more Gilmore Guitars and this rare and beautiful instrument, click here.

 

WATCH: A must see for guitar lovers and filmmakers

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Watch candlelight vigil to honour Dr. Walter Reynolds

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Our community  honoured Dr. Walter Reynolds with a Candlelight vigil on Friday August 14th.

You can watch it here. 

If you want to donate go to the Dr. Walter Reynolds Memorial Fund, organized by Dr. Johan Myburgh – go to the RDPCN website www.reddeerpcn.com  or click on this link (we have ensured this is the official link)

Go Fund Me – Fundraiser for Anelia Reynolds.

Read more on Todayville.com.

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