The Fight For and Against Edward Cornwallis in Halifax

Peace Trail - Neil Young

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhkzwdOpKC4

Canada's 150th birthday celebrations has raised the ire of a number of people, but most especially (it seems) with the First Nations people of this land. The land was inhabited for a millennia before the people from across the pond came to claim the land as their own. Canada became a nation and the white man's country by confiscating land and removing indigenous people who stood in the way. Victory at all costs.

Success in business comes at the cost of another. Two coffee shops in one block doesn't increase the number of coffee drinkers but spreads the consumer dollar over two locations. This concept includes the business of increasing the landholding of a nation. In the case of the formation of Canada, the First Nations already surviving on the land needed to move over and make room. By choice or by force. According to history, more often than not it was by force. Sadly, to some degree that dominance over the First Nations people seems to be continuing today.

Canada became a country at the expense of the First Nations people. But the country I call Canada, still and always did include First Nations people. Maybe it was always a nation and we are celebrating the 150th anniversary of its official naming rather than its' birthday? 

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In Halifax, Nova Scotia, there is a sense of anger and frustration boiling under the surface and waiting to erupt on the streets and especially in the parks. And the topic of frustration is not just the sesquicentennial celebrations but a specific individual, Edward Cornwallis.  

A symbolically removed Cornwallis statue
at Halifax park on 7.15-17 : my photo

It wasn't that long ago that I started to hear rumblings about the founder of the city, Edward Cornwallis and the honouring of his name and memory that many felt was unjustified. But apparently it has been going on since at least 1995 when Cornwallis Place on the waterfront was renamed Summit Place due to his controversial treatment of the native Mi'kmaq population. Then in 2011 a motion was brought forth, approved and completed to rename Cornwallis Junior High School to Halifax Citadel Junior High. Shortly thereafter signs for the Cornwallis River were removed - although it was not renamed. 

I thought it would be wise to educate myself and what I found was enlightening. People questioned why a biography was never written about Edward Cornwallis if he was such a significant character in the building of a nation if not the founding of the biggest city on the Eastern seaboard. Well, it turns out that it would not be a flattering read. 

The consensus in all that I researched seemed to indicate that prior being sent to establish a British colony in what is now known as Nova Scotia, Cornwallis was little more than a privileged brat. He had served in several previous positions, which he seems to have been awarded due to his rich, very influential and titled family not his ability or past performance within the military. 

As a commander, Cornwallis was probably responsible for more fatalities of white army men overseas than the number of Natives and Acadians in Nova Scotia (that number is actually unknown however). 400 British soldiers under the command of Cornwallis lost their lives in one battle alone. He resigned another command before the troops declared mutiny against him. For his military failures he was court-martialed (twice) but was able to defend and save himself but not his reputation in the court of public opinion. His comrade-in-arms Admiral John Byng was not so lucky and was executed. Hardly a war hero. 

Upon arriving in Nova Scotia, Cornwallis decided to establish the colony he was sent to found on what was then Mi'kmaq hunting ground (now Halifax). He was ordered to make peace with the French and the Natives when taking over their land and engage them in a mutually beneficial trade proposal. Cornwallis chose not to, instead he threatened war if they didn't comply with his extradition of their lands. And the natives chose to fight. 

The Mi'kmaq scalped first. This is true. It is also true that Cornwallis issued a bounty for the scalp of each native man, woman or child killed by the settlers. The settlers didn't scramble to profit from this bounty and Cornwallis was forced to increase the monetary prize.

Edward Cornwallis came to the new world as a governor in the spring of 1749 and left in the fall of 1752, some 26 months later. I think there are probably many other people who did more to establish the city of Halifax than Cornwallis did. Maybe he is getting far more credit with monuments and references to his name to maintain his legacy than his legacy is worth?

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I think he was generally a failed military man who pouted when his settlement of the province and city of Halifax failed and he left before the entire project imploded, leaving others behind to pick up the pieces and make Halifax a proud city.

But should his statue come down from the park which bears his name? The short answer is no. 

The long answer is that the name of the park should be changed. Some suggestions at the recent protest included "The Halifax Peace and Freedom Park". I like that. The statue itself needs some revisions. A plaque added that includes information about all of history. The good and the bad. 

The fact that the statue is there has opened a dialogue that may have been tucked away in the memory of past generations, with the truth forgotten. Personally, I would have never considered researching the man, he was known as a the founder of the city and nothing more. 

When people go to the park, it would be nice if they could look at the statue and learn why he stands there and why he shouldn't stand there. There isn't enough education about the First Nations struggles in the school system, let's make this a teaching lesson. 

If we are going to erase all the controversial figures from our history, we will not have a history. Even Sir John A. MacDonald referred to First Nations people as savages. Sir Wilfrid Laurier, raised the Chinese head tax from $50 to $500 to dissuade the immigration of Asians. (The tax was banned in 1923 but immigration wasn't permitted until 1947.) Canada was a country and women were not considered persons until October 18, 1929. And it took even longer for the LGBT community to stop being persecuted and punished for their choices. 

And we all still fight for equality. Because there are always things we can improve upon. 

I guess my point is that rather than pretend the bad stuff didn't happen we should try to learn from it to make our world a better place. I will never have much respect for Cornwallis, but like other distasteful figures in our planets history I want to find a way to remember and mourn but never forget. 

credit

http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/edward-cornwallis/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Cornwallis#Monuments
http://thechronicleherald.ca/thenovascotian/72328-meet-real-edward-cornwallis
picture: http://www.quotehd.com/imagequotes/authors3/george-santayana-quote-those-who-do-not-learn-from-history-are-doomed.jpg
http://nationalpost.com/news/canada/sure-john-a-macdonald-was-was-a-racist-colonizer-and-misogynist-but-so-were-most-canadians-back-then/wcm/3e2e922b-cab8-41bb-86b9-5bcbd4e29062
http://www.cbc.ca/archives/entry/1929-women-become-persons
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_LGBT_history_in_Canada

12 Shades of Blue...Rodeo in 3 Years

Love and Understanding - Blue Rodeo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flhZbKrkwC8

My picture from the show

I went to a Blue Rodeo concert last night in Halifax. There was a driving rain event that had me drenched within 10 minutes of leaving home for the venue. But I felt like I was walking on the water, I was so excited about the concert. I bought the tickets on a pre-sale last October. I've been hearing about the tour for the past month. Now it was my turn. 

So let it "Rain Down On Me" for soon I may be hearing that very song. Live, instead of just playing in a loop in my head. (And indeed it was on the set list!)

The opening act was The Strumbellas which I have been listening to but never before saw them live. I loved how they engaged the audience by talking about experiencing our official food - the donair and going out for a lobster feast. No scripted banter and what an animated performance! A real joy to experience and music that draws you in and spins you around. You decide for yourself and I'll go listen to my new favourite tune of theirs, The Fire.

Lobster Art at Halifax Airport

Back to the main act. We found our seats and I was immediately drawn to the activity in the row ahead of us. There was something exciting going on and it looked like a set list was the cause of some of the giddiness. Let me in! :) Sure enough, we had ourselves some other mega fans in our midst. Connected fans, they knew the security guard who did pass along the set list. And the girl near me had two copies, one which she generously shared with me. I've collected my share of set lists but never before have I had one before the show! She did a very nice thing and it will be one of those unique moments that I will forever remember from this show. As luck would have it we shared the front of the stage when the time came as well.

It's always nice to hear the band talk about the inspiration for the songs that they have penned. It may be one of the most rewarding aspects of going to a live performance, having that inside scope. Then again, I could be an anomaly in gravitating toward the need to know, but there are websites dedicated to trying to decipher lyrics meanings. It's something quite different hearing the explanation from the artists own mouth. That knowledge adds an additional level of appreciation and admiration for the song for me. I knew I would love the new song 1000 Arms just for the story it told alone. 

In the introduction of the final new song being showcased, Greg apologized for the proliferation of new material and promised it would be the last before declaring it a bit weird. Although there seemed to be a musical disconnect between the soothing vocals and harsher instrumental interludes, I didn't think there was anything weird about The Flame. Greg's vocals were clear, haunting and soulful as per usual. I can only hope that this song will be released in a future full length album. 

Album, I can say that again, without sounding like a dinosaur, since many artists are returning to the vinyl offering of their music. Recently I encountered a musician who was selling cassettes which precipitated a lively conversation on who even has the machinery to play such archaic technology. To be fair, there was a download link included with purchase. And so it continues that everything old is new again.

And that was true for most of this winter 2016 Blue Rodeo tour. I really loved hearing some of the older releases live that I never had a chance to before. Songs like Side of the Road, One Light Left in Heaven and Dark Angel and of course Rose-Coloured Glasses (my first loved BR song). I have to say that although I really like the smattering of new material throughout the concert because for me it means a new release and more touring :)

Although my preliminary count suggested that this show was concert #12 for me seeing Blue Rodeo, prior to three years ago, I had never once seen them live. You could say I am making up for lost time since my love affair with the band has been going since their very first release in 1987, Outskirts. And there is something memorable about each one of those dozen shows. 

Whether it is a set list, a guitar pic, a picture or more importantly meeting someone new and forming an ever-lasting connection (Christine and Debra :) there is always something about a Blue Rodeo show. 

My picture from the concert

An added bonus to this Halifax show is that by sheer coincidence I happened to be at the airport and a unique set of circumstances led to me having a brief conversation with Greg Keelor as he made his way to catch a plane. A dream came true for me right then and there. I was so in awe of seeing a person I deeply admire that I was gob-smacked and completely tongue-tied. I usually have a better command of the English language lol! 

The next time the universe puts me in a similar position I hope I will be better prepared and be able to take a photograph to record the moment. 

For the record, Greg is a humble, soft-spoken and utterly charming man and I was lucky to be in his presence. I am and have always been a Keelorite! Team Greg! As if we must make a choice between the talented members of Blue Rodeo. 

From Glenn Milchem to Michael Boguski, Bob Egan, Colin Cripps to the founding members Bazil Donovan, Greg Keelor and Jim Cuddy. Each one is talented and an integral part of the team that is Blue Rodeo. All the past members that have helped create the Blue Rodeo sound and John, Lee and the other members of the crew that bring them to us live. 

Going to concerts has become a very important part of my life in these later years, enhancing the love of music that has been as pronounced as every breath I take. I am counting on another dozen sessions with Blue Rodeo in the next few years or so.

I will see you down the road! I already have my tickets for the August show in Toronto. WOO HOO!

http://www.bluerodeo.com/

http://www.thestrumbellas.ca/

So Let's Go - An Evening with Alan Doyle

So Let's Go - Alan Doyle

So Let's Go is the new CD release from Great Big Sea former frontman and founder Alan Doyle. Alan Thomas Doyle! 

By coincidence, "Let's go" was the first full sentence my baby girl uttered some 26 years ago. And being Mothers' Day it all seems to be falling together that I write today. When you can't spend the day with your children on Mothers Day the next best thing for me is to spend the day with music. Wait that's every day...lol!

Alan Doyle and I at his book launch in Dartmouth Oct 2014

I bought my tickets for Alan Doyle back in November of last year when they first went on sale. Up early with the alarm set I was clicking furiously to nab a couple of good seats. I had no idea who the other ticket was for but the show was 6 months away. There was lots of time to decide and the person who joined me was a great pick for she has the love of music like I. We have shared a lot of musical experiences, with more on the horizon. 

A personally signed book for me

It was birthday last November when a friend told me that Alan Doyle would be at a book signing in the area if I was interested in going. My son (God bless his soul) sent me early birthday money so that I could buy his memoir and get it signed. What a thrill that turned out to be! We got to hear Alan reading from his book and I'm tell you that his voice and accent was so captivating that when I read the book for myself I could hear his voice in the back of my mind. 

Where I Belong is a fabulous read. One of those books, I couldn't put down. Alan Doyle and I grew up in the same era but with lives as different as night and day. All right I admit that he is younger than I am. But growing up in Petty Harbour, as he did, was nothing like my existence with indoor plumbing in the bustling metropolis (in comparison) of Thunder Bay. It's funny how no matter what we think about it as adults, home is home. There is always an attachment to this place where your life began. I recommend picking up Alan Doyles book for a light summer read and some personal reflection on growing up in a small fishing village in Newfoundland. The man and the music were born there. I should note that this is not a memoir of the band Great Big Sea. The story ends before the musical wave of GBS broke.

Great Big Sea burst onto the mainstream musical scene in 1995 with the release of Run Runaway from the album Up. Their first album which was self-titled and self-produced was released in 1992 and included several traditional folk songs as well as original compositions and although it produced no chart topping hits at the time it did lead to a recording contract with Warner Brothers Canada. The climb to the top was not a gentle slope however and included extensive touring about the land which could include up to 300 days a year. Two decades later and 10 full-length releases among other projects and the band is now on hiatus. I missed my chance to see the whole band, but I have seen 2 of the founding members solo performances.

I was a fan from my first experience with the lively, move your body to the music and sing along style of Up. I was drawn to the East Coast traditional folk music that spoke of water, sailing and fishing...and rum! :) Alan Doyle has a voice that I wish I could hear whispering sweet nothings in my ear and when he speaks with that devil may care spirit and Newfoundland accent...it's all there.

And that is how the Friday night show at the Rebecca Cohn Auditorium started. Alan walked onto the stage alone, carrying a red Solo cup, he approached the microphone and began to talk to the assembled masses like he was welcoming us to his home. He then broke into song. Just him, no instruments but that velvety smooth voice with the long hair framing his face and that ready smile. You feel the passion in the words. You are drawn into his world as you, too, Dream of Home. 

The Beautiful Gypsies were the back up band that soon joined Alan on stage and what an amazing assemblage of musicians. Cory Tetford on guitar is a name I am familiar with because of his association with the band Crush and his other stints with Barney Bentall and other musicians. And a beautiful smile and ready wave to an eager audience member! ;) Kendel Carson is a very talented fiddler and singer who was a part of the Paperboys, and Belle Star. I was mesmerised watching her, worried that her long blonde locks would get tangled in the bow or the strings. The hair was flying, the feet were tapping, there was energy in her performance. Kris Macfarlane took the sticks to the skins as he had done for many years with Great Big Sea. He has spent more time looking at my backside than anyone else, quipped Doyle. Plucking the string on the bass is Shehab Illyas a multi-talented filmaker, composer, photographer and musician from Halifax. And finally there was Todd Lumley who alternated between the horizontal keys on the keyboard and the vertical ones on the accordion. Todd Lumley was a member of the Canadian alternative rock band The Waltons (1987-2001) and also Hawksley Workmen. 

The Waltons along with 54-40 and Spirit of the West are sadly severely underrated Canadian bands. Love them! Always and forever. 

The show which marked the final stop on a North American tour celebrating his second solo album, was high energy and interspersed with thoughtful ballads. And fair warning future audience members, Alan does not like to be the only one in the house rocking it out! But with so much of the music being top-tapping infectious you can't help but want to join in the dance. So when Alan like a preacher raises his arms for his flock to stand, they do...nay they jump up ready to dance! The set list was planned perfectly for a great mix of audience participation and always beautiful music. 

Young and old and everything in between, couples, partners, friends and groups. The full house was stomping and clapping, hands in the air, singing along. But it wasn't just fans in the audience, in Halifax (his home away from home on the mainland) Alan's friends and family joined him. Yes, the "fairest in the land" was in attendance. How proud she must be watching her hubby on stage. And jealous listening to all the "I love you's" screamed at him? Could've been me? 

In a recent newspaper article (Metro News) Alan was quoted as saying, "I loved all my time playing music in those rooms (referring to smaller area pubs like The Lower Deck) and I always thought it was a really beautiful thing to be the powerhouse of an Atlantic Canadian pub." He still is and has that power, but now his pub is a little bit bigger. His fans are greater in number and the love fest shows no signs of slowing. Thankfully!  

Taking no hiatus, Alan will soon be on the road once again, supporting The Barenaked Ladies. But before that look for him at Music Festivals happening near you. Thunder Bay, I'm jealous.

On a personal note, I want to thank my best musical friend, who has given me the courage to pursue my musical passion as a solo listener, a duet or with a band of merry followers. Thanks Debra. I am grateful.

*As always, please do not steal my words or pictures. Thank you. 

The drum kit with that iconic self-portrait Alan draws :)

Alan Doyle come out with his red solo cup to greet the audience and wow them with a solo performance.

L-R: Todd Lumley, Kris MacFarlane, Cory Tetford, Shehab Illyas, Alan Doyle, Kendal Carson

Getting the crowd going

A pause for a beverage and a chat :)

Singing with passion

I was able to get a guitar pic, set list and venue poster! :)
Now I must persue some signage...

Alan Doyle
http://alandoyle.ca/
Cory Tetford
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crush_(Canadian_band)
Barney Bentall
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barney_Bentall
The Paperboys
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Paperboys
The Waltons
http://jam.canoe.com/Music/Pop_Encyclopedia/W/Waltons.html
Hawksley Workmen
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawksley_Workman
Kris MacFarlane
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kris_MacFarlane
Shehab Illyas
http://www.shehabillyas.com/
The Waltons
http://www.maplemusic.com/artists/wal/bio.asp
54-40
http://www.5440.com/
Spirit of the West
http://sotw.ca/
Halifax, Metro News
http://metronews.ca/news/halifax/

Nothing Solved, Nothing Gained!

Highway of Heroes - The Trews

Canada lost it's innocence this week. In fact I think the multitude of cemeteries and war memorials across the nation and the globe are proof that innocence was lost long ago.

On Wednesday, a soldier standing ceremonial guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Ottawa Ontario was shot point blank and killed. It wasn't random. It was intentional. The shooter went on to the nations house of democracy and started a gun battle there. Canada fought back and Canada won.

Backing up in time a bit, on Monday October 20 two soldiers walking through a parking lot were deliberately run over.  Both men were in uniform. Warrant Officer Patrice Vincent died of his injuries. The other sustained non life threatening injuries. The car fled the scene and police began to pursue him. There was a crash, a confrontation and gun shots that ended in the perpetrators death. 

It was a small town 20 km (25 miles southeast of Montreal) called Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu. Less than 100,000 residents called it home but some very prominent families made it there home, including the Formula One racing family the Villeneuves' and NHL player and inventor of the slap-shot Boom Boom Geoffrion. The startling thing about the town for me was not prominence of certain citizens but the fact that the town is also home to 2 military colleges. There would have been soldiers in uniform wandering around town routinely. There was no reason to believe that these men were targets until the gunman was identified. 

I don't claim to be a member of the press or even understand how and why they decide what to report and what is not revealed. I'm sure that there are some standards. But having said that, what really bothered me about this case is that the public very quickly became familiar with the gunman. We started to hear the word radicalized and we knew what it meant. We knew he had facebook and had his passport taken away and that he was under the radar of the police. But it took 2 days before we heard the name of Warrant Officer Patrice Vincent. He served nearly 30 years with the Canadian Military and was due to retire shortly. He died because he wore his uniform proudly. 

There was whisperings that this wasn't a random accident but a planned out terrorist attack on Canadian soil. Most of us were incredulous and held the belief that it was a "one of" crazy person. And then the gun shots rang out in Ottawa on Wednesday the 22nd.  

Corporal Nathan Cirillo and Warrant Officer Patrice Vincent
R.I.P.

Wednesday morning was crazy. I was sitting in the dentist chair watching the tv above me and trying to read the closed captioning without seeing those evil instruments :) Were it not for that, I wouldn't have known at all. But when I got back home I made it my business to turn on the TV and try to make some sense of the senseless. 

A gunman shot a ceremonial guard standing post at the Tomb for the Unknown Soldier. Sacred ground of its' own. He then went into the house of Parliament shooting his gun (and fortunately missing his targets) before he was gunned down himself. The city of Ottawa was effectively in lock-down as the police didn't know if they were dealing with one or more gunmen. There were reports of other incidents within the downtown core. It was chaos and panic reigned and it was scary to even watch. 

I've been in a lockdown situation a couple of times. None that lasted as long as this one but I do have some understanding of the fear. Five years ago, there was more anxiety because we didn't have phones to try and communicate. In one case it was a high school, a portable on the school grounds. Little more than a tinfoil box, we could hear people running around outside (we hoped police), we heard helicopters flying above, we heard noises we couldn't identify and we didn't know how serious it was or what it was. In the end it was a gun that was seen in the school. After hours of cowering in fear with high school students who were restive, even the staff was anxious we were finally permitted to leave. Scared, we were terrified and the SWAT team bursting in with guns drawn didn't calm us down any. It was within the first month of school and we sure got to know each other quickly being holed up like that.

Halifax editorial cartoonist - Bruce MacKinnon

Back to Ottawa, with the day coming to a close it was revealed that the young soldier had died of his injuries and that the murderer was dead at the hand of the Sergeant-at-Arms Kevin Vickers. The former RCMP officer was one of few who had access to a weapon for defence. As eager as I was for news on the safety of the injured and the safety of the people in the city of Ottawa, I could not bear to watch even one more time the footage of the gun battle that took place in the hallowed halls of the Centre Block of Canada's Parliament Buildings. It became sensationalized in my opinion. People were hurt, people were scared. Armed forces installations in the Maritimes began to send people home to safety. 

I felt vulnerable.  I also felt resentment and anger. I get that the Muslim religion is supposed to be a peaceful one and that these people are extremists. I don't understand how murdering innocent Canadians in their own country is going to further whatever twisted cause is on their agenda. But how do I tell the difference? How do I know I am safe? How do I protect my family and my country? It's one thing to stay away from areas in the world of conflict but I want to spend my days thanking the people in uniform that I pass daily on the street and not say RIP! 

When the name of the Ottawa's executioner became known. There was the usual digging into the background. His picture was posted and it was believed that he had become radicalized and was trying to secure a passport for passage to the middle east. Splashed all over social media was a picture of the man half-covered by a kerchief and holding a rifle - with the caption "Mother cries for victims of shooting and not her son." Well didn't that get some rousing sympathy for her! I get it, I can't imagine what I would feel as a mother knowing my child was capable of such heinous acts. But rather than feeling my typical empathy for her I was frustrated. I would hope that the family, if no one else would notice such a dramatic and troubling change in the behaviour of their child and try and deal with it so that others would not suffer needlessly. Even RCMP officer, Bob Paulson said that "people need to be on alert for changes in behaviour in people and significant changes in motivations of people." 

Someone was aware when these young men changed for typical Canadian boys to young men with radical ideas and desires to fight and kill. Radicalizing was defined as a form of brain-washing. If it can be done, it can be undone. But someone needs to know about it. One man fell under the radar of the police - the other slipped under it. Four deaths, none necessary. Nothing solved, nothing gained.

Military bases across the region here were put under restricted access. Provincial building had heightened security. And at 8:30 in the morning the first report came in of a man concealing a rifle under a blanket in downtown Halifax. The Citadel which proudly stands towering about the city was forced into lockdown - not to protect the citizens of the city but the personnel inside. A man was arrested without incident after leaving a sawed-off shotgun on a city bus. The only sense of relief came from seeing that the man arrested may be troubled but didn't appear radicalized and his weapon was not considered to be a terrorist preference. Good news? The best news is no injuries. 

Ottawa Shooting - Rex Murphy Point of View

So well said! And for the second time today I have heard the phrase "let's not mention his name" when referring to the gunman. For years I have been bothered by the fact that we forget the names of the victims but can't get the name of the perpetrators out of our heads. I will do my best to remember the good people. The ones who were slaughtered, not just this week in Canada - but throughout history. Sometimes it is hard to keep the numbers of many victims in our heads when the single name of demon is constantly repeated on the news and social media. But please on this occasion can we all please try to remember not just Nathan Cirillo but Patrice Vincent. They had different executioners but they both died before their time and they didn't deserve it. They died because of the clothes they wore and nothing more. 


A final thought, once, just once I want one of these gun-toting cowards to be brought before the public to be meted out a justice that goes on like torture day after day. I don't want them to die in a hail of gunfire, I don't want there to be a hero that cuts them down. Shoot them in the knee cap, in the balls, somewhere that won't kill them but they will suffer forever. Bring them before the people so they know how disliked they are, how they are loathed, how they are not martyrs. Let them see the justice from the court of public opinion. Let their croonies know what fate awaits them. Throw them in jail. I'm thinking of the old days when the notion of prison justice was something that you hoped would befall some of the scum we sent behind the stone walls. 

Or send them to a facility up north and chain-gang style tell them the driveway needs to be plowed. 

Halifax Editorial cartoonist - Bruce MacKinnon

credit
RCMP Bob Paulson
CBC news television
Rex Murphy on CBC News
http://www.cbc.ca/thenational/content/analysis/rexmurphy/ottawa_shooting.html
Bruce MacKinnon - editorial cartoonist
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce_MacKinnon
Halifax Chronicle Herald
http://thechronicleherald.ca/

Cuddy Sandwich - a Halifax delicacy!

Home - The Devin Cuddy Band

The highly anticipated return of the Devin Cuddy Band to the east coast this past week was worth the anxiety and the wait. You know you are real excited for an event when you start scheduling your other activities around it - just to make sure that nothing can stand in your way.

And that was me with this particular show. I knew that a CD release was coming and hence a tour - I really wanted to be part of the release party that was held at the Horseshoe in Toronto. Logistically that was not plausible so I had to patiently wait my turn. I thought I might wait and buy my CD at the show but I wasn't that patient :) I was hearing snippets of songs and just couldn't stand it any longer. Great investment however you come to possess it though.

My enthusiasm spilled into my social circle and I began to form a little group of people who would join me to experience the talent that is the Devin Cuddy Band. One friends' childcare fell through at the last minute so she brought her kids to the bar so she could meet the band and try and get some sense of why I raved about this music so much. I think she gets it :) The others - if they didn't come they supported the band anyways. 

The anticipation for the evening started very early. I couldn't shake this feeling that this night was gonna be like no other. There wasn't a crowd to fight through but I walked to the Carleton Music Bar like I was late and my feet were on fire. I had to get the perfect seat. In fact I tried out 3 different tables before I finally settled on the one next to the stage with a 180 view of everything going on - I was in for a long wait and watching the comings and goings in a bar is a bit like reality TV. 

The Carleton Music Bar is one of my very favourite venues in this city. It is small enough to be personal and despite being a bar - the stipulation is that when an artist is on stage, they are to be respected and talking is whispered at best. It's a historic place that has hosted many fine musicians and is ranked as the oldest still standing building in Halifax (aside from a few really well built churches). Built in 1760 this former private home, then hotel and now apartments and bar is 254 years old!  

We were deep in conversation about this and that when I looked up to see an unassuming young man carrying equipment. Walking with a purpose, locks of wavy hair poking out from beneath the ball cap - I knew it had to be Devin, himself. Later my table mates told me that they didn't know who's face lite up brighter when they walked into the bar - mine, Devin's or Zach's but it was like a reunion of old friends. Yeah I get it - I am really old lol! 

Honestly, that is what it feels like to see these talented young men. Like an old friend that you admire and respect. There is so much talent on that little stage the four young men fill up with their gear! I did allow them to unburden themselves of the equipment before I enveloped Devin and Zach in a hug. Long-awaited and much-anticipated reunion for sure. When your friends from away come to visit, there is an excitement and pride that swells you heart and has you beaming.

One of the last items to be brought into the bar was deposited on my table. It was a poster that ironically Devin had in his possession for longer than I did. In the words of one Jim Cuddy "It was hanging around the house forever". "IT" was a poster in a cardboard tube.

Debra and her prized possession at the Cameron
House in Toronto :)

The Poster was the limited edition Molson Amphitheatre poster. My best Blue Rodeo buddy/friend Debra had bought it for me to cheer me up after a very stressful time in my life. I told Devin about it when I saw him opening for Blue Rodeo in January 2014. I expressed the desire of having his band and Blue Rodeo sign it for me. He couldn't get it done that night and the two bands were parting to do some solo shows, but he said that if I could get it to Toronto - he would get it signed. A lot of people came together to help make it happen, including the transportation to Toronto, then to the Cameron House and into Devins' hands including my son who was instrumental in making it happen. When it started coming together, I told Debra of the plan that was brewing. She got her poster to my boy and these paper treasures got to the Cameron House safely. 

Me and my prize! At the Carleton Music
Bar and Grill in Halifax. :)

We figured that the show in Ontario that had Devin Cuddy Band opening for Blue Rodeo and that both Debra and I had intended on being at would be a good time line to get them back. But poor Devin had had surgery on his wrist the day before the show and was somewhat affected by the medication lol. Not getting the posters was fine for I will never forget the puppy dog eyes when he said to me, "Liz I effed up." You just can't make memories like that up. God bless his heart for worrying about me. My uppermost concern was the wrist he had broken playing hockey. He looked so lost on the stage that night not sitting at his NoNo piano. 

After all that and the journey that poster travelled, it was all the better when Devin himself put in my hands on this night. I immediately pulled it out and had some pics taken as the boys were behind me setting up their equipment. Debra picked hers up at the Cameron House the night before - and she was beaming. It was so worth it and we have an amazing story to tell of it's journey. Icing on the cake...they are personally addressed!  


The equipment got set up, Zach assembled his drums. After a 20 hour drive, there were no roadies to help tune the guitars and lug those amps. Once the sound-check was completed - man they can set that gear up fast - we had a chance for a chat. A very dear friend was very excited to meet and hear the band that I had ranted and raved about for so long. When her childcare fell through she came with the rugrats and the most she heard was the sound check. But even if just for that to hear the magical fingers of Nichol Robertson on the electric guitar. What a treat, he is so talented. Not a real song in its entirety but the whole band got a chance to prove to her that they were more than just pretty and friendly faces. For the record, meeting Devin was the highlight the young girls life - after a Disney Cruise. We love you Devin but you aren't a princess :) 

Work done, it was time for the boys to have some space and time to eat and relax a bit before the show. In their absence Dave Borins took the stage. Not even 10 years in the business, Dave is a professional and consummate guitarist and songwriter with a comedic flair. I would strongly suggest that you give him a listen if he is in your neighbourhood or at least check out Dave Borins Sound Cloud account. Normally with a band behind him, we enjoyed the solo acoustic version of his music. I was impressed. It was a bit like two shows for the price of one, for in between tunes (and tuning) we got some comedy relief along with the back story behind the man and song. Hailing from Toronto, it's not hard to find him playing the music scene there.

Keep It To Yourself - Devin Cuddy Band

With that, Devin Cuddy, Nichol Robertson, Devon Richardson and Zach Sutton were back in the house and ready to make some beautiful noise. They started the first set off right with "She Ain't Crying Over Me". Never a set list, the bandmates decide on the fly what song is going to be played. A couple of notes or chords on the piano from Devin and everyone knows what to play. That's talent in itself. Making it look easy as Devon Richardson on the bass does is genius. His long and slender fingers pluck at those heavy strings like they are flimsy thread. I'm reminded of walking ones fingers along the desk at school when we were bored. Stop for a moment and try that again right now. Got it? Okay now go backwards? Now try a vertical climb? Suddenly my fake legs are disabled and I can appreciate even more how hard it is to play bass and how effortless Devon makes it look. Vocally he has perfect harmony with Devin. It's a melodic treat for the ears. 

Nichol Robertson is someone who I think is talented beyond his years. Nichol lets his fingers sing on the electric and acoustic guitars. And he does it with style and flair. You get a sense of the passion for the craft that he has with an underlying intensity that demands perfection from himself. He touches that guitar and I know I'm in for a real treat. I am grateful that there is often at least a little Nichol showcase in each song. As someone who has tried and failed to play the guitar - I appreciate the talent and ability that Nichol so easily demonstrates. Love to watch him play!

Zach Sutton - the very name makes me smile. He has the kindest heart and sweetest soul in someone so young. He is the drummer for the group and grabbed my attention from the first moment I saw him perform on stage. I had never seen anything like him. His style was like no other...except for maybe Animal from the Muppets show. For that was the image that came to my mind as I watched Zach that first time. Unlike Animal, Zach did not his head on the snare too many times but rather it is the expressive intensity that kindles the similarity notion. Watching Zach play is like watching a show on TV, you can't look away because you will miss one of those endearing expressions on his face. Either that or he is eating one of his drumsticks lol. I think I saw tooth marks in the drum stick he gave me :) 

But just for fun - if Zach is Animal then Devin is Fozzie Bear. Cute and cuddly, his hair flops around and over his eyes like Fozzie ears. But the similarities stop there for Devin is tall and lanky. His eyes tell you that he has deep passion for music, (well when you can see his eyes lol) and there is a wisdom that reaches far beyond his tender years. He's all class and talent - he doesn't have the over-inflated ego and abrasiveness as some of the younger musicians I have come across. I have been following Devin and his career for several years now and he never ceases to amaze me. His long nimble fingers are a pianists dream and he uses them well. It would have been easier to follow in the footsteps of the path his dad had already carved out and become a second generation Blue Rodeo. But it seems that from a very young age, Devin had a preferred style already in his mind. Mainstream pop isn't his style.

Many people have asked me, "What kind of music does he play?" I say that you can't pigeon-hole him. There is a sense of Louisiana style blues, some pop, some comedy, some country, some folk, some gospel blues. Now the last bit was mostly prevalent in this latest album and I suspect that his fine producer Greg Keelor had some influence there. That man can belt out a gospel song that'll have the atheists kneeling. Okay maybe that is an exaggeration - but not much :) 

One of the very first songs I heard by the Devin Cuddy Band was My Son's a Queer. I thought it was fabulous and brave to write about a sensitive subject like that and put a positive beat on it. It's a catchy tune and a fun sing-a-long. Just recently I came across someone who complained about the offensive nature of the song. My jaw dropped. Now I don't claim to know what goes through the artist mind when they pen a particular song and although knowing a back story adds more meaning to the song for the listener, I don't generally analyse the words of a song. My feeling when I hear a song is my feeling. The song is often open to personal interpretation. I don't believe that the tender soul behind Devin Cuddy would have a song with hate towards anyone or anything in his heart to come out on staff paper.

I'm not gonna say that I go to the Carleton a lot, but there are some there who know my name. I'm just an enthusiastic fan and enjoy sharing my love of music. I can't remember how the conversation came about, or even exactly what point of the night but an employee did make a point of coming to our table to share a bit of news. Jim Cuddy was in town and may be stopping by. Well not even the Jim Cuddy could tear me away from the Devin Cuddy Band...but when they went on break between sets I was on high eagle eye alert. 

I needed a break too! And it was on my way back that I very nearly bumped into Jim. I took a quick step back and started pointing in his direction to alert my official photographer for the night to grab the camera and come hither. I was waiting right for him to finish with the group he was chatting with and then tapped his right shoulder to ask for a picture. Jim is so gracious to his fans! The picture was taken and I introduced myself and thanked him. He laughed when he said that Devin had the posters for months hanging around the house. I thanked him again on behalf of Debra and myself for everything that he and Devin had done for us and said that I would see him again in Truro. 

I almost let him go, and then saw Devin walking towards. I hope not too enthusiastically, but I reached for Devin and begged for a photograph with my two favourite musicians. And there I was, in the middle of both Jim and Devin Cuddy. A Cuddy sandwich it was called on the internet. My photographer did indeed get the million dollar shot! 

I have been asked, if Jim stayed for the second set and I have no idea. I know that I invited him to sit with us :) and he didn't. The thing is when the second set started it was all about Devin and his band. That's what I was there for. I hope that Jim was able to stay and listen to his boy, for being a typical parent he is proud of his son. 

Zach had asked me what I wanted to hear - Sidewalk in the South from Volume One has always been a fave. Listening to Zach count it down has always made me smile. Zach didn't know if it was set to be played but he said he'd suggest it if he could. And he came through for me...one, two, three, four! Love it. The strong piano, the beat of the bass strumming, the crash of the cymbals and the guitar solo about halfway through it's magic to my ears. Add the vocals with a hint of a drawl and and the harmonizing just bring the whole thing up to another level. 

After the show I had some more signage for the boys to do. The Kitchen Knife CD and the Carleton advertising poster. There is a decor theme going on here at home. Pink Panther meets musicians lol!

"It was a magical night in Halifax. The stars aligned and the Cuddy's were in town. I am over the moon with excitement. At the Carleton to see Devin Cuddy Band and Jim showed up." (facebook post)

From the bottom of my heart I wish to thank all the members of the Devin Cuddy Band for your music and for your friendship. You guys are the best! I would also like to thank everybody who was involved in getting the poster signed and especially the members of Blue Rodeo who made every part of this night what it was. For it is all the moments in my life that Blue Rodeo were musically a part of that pulled me through and kept me going or smile just a little broader for the past 25+ years. The Devin Cuddy Band is one of many bands I learned to appreciate through my Blue Love.

 (pictures and words are the property of the photographer/author/camera owner and may not be reproduced without permission)

Zach Sutton builds his drums!

The set and the no no piano

Dave Borins warms up the crowds with songs and laughter

And we wait with baited breath

Devin Cuddy

Nichol Robertson, Zach Sutton, Devin Richardson

Zach Sutton

Nichol Robertson, Zach Sutton, Devin Richardson

Me and Jim Cuddy in Halifax

"Cuddy Sandwich" - Devin, Me, Jim

Nichol Robertson, Devon Richardson

Devin Cuddy 

I feel it but I don't see it so clearly
Re-do Zach?

Carleton House poster

The Travelling Poster :)

THE POSTER! 

Credit
Dave Borins
https://soundcloud.com/dave-borins
Carleton Music Bar and Grill
http://www.thecarleton.ca/
Devin Cuddy, Zach Sutton, Nichol Robertson, Devon Richardson
http://www.devincuddy.com/
Blue Rodeo - Jim Cuddy and Greg Keelor
http://www.bluerodeo.com/

First Set list*: 
She Ain't Crying Over Me - DCB Volume One
Johnny from the Mountain - DCB Volume One
Forty Four - DCB Kitchen Knife

How the Other Half Lives - Jack Marks release Blues Like These
I Got a Girl - DCB Volume One
Jambalaya (On the Bayou) - Hank Williams release
Home - DCB Kitchen Knife
Take Me Back To Tulsa - Bob Wills release
Prelude - DCB Volume One
Maybe I'm Doing It Wrong - Randy Newman release
East Coast Bred - DCB Volume One

My Sons a Queer - DCB Volume One
Dancing - DCB Volume One

Second Set list*:
Town - DCB Kitchen Knife
Afghanistan - DCB Volume One
Jelly Roll
Chug-a-Lug - Roger Miller release
Maggies Hardware Store - Jack Marks release Blues Like These
Kitchen Knife - DCB Kitchen Knife
Ode to a Gypsy's Daughter - DCB Kitchen Knife
Town - DCB Kitchen Knife
When the Ship Hit the Sand - Jimmy Dickens release
Sidewalk in the South - DCB Volume One
Keep It To Yourself - Sonny Boy Williamson release
Lie To Me - DCB Kitchen Knife
Walking - DCB Volume One
Catfish Blues - DCB Kitchen Knife

*Not an official set list and subject to errors