First gig

So I worked on the material that week and Monday came around for the first gig in Toronto, a showcase for Attic Records at the Siboney.

I got my first taste of how I would be traveling for the next several years. The band owned a Ford cube van which has two seats in the cab and a large fiberglass box with an entrance from the cab as well as the large door in back. Since the band carried a full PA and lighting rig, 3/4 of the box was devoted to gear. It was the last 1/4 that was interesting. When you came in from the cab, the front of the box was split into two tiers. This was where the people who weren't riding in the cab rode and slept. Very close quarters.

In Sarnia we picked up Brian, our light man, and on the way to Toronto we stopped in Woodstock and picked up Ron, our sound man. The truck was full and we headed on into Toronto. We arrived in the later afternoon and parked in front of the club. A quick check inside to make sure we were all set to load in and back down to open up the truck. I grabbed something and hauled it into the club. I may have made a couple trips when Tom asked me what I was doing. I said I was helping load in. Tom told me, "That's what Ron and Brian are paid for". Wow! A real crew who did all the work!!! Woo Hoo!!! I hit the big time!

So I decided to hang out, then got ready for the gig. The guys all had long hair, past their shoulders and wore jeans, paisley and generally looked more alternative/hippy than I did. I had the more traditional 80's thing going on, had been a big user of hairspray in those days. I ended up with a sort of neo Robert Smith kind of look that first night and knew I had to do something about it fast to fit in.

Gig time came around and I was pretty nervous. I was still very unsure of the material. The set progressed pretty well, with me watching Tom's guitar neck and asking Vail between songs "How does this one go?" Bil shared his hernia scar with the audience about midway through the set, much to our amusement. We finally got to the last song, Dead Drunk Johnny. I had been told that Bil extended the middle of this, adding in a bit of the Doors "The End". Bil really worked it up, the next thing I knew he was on the floor, flopping around like a fish. I was a little shocked, but since no one else in the band seemed concerned I guessed it was alright. I survived the first show.

There was at least once more show that first week, a large club in Mississauga called Entex. Before the show they decided we needed another song and taught me "It's the end of the world as we know it" by R.E.M. My brain was really stretched that week.