I did the volunteer thing again this year, and we finally got some cool shirts for once. Every other crew was jealous, since theirs were all shit, but it's about time, I say! But pouring a billion beers was no easier than it had been before... so tasty looking... om nom nom
As usual I got to go to all of the concerts I wanted, and I made use of that privilege every single day this year. I even got to work a few shifts with cool bands to entertain me, so that was a definite bonus.
The first night started off with a cluster-fuck of me printing a ticket for Cait, and walking 90% of the way to the gig, only to realize I'd forgotten the damn thing at home. (Too many pre-game white russians I suppose.)
Anyway, I left her outside the gates, ran home shirtless, got booed by a friend passing by who didn't approve of my chest hair, then biked back like a maniac to get into the show. Saw this on the initial walk to the grounds, pretty badass eh?
Oh, irony, thou art the Black Keys sound tech (who was quickly tossed under the bus by Bluesfest, who claimed they only require a minimum decible level, the rest is left up to the individual bands. Might wanna adjust that policy...)
As the festival rolled along, I worked my shifts, drank my burrs, and got to see all of the following at one time or another:
- She & Him (avec Zooey Deschanel)
- Justin Townes Earle
- Dixie Chicks (that concert was PACKED, heaps of rowdy jailbait)
- Wu Tang Clan (wat?)
- Tegan and Sara
- Eric Burdon
- Diamond Rings (ridiculous)
- Rush
- Mother Mother (amazing cover of Nirvana, a truly unexpected highlight)
- Weezer
- The Tragically Hip
- Matt Good
- Great Big Sea
- Stars
- Bjork (wat? lasted about 2 songs then bailed)
- Alice in Chains
- Yukon Blonde
- BB King
A bunch of friends also joined for various nights, which were all a ton of fun. One highlight was desperately trying to find a ticket for a buddy of mine down at the grounds. I had my free pass, so we only needed one spare ticket. Scalpers were demanding $60 a pop, but a half an hour of asking strangers finally paid off when a volunteer sold us an extra for only $15. We tried to give her $20, but she told us to throw the extra into the volunteer donation bin, which we did with pleasure. Salt of the earth, these here volunteers.
Mr. Hand-on-Ass brightened one of my days.
And a matching murse lit up Cait's evening as well!
If there's one thing I learned this year, its the value of prescription sunglasses. Even got to see me some bonafide topless boobies.
But for all that Bluesfest has, it still makes me nostalgic for Edgefest and the Warped Tour back when they were hosted at Molson's Park in Barrie. Before it was a fucking parking lot.
You never see the kids crowd-surf anymore (probably cuz they don't want to lose their iPhones), the epic bowl beneath the main stage just isn't easy to recreate, and the weed and beer just don't go down with the same degree of free-loading for days/nights on end.
Maybe we took those days for granted; sure feels like it now. At least I'm trying my best to appreciate the present, lawd knows what ten more years will do to us.
