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If you are an avid reader of my life on the road with Nash, then you know that we have had many wonderful adventures in Hamilton. From bitch fights at The Corktown to Frankie Venom crying at the end of Nosferatu at The Mermaid, Hamilton is an emotional and artistic roller coaster. The Raven would be no exception. The day started normally, with a casual drive in 40 km/hr bumper traffic from Toronto to Hamilton. We leave at 2:30 in the afternoon to arrive in Hamilton by 4 pm. The ride home at 3 in the morning takes just 45 minutes! When we arrive in Hamilton, we don't go to the club immediately, but instead do our ritual walk in the park at the foot of Bay Street. This is my quality Lake Ontario time and I love to swim amongst the primitive waterfowl. There's lots of geese and ducks that I like to mess with. If you read the last entry about these geese in Hamilton Bay you will remember that I was surrounded by the buggers. Hopefully not this time. I swam out barking and they all paddled away with a sense of casual terror. And then they came back. Just a few at first, but then more and more began to surround me again with their curious indifference. Too many human beings have been feeding these monsters! They think I'm some kind of large, black, breadcrumb. Back off you #@!%$#!! In Toronto I can intimidate these beasts, but not so in Hamilton. Perhaps it's the testosterone in the water supply. By 5 pm we are at the club and ready to rock. I'm pooped. I chill out at the front of the club while Nash and Alex and the crew from Raven load in the gear. Cathie sets up the merch desk and I just hang with her. The set-up goes well except for some strange electrical problem. Let's hope it doesn't affect the gig. Nash, Alex and Cathie are joined by Lou and Lynn for dinner. When the gang return from dining, the opening act Waxmannequin is setting up. He is a one-man Monty Python classical guitar player and has quite a following in Hamilton. This should be a fun night. The 'Waxman' as he is affectionately known, goes down well with the local crowd. He's making Nash work twice as hard to win over the audience. Nash hits the stage at 11:45 and is three songs into a killer set when the power fails. The demons of Hamilton return. As the management frantically hits the circuit-breaker, they mutter how long can Nash last before he blows his cool and leaves the stage. As power is restored and Nash takes a few deep breaths, the set continues. Two songs later the power fails again. More anxiety as the management and the fans wonder how long before the steam starts rising from beneath the gauze. Unfazed, Nash continues to perform three more songs before the final power failure destroys everything within a three block radius. The set is over, Hamilton has been reduced to a replica of a World War II bomb site and the show is brought to an untimely end. Does this sound like a bad review? Au contrair, mon chien. This is a great club, with cool management and staff. Hamilton is always goofy but fun. We'll come back and rock out The Raven again but next time we'll run an extension cord from Toronto. Thanks to Lloyd for the set-up, Brody for the promotion and Duane and Gary for the gig. A lot of fans saw Nash wrestle with technology and Nash lost. We want a re-match! Thanks to Jeff and the gang from Rochester and Lou, Lynn and Cynthia for their local Hamilton addiction support. "Hello, my name is Nash and I'm a musician". Digger |
