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It's a sunny winter afternoon when Nash, Alex, Cut-Throat Cathie and I head off to the Canadian capital of German beer and bratwurst. Kitchener was once called Berlin but that name got changed after the First World Nasties. Southern Ontario is like a mini-version of Europe: a collection of small cities within a hundred kilometres of each other imitating the names of more important places back home like London, Paris and Berlin. It s as if Disney built a theme park and then forgot the rides. Cut-Throat Productions is promoting this show in a very nice performance space in downtown Kitchener. Unlike previous attempts, Nash is not trying to do an art show in a rock club. This venue is perfect for a presentation of Nosferatu. It s an all-ages show and the whole event will be over by 11 pm. Nash hasn't been to Kitchener in two years so he's looking forward to a successful show. With help from our good friends Coral and Kevin at X-Disc-C Music the advance tickets are sold out. The local papers have all been very excited about the event as well. We load in with the help of Allan the theatre manager, and his son Alex. They both express excitement over tonight's performance and his wife and daughter will also be coming to the show. It's great to see entire families enjoying this unique presentation. There's nothing heavy for me to do at this gig. It's not like a rowdy bar where I have to battle it out with drunks. You know, come to think of it, I kinda miss The Corktown in Hamilton. It seems that was the era of the seedy gigs and the last time I had anything really juicy to talk about. Where's Frankie Venom when ya need him? Everything is so damn nice at these theatre gigs. There's less booze, the gigs start and end early and no one gets hurt. Dressing Room security might get so slack that I'm out of a job. Nash assures me that he would never put me on display in the lobby like a worn out Vegas prize-fighter. The show begins precisely at 9 pm with a showing of Un Chien Andalou, a 1929 film by Salvador Dali and Luis Bunuel. Nash wrote his original score for this film in 1975, and it has continued to be a dramatic part of his repertoire ever since. Running a mere 18 minutes, the film has more outrageous and disturbing images than most Hollywood films made today. With a brief pause between films, Nash starts into Nosferatu. The audience sits in silent rapture as the story unfolds. At the end there is a standing ovation. Nash proceeds to the lobby to sign autographs and meet some of tonight's audience. There is respect from the older fans waiting to get their precious albums signed as well as hesitant approaches by young boys and girls with their parents who just want to convey their pleasure in meeting the man in gauze . Steve from Brampton comes to balance the books and Kevin shows up wearing a Dario Argento t-shirt of Deep Red. Nash was most impressed. There are many new faces tonight, and a full house means there will be more appearances in Kitchener. Thanks to Coral, Thom, Allan, Alex, Kevin, Declan, Joel, Philip and all our other friends in Kitchener who helped make this a success. Digger |
