Our summer here in Alberta started off a little bit on the wet side (ok...a LOT!!!! With unusual amounts of rainfall) and there being TWO outdoor concerts that Loverboy was to play here within a week of each other, my first concern was the weather and what it would be like on these two days. As it was, the two days turned out to be two of the best days--to that point--for our guys to play! First in Cold Lake, it was probably the hottest, most humid--due to the heavy rains we had experienced at the beginning of July--day thus far. Unfortunately, I was not able to go to the Cold Lake show, but I have heard nothing but the word "AWESOME"!!!!!! about the Border Bash in it's entirety. In fact I guess organizers were already talking about bringing it back next year before this year's show was even done! Cool to know that Loverboy was apart of this inaugural show! History in the making we can say.
Okay, on to Edmonton's Klondike Days, the one I DID get to go to!! Where DO I begin?! There seems to be so much to say!
Okay.....first off, I was a bit worried at first because we ended leaving for K-Days a little later than we should have. Of course being Saturday (not to mention gorgeous weather! The +30 C. like they promised which turned into a gorgeous evening! PERFECT for a Loverboy concert!). As this was undoubtedly their (K-Days) busiest day thus far, the parking was horrendous and we ended up parking (thankfully, really!) in front of a friend's house and hiked the ten minutes it took to get to the grounds and then of course there was the line up to get onto the grounds to contend with. When we finally got through all of that, we hurried over to the Telus Stage where the band was to play and found that it was already PACKED!!! No luck in finding front row seats!! But it was totally awesome to SEE such a HUGE crowd already, a good hour or so BEFORE the show was to start! And I thought that the last show LB played in Edmonton was BIG! I didn't think that that was possible! But I'm pretty sure that it was even bigger this time around! Anyway, we stood for awhile by the front row seats. My friend went in to the market to check things out as she wanted to keep her feet moving, but I stood our ground, just in case we ended losing that "good standing spot" if I were to go with her! (I wanted to stay there so that when they let us go up to the fence, I would be ready to make tracks and be in front!!!). And a good thing that I did too, for not long after she left, a couple of people left the front bench, allowing for us to sit down! Then even when my friend STILL hadn't arrived back from the market, people were starting to make their way to the fence already! (HUH?!?! Last couple of times Loverboy played at K-Days in Edmonton, security made us wait through the first part of the show in our seats to give the handicapped people a chance to see the show, which is fair enough). But this time they let us go up BEFORE the sound check was even done! At first I was concerned about leaving such good seats in case we were only going to be turned back by security, but I also wanted the chance to grab a front row spot! So I finally decided to take my chance went up (as nobody at the fence was getting sent back to their seats) and found out that we were allowed to stay! (BOOYA!). It occurred to me then that my friend might not be able to find me as people were starting to crowd around more and more, but I soon spotted her (miraculously!) was able to flag her down.
Getting back to the crowd, they were AWESOME!!!! It ended up taking longer than anticipated for the sound check to be over with and the crowd started getting impatient, chanting for Loverboy! Loverboy! Loverboy! And "Bring out the boys!" etc. Finally when they arrived on stage, the song that they opened up with was "Jump". Songs that they did this time that I don't recall seeing them do the last couple of times included "This Could Be The Night", and "It's Your Life", one of my many favourites.
Both Spider and Matt's solo's were excellent! Bar none! As always, Paul's guitar playing continues to amaze and was a real treat to watch again! Definitely one of Canada's best! And Mike's vocals sound as good as they ever did! As well I have always loved Doug's keyboard on "Take Me To The Top"! The energy that the members of Loverboy display on stage is phenomenal and tells one that they are going to be around for a loooooooooooong time yet, which is very good news for us die-hard fans!
For their encore, they started with "Notorious" and did a medley of songs which included what they did three years ago, "Come Together" by the Beatles. Oh and there was even one song which they did earlier in the show where during the middle of it, they broke out into a short version of The Doors' "Riders On The Storm"--(do you think I can remember which song now though?! It's elusive at the moment). Of course being a British Invasion fan as well as a fan of early rock--60's, 70's this really went over very well with me! It can't get any better for me when Loverboy combines their own classic music with a classic from that period.
The ONLY song missing that I was SOOOOOO looking forward to, was "Emotional"! It SEEMED like they had played it just about EVERYWHERE else, but in Edmonton! (I was later to learn why). And I had been SOOOOOO looking forward to seeing them do it! Well, I guess I'll have to wait for the next time, and HOPEFULLY they WILL play it for Edmonton next time as I don't know WHEN the last time they played it in Edmonton was. It WAS the ONLY disappointment of the show, for sure.
One thing I have to mention that was like "music to my ears"--pardon the pun--was when Paul said after the show that the Canadian crowds are REALLY starting to come out to their shows again, which is absolutely AWESOME NEWS for them! He added to that, "Like we're on a comeback!" Extremely happy to hear that terrific news!
And on that note, I would just like to add for all of the Canadian fans out there to KEEP coming out to our guy's shows! KEEP on showing your support for them to KEEP them coming back to Canada and to help bring us MORE Canadian dates! They are an awesome, awesome band and we should be so very proud that they are Canadian! And we should be "celebrating" the band and their "heritage" by showing our support by continuing to attend their shows WHENEVER and WHEREVER (in Canada) possible. Myself and a whole lot of others can guarantee you that you will NOT be disappointed. They are awesome both on stage and off stage.
Thanks, Mike, Paul, Matt, Doug and Spider for yet another AWESOME night in Edmonton! Hope to see you guys BEFORE three years next time! ("Your music will always be with us!") Take care!