Socked in 'Til Spring!
Sun Dec 28th, 2008 7:40 PM
It's been a weird month and a half! I bussed it out to Calgary in mid-November looking for work on the black gold rush, only the rush is over. I was staying with some friends here in Cow-town, passing the time in the bars of the Redneck Mile. After two weeks of waiting for a drilling company to call me I got restless and phoned a few moving companies to get some hours and structure! Then it hit and I mean hit: freeze up. There was no in-between period, it went from moderate to freezing f@@king cold in one day! I worked a shift moving in near blizzard weather, it was awesome!
December 19th I took the Greyhound south to Nanton for my two shows and man it was just what I needed. The town of Nanton has remained unchanged since 1902, a real cowboy looking town, especially with the snow covered streets. I could sit on the edge of my hotel bed, look out at the snowy plains and play my guitar with some feeling, a feeling I wasn't getting in the city. Songwriters talk or sing often of sitting on their bed and playing their axe. As far as I'm concerned the more authentic (as in old and rustic, bordering dilapitated) the room is the better.
I played Friday's show to a small but enthusiastic crowd. On Saturday I stopped into the Main Street Cafe, another hotspot for solo artists on the Canadian folk circuit. I was happy to see my CD for sale along side all the other indie folksters. I'm glad I stopped in because it was the Cafe's last day! There were several people in there having a few beers and getting their Christmas cheer on. I introduced myself and they said I should get my guitar and play a few songs which I happily did. It felt good: cowboy town, old cafe, on the road, real troubadour stuff ya dig? Sometimes when I feel like giving up on this racket something like that happens and it revitalizes the fire. Around eight I made my excuses and headed back to the Hotel for my show, another quiet one to another small crowd who ate it up. Sunday was their staff Christmas party which I was invited to, FUN! (like I needed anymore free booze!) Monday I bid adieu and headed bacxk north for Calgary, thanks Nanton, I can honestly say you cured my winter blues.
Decemeber 29th I fly out to Ft St John BC for what may be a 35 day hitch in the patch, oil patch that is, Texas tea. My winter blues will be replaced with the roughneck blues. Good thing I like blues.
