Friday, August 14th/09, O’Hanlon’s Pub, Regina SASK

I’m a smoker. It’s no big secret. It’s shameful, especially for a singer in a melody driven band. It effects my voice, but only slightly, not as much as other things like talking too much or dairy products or alcohol. It’s brutal, and I know that I should quit, tried to many times, but now is not the time, apparently. My family and close friends say it must be a “rockstar” thing, which I assure you is not. I don’t even know what that means. The term “rockstar” is lost on me, doesn’t make sense. I find it very funny that I turned into a smoker, seeing as how my two sisters, Jaclyn and Jaime, are so down on it, and rightfully so. They once threatened to cut my hands off with a scimitar if they saw me smoking, like that scene in Robin Hood where bro steals a loaf of bread or papayas or something. My parents smoked for 25 years and quit cold turkey, which is a tremendous feat, my hats off to ma and pa. I can’t do that. I have not the will power to do anything major, like quit smoking or being so naive. I always said that the only reason they were able to do it is because they supported each other through the entire process, something I don’t have and do not see having for a very long time, until I either change completely or somebody can accept my wily shinnanigans. Smoking is gross, you don’t have to tell me that a million times, please. I know already.

O’Hanlon’s is ideal. Good food, good people, good sound, and they are always packed! It doesn’t matter what goes on in that small building, it’s always humming. We rolled in at about 6:00 pm and met up with our friend from Saskatoon, Zachary Lucky, who is in a band called “We Were Lovers” and is also going on a solo tour with my best friend Steph Macpherson” in October, so make sure you look out for that and support them, the crazy kids, piling into their car and driving across the country… who in their right mind would write music and take it on tour, crazy talk. Zachary played an amazing set, accompanied by his friend Jamison on a drum and harmonica. I was immensely excited, as Zach is one of my favorite people and a damn fine musician, does it just right, makes me feel warm and such. We played a longer set to a large and enthusiastic crowd, a couple covers ala Against Me! and The Constantines. People enjoyed themselves and we had a few beverages and sold a few albums and t-shirts, our sad, but brightly lit table on the side of the stage. A girl who didn’t even watch our band came up and bought our music for $20.00 based on my vague, but epic description of our band. It was like a ringmaster unveiling a carnie-sideshow like “come one, come all! Feast your eyes on the man who’s nose never stops bleeding!” Or something along those lines. My hat off to that girl.

Before we began, I went out on the front patio for a smoke and to announce that we were playing  in 5 minutes and that we were so ultra-fine, and it’s funny, I do this alot, most of our shows, just to ensure we have at least a few people by the stage, and the responses I get from people are usually pretty priceless, stuff like “do you play metal?” or a sarcastic”Yeah, be right in douche!” or “Pop-punk is an inferior genre, what’s wrong with you guys!?” Those sorts of things. Tonight was pretty good though, when I got everybody’s attention and after my pitch, a guy told me he “liked my combover.” I was confused, but I guess my hair was matted down from the rain, fair enough. There was also a shirtless and shoeless beefcake trying to fight some dudes in front of the entrance, pretty drunk, pretty hopped up, bouncers kicked his ass street-side. I found it quite entertaining, like, this guy had obviously drank too much sweet wine and PCP and had every bad intention on pulling out his best UFC imitations on some unsuspecting bloke who probably didn’t even know how he could have possibly offended this guy. We’re so typical, I love it sometimes. I lit another smoke and stuck around for the potential fireworks.

(a shiny nickel to the friend who can reference the title to this!)