I told you there would be artwork…

Might as well start this blog with the concert  that made my sister say blog this crap! (She didn’t really say “crap”…)  – the Tea Party’s 20 Years of Transmission Tour at the River Cree Casino in Edmonton, March 24, 2017.  This is my attempt at drawing Jeff Martin based on a photo I took at the show… It is really hard to draw from a blurry photo!

These guys!!!  That voice! Those soundscapes! Those drums!  I love this band.  Everything about their sound.   The passion… the lyrics… the world music inspirations… The esoteric references…  The intelligence…   I mean, I have to look up words from the lyrics to appreciate the fuller picture… And I’m a fairly well-read, intelligent person.  This band is smart and worldly. This is not your bubble gum pop music.

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And like all my favourite Rock Gods, they use their voice for good in the world.  I respect that so deeply.  For these guys its things like the White Ribbon Campaign, a movement of men working towards ending violence towards women, for which they donate proceeds from their song “Release” from Transmission, which they played that night.
Anyways, the show was awesome.  We had tickets for the 2nd row, dead centre. We could have gone up between the stage barrier thing and first row, but soooomeone didn’t want to…  sister (awake.. ha ha)… just sayin…  We were so close anyways.  sooooo close! Man, the energy! Such an awesome crowd!  The band were on point! Just incredible!

I’ve seen them a few times over the years, including at the Calgary Stampede in the 90s and Jeff Martin in a tiny intimate pub in Ireland. They never disappoint.  And wow, I love watching Jeff Burrows play the drums!  He is so physical and expressive!
Oh yah, and then they broke out into With or Without You by U2 during Heaven Coming Down… ummm what!? My gawd! I was certainly in Heaven!! I just can’t even explain how good this was, oh wait, yes I can: best song ever, written by best band ever, sung by Jeff Martin…  I mean what else do you need to know…  Jeff B and Stuart were perfect as well, simple, drum and bass, letting the vocal shine.   Oh and how it did!  Edmonton ate it up! We sang every word at the top of our lungs!   Well, actually, and ironically, everyone but me – I didn’t sing a word!  Instead,  I filmed the whole song and nooooo one wants to hear me sing overtop of Jeff…
Jeff even did the “hands are tied” hand thing Bono does in the video – I was soooo fangirling!!! I really really think the Tea Party should get permission to record that song for their next album. Amazing.

Oh yah, and then I caught Jeff Burrows’s sweaty towel at the end of the show 😀

That’s right, I now own Rock God sweat!!!

And it is framed…. on my wall… what else does one do with sweaty towels??