After finally getting off the ground Saturday mid-afternoon, we were in Montreal, sludging through the snow to the Ritz Carlton on Sherbrooke. We got a hell of a deal, and it was a terrific, old-school joint. Very courteous, experienced staff, and possibly the finest bathroom I've ever had in a hotel. The fixtures had all been there since the 40s, I'm sure, and it was incredible. Big, thirsty bath towels, terrific water flow in the taps, incredibly cold water when you need it, a good shaving mirror. The basics. Never underestimate a good, dependable bathroom. I don't know why I was so obsessed with it, but there you go!
With the assistance of the wonderful Montreal Metro system, it was off to Theatre Outremont for Steve Earle in a solo acoustic performance. I had never actually been to the place myself, but after we changed trains a couple of times, we slogged through a snowy and mainly residential area to find the theatre. It was an eventful night...
I could live to be a hundred, and never see a show like that again.
I was introduced to Springsteen's music in the mid-80s by my friends Jeff and Ian, who were coming to Montreal, as well. They drove from Saint John, which proved to a bit of a death march. A pretty heavy system was moving through Eastern Canada, and it made for a hellish drive, to say the least. But, everyone arrived safe and sound, and after we all hit the hay a bit early on Saturday night, we still had a big day ahead of us.
Sunday started out with a trip to Dunn's, just off St. Catherine's...
Had a Smoked Meat Omelette. Fire in the Hole!
After a bit of a breather, it was off to Hurley's on Crescent Street. Next to a good hotel bathroom, I'm a sucker for a good Irish pub to help blow off an afternoon. My friend Terry and I stumbled upon (and out of) Hurley's last summer, and loved the whole vibe of the place, especially the courtyard out back. Even though it was sunny, it was about minus ten, so the courtyard was out of the question, no matter how much Guinness was involved.
A bit of a breather, then the Bar-B-Barn for a pre-show Cholesta-Fest. Ribs...chicken, and more beer. They must have known they would be flooded with Maritimers, because Moosehead was on special.
Then...the main event...My 8th Bruce concert...Jeff''s 13th, Ian's 6th, I think. Either way, we're newbies compared to some of the people we've met who are well up into the triple digits. I managed to stand still long enough for a couple of decent photos...
Here's the review from the Gazette...
http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/arts/story.html?id=53dc5ac1-c768-4e1b-a002-dbc90099c5e5&k=57713
Not much more to say, really...my voice is still a bit crispy after joining about 16,000 nutjobs on the chorus of 'Badlands'.
Can't wait to do it again!
