Tiny Little Hands Clapping

Shawn has his solo music project but he also joined a local band (Black Betty) a few months ago (side note: I love the new band. They kind of sound like Soundgarden + Ozzy.) Two days ago the band got a call from Live Nation asking if they would be interested in opening for Steel Panther at the Commodore. The Commodore Ballroom is somewhat of an institution in Vancouver. I would go so far as to say that it's the best place for live music in the city. It feels large - and attracts big name acts - but can actually only hold 900 people. It's a stepping stone - a step above playing in bars but a step below (albeit a large step) playing in arenas. Coldplay played their first North American gig at the Commodore. Lady Gaga played the Commodore in March 2009 and a year later returned to Vancouver to play at GM Place (tangent: GM Place was renamed Rogers Arena this week and ... no. Just no.) U2 played the Commodore in 1981. Playing the Commodore is kind of a big deal.Last night I watched Shawn fulfill his dream of playing on a big stage to a packed house of rowdy fans.
It doesn't matter that it was a rowdy crowd of Steel Panther fans. It doesn't matter that Black Betty was a last-minute fill-in for an opening band that bailed. All that matters is that all of his hard work paid off last night and I am so very proud of him.