Friday 9 July 2010

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.

14 comments:

  1. Oh my gosh, that is so exciting for him! It's so cool to watch the people you love live their dreams! Congrats to him!

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  2. Live Nation, that's big time! Tell the boy "Congrats!"

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  3. This? Is just pure awesome. What an amazing accomplishment, indeed. Congrats to your Shawn!

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  4. This is huge!! Tell him congrats from me, that's amazing :) :)

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  5. "No. Just no." - MY SENTIMENTS EXACTLY!

    So happy for both of you! Always amazing to hear about someone's dreams turning into reality.

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  6. Awesomesauce!
    -Meg

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  7. Way to go to Shawn! That's SO awesome. I love the commodore!

    Also - what the heck is with the Rogers place thing. Oy.

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  8. HE PLAYED THE COMMODORE?! /faint

    That's **amazing** Hillary! Ah!! I'm kind of dying over here - it looks like an amazing time :)

    Congratulations to you guys, that must have been incredible!

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  9. Wow! A 900-capacity venue?! Seriously so cool! Congrats to your boy! That is totally big time! YAY!

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  10. That is SO RAD. I LOVE watching bands at the Commodore. Yay, Shawn!!

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  11. Ginger: It was so exciting for him - it was so cool to see him live out a dream :)

    Stephanie: I will, thanks!

    Nilsa: It was totally awesome. I was a bit of a groupie.

    Emily: I will, thank you!!

    Mermanda: Thanks, lady :)

    Sam: Right? It will always be The Garage to me.

    J: Whoo!

    Meg: Definitely awesomesauce. Also awesomesauce? Meeting you soon!!

    xoxb: I love the Commodore too :)

    Kyla: It *was* incredible. It was so weird (in a good way!) to see him up on stage in front of a huge crowd.

    Sarah: Shh ... don't tell him that. Don't want his ego to get too big :)

    Angella: It was definitely rad. He had a perma-smile for days afterwards :)

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  12. HOORAY!

    That is flippin sweet! As they say :)

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