MAJICAL CLOUDZ

August 17th – Calgary – Hifi Club

                   I had the lowest energy of the tour so far for this show in Calgary. I have been mentally compartmentalizing the tour into segments, and Calgary is the last show in the “Midwest/Prairies” before we start on the “West Coast” in Vancouver, so it also felt like an ending. Touring across the Canadian Prairies is rewarding in the sense of going to cities that are often ignored in North American tours, but it is difficult for all the reasons that lead to the Prairies being skipped over. Bands have to make longer drives for smaller crowds, and it can be wearing. I definitely enjoyed our week crossing the middle of Canada, but I say all that by way of explaining why I was lacking in energy at this show.

                  There was a little Bulldog at the venue when we were soundchecking. It ran around curiously and came on the stage at one point. Its owner  (who was the sound guy) kept leading it into the back but it would reappear every time.

                  I told everyone at the beginning of the show that I didn’t have much to say, and we started performing the songs. I felt focused on what I was doing but I lacked the energy to feel positive about what was going on. The crowd wasn’t giving much energy back so it was reinforced. Later on in the set I noticed a few people at a table in the back looking at me, then talking to each other, then looking, then laughing to each other. Then one of them mimed my posture while holding the microphone. After we finished the song I said, “What do you think so far, sir? The guy in the hat.” He said, “Oh, you’re doing great buddy.” I said, “But are my poses too stylized?” and he seemed to not understand what I said, and mumbled something about his hat and then turned it around so it was on backwards. After the show he came up to me and asked me why I had “called him out”, and I told him it was nothing negative, which is true. I just like someone to speak to me when it’s clear that they are speaking about me and I can see them doing it. I would much prefer someone to shout something at me between songs than to look at me and laugh while I am performing. There were no hard feelings, though!