Montreal QC

Drove into Montreal Wednesday in the Scotty-Flav-Mobile. Unfortunately, we left our guitars behind in Toronto. Thursday we went looking to rent a replacement axe, but it's impossible to rent one in Montreal without a Quebec driver's license or a full cash deposit, apparently. Valerie from Ska-Montreal came through huge and hooked us up with the Wax Buckets' contact information. Mick from the Wax Buckets came through huge and arranged for us to use the Forbidden Beats guitar for our show the next night. Huge!

Spent Thursday evening putting up gig posters around town with Dusty and tried to hit up Schwartz's Deli for some smoked meat sandwiches, but didn't want to wait in the epic out-the-door and around-the-corner line-up. Settled instead for yet another hotel meal. Delicious AND expensive.

Soundcheck Friday started well. L'Hemisphere Gauche is a great venue. Small room, big stage. Dance pit, cheap beer, total punk-rock bar. Love it, totally my kind of bar. Wandered around, checked out some shops, a great vinyl place, and tried to meet Kevin at a jazz club down St. Denis, but got lost walking around and headed back to the club. Amazing (amazing) Portuguese 1/2 chicken, with potatoes and salad across the street. I definitely ate way, way too much. Unintentional binge and purge, if you know what I mean.

Unfortunately Kevin received some urgent news from back home about some family matters. We bumped the set up to be earlier in the night so he could take off and fly home to be with everyone. Forbidden Beats played a great set, and the Wax Buckets were really cool to trade set times with us on almost zero notice. They played a lot of great songs and had a lot of energy on stage. Both other bands tonight were fantastic, it was a pleasure to be able to hear what's going on in the ska scene out here and share the stage with some quality Montreal bands.

Back at the hotel, we play Bistro Pub Renaud in Longeuil QC tomorrow night. Excited, last show out East before playing back home in Vancouver BC on the 10th. We'll be a trombone short, RCR will be a five-piece for tomorrow night. Interesting?