2011 West Coast Reggae Caribbean Music Awards (WRCMA)

Over a casual telephone conversation last Tuesday with my friend Drew McIntosh I decided it would be a good idea to jump in a van with him later that week and drive the 1200km to Vancouver. Drew is the founder & organizer of Solidarity Rock, an "artist run non-profit organization that works to partner Canadian and Cuban rock bands, artists and creative people." That Friday he was organizing a punk-show at Lana Lou's to raise funds and collect donated instruments to bring with him to Cuba the next week.

Basically, me being that friend that doesn't have any commitments, plans, or a "job," I'm always down for a last-minute road trip.

Stuffed my bag with a half-empty shaving kit, a change of clothes, put on my suit, threw my saxophone over my shoulder, and left for Vancouver Thursday morning via my jazz gig Wednesday night.

Got in town Thursday night a few hours before last call. Met up with my friend Lacey and went to Malone's, the bar she works at downtown: another successful St. Patrick's Day.

Spent Friday afternoon walkng around my old chow digs on Cambie & Broadway for cheap sushi, then walked through the nation's capital of nice neighbourhoods (Main & Hastings) to get to Drew's gig. Anti-Party was definitely my favourite band of the evening, the Receptionists were amazing, and the AK-747s were perfect to close the night. I wish we had more shows like that in Edmonton. Especially the Receptionists, they killed it! Stayed late after the gig playing the sorely out-of-tune piano and singing with a group of Edmontonian ex-pats. Melissa came in from Victoria that night, her and Lacey came by later to rescue me from any more cheap Blue Ribbons.

Saturday I brought Lacey & Melissa back to my sushi spot to meet Ashton (A-Team) and Erik for lunch. B-Line'd to Commercial to catch the train to Danagement's. Surfed the couch for a while listening to the Valuable's EP and caught a sneak-peek at the new album art for the upcoming Rude City Riot album. Should be out on Stomp Records in June hopefully.

The WRCMA's was pretty swank, black tie and red carpet. Rude City Riot was nominated for two categories (Album of the Year and Best Overall Dance Artist/Group - All Genres), our man on drums Richard Brown recived the nod for a few more categories with other bands he's in, and Ras Nikhilesh who laid down some vocals on our album walked away with the Promising & Upcoming Artist award. Fun night, lots of wine and jerk chicken and Guiness Extra Stout; Sean Fury and Angie were there, and I saw Jon and a few other cats I haven't seen since I moved back to the prairies.

Hopped the SkyTrain back to Malone's to meet up with everybody. The world's greatest bartender hepped me to a new shooter, 1/2 Fireball and 1/2 Sambouca. It's the greatest shot ever, and in gratitude I've been introducing it back home named in his honor. (I know it's probably already a shot with a different name, but in my circles it's the "Nick Hart" shot.) Went back with Lacey & Melissa and stayed up late sipping glasses of wine with her room-mates over a long game of Trivial Pursuit.

16 degrees and sunny when we left Vancouver Sunday morning. By the time we got to Jasper it was dark, the roads were ice, and snow was everywhere. Got home safe and sound, nowhere else I'd rather be.


Danagement and I at the WCRCMAs: