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Vinny Red
Apr 22nd, 2002, 01:16:52 PM
Well I'm back from the trip, and what a trip it was. App rox 2200 kms (1375 miles) in under 72 hours. It was all worth it though, Every single second. Every INSANE Quebec driver (anyone that's driven through Quebec knows exactly what I mean)

We arrived in Ottawa at around 11:30 or so Friday night, went to the hotel bar to relax and have a drink, before calling it a night. Or so we though, ended up meeting a bunch of people from the old university town of Fredericton and ended up staying up all night, talking and playing DMB songs on acoustic guitars having a great time. Didn't anticipate seeing them, but small world I guess.

Met a bunch of Yanks too. Some from Manhatten who had to come here as a result of their shows being cancelled. They said it was the best DMB concert they'd seen to date..... Met some others from Wisconsin and Washington State. There were 150 people in our hotel who went to the concert in the end. We made it a poinnt to see almost every one of them :D

From there it was an early start (10am), early for me anyways, and it was off hitting the town. I'd never been before, so I made everyone come with me to see the parliament buildings and the art gallery and just walk around town. I was like a kid in a candy store.

I took lots and lots of pics with the digital camera, here are a couple of them.....

The US Embassy (http://renegade.clanhappy.com/pics/ottawa/us embassy.jpg) Not a great pic of it, sorry.

Sir John A MacDonald (http://renegade.clanhappy.com/pics/ottawa/tribute to john A.jpg) One of our most important Prime Ministers, if not the most important

Elvis is Alive! (http://renegade.clanhappy.com/pics/ottawa/elvis.jpg) Whoever told you otherwise is LYING!

Parliament Buildings (http://renegade.clanhappy.com/pics/ottawa/gang and peace tower.jpg) The tower is called the Peace tower.

From the top of the tower (http://renegade.clanhappy.com/pics/ottawa/looking at hull.jpg) Looking out at Hull Quebec from the top of the tower

Written by a Canuck (http://renegade.clanhappy.com/pics/ottawa/flanders fields 1.jpg) If you look close I think you'll reconize what is written. This is from inside of the peace tower.

EVIL AT IT'S WORST (http://renegade.clanhappy.com/pics/ottawa/Evil car.jpg) I'm not even going to start my rant on this one

From the art gallery (http://renegade.clanhappy.com/pics/ottawa/dog and his bone.jpg) I thought this was an interesting piece of art, taken from the gallery of course. I guess every dog has it's bone

Your navigator for the first 2 hours (http://renegade.clanhappy.com/pics/ottawa/one sexy bitch.jpg)

And your driver for the next 9 hours... (http://renegade.clanhappy.com/pics/ottawa/driving in my funkmobile.jpg)

Lots more pics, but no need to waste your time with them.

Sat night finally rolled around and we boarded our bus with approx 50 other people from the Maritime provinces (originally thought it was only to be 30) and off to the concert we went.

The opening act was Bela Fleck and the Fleckstones. We missed part of their show, but from what I saw of them, they are a talented buch. They had a horn player, playing two sax's at the same time. Their bass player was hammering away on it, swinging his bass around over his shoulder a la Kiss. Their drummer was simply amazing. They put on a really good show, wish I'd seen the whole act.

And from there was the main act - Dave Matthews. Now I'm not a huge fan of their music, or wasn't at least. This show made me a fan. You hear their live stuff via mp3 or whatever fashion, but it doesn't do them justice. You have to see them live.

Each of them is an extremly talented musician, each taking their respective spots in the songs to just go nuts and do some amazing thigns that I can only dream about.

They had a sweet light show and a large viewscreen that had closeups of each of the members as they did their respective thing. When the band was shown, they had some trippy screen saver like shows.

Dave was fighting through the whole set with his voice. A couple of shows had previously been cancelled at MSG, sso there was a little worry this might have the same fate. But he went on and did really well. After each song he'd say a little something to the crowd in an extremly raspy voice, and it was easliy apparent the problems he had. As a result they didn't sing that many songs, but the show did last for over 2 hours if I remember right. The set lis is as follows :

Don't Drink the water
Rhyme and Reason
You never know
When the world ends
One sweet world
Big eyed fish
Bartender
I did it
Gray Street
If I had it all
The Space between
Stone
Too much
Raven
#41

41 lasted for approx 25 mins or so. They just kept jamming away. At one point, the bass player and the guitar player were standing facing each other, oblivious to the rest of the band and they just picked away, trying to out do each it other it seemed. It made for an amazing bit of music.

The encore:

Ain't it funny how time slips away (Willy Nelson tune)
Where are you going?
Tripping Billies

their rendition of Tripping Billies had everyone on their feet dancing and singing away at the top of their voices to it. Quite a feeling to it. Wish I'd known the words. Next time.......

The only regrets I have from the show, apart from it being over of course, are that I didn't get to hear a couple of my fav songs, Two step and ants marching and satellite and finally say good bye. Oh well, can't have them all I guess. We did hear a couple of unreleased songs, so that's ok I guess.

This concert definately made a fan out of me. Hell I spend $40 on the tshirt (i know i know......). I'd definately recommend going to the concert to anyone, even non fans, because their talent for making music and the fun that they have while putting on their show is easily apparent and makes for even a better show.

I've got 24 pictures from the concert that are currently being developped because I didn't take my digital camera to the concert, so I'll have those in a couple of days, ready to post and annoy all of you again.

After the concert it was back to the hotel, and then out for a night of dancing and having a good time on the town. Wish I could tell you about that, but well it's a still a little hazy......

All in all it was an excellent trip. If I was to do it again, I'd do it in a heartbeat and change nothing save for the fact that we rented a stupid Kia Sportage for the trip. As fun as you think it is to randomly shout "Aaaiiieeeeee!!!" or "welcome to the swamp" it gets old really quick..... but that's another story all together.

Im going to have to give this concert a 8.5 out of 10 and say it's easily the best concert i've seen. If woudl've rated higher had dave been able to sing more and had i heard some of my songs that I love, but hey, i'm still not complaining. I'm definately going to make a point to see him again.

Next year Vancouver......

That's all for now, I'm VJ singing off....

PS - Sorry Jedah, no flashing women this time

Hyphenated
Apr 22nd, 2002, 01:54:59 PM
Vancouver! :lol you can visit me too. :D

And the pics don't work, I only saw the Elvis one. :( Mebbe clanpages is hiccuping?

Vinny Red
Apr 22nd, 2002, 02:08:15 PM
And the planning for next year starts....hehehe

Pics should be working, links are all right. They work for me and another couple of peeps...Must be Clanpages

*shakes fist at them*

Sorry about all the typos, don't have the contacts in, and I loathe spell checkers.....stupid things pointing out all your mistakes!

Hyphenated
Apr 22nd, 2002, 02:22:07 PM
Wait, you are referring to Vancouver WA, USA, nu? Just thought maybe you weren't, in which case, I won't be anywhere nearby. :p I keep forgetting that the Washington Vancouver isn't the ONLY Vancouver in the world! Personally, I blame Canada. ;)

Vinny Red
Apr 22nd, 2002, 02:25:51 PM
What's that? Road Trip?!

Giddy up!

* hums the tune to "Blame Canada" *

stupid catchy song

Hyphenated
Apr 22nd, 2002, 02:28:36 PM
:lol You didn't answer my question! :grumble

Vinny Red
Apr 22nd, 2002, 02:31:56 PM
Heh, oops. Brain is still a little mushy


Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Hyphenated
Apr 22nd, 2002, 02:33:04 PM
Dangit!

Ah well.

Vinny Red
Apr 22nd, 2002, 02:40:17 PM
WEll dont' worry, there will be pictures. Somone has a nasty habit of going nuts with a camera

* goes through the 67 pics i took with the digi cam, while waiting for the 24 from the concert *

And if that isn't good enough for ya, I'll be sure to send ya a sticker with a postcard from the concert

I know i know, what a guy i am :smokin





or something like that

Judicator Kal Shora
Apr 22nd, 2002, 03:05:15 PM
Vinny baby, come here for The Stanley Cup! I'll even let you bunk in my shack!

Vinny Red
Apr 22nd, 2002, 03:07:55 PM
Well the Cup is gonna be in Montreal, so that means one thing......road trip.



:smokin


I think i've a road trip fetish

Judicator Kal Shora
Apr 22nd, 2002, 03:17:02 PM
No! Not Montreal! Vancouver!

Or maybe both. O_o

Sumor Rayial
Apr 22nd, 2002, 03:42:00 PM
When you head to Van next year your stopping by here on your way past and we're going boozing. And that's for both TO and Sudbury depending on the time of year.

Oh and make that Vancouver - Toronto. Montreal's got nothing :p

Judicator Kal Shora
Apr 22nd, 2002, 03:45:31 PM
Bah. Says a Toronto fan.

TO can't beat the BSB. If they face em they're just overmatched. Montreal plays a different style so they have a chance.

Live Wire
Apr 22nd, 2002, 10:58:33 PM
cool! I wanna see actuall concert piccys!!!!