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Tosh's Tails

Gander

For those of you who don't know, Gander is not an outport. It is an Airport. Founded 50 years ago, the city has proven to be a strategic boon to NATO and her Allies. The biggest landing strip in North America during World War 2, Gander celebrated it's birthday last nite in a style that can only be described as high altitude......Jet fuel.

McCann left St. John's with a heavy foot and was afforded a speeding ticket for his impatience. I hitched a ride on the back of a Honda Shadow  750 piloted by a tall blond beagle enthusiast. We took our time.

Arrived on the scene just in time to hear veteran Ron Hynes, the finest songwriter Newfoundland has ever produced. Paul Kinsman on Keys and Boomer Stamp on Kit.....classic. Upstarts Hey Rosetta followed with a colourful set of barely controlled intensity. Hawksley was right. Tim Baker is genius....and a right good ball handler (I meant soccer).

Rex Goudie followed and did indeed live up to his salacious reputation. Still don't know if he can sing or not and I don't care. I just want to hold him.

I started to get a little apprehensive for the lads when I saw McCann crack his second bottle of Veuve Cliquot while sat across a picnic table from hard rock Novaks drummer Elliot spouting shite like only a young man wannabe can. Smoke dangling from thirsty lips and jaded look in malevolent eye. I only hope the poor youngfella isn't scarred for life.

Many new songs flew from uncertain fingers: Hard Case, England, Dream to Live and Gallows Pole. Ambitious. As always, MacDaddyfarlane managed to hold it all together in the end. Sober. Solid......
and so sexy.

The aftershow got rather stumbly around midnite. Future Pulitzer winner Justin Brake will have much fodder for his tell all novel. We can only hope he didn't have a camera.

Sincere thanx to the kind people of Gander for inviting us Townies to their birthday party. Lax leash laws and ample poop picker bags make for a happy town. 

Ruff. Ruff.

Tosh 

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Published Sunday, August 03, 2008 12:28 PM by Marielee

Comments

 

Fran said:

Tosh, I think you should start doing reviews of the shows. It's fun to get the insider, behind the scenes review of the goings-on.
August 3, 2008 5:37 PM
 

Horatia said:

Motorcycles are sexy & so are you... hope you enjoyed the breeze racing past your ears.

Sadly couldn't make it to Gander... end of term papers / exams kept me home ~*sniff/weep*~ Blinked my way through Gander a few years back. For someone who loves roadside oddities, the Gander Aircraft Museum is a must see... is it a plane? is it a building? or some strange hybrid? Will definitely make it into my coffee table book when I finally get around to it. Thinking of doing a coast to coast survey of strange stuff in small towns. Can make it a bike trip... will rig you a comfy little sidecar if you're up for it ;)
August 3, 2008 7:06 PM
 

AnneInPhilly said:

Sorry McCann got a speeding ticket. I've gotten my share. Expensive little buggers. Sounds like Gander was THE place to be on Saturday. The collection of talent was a not-to-be-missed show. Sadly, I missed it.But uncertain fingers will turn to certain one soon enough. In the meantime we fans are very forgiving of uncertain fingers.

Lovely people in Gander, great stopping place for many day trips. And the Museum is wonderful, too. My uncle was stationed there in WW2, he told us recently.

Tell McCann to enjoy his time off.

Anne
August 5, 2008 10:20 AM
 

nova said:

Tosh, sounds like you had a backstage pass to some of the best that NL has to offer!  I agree with ya -- Tim Baker is fabulous.  I was a fan from the first time I heard Hey Rosetta, and when I saw him a few months later and he sang Hallelujah at the Feast of Cohen, I was blown away -- what a voice...good stuff!  

Looking forward to hearing more of the new, lovely FF songs...still waiting for Dream to Live, but I am patient.

rest up, much fun awaits
August 8, 2008 9:20 PM
 

isotoper said:

Ah Tosh, bikers know why dogs hang their heads out of car windows.

Did McCann put a leash on your tongue? Or perhaps are you just out of your puppy-dog sorts?

Would you write something with your usual flair if I gave you a Scooby Snack?
August 10, 2008 7:40 AM
 

NewfieSteph said:

It does indeed sound like Gander was the place to be. I was born there, and would love to have been there for the festivities. It's a pretty beagle-friendly place, as I recall, lots of daisies and parks. And hopefully home to more than one tall blond beagle enthusiast.
August 13, 2008 10:11 AM
 

estellefm said:

so many places you play, I'd like to be.
Gander sound like you guys had a blast. Glad to hear. :D
August 13, 2008 6:17 PM
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