Northern Wish

SERIOUSLY I’VE BEEN WAITING 12 YEARS FOR THIS!!!!!

I missed the band’s last show in 1996 but I saw their second last show in Toronto. The Bourbon Tabernacle Choir were my definitive life changing band. I first saw them at a Halloween show at The Diamond - Dave had long hair and was dressed up like Olive Oyl from Popeye. Actually the first show I saw was at their first show at The Battle Of The Bands at The Concert Hall in 1985. You can read about it at http://www.bourbontabernaclechoir.com/history.shtml.

Then I remember hearing some cuts from Sister Anthony on Q107 on their “Indie Hour” back in 1990. I must have seen 100 Bourbon shows between 1990 and 1996. Clinton’s Tavern, Lee’s Palace, Kingswood, Maryhill, Kitchener, Guelph, London Fairgrounds, Call The Office, A Gathering Of Human Beings (easily the weirdest show I have ever been to …. ever), Hamilton, Peterborough etc, etc..

I can’t Imaging how many nights I must have annoyed them off backstage in my post show excited state (courtesy of many double rum and cokes).

The Bourbons were the by far the best live band I ever used to go see (except perhaps for Rheostatics but they are a whole different kind of fun). Bourbons were drink you face off, dance wildly and get your funk on kind of fun. I have missed them every day since 1996 and Never EVER figured they’d play together again.

Well it looks like Never EVER has arrived! On Saturday July 26 after a 12 year hiatus Chris Brown, Dave Wall, Kate Fenner, Chris Miller, Andrew Whiteman, Jason Mercer, Gene Hardy and Tom Bona will take the main stage at Hillside 2008. It will not be a night to miss and I’m sure just like the final Rheostatics show, there will be people coming from all over the country to see them once again, if only for one last time.

I can’t wait!

Check out all things Bourbon at my http://www.bourbontabernaclechoir.com site. Lots of Live shows, Videos etc.

TIckets for Hillside 2008 go on sale May 3 at 10AM - http://www.hillsidefestival.ca