Friday night Mrs. That Dan Guy and I somehow stumbled into a Calgary casino – I think we were looking for directions, and the facility just happened to be the first place we could find that had a customer service desk…

At any rate, how we arrived there is rather inconsequential. Once we were there, we decided to check the place out, and discovered that they had a concert showroom. The acts that happened to be appearing there that particular evening were Pat Travers, and Sweeney Todd, both successful rock acts back in the Seventies. Sweeney Todd was a Canadian group, if I’m not mistaken.

We weren’t able to stay and take in the shows, but it would have been a nostalgic evening, if we had. Pat Travers had a terrific live album back in the day, with “Boom Boom (Out Go The Lights)” repeating frequently on our Winnipeg classic rock station. Great party tune.

Sweeney Todd had a monster hit – “Roxy Roller”, plus the rest of their album was, in my own humble opinion, totally skookum. Back before there was such a thing as “air guitar”, I would “perform” the entire album, in my parent’s basement. If ever there was an indisputable argument for geek lightning bolts, I would have been spectacularly smote in that basement. Acne and a mullet – how was I NOT a babe magnet in my teens???

But I digress….

I did see Sweeney Todd, with original lead vocalist Nick Gilder (remember “Hot Child In The City”??) at the peak of their careers, back in the 70’s. To my credit, I can say with all honesty that I did NOT jump up and perform along with the band, from my seat in the concert hall. It was a great show.

So, it would have been nostalgic to see those aging rockers (most likely looking like chartered accountants now) playing the old songs one more time. But alas, it was just not possible. I’ll have to remember them at the height of their heyday, which is probably how most old rockers would prefer it anyhow.

Trivia Note: Sweeney Todd’s second album featured a replacement lead vocalist for departing Nick Gilder. A young lad named Bryan Adams. With a mullet…

I wonder if I still have that old air guitar in the basement???

Chow for now!!