Monday, May 4, 2009

A Night of ANVIL and friends

There has to be one of those nights that comes along every once in a while that far surpass any expectations that one may have of what may be about to happen....... this was one of those nights.

LAST WEEK:
I saw the Anvil movie last week at a 3pm showing on a Sunday and it was filled with about 20 folks who came to see what the buzz was all about and maybe 5 of us who were there because we remembered the story of Anvil from back in the days of the Record Vault and Metal on Metal.....

At the end of this fantastic screening the lady who ran the movie walked out to tell us that Anvil would be playing here next week, at which point I SCREECHED and jumped up and down at the idea of seeing the band here at the Bridge movie house. You see I missed the show at SLIMS which Umlaut said was pretty damn cool.

I booked my iCal to make sure I had that next Sunday all planned and ready to roll.

Tonight .......ONE WEEK LATER:

I reached out to Umlaut looking for a report at 6:15pm on the status of the line and ticket situation and he told me the 7:10 show was sold out. DAMMIT !
He then recommended I look online which I did right away and found a ticket to the 9:45 pm show. Anvil would play after each showing of the film. I rushed down to the Bridge and got there at 9pm. I ran into John Jeremy and we got our ticket and then I saw Umlaut who proceeded to tell me that the show was cut short by a broken string.
It was however amazing and that ........I HAD TO SIT UP CLOSE.
So I walked in and went up to reserve a seat in the second row and dropped my sweatshirt over the chair so no-one would take it .

I strolled over to get a coke and there was Robb Reiner who I had to say hello to and tell him how great the film was and how proud I was of the band and all they did. He was very genuine and thanked me, asked me to tell my friends then I followed it up with a purchase of a cd and my first Anvil shirt ! Righteous !!!

Back I go in to sit down for my second showing of the film which is showing at Cannes as well with the full Anvil Experience! The show began and due to the fact the drums were on the stage they did block a little of the bottom of the screen but that was little to sacrifice after a high five from LIPPS as he headed down the aisle.
ROCK AND ROLL POPPIE

Film Begins ............................The story goes 1984 Japan and all the bands they influenced to the current day where our heros are living typical lives as delivery men helping children, doing good and at the same time they are doing the one thing they know how to do really well.They
play music and have been for years now. Lipps and Rob and now Glenn are tearing it up locally in Canada when they get the email of a tour for them that has so much potential but as you see it unravel it is a disaster unfolding..... missed trains , unpaid gigs, a bad manager who has her heart in the right place but he head up her ass. The other weakness is the guitarist who is her boyfriend. You have Lipps, Robb and Glenn against the world ... It should be fun .... not now but it will be soon..... tour ends... back to work.... we have this great material.... we send it to the man from the past and he says that it can all work if they want to do it.

EXCITEMENT ... YES...... GOOOOO

It will cost thousands to do it, Lipps's sister financially backs the project and we are on!!!!

A few fights and few jokes and weeks in this lovely location bring everyone closer and closer ... hugs ... hugs.....

NOW WE HAVE THIRTEEN and we are going to send this out ourselves, they send to Japan and this gets a Japanese invite to a festival that will be huge .... Anvil to play it. YAY

Anvil to Japan ... deja-vou indeed and we just hope they have at least 500 people in a stadium that can hold 200000.

I see 10000 fans screaming for ANVIL... it is Brilliant ... WE LOVE THE FILM

What is this? The scream of a guitar !! Here come Lipps and Rob and Glenn playing for us at The Bridge.

Set List

This Is Thirteen
666
White Rhino (drum solo) dedicated to their favorite weed
Winged Assasin
Metal on Metal
Mothra ( with nice story telling from Lipps)

They Tore it up !!! I love these guys

For the end of the night I ended up being in the lobby of the theater chatting at first with Lipps. I asked him about the filming process of the movie which he starts to explain the director blew him away by approaching him after learning more about the bands unsung releases and telling him he wanted to do a movie about Anvil....but we we interupted by a reality tv show that was trying to interview the Lipps man at the time we were in deep chat, but we allowed the interruption. After a question via a microphone the camera turned to me and asked "what do you think Timi" I turned right the camera and said that these guys are legends and have everything coming to them. I said I was so very very proud of them and was so happy to see them getting what the deserve. Lipps was obviously touched as he reached out and bear hugged me saying how much he love me too... it was a great moment caught in tape and you had to be there to feel the power.

The chat with Rob and Glenn was grand and fulfilling as we discussed how I got it on how they should be a threesome and don't need a fourth..... WOW what a night of memories.

Thanks to all the old skool team there to make it special!!!!

Make sure you support these guys and go see them as the hit your area ........ Rock and Roll

I blasted 13 on the way to work with the top down...... KILLER